It's raining men! (14/02/2015)

An invitation from Dave to meet up for some birding at Chuping in Perlis was a little too good to pass despite the fact that I had to leave early for home in the afternoon. The trip certainly did not start off well for me as traffic came to a total standstill along the North-South Highway just after Sungai Petani. A lorry transporting concrete beams spilled its load all over the highway. It took more than an hour to clear up the mess and I was at my boiling point limit by then. I know that I am not very patient on the road and I guess that is something I need to work on. A new resolution, perhaps?

Anyway, I reached my destination later than planned and quickly made my way to the ponds where Dave was enjoying a Pheasant-tailed Jacana. Lucky for me, the jacana was still around at that time doing what it was born to do - foraging on floating vegetation. It was partly hidden but with a little patience (which is never an issue when birding), I managed to obtain a few reasonable shots.

There were a few Yellow Bitterns foraging in the same area as well. I had my sight set on one of them but it adopted its defensive posture when I got too close. It was quite confident with this strategy and I was allowed to practically walked till the water's edge. You can't see me...you can't see me...

A Little Cormorant unknowingly alighted near our stationery vehicles to take a breather from the morning hunt. Being the shy creature that it is, the sound of our camera shutter immediately sent it flying to the far side of the pond.

It was certainly a bright and beautiful day and the lighting condition was near perfect when we came across this small flock of Cotton Pygmy-geese foraging in one of the ponds.

Although the flock consisted of youngsters, it was still an exciting experience as this species is not that common. It is absent from my home state of Penang and I do not have many photographic opportunities like this.

The lone male of the flock was not in his prime yet but he was a handsome bird nevertheless. Inevitably, I paid more attention to him than his slightly drabber companions.

The lighting was even good enough for my modest setup to capture some swiftlets in flight. Well, maybe not some but one image was quite acceptable by my standards. It was a Germain’s Swiftlet, I think…

A Manchurian Reed-warbler had our undivided attention for quite a period of time. Unfortunately, it lived up to its reputation of being one of the most skulking Reed-warblers known to men and only gave the faintest of glimpses as it moved about the reeds. The Oriental Reed-warbler again proved that not all Reed-warblers are such a pain in the posterior and posed long enough for its image to be taken.

It was dry and dusty along the network of trails that cuts through the grasslands. And we have had better days in terms of birding. We did not really try to locate the Brahminy Starling but it was not at its usual haunt. This Asian Pied Starling, on the other hand, was being its usual conspicuous self.

We spent some time flogging the grasslands for rare passerines. The Oriental Skylark continues to elude my life list. Only the common Oriental Pipits were recorded today despite a few exciting moments for would-be Richard's and Blyth's Pipits. Richard, is that you? Dream on, human...

As for the raptors, only the usual suspects were present today. I only got round to shooting this female Common Kestrel which glided above us at the noon hour.

The army was conducting training at one end of the grassland and we made sure we avoided that section. A military plane flying low over the vicinity momentarily diverted our attention from the birds. And all of a sudden, the sky was filled with paratroopers. It was raining men at Chuping. This place is just full of surprises. Although it is non bird-related, it was still a first for me. Yes, this is the first time I have seen a parachute in real life. And judging from the crowd that started to form along the side of the main road, I am not the only one.

I still had a bit of time left after lunch and Dave managed to convince me to try for the Dusky Craig Martins at the limestone hills of nearby Bukit Jernih. This martin is the last swallow species missing from my Malaysian life list and after thorough search my life list remains as it is.

I would to take this opportunity to wish all those celebrating the Lunar New Year, GONG XI FA CHAI! 

Northern windfall (17/01/2015)

There were three target birds for this trip to Chuping in Perlis - the Brahminy Starling, Richard's Pipit and Oriental Skylark. The two hour drive was a breeze due to the prospect of twitching (there, I've said it) three possible lifers. So, it was three Penang birders, Choo Eng, Muin and yours truly against three birds that were not even in the Malaysian checklist a couple of years back. It was certainly a beautiful morning with a sea of grass contrasting against the sunny blue northern sky.

Just as we were about to hit the dusty network of access trails, an Oriental Honey Buzzard doing its best impression of a Common Buzzard diverted us into side path that cuts through a rubber plantation and scrub. As we left kicking ourselves for letting this species getting the better of us again, Choo Eng spotted a reed warbler resting out in the open. Once the warbler realized our intentions, it quickly moved into hiding. I took a few record shots because anything with feathers in Chuping is a potential rarity. The warbler vanished into the vegetation shortly after but when I looked through the images, it turned out to be a Thick-billed Warbler. A species that I have only seen once before in my life and it was from this locality as well. The trip was off to a flying start!

There were quite a number of Long-tailed Shrikes present today. However, this species is naturally shy and good shots are difficult to obtain. I had to settle for this slightly unkempt individual because it was the only one that was slightly more confiding than the rest.

A couple of weeks back, Dave recorded a Brahminy Starling here in Chuping and last week, he managed to obtain a few tantalizing images of this vagrant and from his description of the bird's habits, it seemed to have a thing for the pylon labelled 54/72. When we reached the location of this pylon, we spilt up to look for the starling on foot. Muin saw it first and upon receiving his alert, we rushed to his position only to find the celebrity bird gone. We failed to relocate it despite a careful sweep of the area. I thought to myself then that it was going to be a very long day. When I gradually regain my composure, I remembered the pylon and started to scan these behemoth steel structures one by one. And there it was on pylon 54/72 - just as Dave promised!

We stalked out at the pylon on a few occasions and the starling did return to its favorite perch. Unfortunately, it was rather wary of our presence and we only managed distant shots. But it was still an exciting lifer and a stunning one as well. Welcome to Malaysia, bud...

With lifer #1 in the bag, we set our sights on our next target, the Oriental Skylark - a first record for Malaysia last season. As we moved in on the coordinates given by Dave (yes, he recorded it again last week), we came across a field being plough by a tractor. All of a sudden, a smallish quail ran across the field just next to the access trail.  To make a long story short, three full grown men were made to play cat and mouse with a bird the size of a tennis ball - much to the amusement of the workers present. Our persistence prevailed and it was a female Blue-breasted Quail, a lifer for my companions. This was my best effort at the end of the chase.

The field where Dave saw the skylark had plenty of Red-throated Pipits when he was there. Well, the pipits were certainly around but there were no signs of any skylark. Reluctantly, we turned our attention to the pipits. Red-throated Pipits are rare migrants to most parts of Peninsula Malaysia. Here in Chuping, it is quite regular and occurs in unbelievably high numbers. We counted no less than 50 birds but not even one was gracious enough to provide a decent photographic opportunity. They are surprisingly well camouflaged and by the time you get close enough or spot one, it will fly just far enough to deny you a good shot.

When we had enough of these pipits showing off their defense mechanisms against lumbering birders, we moved on to our third and final target. The Richard'sPipit is a split from the ever-abundant Paddyfield Pipit a few years ago. Apparently, the former is a rare migrant to Malaysia and the call and flight pattern are the best distinguishing features between the two species. When we finally at 'the' field (yes, Dave again), we walked into the long grass and almost immediate a Richard's Pipit shot straight up into the sky while uttering its call and flew away horizontally for miles before disappearing back into the long grass. Unfortunately, we did not manage to capture a single shot but it was lifer #2 for me nevertheless. All my experiences with Pipits have taught me a sure way to identify the Oriental Pipit from the rest. If it poses for you to shoot from every possible angle without even a flinch, it is an Oriental Pipit.

The male Siberian Stonechats are coming into breeding plumage and they look devilishly handsome when they flit about the grassland. The northern winds will find their way here to Peninsula Malaysia at this time of the year and for small birds, the unobstructed landscape can be a taxing place to live. This stonechat was having a tough time finding his balance in the onslaught of the strong winds. And we were finding it hard to obtain photos without blurred motion.

But for the raptors, they were in their element. Their long wings enable them to take full advantage of the wind's energy. Harriers being the most graceful raptor around were a sheer delight to observe. This female Pied Harrier and her larger relative, the Eastern Marsh Harrier, put on quite an aerial performance to solve a territorial dispute.

A Eurasian Kestrel feeding on a lizard prey deserves attention no matter how far it is perched or how high, on this occasion.

I never had much luck with photographing Ospreys. These migratory raptors are usually shy and they are not so common to begin with in the first place. However, this lone bird that flew relatively low provided my best images of this graceful raptor to date.

From the grasslands, we then turned our attention to the small pockets of secondary forest along the fringes in search of the elusive Racket-tailed Treepie - another northern speciality. But the closest we came to a Treepie were the Black Drongos. This open country drongo finds shade from the midday sun along the tree lines and at times, quite a number can be found on a single tree.

Without much luck at the forest pockets, we drove to the ponds at the northern end and were greeted by a flock of Cotton Pygmy Geese. The only other resident duck in Peninsula Malaysia, it is more uncommon than the Lesser Whistling-ducks and a lot better looking.

Unfortunately, they were as shy as they are adorable and any attempts to reduce the distance between us and the ducks ended with the latter flying further and further away.

A lone Pheasant-tailed Jacana paddling along the far side of the pond is a new record for Chuping. It is not unexpected to record this uncommon migrant here as the habitat is ideal and there are records from the nearby Timah-Tasoh Lake.

We patiently waited for this migratory jacana to come closer but it never did. So, I ended shooting more obliging subject like these resident Little Grebes. The population of Little Grebes and Eurasian Moorhens at these ponds are doing well indeed and I cannot think of any other place I have been in Peninsula Malaysia that has such a high concentration of these waterfowls.

To wrap things up for another outstanding trip here, we came across an Indian Roller that had just caught a gigantic grasshopper. The lighting condition was just right for me to capture fast action shots and with much clarity for once. Chuping again prove itself to be 'the' place for rarities and vagrants. Two lifers in a single trip is very much a rarity for me now and I was not too disappointed about dipping out on the skylark. A couple of months left before the end of the migratory season and then it will be a very anxious wait to see how much of this unique habitat will lose its place to the encroaching rubber plantations. And will Chuping still remain a sanctuary for unexpected winter visitors. That is something only time can tell. 

Third time's a charm? (15/11/2014)

Hor Kee came back from Chuping last Sunday with some exciting results and the sighting of the Racket-tailed Treepie was the one that really caught my eye. It has been a decade since my one and only sighting of this enigmatic but scarce northern species. And I have been hunting for a chance to obtain its image ever since. This was my third visit to Chuping this season and I was really hoping for something extraordinary this time. In the end, I dipped out on any would-be lifers and treepies as well but even so, Chuping still provided a memorable trip. I did not only have Choo Eng as my companion this time but Hor Kee as well.

I mentioned in one of my previous posts that the Asian Pied Starling has been officially removed from the Malaysian checklist and they performed well during that visit. Much to my delight, the starlings put on another splendid performance for the visiting birders again. Since this is one of the few places where it is regularly seen, I took as many images as they were willing to provide. 

The status of the Red Collared Dove is also shrouded with uncertainty. Initially, the birds that occur in the Peninsula Malaysia were either escapees or introduced birds. Recently, there is a strong indication that the birds that occur in the northern region of Peninsula Malaysia are natural colonizers from the north. Like the starlings, Chuping is one of the few strongholds for these beautiful doves. Here, they congregate in exceptionally high numbers and for the record we counted no less than 300 of them today.

There are a few other high-numbering sightings as well this trip. The migratory Black Drongo is common in suitable open country habitats throughout Peninsula Malaysia but today in Chuping, it is second only to the doves with an impressive figure of more than 100 individuals. With so many present, you would have thought I would be able to muster a better image than this one. However, the Black Drongo is usually a skittish bird despite occurring in open areas and they are not one that finds strength in numbers.

The Black-winged Kite is a petite raptor also found in open country and scrubland habitats. What it lacks in size and tenacity, it makes up in grace and beauty. A hovering bird is quite a sight and my poor attempt at capturing the moment does it no justice. It is normally found singly or in pairs. However when it comes to Chuping, you can throw the rule book out the window. Along a single electrical cable between two pylons, we counted 17 individuals. 

We also bumped into KC and Swee Yian from the MNS Perak Branch Bird Group shortly after our arrival at the locality. It was great to meet up with them again after such a long time.

A circling Oriental Honey-buzzard caught our full attention. This species with its highly varied plumage can sometimes be mistaken for something else and vice versa. We just wanted to be sure since we are at the hottest spot in Peninsula Malaysia in terms of rare migrants (and temperature).

Raptors ruled the day at Chuping as we stumbled onto the path of migrating Black Bazas. These are probably the last few to pass through as the raptor migration period was already tailing off. 

Among the Bazas, there was also a lone Grey-faced Buzzard and it was my first of the season. The distance prevented me from obtaining better images of this striking species. I guess there's always next time...

The grasslands here play host to wintering harriers every season and it is one of the best places to observe these graceful raptors. The Eastern Marsh Harriers and Pied Harriers are the two species found here so far. Today, the smaller Pied Harrier outperformed its larger cousin. I managed to obtain images of all three of its normal plumage variances. To start things off is this strikingly-marked male quartering his domain in search of breakfast. 

A confiding female did her hunting close to our stationery vehicle for a prolonged period of time. 

The juvenile is substantially different from the adults. Its overall dark plumage also makes it quite recognizable which is something you do not get to enjoy in most juvenile raptors. 

Here is a male Eastern Marsh Harrier and not a female Pied Harrier as I had initially put it down as (thanks, Dave!).



Chuping is also a regular wintering ground for another exceptional raptor. Rare throughout the rest of the Peninsula, the Common Kestrel is undoubtedly one of the star birds of this birding hotspot. Today's encounter was the best so far because we managed to observe a female bird preying upon what looked like an insect. And I managed to obtain the best image of this falcon to date. 

We came across a total of 3 individuals throughout the trip. Unfortunately, this female perched on a dead tree was slightly blocked and our attempt to re-position our vehicle saw our subject gliding away towards the far horizon. 

A small little mammal foraging along the access trail turned out to be a mongoose. Typical of the species, no second chance was given for improvement shots as it scrambled back into cover once it sensed our presence.

My third visit to the Little Cormorants’ pond finally yielded a reasonably close shot. This lone bird was slightly more confiding than usual as it rested among the reeds. So, I guess third time's a charm after all. 

The pond provided another pleasant surprise in the form of a female Pygmy Cotton Goose. This species, together with the Lesser Whistling Duck, are the only resident ducks in the Peninsula. However, the goose is a rarer bird and I have only recorded it on only a few other occasions elsewhere. It was personal new record for this site and a fitting end to another great trip to the great grasslands of Chuping.

As we were on the road heading back to Penang, Hor Kee received a text message from KC. They just had a family of 3 Racket-tailed Treepies at the exact location where we were searching for them just before we decided to call it a day. I guess if it is not meant to be, it is not meant to be...