Not so ordinary garden birds...

 

My birding endeavours take me to all kinds of locations ranging from spectacular mountain tops and lush tropical rainforests to bleak coastal mudflats. However, there is one type of habitat that I will try to avoid and that is habitats with humans. Wherever there are humans, there will usually be situations. Situations that I can do without when I am enjoying my birding. I guess there is some truth when some consider me to be somewhat anti-social but I will not be losing any sleep over that. Before I carried away with this, I better get back to the birds. That is what this blog is all about after all. A quiet neighbourhood in the outskirts of Taiping became the centre of attention when the presence of Common Hoopoes was discovered. This enigmatic species is still considered rare here in Peninsular Malaysia with irregular records throughout the years. I have personally recorded this species as far back as 2003 and it is not new to me. But at this particular location, it appears to be thriving and that is good enough a reason for a visit.

With my companions Hor Kee and Rodney, we arrived at our destination just after dawn. The first bird that caught my attention was a Crested Goshawk surveying its domain from a lofty perch. This stunning raptor was a great way to start off the day and I began to develop a good feeling about this modest location.

A pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills compounded the feeling as they wandered about the housing area. No matter how many times I have recorded this species living alongside humans, it still evokes the same amount of excitement.

I guess the same can be said about Lineated Barbets but on a lesser scale. Well, very few things in life can rival the awe of hornbills and that is the brutal truth. From the look of things, the barbets have also found sanctuary here and the population is set to increase.

A lone Asian Openbill casually foraging within a house compound certainly took me by surprise. There is no doubt this species has come a long way since when they first started to colonize Peninsular Malaysia back in 2010. But this cool fellow is taking it to a whole new level.

Pink-necked Pigeons occur even in my own home compound and I would find it odd if I do not come across them here. Here is a male feeling a little dismay that the lighting condition and my photographic effort did not do much justice to his true appeal.

Another common species of built-up areas is the Asian Glossy Starlings. Electrical cables are predominant in any housing area and birds have a tendency to use them as perches. For birders, this behaviour eases our main mission in life which is to find and observe.

For a bird photographer, these man-made perches hold little value for their photographic effort. This applies to even a striking species like the Blue-throated Bee-eater. In my eyes (and the bird’s), the cable is a strategic point for it to launch aerial assaults on flying insects. If it good enough for the bird, it is good enough for my camera.

The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a species you do not get to see in a lot of neighbourhoods. So, it was heartening to see one here. There is a possibility of escapees for the beautiful bird as it is a popular cage bird. Either way it will not cause any major scientific impact if I get the status wrong for this individual.

I stated earlier birds on cables are more conspicuous and to proof my point, that is how we got our first Common Hoopoe of the day. This may be normal sight in neighbouring countries like Thailand but in my own, it will take some getting used to.

Eventually, we managed to locate a flock of at least five birds consisting of adults and sub-adults as feeding still took place within the flock. During my documentation of the birds, I could not really tell any differences between the birds. All of them were striking and charismatic.

When I scrutinized my photographs back home, I noticed that all the birds I shot had slightly shorter bills. Only then did I realize that maybe both the adult birds managed to evade my photographic efforts.  

The discomfort of a “human-habitat” started to take its toll and we shifted to the second destination of the trip which is the foothills of Bukit Larut. Soon after our arrival, we were greeted by the diagnostic territorial call of the Banded Broadbill. It took a little effort but the result was rewarding. Often hidden by the cover of the forest canopy, a good view like this is a real godsend to me.

I could not believe it when another broadbill species decided to show well after the first encounter. The Black-and-yellow Broadbill can be confiding at times but the individual today has surpassed that point.

The full black collar indicated that it was a male bird and that feature is only the difference between the sexes. He is a truly exquisite creature of the forest.

A few fruiting trees in the vicinity were in season and they attracted the usual groups of bulbuls. Among them was a female Blue-winged Leafbird and she was the only that managed to find her way into my memory card.

The Verditer Flycatcher is a species that I have not seen for a long while now. When one decided to hawk for insects nearby, I was elated. It may be the duller female but the prolonged encounter was fair compensation.

I know I always lament how frustrating forest birding can be but apparently, not today. Another female bird provided a memorable encounter and she was a Raffles’s Malkoha. Initially she played hard to get, typical of most desirable ladies. On a more serious note, malkohas are usually difficult subject for photography and the Raffles’s Malkoha is no different. But the good girl performed unexpectedly well in the end and made every birder present fell head over heels for her.

Here is one final image of the alluring Raffles’s Malkoha to wrap things up this time. The foothills of a colonial hill station and a surprisingly birdy neighbourhood certainly rose up to the occasion and provided ample material for another entry to my birding blog.

A taste of European birding

 

I have to admit that life has not been the same ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. My overall outlook on life have changed and not mention my occasional (I would not call it a crisis) ‘midlife pinch’.  Birding unfortunately has taken a backseat these past few years and my beloved blog lies dormant more often than ever before. But when I found myself in a whole new continent for work, a blogging post after a lapse of more than a year finally emerged. My company decided to spread its wings (no pun intended) and participated in an expo held in Berlin. It was a big event spanning over four days and occupying almost half of the Messe Berlin – a huge event venue. And a modest Airbnb in the outskirts of the city was our home for a week. It may not be the best accommodation around but it did have its charms.

Best of all, there was a small park just across the road that became my temporary local patch. Almost all my birding was done within the borders of Preußenpark. Every morning before work, I endured the chilly winds despite being spring to experience the local bird life. At this time of the year, it gets bright by six in the morning thus providing much-appreciated additional time in the field.

One of the most conspicuous birds here is the aptly named Common Wood-Pigeon. There was even a pair roosting just outside the window of our Airbnb among the foliage of a roadside tree. And intimate views were obtainable from the comforts of the house balcony.

Due to the physical size and number of these birds present in the park, it was impossible to miss them during every visit. Although not as confiding as feral pigeons, I found them to be quite approachable and prolonged observations were not really an issue.

The Common Wood-Pigeon is a social species and usually occurs in pairs or small flocks. They can cause quite a commotion when a few are present on the same tree. And I soon learned to recognize their lumbering presence and vocals from a distance.

Big birds are more easily recorded for obvious reasons and it did not take long for me to get acquainted with the Hooded Crow – another common resident. This park, which is located right in the middle of a residential area, is quite popular and has a number of visitors regularly. Visitors tend to leave leftovers behind and the scavenging life is good for the crows. Hard to imagine that here I am, more than 11,000 kilometres from home, looking at an-all-too-familiar sight – crows picking up after my fellow humans.

However, its bi-coloured plumage does give the Hooded Crow a certain degree of appeal. Being another lifer, it received a fair share of attention from me. I used to find it a little amusing how foreign birders would gawk at the sight of White-throated Kingfishers in Peninsular Malaysia. I guess the locals would probably feel even more so about this bald Asian guy going down on his knees to photograph Hooded Crows.

The House Sparrow is not new to me as it has even colonized my home country. Google ascertained me before my trip that there is only one species of sparrow in Berlin to deal with. So, I tried hard to ignore them during my birding excursions here despite their constant their presence.

The same goes for the White Wagtail but unlike the former, there is only one individual in this entire park as far as I can tell.

Although I have encountered the Eurasian Jay during my trip to Japan, I was rather excited to cross paths with one here. Unfortunately, it was wary of my presence and kept a safe distance away.

Despite the frustrating time with the jay, I feel the birds here are generally more confiding than back home or other parts of Asia. And the Eurasian Blackbird is a fine example. The first time I laid eyes on one, it nearly flew into me and alighted at my feet before proceeding to forage.

I cannot be certain if it is always the same bold individual but the Eurasian Blackbird provided the most photographic opportunities and some from surprisingly close proximities.

Its behaviour could be influenced by the fact that it is the breeding season for this common thrush. Judging from the number of images I obtained, it is safe to say that the Eurasian Blackbird was one of the highlights of the trip.

The significantly few images of female Eurasian Blackbirds is not a true indication of their numbers. No, it is human nature at work here and the more attractive males will inevitably hog the limelight.

For someone living in the tropics, the cool condition of a temperate environment was a welcome change. As for the avifauna, the former undoubtedly overshadows the latter but that does not mean, one will not be mesmerized during an outing. During my first visit to Preußenpark, I was stopped dead in my tracks by a repertoire of musical notes rivalling even the best from back home. There is a renowned songster that occurs in Europe and I thought to myself that this should be how a Nightingale sings. A little field craft later, I found myself indeed looking at a Common Nightingale and he (based on its behaviour) certainly knew how to provide a warm reception to a lone birder from Malaysia.

There were at least two of them residing within this urban park and their beautiful songs serenade the locality during every single one of my visits. There is an old proverb “a nightingale cannot sing in a cage” and now after my enlightening trip to Germany, it is so true in every sense.

This being my maiden trip, it was overwhelming to be surrounded by those calls that are so foreign to my ears. Other than the Common Nightingale, there was another vocal talent found in the woods here. However, it took a lot more effort and luck before I finally obtained decent views of the Eurasian Blackcap. And I thought warblers would be easier in this part of the world...

My birding time in Berlin is limited and I did not get to spend as much time as I would like to with all the species I encountered including the commoner ones. Flocks of European Starlings will forage in the open areas of the park on a daily basis. They were reasonably confiding and full of character but it is their stunning plumage that had me spellbound.

This species is the one with the highest number here in my local patch and I guess it is probably one of the commonest birds in the region but its beauty is undeniable. Birds in full breeding plumage will sport less speckles but with their iridescent colours enhanced. And when seen in good lighting, it is indeed quite a sight.

The law of the jungle can be ruthless but that is Mother Nature. I witnessed a juvenile Great Tit predated by a Hooded Crow. It happened so quickly that there was nothing much me or the parent bird could do. The chick was dead before I could react. I managed to take a few shots of the opportunistic hunter before it took flight with its unfortunately prey securely in its bill.

I cannot be certain if this image was the parent bird because Great Tits are not uncommon here and it was taken at a different time. Among all the encounters, this was the only time I was given a reasonable chance to capture the image of this active little species.

My local patch provided a non-bird surprise for me in the form of wild rabbits and this adorable mammal is thriving here. I have to admit I did not do much research on mammals prior to the trip. It was after my first sighting that I found out that that rabbit colonies are not unusual especially in west Berlin.

They can be seen foraging all over throughout the day and in good numbers. One can even mistake them for domesticated animals because they are so tame. The young ones are utterly lovable - typical of juvenile mammals.

The Red Squirrel is another delightful creature that I managed to observe in this park. Unlike the rabbits, I always see only one and could well be the same individual. The tufted ears and bushy tail certainly have a way to melt one’s heart.

In nature where there is prey, there will be predators. I came face to face with an urbanized Red Fox one early morning and it seemed surprise that anyone eould be out at this hour. It may not be a perfect specimen suffering from what appears to be mange but it was an exhilarating encounter for me. I did not expect to see a wild fox and was truly grateful it allowed me to immortalized the moment before disappearing into the bushes.

My trip to Berlin yielded one last global lifer but it made me wait until I had a chance to explore the city centre. And along the banks of Spree river I came across my first Herring Gull. In fact, it is quite prevalent here and I recorded them on several occasions soaring gracefully above this historical city.

Since I have covered my birding experiences, it is only right to showcase some of the cultural wealth that can be found here and Berlin did not fail to deliver in this aspect. Majestic buildings set against beautiful blue skies appear surreal at times and my colleagues and I soaked it all in.

It is not only manmade structures that leave you breathless but the beauty of the natural world as well.

I also found the food here to be quite agreeable to my taste. That is always an important factor when I am abroad. The only downside of the trip was that certain locals are not as polite as I expected. Not so much during leisure but at work and of all places, the airport. It is during these occasions that I felt a little homesick and that rarely occurs.

Luckily, it was only a minor hiccup and not enough to rob me of an interesting trip to Europe. To end my post this time is a candid shot of yours truly taken by a colleague whom I managed to drag out of bed early to join me for a walk in the park.