Quest for the Holy Grail

 

At the break of dawn on the second day of our tour, we were enjoying a simple breakfast and a glorious sunrise at the vast expense of salt ponds in the Khok Kham conservation area. And what can be found in such a habitat you may ask. Allow me to enlighten you. This is the wintering ground for a remarkable and rare little wader known as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper or more affectionately called the Spoonie.

Birds leaving roosting sites to forage in first light can be breath-taking. And it is no different here. I was especially drawn to the flocks of Painted Storks making their way towards the coast. There is no denying I have a soft spot for large water birds. Even more so if they are uncommon to me.

When there was finally enough light to begin our exploration of this important bird area, we carefully walked into the salt farm along the bunds. Flocks of waders that started to congregate in the shallow ponds were an indication of things to come and I could hardly contain the excitement building inside of me.

Now finding a Spoonie among the thousands of other peeps was not going to be easy. But we had help. A local guide that goes by the name of Tee weaved his magic scope and after about thirty minutes, we were staring at the unique bill of this critically endangered species.

In order to obtain any decent images, we had to rely on our field craft to reduce the distance. Here is Tee giving us some pointers on how not to be lumbering visiting birders and spook the subject away...

The observation did not last as long as I would have wanted when the entire flock of waders in that pond took flight and vanished. To be honest, I was still elated with this encounter as it was the closest and longest I have ever been with a Spoonie.

With the target in the bag, we began to open up to the other species that find sanctuary here. I do not encounter the Black-bellied Plover quite often and a lone individual resting along the outer edge of one the ponds was a welcomed sight.

A wary Pacific Golden-Plover did not provide any opportunity for an improvement shot.

I am a simple man and I tend to keep things simple in my life. Thus, I miss the days when Lesser Sand-plovers have not undergone the split. Having said that, here are some images of what should be Tibetan Sand-Plovers.

The Khok Kham conservation would be a good place to scan through the hundreds of confiding Sand-Plovers present here for the almost identical, Thailand’s first Siberian Sand-Plover but that task would be above my ‘bird’ grade.

The Curlew Sandpipers are rather confiding today as well. I took a keen interest in these common migrants for any stumpy-looking individuals or even better, have blackish bellies for the possibility of the rarer Dunlin. From this blog post, I am sure you know how it worked out.

Black-winged Stilts, especially the male bird, is the definition of elegance in the wader world.

The Marsh Sandpiper is another wader that oozes with poise and grace.

Here is a Pond-Heron in non-breeding plumage doing what Pond-Herons do. Next please...

The scenery at the salt ponds is actually quite lovely. Naturally, it took a while for me to realize that. Once I am in full birding mode, everything else becomes secondary.

We then sat down along a bund to take a breather and recuperate from the heat.  I always emphasize that successful birding is very much luck as well. A flock of waders suddenly alighted in the pond right in front of us and our man Tee triumphantly alerted us from a distance. I could hardly believe it when my eyes picked up the now-familiar jizz of a Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Point most certainly proven...

I could not be sure if this second bird is a different individual but it was a lot more confiding. I think we managed to crawl and slide our way to as close as possible without overstepping our boundaries.

The superstar appeared relax and was constantly feeding which at times, made it difficult to obtain images without the bill submerged in water.

Please forgive me if this post contains a high number of Spoon-billed Sandpiper images. It is not a new bird to me. In all my years of birding, I have recorded it twice before. But nothing like this. This is heaven-sent for a water bird lover like me and I took full advantage of what I have been given. The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is often considered the holy grail of wader watching in this part of the world. After this prolonged and intimate encounter, I can see why. It was a true privilege indeed.

The radiating tropical sun on our backs and a confiding Spoonie in front of our lenses. It does not get any better than this.

Once I have obtained more than enough images, I was able to let myself occasionally swap the camera with the binos and made this incredible encounter complete. And here is one final image of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper for good measure.

When the exhilaration of the Spoonie subsided, I started to take notice of the other waders present in the same pond. And a mixed flock of Great and Red Knots resting nearby was hard to ignore now.

The problem with roosting or resting waders is that you sometimes cannot isolate a single bird out for photography. For the knots, despite all my best efforts, I could only obtain images of a Great Knot alone.

Smaller peeps require some scrutiny to ascertain their identities. Red-necked Stints, due to their similarities to a Spoon-billed Sandpiper, provided some suspense on this beautiful, sunny morning. This image depicts the two species almost side to side. Hide the bill and most mortals would be in trouble.

Broad-billed Sandpipers sport distinct facial markings that make them slightly easier to identify. And they performed well for our photographic efforts. This wader site provided an incredible morning of memorable experiences and that is something I have been missing in recent years. It is sad but there are simply no wader sites left in my home state that can even come close.

For those unfortunate souls who dipped out on the Spoonie, there is a larger-than-life statue of the bird at the visitor centre that could perhaps provide some solace.

And from here, we took a long drive into the wild interiors of central Thailand. Kaeng Krachang National Park is the largest national park in the country and it was the next destination in out itinerary. Will our lucky streak continue? The answer to that will be in my next post.

Checklist of the birds recorded at Khok Kham: https://ebird.org/checklist/S307844600

A Manchurian for Christmas

 

It is common knowledge that our forests are under threat but the devastation does not end there. Wetland habitats suffer a similar fate. In my home state of Penang, I am running out of wetlands to visit. And for someone with a soft spot for water birds, it is utterly depressing. The marshlands at Batu Kawan would have been my saviour if it has not been slated for development in the near future. At the break dawn, my companions and I plodded along the soft laterite access road cutting through a construction site. It may not sound much like a birding trip but that is what one has to endure in order to reach the said wetlands. Sad but true...

I may not speak for everyone but the sight of a congregation of large water birds never ceases to amaze. Flock by flock of water birds arrive at this feeding ground from their roosts in the surrounding vicinity. For the record, this location probably has the highest density of Purple Herons and Grey Herons in Penang and the numbers are incredible. I opted to observe rather than photograph because that is where the true value lies and this image of a lone Grey Heron may not be able to fully convey the moment.

The advancement in digital cameras of late is undeniable but they do not come cheap. So, for the time being I still rely on pressing the shutter and pray for at least one frame to turn out decent. However, there is a limit to how much one can achieve through prayers especially for a flight shot in dim lighting like this taunting Cinnamon Bittern making its way to breakfast.

One has to be observant to pick out the small but adorable Long-toed Stint from all the blobs of mud, debris and vegetation present in the wetlands. The distance may have robbed me of some of the joy but the Long-toed Stints have their way to gain my affections.

A trio of drabber looking stints dashed across our field of view haphazardly and alighted on a distant sandbank. Our initial guess was spot on when they turned out to be Temminck’s Stints in the end. This species is an uncommon winter visitor to our land and more than capable to excite even the most seasoned birder.

My encounter with the rare Common Ringed Plover here last season left much to be desired. Naturally, all Little Ringed Plovers were scrutinized for a possible re-occurrence of the former but I could not attain the closure I seek.

The Black-winged Stilts graced the location in good numbers with their elegant presence. The new generation of birders and bird photographers may not be aware that this bird was once a rarity in Malaysia but I certainly do. Decades may have passed. Exhilaration may have been reduced. One of my all-time favourites, the bird remains.

They are conspicuous not only because of their contrasting colouration but vocal nature as well. More often than not, they drown out most other species that share their watery domain. This temporary sanctuary will host the Black-winged Stilts and the rest for at least one more season. I am no soothsayer but unless a miracle takes place, the demise of this locality is just a matter of time.

It is safe to say it is no longer unusual to record Little Cormorants in the northern half of the peninsular. A big flock resting together after a morning’s hunt is an impressive sight. One that I am still trying to get used to.

Garganeys, on the other hand, are unusual with sporadic winter records throughout the years. And to have four individuals together at a single spot close to home should be my early Christmas judging on how slow things have been for this year.

Apparently, the Lesser Whistling Ducks have had enough of the overwhelming stench and toxic at the marshland next to the Pulau Burung landfill and are now taking refuge here. I wish there was a way I could warn them not to get too comfortable because the good life they are now enjoying is not going to last.

There is a good reason behind the name of the Greater Painted-Snipe. The female bird (yes, female bird) is vibrantly coloured and stunning. There is also a reason why she seldom reveals her true beauty for evolution has made her particularly elusive.

Wetland habitats are not without their dangers. Raptors are always on the lookout for prey and today, a male Eastern Marsh Harrier was on the hunt. Harriers are generally uncommon at this location but this individual seemed to have decided on his wintering ground this season. His malicious presence will not be welcomed by other wildlife but it certainly added value to our excursion.

Executing a mid-flight scratch to get rid of an annoying itch…

The Zebra Dove is about bite-size for the Eastern Marsh Harrier and its tendency to perch in the open can be hazardous to its health.

The Long-tailed Shrike is predatory as well but on a smaller scale. This is one of the few places in Penang where this beautiful species resides and has been recorded regularly.

It is normally a shy bird despite occurring in scrub and open country habitats. Today, a pair was being more confiding than usual perhaps due to the approaching breeding season. Whatever the reason may be, I do not come across the Long-tailed Shrike often enough not be thrilled by their performance.

There was a significant change to the taxonomy of birds recently. More splits and renaming – as usual. Inevitably, I try my best to keep myself updated for Malaysian species. Among the changes, the Intermediate Egret is now called the Medium Egret which I cannot help but to chuckle when I first found out. I do not know how to put it but it just sounds odd. Will the Little Egret and Great Egret be renamed as to go with the flow?  Anyway here is the bird, with no regards that it is now probably the most joked-about bird wherever it occurs, looking all so poised at our second location of the day which is the Permatang Pauh paddy fields.

Searching for a little brown job in dense vegetation is not every one’s cup of tea. I will usually give it a pass but my companions convinced me otherwise. A lot of thought and strategy was put into the approach this time and we managed to persuade two Manchurian Reed-warblers to settle into a small clump of reeds. In fact, the smallest clump in the vicinity and just next to the access road. I could almost taste success when these globally vulnerable migrants put the human observers in their place and reminded them just how difficult reed-warblers can be if they choose to be.

When the vegetation finally gave way to a less obstructed view, it was the lighting’s turn to dampened our photographic efforts. Murphy's Law at work again.

However, birders can be exceedingly stubborn and determine especially with failure looming. An unexpected turn of luck eventually had the Manchurian Reed-warbler alighting on a relatively open perch with decent lighting. If this is not proof of the existence of a higher being, I do not know what is. As we were enjoying our moment of triumph, the reed-loving warblers gradually made their way out of sight but not out of memory. A fitting end to a rewarding outing and I am relieve there is no negative conclusion to this posting for a change. Perhaps, it is the magic of Christmas at work.

Speaking of which, MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!