Birding Marathon (Part I)

I decided to start off my central Peninsular Malaysia 3-day birding marathon at the famed forest of Lanchang in Pahang state. Unfortunately, my intention to reconnect with the Malaysian Rail-babbler that I enjoyed here last year did not materialized. The enigmatic forest dweller proved to be elusive again. The stakeout was still a centre of bird activity and I cannot help but notice an increase of bulbul species. The Yellow-bellied Bulbul was still the most prominent species just like my last visit here.

A few Hairy-backed Bulbuls provided some entertainment as they foraged about the locality in search of sumptuous morsels. This bulbul is comfortable both on the ground and vegetation but the overcast condition made it difficult for my photographic gear.

A third species of bulbul did not go unnoticed due to its size and confiding nature. The Grey-cheeked Bulbul is not as common as the two other species present and it will usually earn my attention whenever our paths crossed.

The avian world has many accomplished songsters. Here in Malaysia, the White-rumped Shama is undoubtedly one of them. The male bird, endowed with his amazing long tail has the looks to match his remarkable vocal abilities making him a treat to both your sense of sight and hearing.  

However, the morning at Lanchang belonged to the babblers. It was a bitter pill to swallow for missing out on the Rail-babbler and to add salt to my injury, it started to make appearances again a few days after my visit. The Black-throated Babbler is probably the next babbler in line for me here but it did not provide much good photographic opportunities.

The Ferruginous Babbler is as sleek as always. A few individuals was all it took to brightened up the locality with their bright colouration and grace.

When it comes to character, very few can outdo the Short-tailed Babbler. There were hardly any dull moments when they came into the picture. These adorable babblers outdid the others today and provided my best images for this visit.

I had the companionship of my former schoolmate, Victor, for this trip. In the afternoon, we drove back to Selangor and visited one of his regular haunts – Sungai Congkak. The heavens was unforgiving and threatened to drown out my anticipation of the birding to come. The rain started to ease soon after our arrival and I took as a good omen. With rejuvenated spirits, we made ourselves comfortable at the photography stakeout of the location. It did not take long for the first subject to arrive and it was a juvenile Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher. Although the youngster was beautiful in its own right, I still prefer the plumage colouration of the adult male. This juvenile eventually matured into handsome male Pale Blue Flycatcher and I have to take back my words as it is now almost as significant a record as the Rufous-chested Flycatcher.

I did not drive 4 hours just to see a Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher which is a species one can easily see in Penang Island. The Rufous-chested Flycatcher, on the other hand, is certainly worthy. The lighting condition was challenging and the bird itself, small and active. But I have only seen this species just a couple of times before and this encounter was the first one to make the long drive down from Penang worth the while.

The striking colouration of the male bird is not often revealed as this species spends most of its time in the cover of the gloomy lower storey of the forest. Its minute size also helps to keep it inconspicuous. But today, we enjoyed great views of this elusive forest denizen.

I have a tendency to ignore duller females in cases where both sexes are present but I made it a point to shower the female Rufous-chested Flycatcher with some affection whenever possible which was not very often.

Incredible as it may seem, the Rufous-chested Flycatcher was not my main target for this location. I was after something commoner. The Rufous-backed Kingfisher is a tiny but striking forest kingfisher that occurs throughout Malaysia. I even come across it in some of my local patches back home in Penang. Birding has not finally gotten to me and I am not starting to lose my sanity. I have been birding for more than half my life but I have yet to obtain one single image of this species despite numerous encounters. Most of the time, all I could muster is a burning vision of a small red speck flying away from me. Photography stakeouts like this is often the only time when one is able to photograph and truly admire the beauty of this forest gem and not to mention, other shy forest species as well.

Under normal circumstances, a Blue-eared Kingfisher would have been able to hog the limelight but today is no ordinary day. The Rufous-backed Kingfisher will not be dethroned. Small and timid it may be but stunning and adorable it definitely is.

The rain made the birding condition less than desirable. Lighting was bad, the ground muddy and slippery and my clothes drenched but I finally managed to experience an intimate encounter with the dwarf Rufous-backed Kingfisher and with the photos to show for it and that is all that really matters.

We made a little detour to a park in the suburbs before calling it a day. The Van Hasselt’s Sunbird is a small but resplendent bird that sadly, is declining from my home state of Penang. A few of them are attracted to the flowering trees here and have been regularly recorded of late. The trees were densely foliaged and that made photography challenging. The active nature of the sunbirds only made it worse. Eventually, I managed to obtain a couple of reasonable shots and this little suburban denizen was a great way to wrap things up for a long but rewarding day of birding in central Peninsular Malaysia.

Feeding Frenzy

The virgin jungle of Bukit Wang beckoned me for a return visit and naturally, I obliged. The Macaranga Tree should still be pulling in the birds and I planned to spend a morning there just to see what turns up. Judging from the results I had with my guest a couple of weeks ago, it should quite interesting. I arrived at the car park just at dawn and as I made my way to the tree, it was still void of birds. I was not particularly worried. Fruits were still aplenty on the tree. It was just a matter of time. The birds will come once it gets brighter. Not many will be able to resist the succulent fruits.

True enough, spiderhunters and bulbuls gradually made their way to the tree. It did not take long for the tree to light up this overcast morning with the sights and sounds of forest birds feasting. However, one call in particular caught my ears. It was not a musical repertoire. In fact, it sounded more like mice squeaking but I knew what it was. Sooty Barbets are canopy dwellers and only at fruiting trees does one have a real chance to observe and appreciate this only non-green coloured barbet in Peninsula Malaysia without the neck aches.

Much to my delight, a male Crimson-winged Woodpecker swooped in from the adjacent forest and immediately went after the fruits. You do not usually get woodpeckers at a fruiting tree. Thus the appearance of this common species was not taken for granted.

As I was still enjoying the male Crimson-winged Woodpecker, another woodpecker swooped in and this darker and larger bird certainly had my undivided attention. When I finally locked my binoculars on this new arrival, there was no mistaking its identity. Birders from Penang tend to take the Streak-breasted Woodpecker for granted because it is a regular at the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam in mainland Penang. However outside the boundaries of that small reserve, this northern speciality is rare. If I am not mistaken, this female that has been seduced out of hiding by the fruiting tree is my first ever record outside Penang.

A pair of Buff-necked Woodpeckers was foraging in the vicinity but I guess no amount of fruits can tempt them out into the open...

After the arrival of the woodpeckers, the floodgates opened and the birds flew in from every direction. It was overwhelming to say the least at times. Unlike my visit two weeks ago, spiderhunters no longer monopolized the tree. Even the big bullies, the Spectacled Spiderhunters, only made brief visits and this gave me more opportunities to capture the smaller spiderhunters like the Yellow-eared Spiderhunter.

The Grey-breasted Spiderhunters were having a feeding frenzy and my gear was having difficulties keeping up with their pace in this lighting condition.

Having only recently become a spiderhunter, the Purple-naped Spiderhunter is the smallest one here in Malaysia. There was a male present at the fruiting tree but it was shy and kept himself well hidden most of the time.

Small and active birds are extremely challenging to photograph. This is compounded if they occur in flocks. Throughout the morning flocks of Pin-striped Tit-Babbler and Everett’s White-eye patronized the tree in swift and short raids. I suspect it is the same flock of birds going at it time and time again. I tried to photograph the birds but I just could not focus on them. At the end, the White-eyes managed to elude my camera completely but I got a couple of shots of this particular Pin-striped Tit-Babbler that stayed put long enough.

Bulbuls formed the majority of the birds present at the fruiting tree today with the common Red-eyed Bulbuls leading the way.

The almost similar Spectacled Bulbul made only a single short visit for the feast...

A few Cream-vented Bulbuls also joined in the foray...

Occurring usually in flocks, I was surprised to see this Hairy-backed Bulbul feasting on the fruits alone this time.

Exceedingly wary were the flock of Black-headed Bulbuls. Announcing their arrival each time was their characteristic call but the birds normally feed briefly along the branches furthest away from me before disappearing back into the forest. This behaviour was repeated throughout the morning.

Another bulbul that provided splashes of colours among all the brownish bulbuls was the Grey-bellied Bulbul. Unlike the Black-headed Bulbul, it not hesitate in showing off its true splendour while gorging on the fruits.

The level of activity at the fruiting tree gradually dropped as the noon hour approached and I could finally pulled myself away to explore other parts of this forest reserve. My intention to reconnect with the Pin-tailed Parrotfinches at the clump of flowering bamboo was a lost cause when I caught sight of two workers doing some maintenance work nearby. The sound of two grass cutting machines drown out every other sounds in the vicinity including the piercing calls of the Chestnut-naped Forktails. I only realized their presence when one was spooked by my approach and alighted long enough for me to capture one single shot. Photography wise I have had better days at this birding hotspot but as far as active fruiting trees go, this lofty Macaranga Tree provided a healthy mix of bird species to keep me thoroughly entertained. Not a bad way to spend a gloomy Saturday morning.

The complete checklist of the birds recorded at Bukit Wang today can be found here

Fortune favours the bold (Part II)

From the wild interiors of Kedah, we headed towards the coastline for some birding along the extensive mangrove belt of Sungai Batu. But the birds will have to wait as we were held back by some misfortune - a punctured tyre. We finally reached our destination later than planned but fortunately, it did not take long to locate the star bird which is the Mangrove Pitta. The little hiccup along the highway was soon forgotten when we heard the pitta calling from a nearby perch. A little patience was all it took to have this amazing bird in full view. Once again this feathered jewel mesmerized my guest with its radiance and confiding nature.

A second pitta came into view on this visit but the dominant bird would have none of it. A short dash towards the direction of its competitor and that was the last that we saw of it. Occasionally it could heard calling from a distance and that would get an instant reaction from the dominant bird. Beautiful but bad-tempered as well. Now please tell me again why birders love pittas...

Other species present did not seem to incur the wrath of the Mangrove Pitta. The resident pair of Mangrove Blue-flycatchers is recorded on every one of my visits here so far but today, they appeared rather scruffy. Moulting is a natural process every bird has to undergo. It may not be pretty but it is absolutely necessary to ensure survival.

News have reached my ears of a pair of Puff-throated Babblers that have been regularly recorded in the vicinity of late. The series of musical notes of that form the song of this bird is remarkable to say the least. For my very first encounter with this babbler many years ago, it was the song that caught my attention and only after a tedious search did I see the bird. It is by no means a rare bird. Its distinct song and 3-note call can be heard regularly in suitable habitats but like most babblers, catching sight of it can be frustratingly difficult. Today, it was again the song that caught my attention. But this time, it did not take long to enjoy stunning views of this terrestrial species.

I have obtained very few images of the Puff-throated Babbler before this but all that changed with this confiding pair. Intimate views will reveal this babbler is not just another little brown job. It has a slightly shaggy rufous crown, bold streaks contrastingly sharply with its whitish underparts and of course, a puffy white throat from which its name is derived. No, this is a beautiful bird and it almost overshadowed our encounter with the Mangrove Pitta. The visit to the mangroves concluded the second day of the tour and it has been a very good one despite of the punctured tyre.

The last day of Ed’s tour kicked off at the hilly forest of Sungai Sedim in, yes, Kedah state again. It was an uphill task to try and obtain similar success from our previous days. This locality after all is not quite in the same league as Pedu or Bukit Wang. Do not get me wrong. It is a beautifully wild place where hornbills still roam free. A number of interesting forest species kept us happy for most of the morning. However, photographic opportunities were hard to come by. The highlight of the visit here was a fruiting that was attracting a host of barbets. Unfortunately, it was a tall tree and its foliage, dense. I used my binoculars more often than my camera on this occasion. One barbet did manage to find its way into my memory card and it was a handsome male Red-throated Barbet. In order to distinguish barbets here in Malaysia, one has to pay extra attention to the head region. The array of striking colours on the head region of the male Red-throated Barbet certainly makes it one of the most attractive barbets here.

The scrublands at Kulim Hi-Tech Park was our next destination for the trip. Although this site is basically an industrial park, it usually has a few pleasant surprises if you know where to look. The Savanna Nightjar has evolved perfectly to blend into its surrounding environment. Open grasslands are their preferred habitat and there are plenty of those here. However, the birds prefer to roost on concrete embankments which in my opinion provides an even better platform for these nocturnal creatures to disappear from sight. I would have driven right pass this roosting Savanna Nightjar but experience has taught me otherwise. I missed out on this species during my last few visits here proving once again that luck plays an important role in birding.

Fortunately some of the other residents are rather difficult to miss due to their vivid colouration and tendency to flaunt it. Although Blue-throated Bee-eaters are common summer visitors to our shores, there is nothing common about their aesthetic appeal and aerial agilities. A few of them graced the locality with their beauty as they hawked for insects overlooking a small patch of wetlands.

Munias are considered pests by farmers due to their raids on ripe paddy seeds and they are often taken for granted by birders due to their abundant nature. The Chestnut Munia is not as common as some of the other species. Its bold colouration makes this species rather attractive especially when they float above a sea of grass or paddy stalks. It will usually have my attention when present and a pair foraging just beside the access road certainly deserves some affection.

Then it was time to finally take Ed to a birding site within the borders of Penang and it was none other than the Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest. We were greeted by the usual residents upon our arrival and one particular resident knew exactly how to make its presence felt by gliding from one tree to another with its incredibly long tail trailing behind like the streamer of a newly weds’ car. Eventually, the Green-billed Malkoha settled into the dense foliage of a small tree. I waited patiently for a chance to capture its image without any obstructions from the vegetation but it was near impossible.

Just about then, I heard the all-too-familiar call that sounded not unlike the bleating of a goat. It may not be all that pleasant to the ears of ordinary folks but to us birders, it was sweet music to the ears. As luck would have it, the Black-and-red Broadbill was also in my guest’s wanted list. We managed to obtain intimate views of a pair foraging along the lower storey of the swamp forest and no matter how often I have encountered the Black-and-red Broadbill, it is still an intriguing bird with very contrasting colours. And a bill that is simply out of this world...

There are a few specialities found at this site and the Streak-breasted Woodpecker is one of them. Restricted only to the northern region in Peninsular Malaysia, this locally common woodpecker is always a nice addition to any birding excursion. A lone female was particularly attracted to this dead tree trunk and thus, provided a prolonged view for me and my guest.

As we were making our way out of the swamp forest, I was surprised to see this Crested Serpent-eagle perched below the canopy level of the forest overlooking the elevated boardwalk. Something on the ground must have caught its attention as this was certainly not its usual perch. There was nothing I could do about the awful lighting condition but the close proximity of this beautiful raptor got my heart racing.

Ed has yet to see an owl so far and for our final destination, I decided to take him to a modest suburban park in mainland Penang where if one is lucky, will have the opportunity to observe not one but two large owl species in their natural environment. And my guest has been nothing but lucky so far. We scanned the usual roosting trees for the nocturnal hunters as soon as we reached Bukit DO but to no avail. Our enthusiasm plummeted and we were about to give up when hope came in unlikely form. An evening walker waved us over to his location and we rose from the gloom as we locked onto a roosting Buffy Fish-Owl. After thanking the Good Samaritan, we repositioned ourselves to enjoy an unobstructed view of this striking night bird.

We hardly recovered from the rush of seeing a Buffy Fish-owl when the Good Samaritan waved us over again. I could hardly believe it when he pointed out a splendid adult Barred Eagle-owl roosting among the foliage of a tall tree. Incredibly, we were now enjoying our second owl of the trip. Our owl spotter truly deserves a medal for his efforts. I am not a proud man. I know when to admit defeat and this time, I was clearly outshined by a bare-footer evening walker. I usually do not have much faith in the laymen when it comes to bird-related stuff but after this episode, I will not see them quite in the same light again. Anyway, I have stated very often that daytime observations of owls are always special regardless of species. And to have two species at a single location is quite a way to wrap things up for a rewarding three days of birding in northern Peninsula Malaysia.