Two days too late

It started out like any ordinary weekday morning. After checking my emails and messages, I decided to have a quick look at my Facebook. A photo posted by a friend caught my immediate attention. It was a photo of an Oriental Plover – a rare migrant to our shores and a would-be lifer. After obtaining the necessary information, the open country of Kamunting will be my next birding destination two days from now. Dave was about to make a trip to Ipoh on that day and Kamunting was conveniently along the way. Later in the afternoon, I received news from him. Not one but two Oriental Plovers in the bag. And thus began the agonizing wait for the weekend. Two vehicles, four birders, one very plain-looking but rare objective and a vast grassland. Not as vast as the grasslands of Chuping in Perlis but Hor Kee, Nelson, Beng Yean and yours truly still had our work cut out for us.

The most prominent species present were undoubtedly the Oriental Pratincoles. These peculiar but beautiful waders were nesting there and caution had to be taken not too stress them out too much during our search for the Oriental Plovers. The sight of the nesting pratincoles brought back memories of the nesting ground in my home state. Sadly, the site is now nothing but a distant memory.

The next generation of Oriental Pratincoles which in time will grace our world with their graceful aerial agilities…

Normally, where the Oriental Pratincole nests so will the Red-wattled Lapwing. Although not in such high numbers, there were enough of this common but stunning waders around to grab my attention. Come to think of it these birds are natural born attention grabbers with their loud and distinct alarm call and the numbers present does not matter.

I think by now you have more or less have guessed the outcome for my twitch for the Oriental Plovers. If something as rare as this is not mentioned by the second paragraph, it can only spell dip out. Despite a careful sweep for more than 3 hours, we just could not locate the plovers. The trip was not without its highlights and one of them is certainly this – my first ever photo of the Small Buttonquail after all these years.

I was not too disappointed for being too slow to photograph a Barred Buttonquail. The reason being I almost got a clear shot of a male Blue-breasted Quail. Now the latter deserves a lengthy paragraph not only to make up for the crappy image but the bird truly deserves it. Adorable and striking, the male Blue-breasted Quail is one of the most attractive gamebirds in Malaysia. Looking more like a plush soft toy than a real bird, this quail is naturally much sought after. It is not rare. However, to actually see a bird well in the field is often difficult. After all, both quails and buttonquails are the Houdinis of the natural world and their vanishing acts are just as remarkable as the great man’s.

One is bound to come across a Paddyfield Pipit in such a habitat and there were certainly a fair number present. Most were seen in pairs and that saved us the time and headache of trying to determine if they could be some other migratory pipit species.

Common Mynas are one of the most aggressive birds I know. I have witnessed numerous fights between birds of the same species and the majority of these fights involved the Common Myna. These bouts can last for a long time and that can be exhausting. This one lasted about 10 minutes and the loser retreated from the vicinity leaving the victor to enjoy his triumphant moment.

White-headed Munias are not as numerous as some of the other species. However, they seemed to outnumber the rest at this locality. While observing a flock grazing near our position, one of the birds got a little carried away with the feast and wandered very close to our stationary vehicle. But the munia was constantly on the move and photographing the little guy was harder than expected.

Once we were gripped by the possibility of dipping out, desperation set in. We widened our search to beyond the four corners of the grasslands. There are a few former mining pools in the vicinity and these man made wetlands are now home to the local wildlife including birds. It always nice to see an adult Purple Heron although it is not uncommon. The size and colouration makes it attractive species that I still cannot ignore to this day.

The Black-backed Swamphen, on the other hand, is a waterfowl that I do not come across often enough. It is most probably extinct from my home state and this site is probably the closest one to home that I can admire the beauty of the swamphen. It has a preference for the invasive Hyacinth plant and the colouration of this water plant does help to bring out the radiance of the bird. I guess I did not go home empty handed in the end. Of course it would have been great to get the Oriental Plover but things do not always go according to plan. Hopefully, my time will come in the near future and until then, flocks of Pacific Golden Plover will be scrutinized as usual for a chance of an Oriental Plover.

And a sparrow steals the limelight...

During my last visit to the birding mecca of Chuping, the Plain-backed Sparrows performed admirably for me and my guest. I was hoping for a repeat performance on this trip and I was not to be disappointed. The perimeter fencing of the sugar mill was the stage and these exquisite sparrows were the stars. With the early morning sun casting a radiant glow on the sparrows, we took the time to bask in their beauty despite the constant urge to explore the adjacent grasslands for more feathered wonders.

To me, there is nothing plain about the back of a male Plain-backed Sparrow…

When we could finally pull ourselves away from the display of vibrancy and adorability, we found that we could not move an inch from where we have positioned our car. We were so indulged in the performance that we did not realize some sparrows had started to forage quite close on the other side of our car. The male that wandered closest to us naturally received our undivided attention.

The female with her drabber plumage may not be as flashy as her mate but it does has its perk. She blends so well with her surroundings that my gear found it hard to focus on her movements sometimes. And that makes her a less likely target for predators.

A male Red Collared-dove refused to let the sparrows have all the limelight and did his best to distract our attention. Another vibrant species, this dove can be found in great numbers here. Chuping is undoubtedly one of the best spots in Malaysia to observe and photograph these two northern specialities. It has been a rewarding trip so far and we have not have even wandered into the grasslands.

For the past few years, Chuping became the best place in Malaysia to enjoy the Bronze-winged Jacana – a sedentary waterbird that is rarely encountered until now. The presence of two chicks together with the parent birds makes it the first proven breeding record here in Malaysia. The jacanas, unfortunately, were foraging along the far side of the pond making it difficult to obtain good images. But both of us were relishing the encounter. For one of us, it was a global lifer. For the other, who has a soft spot for rare waterbirds, any encounter with a jacana here in Malaysia will be a memorable affair.

Some birds, like the coucals, are habitual sunbathers. Unlike the highly adaptable Greater Coucal, the Lesser Coucal is confined to lowland scrub and grassland habitats which makes Chuping an ideal sanctuary. This particular individual has happily enjoying the soothing rays of the sun next to the main road when it was interrupted by our peering. After a short stare, it came to the conclusion that the intruders were harmless and carried on with its morning routine.

Zitting Cisiticolas have always thrived in this locality and with the breeding season now in full swing, they are even more conspicuous as they perform their courtship displays to entice a mate. Bare stalks like this one provide the best photographic opportunities to capture this minute grassland warbler. 

As we were slowly combing the grasslands from the comforts of our vehicle, a male Pied Harrier floated into view and the level of excitement skyrocketed. This is one of the main targets of the trip for my guest and as a first-timer, the poise and allure of the male Pied Harrier is bound to leave you breathless. The buoyant flight and striking colouration of this raptor have the tendency to do that. I have been chasing harriers over these grasslands for years now and I am still awe by the presence of a male Pied Harrier.

A large area of ploughed field had my attention during my last visit and this time, I was hoping I could discover something rare and extraordinary for a change.

We ended empty handed in terms of rarities. The Oriental Pratincole may be a common bird here in the north but it is to me an extraordinary bird. More like a giant swallow than a wader, it is a common resident up north and the grasslands of Chuping is one of its strongholds. Like the Pied Harrier, it also possesses a graceful flight and one in breeding plumage is a sight to behold as well.

After a hearty lunch, we headed to the Bukit Wang Forest Reserve for the afternoon session. It is always a risk to enter the forest in the afternoon as it can sometimes be exceptionally quiet at this time of the day. But life is all about taking risks. And today, it paid off handsomely. The forest was alive with birds. Even I was overwhelmed…

As we only had a few hours to spare here before making our way home, we barely got out of the recreational areas and into the prime forest area due to the exceptionally good birding we were enjoying. Birdwave after birdwave stormed through the vicinity and to be honest, I did not except this. As the babblers and warblers teased us with flitting glimpses, an exceptional few did provide some decent photographic opportunities like this White-bellied Erpornis.

Flycatchers are known to return to the same perch after their mid-air sallies for insects and they do but not every single time. This Dark-sided Flycatcher probably was not a participant of the birdwave and remained at the same location for quite some time where it made a few sallies and returned to the same perch. And we were there ready to capture its images.

The highlight of the day, for me anyway, is a female Banded Kingfisher that was surprisingly tolerant to our intrusion into her domain. This species is not new to me and neither is it rare but like most forest denizens, it is usually shy and wary. When we first caught sight of her, she was calling from near the canopy level. And I thought that was going to be as good as it will get. Due to the birdy condition of this patch of forest today, we let her be after a while and diverted our attention to the other birds present.

We could hear both her and her mate calling in the vicinity throughout our visit. The male did not reveal himself to us but it does not really matter as the female Banded Kingfisher is just as stunning a bird. In fact, some even consider her to be the better looking of the two. We crossed path with the female again later and this time, she was resting on an even lower perch. We decided to push our luck and slowly crept slower. Much to our delight, she obliged. A confiding Banded Kingfisher (regardless of sex) on an exposed low perch could well be one of the most rewarding birding encounters that can take place in a Malaysian forest. Today has been an amazing day and this gorgeous girl with her sultry performance had a lot to do with it. 

Faith restored...(28/03/2016)

For the second day of his tour, I took Tony to the open grasslands of Chuping in the tiny state of Perlis. Upon arrival, Chuping appeared and felt like a whole different country to him and I could not agree more. The atmosphere at this locality does has its own distinct flavour and the birding, is usually exceptional.

Just as the first rays of the morning swept across the sea of grass, a handsome male Pied Harrier floated into view and caught us by surprise. When we recovered from the initial shock, I did my best to obtain better views and photographic opportunities. My gear struggled in the dim lighting and I felt a little short changed after the encounter. My guest, on the other day, got his shots and one of the best moments of his tour with me. A lone Paddyfield Pipit hopped up onto an exposed stake to bask in the morning sun now that the raptor has left the vicinity but it provided very little compensation for my earlier disappointment.

Blue-tailed Bee-eaters are not exactly what I would naturally look out for in Chuping but I will make an exception for a flock hunting in good light. This spot must be filled be bees as the bee-eaters seemed to be catching them effortlessly. Every sally was short and successful. And every shot I took had bee-eaters with food in the mouth.

On a recently ploughed patch, a pair of Siberian Stonechats was also having a field day. Judging from their constant movement, food was abundant. Although they were quite confiding, the lighting condition was difficult and the distant, less than desirable. The male was almost in breeding plumage and a record shot was the least I could do in appreciation for his performance and beauty.

Our main targets for this visit were the raptors - especially the harriers. Apart from the earlier encounter with the male Pied Harrier, we had very few photographic opportunities for the rest of the morning. A female Pied Harrier provided the only other reasonably good encounter. We followed her hunt momentarily and even managed to get her making short work of a large grasshopper.

The Eastern Marsh-Harriers were far and few. The striking male at this distance can hardly evoke any sense of excitement.

There is one more migratory raptor that is a regular here at Chuping and it provided one of the highlights of this visit. Resting all so elegantly on the barren earth, this female Eurasian Kestrel was more confiding than usual – much to our delight. I drove as close as possible and took a few shots as best as I could. She was not a big bird to begin with and the distance was just slightly beyond my gear’s comfort zone. But it was a good encounter. She allowed us to ogle at her beauty from the comforts of the car and that itself could almost make up for the long drive here.

There were plenty of Oriental Pratincoles around today and most were in breeding plumage. This unique wader is not an uncommon sight but it does make a good subject for photography. It usually has a high tolerance level towards human presence and we managed to obtain quite a number of good images.

By lunch time, the heat was getting a little unbearable and we decided to stop and have a meal before proceeding to the next locality. A striking male Red Collared-dove bade us farewell as we made our way out of the grasslands. The forest of Bukit Wang provided nothing of significance except for a pair of inquisitive but shy Black-and-Yellow Broadbill. Playing hard to get does enhance the encounter but only to a certain degree if you do not show yourself at the end of it all.

A repeat of yesterday’s fate was looming on the horizon. And against my better judgement, I decided to try Air Hitam Dalam again. When we arrive in the car park, it was relatively quiet. And my faith on the locality now hangs by a thread. Then I caught an all-too-familiar jizz of a bird with the corner of my eye. I could finally breathe again. A sigh of relief as a male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher proudly exhibits his splendid plumage to my guest. And my faith, totally restored. Throughout the visit, we managed to see three pairs throughout the vicinity including the complicated pair of Mangrove-Tickell’s Blue Flycatchers. The male was extremely confiding as usual and a wrong setting my in camera (accidentally turn the dial to shutter speed priority again) resulted in a slightly soft image. But I was not too worked out over it as I have plenty of good images from previous encounters. The important thing is the flycatchers are still here and for that, I am truly grateful. 

The Sunset Pond (10/10/2015)

The former mining ponds of Malim Nawar in Perak have been hosting exceptionally rare migratory water birds for the past few seasons. Thus, the slightly more than two-hour drive from Penang is a very small price to pay for potential mega lifers. Together with Hor Kee, we set out well before dawn for this birding adventure. Upon our arrival at the Sunset Pond, a name passionately given by birders to a particular pond, we found that it has been flooded with too much water and is now avoided by the water birds. The pond on the opposite side of the access track, on the other hand, was a different story. Hundreds of Little Egrets have gathered there to rest and feed gracing the vicinity with their poise and beauty.

There were at least a dozen Little Cormorants present as well. This species is gradually becoming commoner here in Peninsular Malaysia. It was most unfortunate that none of them ever came close to our position and flying shots were all that I managed to obtain today.

The adjacent ponds held spectacles of nature themselves too. This is the highest density of Oriental Pratincoles that I have ever laid eyes on and I have seen my fair share of Oriental Pratincoles prior to this.

Their numbers were easily a thousand strong in total. And whenever they took flight, they darkened the sky. And their calls, echoed throughout the vicinity.

We did scrutinise these flocks for the much rarer Little Pratincole that is known to occur here. We figured if there is ever a chance to find one, it would be today. In the end, the Little Pratincole remains elusive and our hopes, dashed.

The migratory terns are back in full force and their angelic presence is always a welcomed sight. The Little Tern occurs both in fresh and saline water habitats. Although it lacks the size of the other terns, it still possesses the aerial elegance and agility synonymous of this family of birds.

There are a few reasons behind the high concentration of waterbirds here. The availability of food is definitely one of them. Here, an adult Purple Heron was photographed making off with breakfast. Nothing like a hearty meal to start off the day...

The Grey Heron is another large waterbird that is always present at these ponds. Suitable habitats for this beautiful bird are disappearing rapidly in my home state of Penang and possibly, neighbouring states like Perak are the only places I can observe it in future.

As the migratory season is now in full swing, flocks of waders had to be given their due attention. When it comes to waders, you just do not know what rarities might be mingling with the commoner species. There were no surprises among the Little Ringed Plovers however...

A few of them were still in their striking breeding plumage and rightfully deserved some space in my camera's SD card.

Stints are the smallest, and the cutest, of all the waders. Due to their diminutive size, identification can be challenging at times. The Long-toed Stint is well-marked enough to be quite easily told apart from the other species. In fact, it is one of the most attractive of all the stints in winter. Although it was the only stint species present, the sheer number present and confiding nature made the encounter a memorable one.

Odd-sized stints were scrutinised for possible Pectoral and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. I know I just mentioned that Long-toed Stints are quite distinct. But these are waders we are talking about and wader identification is never straightforward. Anyway, there were no Pecs and Sharpies to brighten up the day.

To wrap things up for this trip, a lone Oriental Honey-Buzzard was seen in flight and most probably on passage to its wintering ground further south. I guess it is that time of the year again when we will spend countless hours gazing up into the heavens while observing yet another spectacle of nature - raptor migration.