Easy pickings...

 

It is that time of the year again for my annual pilgrimage to the forests of Kedah to witness the natural phenomenon courtesy of the fruiting trees found there. Dozens of forest species congregating on a single tree to feast is an occurrence that I do not think will ever cease to amaze and excite for me. This particular tree is new to me and its position and size is very promising indeed.

With their constantly puffed out yellow throats, it was no surprise that the Finsch’s Bulbuls were the first birds to gain my attention. This species is relatively common here but I am not one to dismiss a bird just because of its status. I no longer spend that much time out in the field like I used to do. There are a few contributing factors and age, unfortunately, is definitely one of them. You know what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. Thus, the Finsch’s Bulbuls were documented with much enthusiasm as it has been quite a while since my last encounter.

The presence of food naturally made the birds bolder and at this range and manner, even my modest gear could cope with the lighting condition of early morn and the movement of the birds.

Black-headed Bulbuls are naturally vocal and the ones that frequented the fruiting tree on this beautiful morning remained true to that trait. However, they are more suspicious of humans than most of the other patrons and refused to forage anywhere except on the topmost branches.

Once the appealing presence of colours started to sizzle down, my attention was drawn to the less conspicuous bulbul species and none more so than the plain Buff-vented Bulbul. However, plain does not mean ugly and I am a firm believer that there is beauty in simplicity.

It has been said your eyes are the window to your soul but I cannot be certain if that is applicable to birds as well. One thing I am sure is that eyes are the window to positive identification for certain species of bulbuls. And the pure white iris of Cream-vented Bulbul usually prevents any misidentifications - usually.

Some bulbuls, on the other hand, require more than one field mark to nail their identification. Part of the joys of birding. Contrary to its name, the Red-eyed Bulbul is not the only Bulbul with red eyes. Sometimes, it is difficult to accurately describe a plain bird in words and I will not even try to do so here. And these red-eyed bulbuls are indeed Red-eyed Bulbuls. On with the next…

A thin yellow line around the eye is what I usually look for to differentiate the Spectacled Bulbul from the Red-eyed Bulbul. That is easier said than done under normal circumstances when the bird teases you from the forest canopy but at a fruiting tree, the task becomes much easier.

The vicinity sprung to life with the arrival of a flock of Grey-bellied Bulbuls. The beauty and radiance of this species is undeniable and everything else present was momentarily drown out.

My memory card was rapidly filled by images of Grey-bellied Bulbuls as they remained in the vicinity for a long time and exceptionally confiding no doubt food drunk from all the succulent morsels available.

Despite their diminutive size, male Crimson-breasted Flowerpeckers can rival the attractive bulbuls in terms of aesthetic appeal. It was a bit of a struggle to capture decent images of the former due to their active nature but the results at the end made the effort worth while.

Flowerpeckers are far more territorial than bulbuls and the equally enchanting male Orange-bellied Flowerpeckers finally had their spot in the limelight when no other species were present.

It would not be fair to disregard the Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker due to its more cryptic colouration but the fruiting tree provided some photographic opportunities that were fully utilized by yours truly.

The last entry for this post is a reptile that managed to draw my attention away from all the activity of the fruiting tree at one point during my time there. It was a sizeable Twin-spotted House-Gecko and the intricate patterns on its upperparts were an understandable distraction.

Land of the winged giants

 

It has been months since my last blog entry. Probably the longest lapse since I started blogging. Heavy work schedules and age are the main contributing factors. Yes, I have reached a point in my life where the heart and mind are as passionate about birding as ever but the body is not. Age catches up with everyone. It is just a matter of time. Midlife crisis aside, I set off to the wild interiors of Kedah state with two companions to look for hornbills in particular and the captivating aura engulfing the locality upon our arrival reminded me just how much I miss my birding adventures.

 

It may be a little late in the season here for the nomadic Plain-pouched Hornbills but we were not to be disappointed and at least 100 individuals were recorded for this trip.

Good photographic opportunities were far and few but it was a great trip never the less. It gave me a chance reconnect with my birding roots when a pair of binoculars was all that I needed. On one occasion, I surprised even myself when I lifted my binoculars and not my camera when a lone Wreathed Hornbill flew across overhead. These winged giants of the forest are just so impressive especially in flight. And on the same note, judging from the photos I obtained of this flying Rhinoceros Hornbill, perhaps I should have done the same.

My best photographic effort of hornbills on this excursion was this male Oriental Pied Hornbill resting on a roadside tree. This may be the smallest and commonest of all our hornbills but it is not quite that common enough to me. And the encounter was certainly much better than what I was given for the Helmeted Hornbill, Great Hornbill and Bushy-crested Hornbill. Seven species of hornbills on a single trip was an amazing experience even if I do not have the materials to boast on social media.

A unique territorial call echoed across the vicinity later in the morning and one can rarely mistake the vocalization of a Black Magpie for anything else. No effort was spared in trying to locate the bird among the foliage of the forest edge. Although we succeeded in the end, the distance was simply too great to expect anything more than record shots. However, forest is not always unforgiving. Shortly after giving up on the Black Magpie, the bird actually shifted position and alighted on a much nearer perch. To ordinary folks, it looks like a crow which is not far from the truth. But to me and most birders, it is a fascinating forest dweller that rightfully deserves our undivided attention.

Along the edge of a manmade lake yet another distinct territorial call was heard. Unlike the Black Magpie’s, this call is somewhat eerie and it belongs a predatory bird known as the Lesser Fish Eagle. Unfortunately, it was another distant observation but to see the resident pair still thriving here is good enough for me.

On the other hand, there is no joy in seeing this particular species thriving anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia. I was slightly taken back by the sight of a flock of Javan Mynas loitering about the vicinity. This evasive species has now their found their way deep into forested areas and we can only fear for the worse in future.

The Sooty-capped Babbler is not particularly rare in Peninsular Malaysia but like most babblers, it is more often heard than seen. For this case, the vocal appeal outweighs the aesthetic appeal. This drab-looking bird possesses one of the most recognizable and beautiful songs in my home land. The lower storey of the forest where it frequents usually provides ample cover to hide it from view. A small window of opportunity betrayed the trust of the Sooty-capped Babbler to produced this mediocre effort before it gradually vanished into the forest.

Bird waves are phenomenal for birders but not so for photographers. A dozen species of birds on overdrive dashing about everywhere is not exactly what one would consider to be easy shooting. And this male Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike was the only image I have to show in the end.

Before concluding this long overdue blog post, here are a few candid shots of the locality and some of the views we came across are undoubtedly stunning which is not unexpected.

 

The marvel of fruiting trees (chapter 2)

 

The draw of the fruiting trees was simply too strong to resist and I found myself back at the same locality exactly one week later. However, I was disappointed to find relatively few birds patronizing the trees despite of the fact that ample fruits were still available. I guess that is birding. One can never truly know what to expect. The arrival of a couple of Cream-vented Bulbul helped to lift my spirit. With wholly white irises, there was nothing suspicious of their identification.

I do not come across the Streaked Bulbul all that often but my joy was short lived as this pair was particularly skittish. I only managed to take a few shots before they retreated back into the forest for the rest of the morning.

There were a few flowerpeckers darting about trees and when they finally settled down to feast, I was delighted to record at least two Thick-billed Flowerpeckers among them. And the day was no longer that gloomy anymore.

As one of the rarer species, I tried my best to document this encounter but it was challenging indeed. Being small and restless, both me and my gear were put to the test. But pleasure is derived from taking the effort for endeavours like these. I guess that is how I am built.

There is not much one can elaborate on the appearance of the Thick-billed Flowerpecker. It does however have an adorable tendency to wag its tail from side to side. I have seen this behaviour before during my past experiences but not today. Perhaps, it is again due to the easy availability of food and some habits are momentarily abandoned.

A series of loud notes announced the presence of Cinereous Bulbuls which is another bulbul species that I look forward to at an active fruiting tree. One of the birds was kind enough to rest on a relatively open perch and flaunted its good looks. And I soaked in the view.

The resonating territorial call instantaneously drew my attention to the canopy level opposite the fruiting trees. The forest here is a known stronghold for the White-crowned Hornbill and a flock was soon located through the small gaps of the dense foliage. I only managed one record shot of the male but any encounter with this enigmatic species is a true blessing.

The next bulbul species recorded at the fruiting trees was the Buff-vented Bulbul. It is not what most would consider to be a sought-after species. But the confiding nature of this individual certainly amount to something for me.

The Grey-bellied Bulbul, on the other hand, certainly is with its lovely colouration.

Serenading the surroundings with their vocal talents, a pair of Greater Green Leafbirds was a much welcomed additional to my list today. On this occasion, the female overshadowed her mate with her boldness and feasted exceptional close to my position.

Today was a much warmer day than last week and unrelenting sun cast undesirable highlights and shadows that made photography frustrating. The Red-eyed Bulbul followed its appetite down to the lower reaches of the trees. Inevitably, it was the last bird to be documented before calling it the day.