21/12/2011: Mainland Penang

I was back at the marshlands of Pulau Burung at the break of dawn but despite the good weather, there was nothing much about this time. All the scarce migrants like the Garganeys and Little Stints were no where to be seen. After about an hour, I decided to search for greener pastures elsewhere. I cannot recall the exact reason why I chose to visit Batu Kawan but it turned out to be one of the most crucial decisions that I have ever made in my life.

Upon my arrival, there was this particular dead tree with quite a few large birds resting on it. However, two of them had somewhat odd body shapes. Once I had my binos on them, their identification was crystal clear even at that distance – Oriental Darters! Apart from the historical records, there has been only one confirmed sighting of this enigmatic waterbird in Peninsula Malaysia and that was last year at Kinta Nature Park in Perak. I then quickly took a few record shots just to make sure I have photographic evidence in case the birds decide to disappear before I could get closer. I guess I have learned my lesson well from all my previous rarity sighting records where I was not able to support my finds with photographs and inevitably, resulted quite negatively on me.

Anyway, they were reasonably tame as I got as close as I possibly could by car. Using my car as a hide, I took quite a number of shots and the Darters were more than happy to oblige. As far as I could tell, both of them appeared to be adults birds in non-breeding plumage and there was not much difference in terms of colour and size.

The Darters were exhibiting their typical behaviour of drying itself and preening on exposed perches like this dead tree. It is most probably they had completed their morning hunt when I came across them. Much to my delight, my presence did not seem to bother them at all and I was given the opportunity to observe them going about their normal routine.

Looks like Christmas is early again for me this year and this lifer is one that I have been keeping an eye out for as long as I could remember. It fulfills most of the criteria that I look for in a bird that is worthy to be considered a mega lifer. It’s rare and it’s big and furthermore, it’s a waterbird. And even the moderate quality of the images due the distance and lighting did not seem to matter all that much. What is important is the fact that I was lucky enough to be at the right place and the right time to enjoy certainly one of my best birding moments ever. Merry Christmas and I hope you guys will enjoy your stay here…

Unfortunately, my encounter came to an abrupt end when a marauding White-bellied Sea-eagle came a little too close for comfort and caused the waterbirds in the vicinity to panic and flee - including the Darters. In flight, their long narrow wings carry them with ease and their necks are held outstretched. They stayed relatively close to each other as they flew and disappeared from sight among some vegetation at the far distance. I am not sure if the 'handshake' effect of these flying shots are due to my camera settings at that time or I was still recovering from all the excitement. Anyway despite a careful search of the area, I failed to relocate the Darters again.

And so, I finally had the time to pay homage to the other birds present. The marshlands here are quite rich in birdlife and there are always quite a number of large waterbirds around like this subadult Grey Heron.

The plumage of this juvenile Purple Heron blends rather well among the adjacent grasslands.

During the migratory season, there will be a large influx of Egrets to the locality and the Great Egret is one of the four species that have been recorded here.

The Changeable Hawk-eagle is another common sight at the marshlands and I photographed this one while it was contemplating what to have for breakfast from a dead tree stump.

As for the waders, not many were around. The Red-wattled Lapwings are quite conspicuous and their presence usually does not go unnoticed.

This Terek Sandpiper was rather wary of my approaching car and I had no choice but to photograph it from a distance.

My next destination was the scrublands and mangroves of Juru. The Black-capped Kingfisher is one the most striking of our commoner kingfishers. However, it is terribly shy and this shot is one of the better ones I have managed to obtain so far.

The Brahminy Kite is a common resident along the mangrove belt here and two were seen patrolling the skies today.

At my last destination, the Sungai Dua paddy fields, I spent some time photographing this rather confiding Blue-tailed Bee-eater that was posing so elegantly against a nice green background.

At one of houses next to the fields, I also managed to photograph this Mongoose foraging inside its compound. Although it is not uncommon, this small but deadly predator is seldom seen in the open for long periods of time.

20/08/2011: Sungai Dua (Penang)

Initially, I wanted to pay a short visit to the swamp forest at Air Hitam Dalam but accessibility to the site has gotten much worse since the last time I was here. The boardwalks certainly look fragile and are very much overgrown. So, I decided to get back into my car and check out the adjacent scrublands and paddy fields instead.

The Black-thighed Falconet is the smallest raptor in the world - a title it shares with its Borneon counterpart, the White-fronted Falconet. Like its larger relatives, this minute falcon is an accomplished and deadly predator as well. I have been waiting for an opportunity to photograph this species from close quarters since the day I took up photography but it has always remained beyond my equipment’s "comfort zone". Despite having to shoot against a dull sky, I am still rather happy with the images I have managed to obtain as this is the closest distance so far.

A stretch of barbed wire fencing appeared to be a favourite haunt for a couple of Plaintive Cuckoos. Although it is quite a common species, it is more often heard than seen. In fact its old name was the Brain-fever Bird and that particular name is also used by a few Hawk-cuckoos as well. When I was young, I have the good fortune of being able to experience this cuckoo’s namesake which at that time, I found it to be both humorous and fascinating. There was a resident pair that made their home within my parents’ neighbourhood and their persistent calls during the breeding season can be heard throughout the day and even the dead of the night. Lucky for them, they usually stay out of sight because I am pretty sure there is a bounty on their heads for all their midnight choruses.

Suddenly, I picked out a Greater Coucal foraging nearby and decided to try my luck with it. Since I have touched on the subject of old names, Crow-pheasant is an apt name for the Coucal. It certainly looks like a Crow but it forages like a Pheasant. Hence, the name. Life was certainly much simpler in the olden days. Anyway despite its large size, it is also more often heard than seen - typical of the Cuckoo family. Although it was rather confiding this time, the dense vegetation and its constant movements hindered my efforts tremendously. At the end, there was only one single shot that I could be slightly proud of.

When the Coucal made its way deeper into the scrub vegetation, I found that one of the Plaintive Cuckoos was still on the wire. I re-positioned my car as close as possible to it and gave it my full attention this time. The vicinity was certainly good for hunting because I saw it taking at least 4 caterpillars from the ground during my watch.

It tolerated my presence throughout my observation. I really wish I could get a little bit closer but the terrain was a little steep for my car and I doubt it will still be as confiding if I made my approach on foot. So, I made the best of what is being offered and here are a few more images of this beautiful cuckoo.

The successful forays of the Cuckoo must have attracted this White-throated Kingfisher and it alighted on a nearby post – hoping to get in on some of the action.

This Cattle Egret is gradually moulting into its duller non-breeding plumage. Cheer up, buddy. They will grow back next year.

I just had to be sure that there is no hidden surprises among the flocks of domesticated ducks making their way into the paddy fields to forage. I know that it is just wishful thinking but if I were a wild duck and instead of chilling out on a lake in central Thailand for my winter vacation, I somehow ended here in a paddy field in Malaysia, I would follow the locals closely and try to blend in.