A trail of teasing trogons

 

I found myself exploring the foothills of Gunung Bintang in the state of Kedah on Boxing Day this year. And the weather was surprisingly good with clear blue skies and plenty of sunshine. The vicinity was alive with the sounds of nature and as usual, the wilderness provides sanctuary for my wearied soul. The troops of Agile Gibbons present almost drowned out all the rest with their powerful territorial calls and for these shy primates that is often the only indication of their presence.

One particular call had my undivided attention. It is a series of mournful notes but owner of the call is anything but mournful. I do not come across the Red-naped Trogon all that often and this individual was not making it easy for me. The dense foliage of the canopy hid the bird well and the vocalization was the only aid I have to locating this stunning forest dweller. Quarter of an hour and a couple of leech bites later, the trogon shifted position and slight movement was all that was needed for its location to be revealed. It was a dreadful photographic attempt but the experience exciting nevertheless.

The trogons of this birding haven appear to have returned to the forest surrounding this access road. The movement control order by the government decreased human activities considerably here and could well be one of the main reasons why I found myself surrounded by these forest denizens today. As much as I hate to admit it, human interference regardless of any nature, will have an impact on the ecosystem. In our absence, Mother Nature thrives. Anyway, the Diard’s Trogon and Orange-breasted Trogon teased me with fleeting views from the cover of the forest. Even the commoner Scarlet-rumped Trogon was reluctant to reveal his true beauty today.

His duller mate was not any much better despite resting on a relatively open perch.

The two resident forest kingfishers were also up and about. While the Banded Kingfisher remained out of sight, the Rufous-collared Kingfisher provided a brief but mesmerizing encounter. She alighted at eye level but unfortunately in a gloomy part of the forest. Unlike most avian species, she is just as striking as her male counterpart. I could not recall the last time I came across a female of this species and this girl certainly brought some cheer after the frustrating time with the trogons.

A number of birdwaves swept past me as I slowly ascended the trail. Babblers, warblers, flycatchers, woodpeckers and sunbirds were the main participants of this natural phenomenon. Photographic attempts were futile as the birds were exceptionally active today. All except for a male Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike that decided to take a short breather in the midst of all the chaos.

Fruiting trees are always a good spot for birds. A small fruiting next to the access road made me stop to have a better look. A pair of Finsch’s Bulbuls came for a short feed but they were the only signs of life at the tree for the entire duration I was there.

I did not give much thought to the resident Chestnut-naped Forktails that were darting about today as these birds do not appreciate human presence much. However, a juvenile decided to momentarily abandon its skittish nature and foraged relatively close to my position. This species has a tendency to hunt along isolated access roads and when out the in the open like this, one can truly appreciate the beauty of the Chestnut-naped Forktail even if it has yet to obtain full adult plumage.

Well, we are all familiar with the saying stop and smell the roses but you will not find any roses here in this hot and humid environment. I hope I am not getting sentimental with age but while waiting (in vain) for the forktail to show itself again, this yellow flower did catch my eye.

The Bushy-crested Hornbill is probably the avian world’s equivalent of the gibbons here at this site. It occurs in flocks and just like the primates, are vocal by nature. A flock was yelping away (yup, they do sound somewhat like puppies) from one of the taller trees and lucky for me, the foliage was sparse enough to make the shape of the hornbills. They were quite a distance away and the tree, strongly backlighted.

Years of birding has moulded me into a patient man and I waited for, hopefully, a change of fortune. My determination paid off when the flock, consisting of nine individuals, took flight and headed towards my direction. I also have been birding long enough to know that things rarely work out exactly how you hoped. When it comes to forest birding, everything comes down to luck and it certainly had some for this encounter.

My best effort of the flying Bushy-crested Hornbills was of this young male. He was the last one to make it across the valley and my modest photographic setup had a little more time to capture the moment. There is just something about hornbills in flight that make them so captivating – even if the species is mostly shades of brown.

I had to borrow my better half’s ride for my birding adventure this time as the battery of my old girl died on me the day before. When it comes to photography, birds and other wildlife naturally has precedence over everything else. But vehicles are one of my few other passions in life and you will find a number of photographs of this nature in my digital archive. And this Kai Concept crossover wrapped things up for the day.

Where is the damn duck?

The weather here in northern Peninsular Malaysia has been unforgiving of late. With the Chinese New Year just around the corner, this hot spell is pretty much expected. I take comfort in the fact that for a birder like me, it is rain that I dread for the heat never really bother me anyway. My first destination for this 2-day birding adventure with an American guest started off at the foothill of Bukit Larut. However here at Rain Town, the sun rises later than usual even when a scorching day is in expectation.

There is no better way to start off a tour than with a pitta. The sun had barely pierced through the lush vegetation of the rain forest when a migratory Hooded Pitta hopped into view. Typical of pittas, it was an absolute stunner. Vibrantly coloured and full of character, the Hooded Pitta set the pace for our visit here and my guest was in for one hell of a ride.

The male Chestnut-naped Forktail floated into the trip with such poise, it was impossible to ignore his presence. Another terrestrial bird but with a preference for a semi-aquatic lifestyle, this striking forest gem is usually shy. And for the time being, this stakeout is the best spot in the country to appreciate the true splendour of the Chestnut-naped Forktail.

When the king finally arrived, all eyes were on him. There is no denying that the Rufous-collared Kingfisher is a spectacular species of the lowland forest. Forest kingfishers are in a class of its own and those species that occur in more open habitats just simply lack the X factor.

This is not Bob’s first visit to Malaysia and I have hosted him before. Inevitably, lifers do not come that easily to him now and the Rufous-collared Kingfisher appeared to be the most exhilarating one for him here. I do not blame him for when the sun illuminated both locality and bird, we were momentarily transported to a secret birding wonderland and enjoying every second of it.

I cannot help but to feel sorry for the Green-backed Flycatcher. Size does matter at this birding hotspot and the little guy only made brief appearances to avoid confrontations with the bigger birds.

Today, the Orange-headed Thrush appeared somewhat restless. And it was aggressive towards one of the birds present. High speed chases was a regular feature and gradually, I realized the reason for the exceptional aggression.

It was another male Orange-headed Thrush and clearly, the two were not good bedfellows. There is a difference in the facial plumage of the birds. Clear enough for an amateur like me to tell them apart. The thrush is another striking species at this spot and both guest and guide were well contented.

We took a leisurely walk later around the foothill and managed to obtain a few more species. A pair of Scarlet Minivets frolicking about the highest canopy levels had our undivided attention. The male, with his contrasting black and red colouration, was mesmerizing especially when the sunlight catches him in mid-flight. Unfortunately, he did not wander close enough for anything more than record shots.

A deserted Indian Shrine now houses wildlife and a pair of Zebra Doves have certainly made themselves right at home...

I had mixed feelings when I saw a troop of Pig-tailed Macaques gorging on what appears to be handouts. Somehow when the alpha male was stuffing his face with human food, he loses his usual imposing stature in my eyes. At the end of the day, it is all about survival and I should not pass judgement on him.

I am not sure if these young ones were waiting for their turn at the ‘table’ or they have had their fill…

Migratory ducks are scarce here in Peninsular Malaysia but recently 3 species were seen together at the marshlands surrounding the Pulau Burung Landfill. And that is almost an unbelievable occurrence. We swung by the locality on the way back north but to my dismay, only the pair of Garganeys were present and they were resting miles away (or seemed that way to me). I did one last desperate sweep at the flocks of Lesser Whistling Ducks just make sure I did not overlook the Tufted Duck or, God forgive me, the Eurasian Wigeon which would have been a Malaysian lifer for me.

The common resident Lesser Whistling Ducks provided ample photographic opportunities. And I would not expect anything less. Birding will always go according to plan – said no birder ever.

At the paddy fields of Permatang Pauh, our luck did not improve much. With the phenomenal influx of Asian Openbills to the country this season, inevitably it was the only species worth photographing here today.

The last destination of the day was the Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest. Once again, the Asian Openbill prevailed and provided some photographic opportunities.

Along coastal areas like these, the Collared Kingfisher is the predominant species. A confiding individual gave a good reason for us to halt our search for birds. Often taken for granted due to its common status, the Collared Kingfisher is nevertheless loud and beautiful.

Odd enough, there was a brief shower as we entered the borders of the park but it did not last long enough to have any impact on the surroundings. So, this drenched Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo found relief from the heat via another source.

Normally after a day of birding, I look forward to the comforts of home. Today, something held me back from this simple pleasure in life. As soon as I stepped out of my parked vehicle, a pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles greeted my arrival home by circling in the sky above. Upon further scrutiny, one of the eagles was an immature bird. The plot thickened when I noticed that the other bird, an adult, had a fish in its grasp.

I do not consider myself to be an expert. I am just a bloke with a thing for birds. In my humble opinion, I would presume that the immature was trying to obtain a free meal. Anyway as soon as the majestic raptors disappeared from sight, I hastened my walk home to a much anticipated shower and rest. For another day of birding awaits tomorrow and that will be covered in my next post.

Feathered emeralds

The forest of Bukit Wang in Kedah state beckoned again and this time I was with a group of relatively young guests from Singapore. It is always comforting to see young people getting involved with birding and bird photography. I have to admit I envy their youth as I have now come to terms with my own middle age. Gone are the days of my hardcore birding. Fatigue and reluctance to go the extra mile often set in especially when a day of birding draws to a close. And even the twitcher in me has somewhat lost his influence over life’s decisions.

During my last visit, the Chinese Blue Flycatcher provided only glimpses. Forest birding can be unpredictable and today, the male bird made sure we do not end up empty handed again. I have encountered this uncommon migrant at this locality before but he still deserves my undivided attention. When the sun finally found its way into the forest understorey, we were presented with the true appeal of this flycatcher.

Another notable migrant we came across here was a male Green-backed Flycatcher. Equally as stunning as the male Chinese Blue Flycatcher, he provided one of the main highlights of the trip.

At the mangroves of Sungai Batu, the Mangrove Pitta made an uncharacteristic brief appearance – much to our dismay. The Forest Wagtail on the other hand, was the saviour for our visit here and provided a commendable performance.

I have not seen the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher here for months and had feared for the worst. That was before this male made an unexpected appearance and put my worries to rest.

All these years of guiding, I do not think I have ever taken my guest birding in Penang Island. The Pearl of the Orient has lost most of its glitter. Destruction of habitat is one of the main reasons. But there is always a first time for everything. One of the most frequently questions asked by my guests would be what is the latest “star” bird in Penang? This time, I replied without the slightest hesitation – Asian Emerald Cuckoos at the Penang Botanic Gardens with an Oriental Scops-Owl thrown in for good measure. From that moment on, the cuckoo became the main target for the rest of this 2-day tour.

From all the info that I could gather, there are at least three cuckoos present with one of them being a male bird. The cuckoos are attracted to the caterpillars found on the bamboo clumps in a landscaped garden and will make daily forays for these tasty morsels. This species is not a lifer for me but I have yet to photograph this scarce migrant. The last time I saw the Asian Emerald Cuckoo at this location was about 15 years ago and at that time, I do not even own a camera. It was late afternoon by the time we arrived at the bamboo garden. As expected, there was a crowd as this species would be a lifer for most.

Years of birding have made me an observant man and I could tell, as we got down from the car, that something in the clumps of bamboo had the attention of the crowd. A quick gesture of my hand and my guests immediately quickened their pace and made it to the crowd just in time to see a female Asian Emerald Cuckoo perched gorgeously on a slightly exposed bamboo shoot. Life can be beautiful sometimes.

She then flew to a nearby tree in order to further awe us with her stunning beauty. However, the chosen tree had a number of obstructing branches and that hindered our efforts for improvement shots. The cuckoos’ appearances at this spot are rather unpredictable and I thank the big guy above for giving us the opportunity to admire this spectacular bird. And that was the only encounter with the cuckoo for the rest of day. The magic of Christmas at work again? I would like to think so.

With the main target in the bag, I finally had the time to scoot over to some nearby bamboo clumps to look for the Oriental Scops-Owls. It is not a typing error. Two owls have been reported before our arrival and we faced no difficulty at all locating the pair. A few bird photographers were at the roosting tree and these migratory owls are truly adorable because of their miniature size.

Lighting was less than ideal and the dense foliage prevented unobstructed views. Although the owls have been seen quite regularly for the past few days, I still took as many shots as possible in this testing condition. One thing that I have learned in life is never to take anything for granted. One can never be absolutely sure of what tomorrow holds.

The second Oriental Scops-Owl had an even smaller window from which its image can be obtained. But these nocturnal hunters are not all that common here in Malaysia and they certainly have my love and affection. At the time of writing, I was made aware by Krys, the moderator of the excellent website called Oriental Bird Images, that there are three recognized colour morphs for this little owl and these two apparently are brown morph individuals.

We were back at the Penang Botanic Gardens the next morning. This was unprecedented for me as a bird guide. For the second consecutive day, I am at a birding site in Penang Island. Apparently, the female was just not quite enough. And the male Asian Emerald Cuckoo is now the main target. I do not blame my guests for deep inside, I was also disappointed at missing out on the male Asian Emerald Cuckoo yesterday.

Minutes turned into hours and there was still no sign of any feathered emeralds – male or female. At one time, I went to check on the Oriental  Scops-Owls and they were also absent. Lucky for me, I did not hold back any effort to photograph them the day before. Some of the commoner species present at the location did help us to pass the time like this angelic Little Egret in breeding plumage.

The White-throated Kingfisher patrols the stream here regularly. Though often ignored, it received some attention this time from the humans present in its territory.

The kingfisher shares the stream with a migratory Grey Wagtail. The latter can be seen combing the sandy banks for food. I guess there is an uneasy truce between the two species because the kingfisher is an opportunistic hunter and if ever given the chance to seize the wagtail for food, it probably would.

Crested Mynas are doing very well here in Penang Island and the gardens is one of its strongholds. For my Singaporean guests, this locally common species was another lifer because Penang is after all, the best place for this bulky myna in Malaysia.

Although it is also green and glossy, the Asian Glossy Starling is definitely not in the same class as our target bird. There was a fruiting tree within the bamboo garden that has been attracting flocks of this common bird to feast and linger in the vicinity.

Marcus, one of my guests, became the man of the hour as he was the first to spot the male Asian Emerald Cuckoo. He did not have to utter a single. From his body language alone, I knew the moment we have been waiting for has arrived. Even from a distance, there was no denying the resplendence of a male Asian Emerald Cuckoo. Under the sunlight, his upperparts sparkled like a true gem living up to his namesake. Everyone present, seasoned or rookie, was mesmerized by this scarce migrant.

Unfortunately he did not stay long but during his brief appearance, he did shift positions a few times. Like an idol high up upon a pedestal, the male Asian Emerald Cuckoo bestowed upon us two minutes of pure birding ecstasy with his brilliant colouration in full view. The agonizing 3-hour wait, the brief appearance and the luck of the draw are some of the other factors that made this moment one of the year’s best for me. If not for the determination of my young guest to get the male bird, it is very likely this chapter in my life would not have taken place at all.

After the performance, we regained our composure and planned for the remaining half of the day. Since Lady Luck has been a constant companion these past few days, I decided to try our fortune at the stakeout in Bukit Larut. The weather was not promising when we finally arrived at the location. Rain is a regular feature in this town and I fear our luck could finally be running out.

The shrill vocalization of the Chestnut-naped Forktail suddenly echoed through the vicinity. We held our breath. Through the gloomy undergrowth, the male bird hopped into view and it was an emotional rollercoaster all over again for my young Singaporean guests. By that time, I could feel a slight drizzle but it will take a lot more than that to dampen our spirits now.

When the king arrived, we could not even feel the rain drops anymore. The splendour of a male Rufous-collared Kingfisher can brightened up any situation. As this was my second experience at the stakeout, I have yet to get accustomed to viewing this striking kingfisher up close and personal like this. It was certainly breath taking.

The Hooded Pitta was probably put off by the impending storm and was sorely missed. Unfortunately, the Green-backed Flycatcher and as well as a juvenile Siberian Blue Robin only made a brief appearance. In the end it was the handsome male Orange-headed Thrush that provided one last adrenalin rush for our group before we decided to call it a day.

An inquisitive Spectacled Langur saw us off as we packed up our gear and these docile monkeys are a common sight here at the foothill of Bukit Larut. We did not encounter as many species as I had anticipated for this 2-day birding adventure. However, the amazing moments with the Asian Emerald Cuckoos were significant enough for my guests to consider the tour to be a successful one. And I cannot argue with that.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all those celebrating a Merry Christmas and to all, a Happy New Year.