A chance encounter with old friends (14/11/2014)

Just when I thought I have seen everything there is to see at Air Hitam Dalam, an image of a male Green-backed Flycatcher taken from this locality was posted on Facebook. I have seen this rare migrant only once at another locality a long time ago but with my digiscoping setup at that time, obtaining a photo was simply out of the question. And if that was not enough, a few birders starting posting images of a roosting Large-tailed Nightjar as well. Common as it may be, it is not easy to locate this nocturnal species in the daytime because its cryptic plumage blends perfectly into the surrounding environment.

Both James Neoh and Peng Seng were kind enough to share the location of the flycatcher and nightjar respectively. The first opportunity I had to try and obtain the photograph of both birds came on a beautiful Friday afternoon. I dipped out on the flycatcher despite much effort but the nightjar, which was the secondary target, performed well. Well enough to almost vanquish my earlier disappointment with the flycatcher. 

Although the nightjar was confiding, it was roosting among clumps of Nipah Palms in the swamp with little choice of shooting angles. The harsh lighting at that time was also another hindrance. But it was a memorable experience and I made the best of out of the situation. So, thanks to the guys for their willingness to share. In fact I would to take this opportunity to thank again all those who had in the past, one way or the other, shared their sightings that which some had even ended up as lifers for me. 

This goodwill gesture may seem like a natural thing to do but unfortunately for a small minority, it is not. I don't see the harm in sharing sightings, with the exception of sensitive nesting birds, and knowledge. To me, the wonders of birding are meant to be shared. It does not matter if birding is just a hobby or a profession. I do birding tours on my free time but I do not regard the birds as trade secrets and my fellow bird guides as adversaries. Then again, that is me. But I am truly grateful I am not the only one. Now, back to sharing what I encountered on this trip.

The migratory Black Kites are back in good numbers. Although they are known to scavenge among rubbish dumps in other countries, I have not witness this behaviour here in Malaysia. In fact, I find them to be quite elegant with their graceful flight and slender silhouette. 

At the car park area later in the afternoon, there was a big convoy of cars that has just arrived. I guess it must be the MNS Selangor Branch Bird Group that were having a long trip up north and when familiar faces got out of the cars, my initial guess was right on the dot. This group had a good mix of experienced and new birders. And what better way to catch up with old friends and greet new ones than to share the top performers of this locality with them. As expected, both the Yellow-rumped and Mangrove Blue Flycatcher put on a great performance and the SBBG got to enjoy some warm Penang hospitality courtesy of my feathered friends. 

To wrap up another great trip to this locality for me and the visiting birders was this Buffy Fish-owl that showed itself in the open long enough for everyone to have a good look. For some, this was their first owl sighting in the wild and the excitement on their faces said it all. Who could blame them? Heck, I have been birding for more than 20 years and this sighting still does it for me. I only hope that in the years to come, these new birders will also come to share and contribute towards a better birding community here in Malaysia and I have a good feeling they will. 

A walk down memory lane (08/11/2014)

It has been a while since my last visit to the mudflats and a free Saturday provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. I had a few hours to kill before the tide was favourable at Bagan Belat. So, it was back to the nearby swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam again. A large raptor sitting quietly at the edge of the swamp turned out to be a Crested Serpent Eagle. It was on a relatively low perch and I could not resist taking a shot despite the fact it being one of the most regularly encountered raptors here. 

When you see a Sparrowhawk, chances are it is a Japanese Sparrowhawk. I am not implying it is easy to see one perched but it is, after all, the commonest of the Sparrowhawks that occur in the Peninsula. Unlike the Crested Serpent Eagle, it is not a regular here and a whole lot shyer. Even at this distance, it allowed me just a couple of shots before it dived into the cover of the canopy.

A momentarily lapse of concentration cost me an image of a roosting Buffy Fish-owl. Before I could react, the huge silent wings of the owl took it deeper into the swamp forest. An Abbott's Babbler that foraged nearby did not help to ease my frustration either. It was so close that its signature "three cheers for you" song was simply deafening. Active and sulking, this was the only shot I managed to take and I swear I could have made out a smirk on its face. 

There are certain families of birds that are in a class of their own when it comes to identification and Leaf-warblers are most certainly one of them. Recently, the Sakhalin Leaf-warbler was split from the Pale-legged Leaf-warbler. According to Dave, the only noticeable difference between the two species is their call (and I thought the Paddyfield - Richard's Pipit split was bad). Consulting Google yielded more or less the same results. Fate would have it that I would cross path with a possible Sakhalin Leaf-warbler on this day and playing back its call on my iPhone was the only way to help firm up its identity. 

The bird was foraging near the ground level of the swamp forest and I, was standing on the elevated boardwalk. The response to the playback was immediate and certainly not lacking of enthusiasm. It flew across the boardwalk in front of me and alighted on a slightly exposed perch among the undergrowth. It even called back. Unfortunately, the shooting conditions were difficult and it was facing me most of the time. It did not occur to me at that time to record its call using my iPhone because I have never practiced that in the field. Now, I realized that it was probably the only way to confirm its identity. Photographic evidence is simply insufficient and response to playback is not conclusive in this case. And this sighting will probably go down as another Pale-legged Leaf-warbler which is by no means a common species to begin with. 

Some of the flycatchers at this locality are also in a class of their own. However, it is not in terms of identification. It is their remarkable tame nature. I know that I have taken numerous shots of this handsome male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher wintering here and so has every birder in Penang. But I have also learned from my years of birding never to take things for granted. What is here today may not be here tomorrow. So, enjoy it while is last. This probably applies to everything else in life as well. Anyway, how could one possibly even turn down a performance like this…

All the attention this winter visitor has been receiving of late did not go down well with the resident male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher. On several occasions, I have witnessed the larger Mangrove Blue Flycatcher chasing away the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher. The thing is I am not sure if this is a normal behaviour everywhere or is it just here where the two species are in close proximity with each other very often. 

The male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher is even more confiding than the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher. Not much effort is required to obtain frame-filling shots. 

The same can be said about his mate as well. That’s my girl…

At mid morning, the coastal mudflats beckons and I was back at the rocky outcrop scanning through the flocks of waders that have amassed there to feed. I did not have much opportunity to use my camera this time as the waders were keeping their distance from the shoreline. One notable sighting today was a lone Grey Plover foraging where else but at the far end. Relatively uncommon in Penang, it is always a delight to come across it in the field. 

A Greater Sand Plover making the best out of life despite its shortcomings. It seemed to fairing quite well.  Feeding and foraging among the other sand plovers is no easy task as they are an aggressive bunch. What does not kill you only makes you stronger. 

Curlew Sandpipers were in their usual numbers and a few did wander close enough to remind me why I bring my camera with me for all my trips. 

Waders can paddle like ducks when they want to but I am not sure if I have ever seen a Common Redshank doing it before.

The number of Red-necked Stints has increased tremendously since my last visit. Yes, I did scrutinize every single one for a Spoonie. And no, I did not find one. When the sun was at its zenith and the temperature soared to even greater heights, I decided to call it a day.

I did make a quick detour to the mangroves and scrublands behind the Telekom Maritime Station just further up north along the Kuala Muda coast. It has been many years since my last visit to this locality and treading along the soggy access trail brought back fond memories of a young birder easily excited by most of the birds he comes across. Other than a gate to prevent car from entering, nothing much has changed here – much to my delight.

The presence of a small flock of Black Bazas made me linger at this locality a bit longer than I had anticipated but in the end, nothing came of it. The Forest Wagtails that were foraging among the protruding roots of the mangroves were way too skittish for any good images either. But overall, it was a another good day thanks to the birdlife at the small patch of swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam that through the years has not stop to excite this now not-so-young birder.

Northwest Peninsula Road Trip - Part 2 (22-23/10/2014)

The second leg of my road trip brought me to the vast open grassland of Chuping in Perlis. This unique habitat is a double-edged sword. It has more than enough space to accommodate both the residents and the influx of passage migrants and winter visitors but with that much space to go round, a rarity could be taking refuge somewhere undetected for the entire duration of one's visit and in my case, one and a half days. 

I stayed at a basic homestay-cum-motel in the bustling town of Changlun which is a 15-minute drive to the birding site. The motel was clean and it provided a place for me to sleep and shower. That is all I ever need in an accommodation during a birding trip. It even has free Wi-Fi and that was an unexpected luxury.

It was the peak of the migratory season and I was at 'the place' to be for rare migrants. What could possibly go wrong? Well, Mother Nature had other plans. It rained in the late afternoon on both the days I was there. And as far as rare migrants go, I had a brief encounter with two Red-throated Pipits that did not even hang around long enough for me to take a single shot. That was it. But this is what birding is all about. You have your good days and you have your bad days.

Fortunately, all was not lost as I did not go home empty handed in the end. Some of the commoner species did their best to resuscitate the trip and the Common Stonechat was certainly one of them. This male performed exceptionally well and I obtained the best images of this species to date. 

The females, on the other hand, were shy and difficult to approach - even by car. The only way to bird at this locality is from a car as there is a lot of area to cover. Birds tend to be more tolerant to an approaching vehicle than a human but I guess someone forgot to tell those girls that. 

The Asian Pied Starling has been removed from our official checklist as the authorities have come to the conclusion that all birds found within the borders of Peninsula Malaysia originated from introduced birds. A pair of these striking birds was foraging among the grass just outside the sugar factory. They did not seem to mind the drizzle and neither did I. Well, maybe I was just too preoccupied with obtaining their images. 

I can still remember back in the early '90s when I came across a few odd-looking birds at a vegetable farm on the way back from school. I quickly rush home, grabbed my bins and notebook and went back to the locality, determined to solve the mystery birds' identification. Eventually, I managed to identify my very first Asian Pied Starling. It got a lot more interesting when Ben King's A Fieldguide to the Birds of Southeast Asia (that was the only fieldguide available at that time) stated that this species does not occur in Malaysia. However a quick check with my mentor, Kanda, revealed that these are introduced birds and I fell back to Earth with a thump. Now, almost three decades later, this starling still has yet to obtain its Malaysian citizenship. 

The Little Cormorants were at the same spot from my last visit and from what I have heard you are almost guaranteed to see them here. I guess they are truly enjoying the Malaysian hospitality. This time a total of seven birds were present at the pond and its surroundings but again, none were close enough for any good images. 

While contemplating on what I have to do to get a decent shot of these cormorants, a huge silhouette flew almost overhead and it turned out to be a Purple Heron. 

The pond also houses a healthy population of Little Grebes. My obsession with the much rarer cormorants made me feel kind of guilty for neglecting these adorable little waterfowls. Sorry, bud. You know I still love you, right?

This is my first record of Lesser Whistling Ducks here at Chuping. Nothing unusual about this record as this duck has been recorded here before. But they did a real fine job of eluding me until now. 

The harriers were present at the grassland as expected but I did not manage to obtain any really good shots. Here is a subadult male Pied Harrier seen resting on a distant tree sapling. According to Chaiyan, Pied Harriers are the first to moult into full adult plumage and a plumage stage like this one is not often encountered here in their Malaysian wintering ground. 

Another resting harrier but this is a male Eastern Marsh Harrier. He seemed to prefer a more down-to-earth choice of resting location. 

A little brown job flitting about one of the access trails got me all excited initially. To my dismay, it turned out to be only an Asian Brown Flycatcher that did not feel like it wanted to behave like one today. 

Talking about little brown jobs, here is a Zitting Cisticola just chilling - on a single strand of grass. And it made it look so comfortable. 

In the absence of rarities, I guess even the commonest species became good photography subjects like this resting Cattle Egret.

Huge numbers of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters of up to 100 birds were recorded on this trip. The figure undoubtedly includes those on passage as well. Unlike the ones back in Penang, they are not so tolerant to human presence and photographic opportunities were far and few. 

A juvenile Barn Swallow spending his first winter here in Chuping. Welcome to Malaysia...

I headed back home to Penang earlier than expected because it started to pour at the grassland in the late afternoon again. Besides, there was nothing much about anyway. I thought of making a detour to a birding site along the way but the weather did not permitted that until I crossed the state border of Penang. The closest site to my position when the rain finally stopped was the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam. Despite the cold and gloomy conditions, the detour was a good decision because I had this handsome male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher for company. The low light was testing my gear's capabilities to the max. Even though a lot of images did not turn out well, the confiding nature of the flycatcher made it a memorable encounter.

The only other bird that I managed to shoot was this Abbott's Babbler. More often heard than seen, I have been trying in vain to obtain better images of this species for quite a while now. And today, it was certainly very obliging. 

I could not think of a better way to end my road trip than to spend the last few hours of daylight with a couple of exceptionally friendly feathered friends. It was certainly one of the highlights of my trip. And the irony of it all is that they were not even rare species and it took place right in one of my local patches.