Northward bound

 

The alarm went off at four in the morning. I do not recall it being this difficult to drag myself out of bed at this hour. Another sign of old age perhaps. By the time I don my usual drab-coloured birding attire, anticipation took over the reins. The tiny but fascinating state of Perlis awaits and this seduced my senses with the possibilities of encountering some far from common species. Up here at the northern tip of the peninsular, the climate is usually dry with sunny blue skies. And the cloud formations further enhanced the appeal of the scrublands surrounding Timah Tasoh Lake.

The odd vocalization of the Racket-tailed Treepies instantly took my breath away as this species is one of my targets for the trip. However, only glimpses of the bird with its distinct spatula shaped tail were provided today and that was a bitter pill to swallow. The Orange-breasted Pigeons, another speciality here, did not fare any much better. By mid morning, it looked like it was going to be one of those days when your love for birding will truly be tested. And a preening Streak-eared Bulbul in a position that normally will not be given the time of day, inevitably had my undivided attention.

Perched at the top of a tree stump, a Great Myna proclaimed its territory overlooking a cow shed. As the name implies, it is a proud-looking bird with the dark iris and wicked crest. To an undiscerning layman, it probably looks like any other myna. If memory serves me right, the Great Myna has been upgraded to a natural occurring species in Peninsular Malaysia and that only intensified my captivation for the species.

The Perlis State Park was the next destination and for that we cut across the hilly and beautiful countryside of Wang Kelian. Here, we were scrutinizing bulbuls for one particular species. One which we did not even know occurred within our Malaysian borders until a few years back. Identifying the Olive Bulbul is no walk in the park and neither is photographing them judging from my substandard images despite the prolonged encounter.

Due to time constraints, we did not venture into Perlis State Park proper. Instead, we explored the surrounding vicinity. With lady luck still shying away from us, the results were disappointing. A somewhat confiding Yellow-browed Warbler was the only species I have to show in the end. My best photographic effort of this uncommon migrant may not be an envy of others but the amount of effort required to obtain the image made it a keeper.

Although butterflies are not birds’ equal, they do come close. This striking species is certainly new to me. Regardless of its true identity and status, I was drawn to the iridescent splendour it exhibits. My fascination lasted till it floated away with the butterfly deep into the forest of the park.

We made one last stop which was at the vast agricultural lands of Chuping before calling it a day. It is sad to find this once haven for birding in its present condition. My last visit almost a year ago was a successful twitch for a Malaysian lifer. Today, all that greeted us was an out-of-place hotel, Instaworthy fields of Kenaf blooms and a ridiculous container park destined to be another white elephant project. A juvenile Pied Harrier reminded us just how amazing Chuping used to be. I fear the days when harriers and other raptors serenaded this locality in good numbers with their majestic presence are gone. As my fellow humans strike the final nail in the coffin for the demise of yet another birding location, my thoughts drifted back to the remarkable birding experiences I enjoyed here in the distant past.

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.

 

Intriguing Land of Smiles

 

It has been more than two years since we last set foot on foreign soil and apart from donning face masks, boarding an plane out of Malaysia is pretty much the same as it used to be. A few hours later, we found ourselves in The Land of Smiles and our vacation in northern Thailand began. This was not a birding trip as I was with my better half and birds that I may encounter during our stay here in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai would be a bonus. This part of the country is quite appealing and some of the views, spectacular. Needless to say, after what everyone has gone through, this little getaway was much anticipated. It has been a long time since I last saw that sparkle in her eyes and this trip certainly brought that out again.

Inevitably, I ended up shooting more typical images on this trip. But a short trip to the highest mountain in Thailand was part of our itinerary and my hopes for some decent birding lie with that highland retreat.

The first birding encounter of the trip took place right outside our hotel along one of the busiest parts of Chiang Rai town. A female White Wagtail was resting on the porch roof. It is a scarce migrant back home and was enough for me to tolerate all the stares of the locals as I tried my best to capture some images of this lovely bird.

Eventually I realized that the White Wagtail is relatively common here and a pair that I came across at the compound of the Chiang Rai’s renowned White Temple was exceptionally confiding as well. However, the pair was restless and time was a luxury I do not possess on this trip as we were part of a tour group.

The Great Myna is also common in northern Thailand but I did not put much effort into capturing its images. This species is spreading down to Peninsular Malaysia and I have had my share of encounters during excursions to Perlis state.

The Fah Lu Huang Garden at Doi Tung was another lush landscaped garden that we visited. The colours and beauty of all the flowers we encountered was much to my wife’s delight.

Me, on the other hand, struggled to obtain memorable birding experiences here. In the end, I had to settle with a couple of bulbuls. The Sooty-headed Bulbul does not occur in Peninsular Malaysia and naturally, had my undivided attention.

Although the Red-whiskered Bulbul is conspicuous with its vocal talents and wicked crest, photographic opportunities did not come easily.

There seems to be a preference to keep Mute Swans are ornamental birds here in northern Thailand and no less than two tourist destinations that we visited had these elegant water fowls as part of their attractions. I had a tough time explaining to the rest of the group why I am not spending more time photographing these domesticated swans...

The agricultural landscape at Singha Park certainly has potential and between the usual sightseeing activities, I managed to sneak off some for brief birding. On one occasion, I was caught red-handed while pursuing a Pied Bushchat at a patch of grassland.

My gut feeling proved to be right when I enjoyed what should be the bird of the trip. A stunning male Burmese Shrike was on the hunt and my lumbering intrusion did not seem to ruffle any feathers at all.

He was a creature of habit and returned to the same vantage point after each foray. The only issue was I was restricted to photographing him from this angle but it was undeniably a memorable experience.

Most lizards tend to blend in with their surroundings but I do not think the same can be said about the Blue Crested Lizard. Half the body, particularly the head region, looked as though this reptile has been dipped into a bucket of bright blue dye. I was transfixed on the lizard as it rested on a tree trunk and this lifer of another nature turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip.

The peak of Doi Inthanon is the highest point in Thailand and the 6°C temperature that greeted us upon our arrival makes it one of the coldest as well. And the views, should be up there among the best especially the alluring sea of clouds.

At the summit, I was given some time to wander around on my own. As expected, this locality was teeming with bird life and the time factor prevented me from truly appreciating all species that were present. I did not do much homework prior to the visit as not to raise too much expectations. However, I do know as a fact the stunning Mrs. Gould’s Sunbird calls this place home. A few sunbirds frolicking about a flowering tree had me sprinting down the access road until I reached the base of the tree. True enough, there was at least 3 Mrs. Gould’s Sunbirds present but the only one that finally made its way to my memory card was an immature male.

The Silver-eared Laughingthrush is a split from the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush complex just like the Malayan Laughingthrush back home. This lifer provided the best photographic opportunities for this highland excursion as the bird foraged for food confidingly close to a throng of tourist including yours truly.  

Harsh lighting and the active nature of a flock of Chestnut-tailed Minlas prevented me from including these adorable and striking birds into my photographic highlights for this visit to Doi Inthanon.

The distinct silhouette of a drongo resting on a tall tree persuaded me to put some effort in identifying the species. After further scrutiny, it turned out to be an Ashy Drongo. I am usually grateful for whatever I have been given but when I am in another country, a species that I can regularly encounter back home will not be able to evoke much emotions.

Northern Thailand is an intriguing place and the birds there even more so. This trip was nothing more than a teaser and if I have the chance, I would love to a have another one purely for birding. Some of the best moments from this vacation had nothing to do with birds. They were of my other passion in life which is making memories with the love of my life. And getting sprayed by the powerful Wachirathan Waterfall while getting our photo taken was certainly one such moment.