Conditional freedom

When the Movement Control Order was finally lifted (conditionally that is) about three weeks ago, birders were able to go into the field again but forest reserves and parks remain close and that is most unfortunate. With the migratory season all but over now, forest sites are usually the preferred choice. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic affected the livelihood of countless humans around the world. I did not rush out to bird immediately after this conditional freedom was acquire. There were more dire matters to attend to and one of them is to make sure I do all I can to help the company that I work for fight through this difficult time. With eco-tourism in fact any kind of tourism in a complete standstill, there will certainly be no guided birding tours for me anytime in the near future. Birding is the love of my life but it would be not much of a life if I cannot provide for my loved ones.

It has been more than 70 days since my last birding excursion. With interstate travel still prohibited and the unavailability of forest sites, I found myself at my last birding locality before Malaysia came under partial lockdown. I arrived at the marshland of Batu Kawan just after dawn and sight of a few Asian Openbills preparing for the day ahead made me realize just how much I miss birding.

I could not help but to notice that the water level within the marsh has risen higher. I do not think it is tidal and that could be spell bad news. The smaller water birds, as expected, did not reveal themselves like my previous visits because of the lack of foraging patches. I have been kept away from birding long enough to appreciate whatever that has been given to me. It will be a long time before I will consider any birding excursion to be poor – a long time indeed. This juvenile Purple Heron is one of the tallest birds here and the water level could not prevent it from performing well for my first birding excursion in months.

Just like the Purple Heron, the Grey Heron is another towering presence at this location. This individual was taking a breather next to a stream and proved to be most confiding – much to my delight.

A cumbersome landing by a Watercock among the reeds caught my immediate attention. Apart from males in breeding plumage, it is hard to tell them apart. This individual, judged by its indistinct barring on its underside, should be a juvenile. Anyway, I could managed only a few record shots before it barged its way through the reeds and out of sight.

Even from a distance, I could make out a pair of Lesser Whistling Ducks flying above the vast marshland. Like their namesake, these duck emit a unique whistling call that cannot be mistaken for anything else here in Peninsular Malaysia. I half heartedly attempted to capture their images as the lighting condition was not exactly favourable at the time. In the end, my lack of self confidence was uncalled for as the image turned out quite decent.

For the remaining half of my trip to Batu Kawan, I decided to focus on land birds. There was a number of birds present but nothing out of the ordinary. During my ‘stay home’ period, I had ample opportunities to observe House Crows and Common Mynas going about their daily routines. I surprise even myself that I actually took the effort to capture this House Crow resting on a plastic pipe.

And a Common Myna doing exactly the thing a pipes down the access road...

You can always count on the Paddyfield Pipit to be obliging and today was no different. Perched so elegantly on its very own pedestal, there are no surprises as to why a photo of this common species is included in my post this time.

The Chestnut Munia remains to be the only munia species present in the vicinity and a flock was busy foraging among the long grass. However, they appear restless and easily agitated this morning and I rarely had any opportunities for a decent photograph.

Unlike my previous trip here, warblers did not contribute much this time. The male Common Tailorbird was the only one that greeted me on this beautiful day. Well, one warbler is better than none at all.

As I was leaving the location, the highlight of the day called out to from the scrublands. Long-tailed Shrikes used to occur and breed in Penang state. When I started birding, it was locally extinct from my home state. In recent years, it has been recorded again but only in mainland Penang. And today, a skittish individual became my first record of a Long-tailed Shrike in Penang.

My next location is another open country habitat. The conditional freedom left me with very little choice of birding locations. The migratory season would be the best time to visit the marshlands of the Pulau Burung landfill and with June just a few days to go, only resident species were present. A few White-breasted Waterhen were caught out in the open. Perhaps with the absence of anglers and other humans in the past months, the birds have grown bolder than usual.

It was nice to pick out a lone Intermediate Egret among the usual flocks of Cattle Egrets. Of all the resident egrets here at the landfill, I guess it is probably the rarest of them all.

A number of Lesser Whistling Ducks were present but not in their usual big numbers. The day has grown hot and perhaps they have taken refuge at another spot of the marshlands. The perimeter fence often hinders photographic efforts. The enthusiasm of the local authorities are usually short-lived and in this case, it is a good thing. Hardly any maintenance is done since the day they erected this horrid structure. Certain spots have collapsed or damaged and these gaps in the fencing provide a window of opportunity for some decent photography.

I can remember a time when I could easily obtain intimate encounters with Little Grebes (and several other species as well) here. I thought those days are long gone after the destruction of this birding paradise that took place a few years ago. But the Little Grebes today took me for a stroll down memory lane and performed exceptionally well. And for a while there it felt like I was back in the good old days. Back to the days when this place was in its prime.

A couple of Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo was recorded a few weeks earlier near the mangrove area. Hopeful and successful are two very different things.  For today, it is only the former for me as there were no signs of the Austral migrants. During my search, I found a Dollarbird hawking in the vicinity. The buoyant flight always appeals to me and with the good lighting bringing out the true colours of this roller, it was an enjoyable encounter. It would have been better if the perch the Dollarbird chose as a vantage point had better angles for a photograph.

I had another personal first record for Penang state today. It is safe to assume that it was a fruitful day out in the field after all. However, I have mixed feelings for this second species. All of us in the north knew that it was only a matter of time before the Javan Mynas made their way here from the south. For months, it has been regularly recorded in this region and I knew then there was no stopping the inevitable.

On one hand, I admire the bird for its ability to adapt and spread. On the other, I find the Javan Myna to be invasive and a threat to the existing populations of mynas especially the Jungle Myna. It had to cope with the likes of the Common and Crested Myna and now, it has the Javan Myna to deal with as well. Anyway, a small flock of Jungle Mynas happily allowed this lone Javan Myna to tag along and this comparison shot, though not a good one, shows the differences between the two species.

The final bird of the day was the majestic Crested Serpent-Eagle. Electrical poles are one of their favourite perches and coming across one on such an exposed perch is not unexpected. By that time the lighting was harsh but the eagle was just one pole away from my stationary vehicle and at this distance, the encounter took my breath away. Birds have always been my source of inspiration and solace. Right now, I could well be facing one of the biggest challenges in my life and this birding excursion certainly did wonders for my wearied soul.

Pulau Burung (27/01/2012)

After a rather taxing trip to Perlis yesterday, I decided to take things easy today and visited good old Pulau Burung in my home state of Penang. However, all the rare migrants must have moved on as they were nowhere to be seen. And the locality is back to normal again – in terms of birds and the number of birders present. Today, I had the locality all to myself. Perhaps the thought of spending the day at a landfill is a little inappropriate since it is the Lunar New Year after all. But spending time with family and friends is part of the joy of this festive season and to me, the birds are certainly friends.

The Watercock may be the largest rail in Malaysia but it is also one of the shyest. Although still relatively common throughout its range, good views are hard to come by. This locality is well known for its exceptionally friendly birds but I guess that does not apply to the elusive Watercock – not completely anyway. So, when I came across a non-breeding bird foraging at the water’s edge, I naturally stop and took a few record shots.

The Common Moorhen is slightly more tolerant to human presence and I took the time to observe this lovely pair basking in the early morning sun. Pulau Burung has a healthy number of this species and is also probably its last stronghold in the state. 

With the Garganeys absent, it was back to admiring the commoner Lesser Whistling-ducks.

And the ever-present Little Grebes.

I decided to spend more time at the surrounding mangrove forest for a change and hoping to possibly come across something interesting. Who am I kidding – I was really hoping to find a rare! A small hawk resting among the foliage provided a glimmer of hope for a rarity. These small raptors are certainly not easy to identify especially the females and juveniles and upon further scrutiny, it turned out to be a female Japanese Sparrowhawk – the commonest of all the migratory hawks. It is still a good sighting as I feel that its number is dropping here in Penang and I can’t recall when was the last time I saw one perched. 

An improvement shot of the Brahminy Kite from what I managed to take during the last visit. In fact, I think it is the same individual because it was in the same area and just as confiding.

It was certainly a hot and sunny day and I could see that I was not the only one affected by the heat. This Collared Kingfisher taking shelter deep inside the mangroves couldn't agree with me more.

A male Oriental Magpie Robin proclaiming his territory with his tantalizing song from an exposed perch.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly this pair of Lesser Adjutant Storks foraging along the vast expanse of mudflats. With no possible way of getting any closer to these majestic birds, I was just happy to be given the opportunity to observe them and take a few record shots from this distance.

02/04/2011: Pulau Burung (Penang)

It was gloomy and wet as I gradually made my way to the marshlands. The sky really open up and I had to sit the rain out from within the comforts of my car. As the rain started to ease, I spotted this visibly drenched Brahminy Kite attempting to dry itself on an exposed perch.

Luckily the weather did get better and only then did the birds start off their day - most of them anyway. I guess this Lesser Whistling-duck is feeling really sluggish and lazy after the rain.

Even the usually wary Red-wattled Lapwings did not even bother to scream out their alarm calls as I drove past their territory.

The Common Moorhens, on the other hand, were really up and about. The first thing on today's to-do list is to catch some of the soothing rays of the morning sun.

One particular individual was exceptional tame and this is probably the closest I have ever been to this species.

The rain was intermittent throughout the morning but the White-browed Crakes seem to be relishing this weather condition. Quite a handful were heard and seen along the edge of the marshlands.

These adorable waterbirds are quite elusive elsewhere and this is probably the best place to observe them in their natural habitat.

Now if only the Watercock were to perform like the smaller Crakes...

The Little Grebes are getting prepared for the approaching breeding season and this is usually the best time to photograph them as they will be slightly more confiding than usual.

I don’t see a Little Grebe completely out of the water all that often and a moment like will never be taken for granted.

Most of the Pond-herons I came across this morning were Chinese Pond-herons. In full breeding plumage, the vibrant colour combination of this commoner species outshines those of the other two species that also occurs here in Malaysia.

But a scarcer species will always invoke more excitement – like this Javan Pond-heron.

Surprising, this sighting is an area lifer for me as I have no previous encounters despite my numerous visits in the past. I decided to go for the sit-and-wait approach and was quite pleased with the outcome.

It did come really close to me at one time but unfortunately, the vegetation prevented me from obtaining an almost perfect shot.

As I was about to wrap things up, a rather creamy-looking Pond-heron immediately caught my attention. Could it be? It certainly was - my first Indian Pond-heron for the season and another first for this locality as well. Although it was only in partial breeding plumage, the beige neck region and the slightly maroon mantle is enough for me to confirm its identity.

20/08/2010: Permatang Nibong (Penang)

When Terrence reported that the Asian Openbills were back last week, I knew that I had to pay these old friends a visit soon. When the chance finally came this faithful morning, there were no signs of the openbills at all upon my arrival.

However, something much smaller stole the limelight for the trip momentarily – Zitting Cisticolas. The entire vicinity seems to be filled with their presence as well as their diagnostic calls. And most of them were certainly in the mood to be photographed.

These adorable little birds really put on a terrific performance for me today.

They were not the least bothered by my presence and I just went on shooting them as they go about their daily routine.

In fact, I suspect the birds were trying to outdo each other to gain my undivided attention and some individuals even took extreme measures just to do that.

It is a little too early in the year for the mighty Aquila Eagles so it comes as no surprise that the only raptor I managed to capture today was a resting Brahminy Kite.

This would have been a great photo of an adult Purple Heron if the sun was not in front of it. I guess that’s the challenge of wildlife photography. It’s not like you can just politely request the big fellow to change its position, you know.

This immature bird, on the other hand, was in a better position and had the sun behind it. But unfortunately, it was a little camera-shy.

Bitterns are never easy subjects to photograph due to their usual elusive nature. It was a lucky break for me when I managed to capture images of this 2 somewhat confiding Yellow Bitterns.

I could hardly believe my luck when I came across more bitterns later on and this time in the form of a pair of Cinnamon Bitterns foraging right out in the open.

There was even a third bird in the vicinity, which was another striking male. He kept a distance from the earlier pair and foraged on the far side of this recently harvested patch of the fields. Today was definitely a good day for bitterns.

A small crake foraging among the dense paddy stalks caught my immediate attention because there is a certain little migratory crake that I would certainly love to have under my (photography) belt. I know that the migrants have only started to trickle in but one can always hope, right? The crake kept itself quite hidden and all I could do was followed its movements while using my car as a mobile hide. But when an all too familiar nasal chattering started to come out from the vicinity of the foraging crake, the possibility of having a Baillon’s Crake slowly slithered away. I was still in denial that the crake was not the much commoner resident White-browed Crake (which deep inside I knew it was) until the bird finally showed itself long enough for me to capture a record shot.

As soon as I jotted down the words White-browed Crake into my notebook, a second bird came into view and rested on top of some paddy stalks – in full view.

The egrets were back though not in their usual strong numbers yet. Quite a handful of them were the Little Egrets.

Male Watercocks in breeding plumage are one of the handsomest waterbirds around but they are also one of the shyest. This species will not hesitate to take flight or dive to safety at the slightest sign of danger. I have been trying for years to obtain reasonable shots of the breeding plumage male but without much success…until today that is.

Although there is still room for improvement, I am rather delighted with how the images turned out in the end. I know very well that most photography opportunities with a Watercock will usually…

end up…

like this.

This immature Striated Heron was simply asking to be photographed as it was a bit more confiding than most of my other encounters with this particular species.

This lone female Pink-necked Green-pigeon looked a little out of place as she rested on some low scrub vegetation along a bund dividing the paddy fields. Female Green-pigeons can be difficult be tell apart at times but in this case, I had all the time in the world to check her out as she was extremely confiding.

After the initial disappointment with the openbills, I did swing by their favourite resting area again later in the morning. This rewarding trip just got even better when I could make out the distinctive silhouettes of the openbills on a distant tree – all five of them. So for the second consecutive season, these fascinating water birds will spend their winter in this paddy planting district of my home state. Welcome back to Penang my dear distinguished guests…

When the storks suddenly took flight after a few minutes, I’m not sure if the presence of my stationery car as well as all the camera action that was going on was a little too much for their tolerance level. However, when they just circled the vicinity once and alighted back at the very same perch, I thought to myself maybe I was not the actual cause.

Anyhow, I was at the right place, at the right time to capture their descent.

When the storks finally settled down, I got out of my car and slowly made my way closer. The storks appeared were pretty cool with my slight intrusion into their space and allowed me to capture their images to my heart’s content.

Now I’m pretty sure if that they could put up with me here, my earlier position should not be the reason why they were spooked.