Ending the year with a bang

I usually reach my birding destinations before or at first light. However, it was a long night at the office yesterday and by the time, I wandered on the sandy access road of Air Hitam Dalam, it was well into morning. The overcast condition tried to deceive my perception of time and it was a struggle to capture images of the current celebrity bird of this locality because the Taiga Flycatcher has a penchant for the dim lower storey of the forest. Today, I made it a point to spend more time with this scarce migrant since I was alone and this was more of a relaxing birding excursion to a local patch more than anything else.

The Taiga Flycatcher is not much of a looker but I know how rare this species is. It has a tendency to cock its tail and no doubt to show off its white undertail which is one of its main field charcteristics. There is always beauty in simplicity but a rare status will always help to further enhance your aesthetic appeal.

I seldom name the birds that I encountered in the field. All the birds that I have rescued before and released back into the wild were named “Boy” – regardless of their sex. On those rare occasions that I do ‘talk’ to a bird in the field (when I am alone, of course), Boy is still the first name that comes to mind. This Taiga Flycatcher bears a black mark on its left cheek and surprisingly, the first name that came to mind was “Scar”. But the character with that name in the Disney animation Lion King is sinister and that, this flycatcher is certainly not. So, it was back to Boy...

As I was shooting the flycatcher, a small insect flew into vicinity unaware of the deathly fate that could await it. Boy raised up to have a better look at the potential snack but declined the offer. The insect, live to tell the tale. I just continued to press on the shutter throughout the whole episode and obtained what was undoubtedly the images of the day.

I can still recall my last visit here I was with a birding couple from England. I spotted a dark morph Changeable Hawk-Eagle resting among the shadows of the foliage on the other side of the river. It was a poor view and there was nothing that could be done. Today, it was also resting in the shadows but on this side of the river and close enough for me to capture its true majesty. It is just the luck of the draw and today has been a blessed day so far.

The Arctic Warbler is a common winter visitor to a wide range of habitats here in Malaysia. However, God made Tree-Warblers to push our patience and sanity to the limits. Many of these warbler look very similar and all the recent splitting and lumping of warblers species only made it worse. And the warblers themselves are not the easiest of birds to observe and photograph either.

This individual was exceptionally accommodating today and despite the challenging shooting conditions, the images turned out well enough. I guess I had be grateful the rope barrier of the elevated boardwalks still serve their purpose well. Frantic movements was certainly required to follow this little brown job around and all so often in birding, I do get carried away. And the ropes were the only thing between me and the swampy terrain.

The Yellow-bellied Prinia is another common warbler but unlike the Arctic Warbler, it is a resident species and more down to Earth – literally. Grasslands are usually its home and it utilizes the cover provided by the vegetation well. Maybe it was luck or the approaching breeding season but this individual, presumably a male, had no intentions to skulk among the undergrowth. He was belting out his territorial song right out in the open and his performance did not go unappreciated.

Recently, one of my guests put to rest the correct pronunciation for the name of the bird with one of the most distinctive songs in Malaysia. The Golden-bellied Gerygone (pronounced as Jerrygony) is a smart little bird with a penetrating song. Due to its minute size and active nature, good images are not easy to come by. I took a number of images during the encounter and the only one that turned out sharp and in focus, Sod had the bird facing away...

Small birds are not the only ones that can frustrating. Cuckoos in Malaysia come in all sizes and two of the biggest species are found here in Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest. The Green-billed Malkoha probably has one of the longest tails in proportion to its body for a bird here in Malaysia. This malkoha tends to move about the foliage of the canopy levels and to capture an unobstructed image will require a whole lot of luck. I came across a pair foraging at a more leisurely pace than usual and managed to keep up with them for the longest time that I can recall.

This species is one of those birds that will capture the admiration of my foreign guests whenever I managed to show it and it has a lot to do with that impressive tail. I do not blame my guests. I was just as dumbfounded when my first Green-billed Malkoha sailed across my path at the mangroves of Pulau Burung. Truly a remarkable bird that will have my undying attention.

The other big cuckoo here is more often heard than seen. The call is a series of deep booming notes uttered with such intensity that it captures the imagination of all those who are not familiar with the Greater Coucal. The bird possesses just as alluring appearance as well. Unfortunately, it is shy by nature and good views do not come very often. I surprised this individual while it was foraging along the lower storey of the forest. This time my reaction was quicker than the bird’s and I managed to squeeze off a few shots before it disappeared.

Another species that spends a fair time along the lower storey is the Olive-winged Bulbul. At this birding site, it is just as common as the ever-abundant Yellow-vented Bulbul. But to have one pose all so elegantly and do nothing would be a sin.

The bulbul may be drably coloured but it shares this swampy forest home with some species that are so flamboyantly coloured and charismatic that one will be mesmerized by their presence each and every single time. The Black-and-red Broadbill is one such bird. The resident pair was sorely missed during my past few visits. My heart skipped a beat when I came upon this sight when I wandered into the dimly lighted part of the boardwalk.

It knew that the lighting was crap in that position. So, it hopped onto a more natural perch surrounded by the greenish backdrop of Mother Nature and posed for my camera. I guess it was its way to make it up to me. And I was overwhelmed by this trip’s good fortune so far. Air Hitam Dalam is a little piece of birding paradise that constantly amazes me. When I set foot out later than usual this morning, I certainly did not expect the birding to be so incredible. I could hardly control my emotions. For me, this is birding at its best. Not at some far off exotic location. Right here at one of your local patches.

A pair of Greater Racket-tailed Drongos were hanging out near the rear car park throughout most of my visit. They too appeared to be more relaxed and confiding today. One of them was really eyeing for my attention and simultaneously released the calls of an Asian Koel and Crested Serpent-Eagle in near perfect pitch. This bird is a renowned mimic. And it just felt I needed to be reminded of that.

A troop of Long-tailed Macaques, as expected, were loitering nearby the drongo. The mutualism shared by the two animals is a regular sight here. For the time being all the residents of this locality are certainly living the good life. This macaque was taking the term lazy weekend to a whole new level. The expression on his face and his posture say it all...

A pair of Banded Woodpeckers decided to alight where else but not too far in front of me on a dead tree trunk. Most woodpeckers are strikingly marked and the colours of this loving pair stood out beautifully against the pale bark of the trunk. I waited anxiously for any further drama to unfold but the woodpeckers would have none of that and flew off a little later.

I then decided to try my luck at the nearby paddy fields of Permatang Pauh. Even at a distance, Aquila Eagles cut a distinctive silhouette when they soar effortless on their immense wings. I failed to record even one single Aquila here last season. I hope it is just me but I feel that neither the Eastern Imperial-Eagle nor the Greater Spotted-Eagle are annual visitors to my home state of Penang anymore. A few minutes of putting my biking skills to the test, I was almost directly below the mighty raptor. At this distance, there was no mistaking the Greater Spotted-Eagle. There was heavy traffic along the adjacent Kulim Expressway as visitors were flocking in for the long New Year weekend. To the layman, I probably appeared absurd standing under the blistering midday sun with my gear and all while looking up to the heavens above. However, it did not matter because at that moment I was taken back to a time not too long ago when the skies here could have a handful of two species of Aquila Eagles soaring in all their magnificent and splendour. It has been a excellent excursion and it would take something truly evoking to wrapped things not only for the day but for the year 2017. And the encounter with the Greater Spotted-Eagle will do just fine. 

The complete checklists of the birds recorded for the trip can be found here:

1. Air Hitam Dalam

2. Permatang Pauh

What a Ruff day...

Compared to yesterday’s two-hour drive to the interiors of Kedah, the drive today to the mangrove belt of Merbok was a breeze. We were delighted to find this presumably female Japanese Sparrowhawk out hunting. This small but deadly raptor is usually shy - typical of all Accipiters. The only reason this girl was so confiding is because she knows fully well I will not be getting any great images of her due to the poor lighting at this hour.

Once we ventured onto the mangroves, it did not take long for Stuart to start ogling at the star bird of the locality, the ever-striking Mangrove Pitta. Looking splendid as usual, it thrilled us with its electrifying presence from among the undergrowth of the swamp.

The resident pair of Abbott’s Babblers were next in line to make an appearance and their character makes up for their lack of colours.

The sweet musical song of the Puff-throated Babblers echoed through the vicinity long before the birds were seen. I may have grown slightly accustomed to the accommodating nature of the birds found here but for a visiting birder like Stuart, it was overwhelming to say the least.

Our next destination was the Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest. We had gloomy skies the day before but fortunately, that was not the case today. Good weather will often result in better yield and Stuart soon found himself surrounded by the sights and sounds that make this little patch of birding haven what it is.

The White-chested Babbler is a regular here but to obtain good views hard work and lots of luck are required. Scampering around the forest undergrowth, this species is habitually difficult to photograph even in close proximity. The angle from which I took the shot may be unflattering but it is still one of my best efforts to date.

Golden-bellied Gerygones have provided me with a number of close and intimate encounters here in the past and today, I got to share one with my foreign guest. Three inquisitive individuals wandered very close to our positions and together with their vocal abilities, resulted in an intriguing encounter.

We came across a Brown Shrike hunting unobtrusively along the access road. Although it is a common migrant throughout the country, the confiding nature of this individual did not go unappreciated.

Woodpeckers have been a rare sight so far for Stuart here in Peninsular Malaysia and that does not happen often in my tours. Thankfully, the resident pair of Common Flamebacks put on a relatively good performance for my British guest. And I, could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The migratory Black Kites are back in full force at this wintering ground of theirs. A few were soaring aimlessly in the sky above most likely prompted by hot and sunny weather. Despite being a scavenger by nature, this raptor is graceful in flight and I could not pull myself away from their mesmerising aerial display.

For the scarce migratory Taiga Flycatcher, Air Hitam Dalam is very unfamiliar land. Unfortunately, it appeared just long enough for my guest to add another tick for his maiden trip to Peninsular Malaysia but yours truly, not even a single image. On the other hand, one of the resident pairs of Mangrove Blue Flycatchers was accommodating enough to provide ample views. This is the dominant pair that frequents the rear car park area and it is good to know that the recent floods did not effected them much.

Olive-winged Bulbuls are common residents here but one’s unbelievably confiding nature even took me by surprise as they kept to the cover of the vegetation throughout most of the morning.

Our final destination of the day was the paddy planting district of mainland Penang. As usual we searched for recently ploughed or planted areas that are like magnets for water birds. Both the Grey-headed Lapwing and Black-winged Stilt are regular winter visitors here and they were in their hundreds today. Distance can be an issue at times and the only reasonable image I took while admiring this congregation of water birds was of a foraging Lapwing.

There was a good number of small waders or peeps as they are so affectionately called, present today and scrutiny is required to confirm their identities. The most numerous of them all are the strikingly marked Long-toed Stints but they did not present any good photographic opportunities. I could tell Stuart has a soft spot for water birds like me as he took the effort to bring his spotting scope along for the trip and that certainly came in useful for enjoying peeps at a distance.

On one occasion, we came across two rather uniformly coloured peeps. I knew what they were immediately. The Temminck’s Stint is generally a scarce migrant to Malaysia but at this site, it is an annual visitor in small numbers. Using our vehicle as a mobile hide we managed some outstanding views. I was utterly delighted with the images obtained this time. I just cannot explain how I could get so excited over a dull-looking bird like this but I can and will. Come to think of it, a lot things are beyond explanation when it comes to birding.

There is no mistaking the distinct shape of the Ruff and there was a small flock foraging at a flooded patch. The Ruff is a unique wader because the male Ruff is bigger than the female Reeve. Judging from the sizes there was one Ruff in the company of three Reeves.

With the aid of our vehicle again, we managed to sneak closer to our subjects. The lighting was good and when the birds got accustomed to our presence, the encounter turned out to be one of the best I have ever had with this species. The Reeves were the ones to let down their guards first and continued with their daily routine.

The male took slightly longer to reveal himself completely from the cover of the paddy stalks. The Ruff is one of the most exceptional birds on the planet because of his unbelievable striking breeding plumage. The change from its dull non-breeding plumage is so remarkable it borders the line of fantasy. I have to accept the fact that we will never have a chance to see one in breeding plumage here in the tropics. A good thing God make humans with the ability to imagine because that is the only consolation I have.

This shot depicts the sexual dimorphism for this scarce winter migrant. We spent a considerable time with both the Temminck’s Stint and the Ruff. Although these birds are neither new nor rare to Stuart, he was just as enthusiastic during the encounters. I guess as a water bird lover, he understands the significance of coming across rare ones that are performing well in the field. And these two species certainly fit the bill here in Malaysia.

A flock of Pacific Golden Plovers was the last bird to be photographed for the trip. There are three species of Golden Plovers in the world of which two are not known to occur here in this region. But they all do look similar. Stuart reminded me of that fact and since we were on a roll, there was no harm scrutinizing the flock for a miracle. However, Christmas is still almost a month away and we had to be contented with what we managed to racked up for the past two days and we certainly had it good.

The checklist of birds recorded during this trip can be found here:

1. Sungai Batu Mangroves

2.Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest

3. Permatang Pauh Paddy Fields

4. Kulim Hi-Tech Park