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.

Home sweet home?

I found myself staring at a 28-day partial lock down as a strict Movement Control Order was laid down in place by the Malaysian government. That is a long time to go without birding. To help me keep my sanity and feed my often insatiable appetite for birding, I challenged myself to come up with a post for my blog and all the contents must be obtained from my home balcony. It would be a difficult one because a few years back, the management decided to chop down every single tree that is in plain sight from my balcony but I figured the challenge might do me some good. I could walk around the compound in order to obtain better images but with all the neighbours home-bound, I will draw even more stares and attention than I usually do. This home quarantine has made me slightly temperamental and I certainly do not need to subject myself to unnecessary stress. Nope, this post was an accumulative effort of a couple of hours each day over a period of one week from my balcony and my housing area is not exactly what one would consider as good for birding.

The most prominent species of bird here is not even a wild bird. Feral Pigeons thrive living alongside humans. Some of these pigeons do possess a striking resemblance to the wild Rock Pigeons but apparently, the only pure Rock Pigeons in Malaysia are the ones found at Batu Caves in Selangor state.

These pigeons multiple rapidly and often successfully. So much so that they are considered as pests by some. I noticed that the pigeons have started to pair up again or are trying their best to do so. Subtlety plays no part in courtship and this amorous male is prove to that.

Somehow Feral Pigeons have a way of earning the affections of non-birders and will receive handouts regularly from them. Every morning without fail, the pigeons will descend from the rooftops and gorge themselves on the offerings courtesy of my neighbours.

Now, the Spotted Dove is a truly wild bird and it is also doing well – not only here but throughout the country. Unlike the Feral Pigeons, it takes no interest in the handouts. It could be pride or it could be survival instincts but the Spotted Dove rarely exhibits the ridiculously bold behaviour of those feral birds.

With the absence of trees in front of my balcony, a row of lamp posts is the most strategic perch for photography. It is amazing how your perception of things can change when there is absolutely no choice to the matter.

The adorable Zebra Dove shares a similar fate with the Spotted Dove. Both are popular cage birds but despite of that, the wild populations are still doing well. A pair was getting very comfortable with each other at a building rooftop across from mine. It came as no surprise as it now the breeding season and most of the birds here were showing signs of that.

Being smaller, it was much more challenging to capture decent images of the Zebra Dove and its numbers here are much lower as well. The closest this dove ever came to my position was when it alighted on the perimeter fencing. For a species that is often obliging in normal times, I surprised even myself when a sense of achievement briefly developed within me after obtaining this far from ideal image. Or maybe it is just my cabin fever acting up again.

The sweet bubbly call of the Yellow-vented Bulbul is very much the dawn chorus of this bustling neighbourhood in the outskirts of Georgetown City. Here, it is convenient living because everything is literally at our doorstep. Everything except good birding, that is.

Anyway, the Yellow-vented Bulbul is another success story because it has adapted well to life among humans and this trait alone will almost ensure you of your existence in this world. The Mohawk does earn the bulbul some points when it comes to appearance but the bird does not linger close often enough for good photographic opportunities.

The resident pair of Common Mynas can be seen strutting around the vicinity except during the hottest parts of the day. Although abundant in the country, Common Mynas are full of character and can be a delight to observe.

Like most myna species, it is very adaptable and opportunistic. However here in Penang Island, the Common Myna faces stiff competition from the Crested Myna. There are certain localities where it is significantly outnumbered but the Common Myna still remains as one of the commonest birds on the island.

Being somewhat of a Penang Island specialty, the Crested Myna was an introduced bird that has been accepted into the national checklist. Apparently, the tropical island ambience suits it well and the population is blooming here and nowhere else in the country. A pair moved into the neighbourhood about a year back and they have been a regular sight since. It says a lot about one’s character if you are able to compete and even better the likes of a Common Myna.

During my challenge, this species provided the best photographic opportunities. Beggars cannot be choosers and I took those opportunities with much enthusiasm. I cannot recall the last time when this locally common species stirred up such exhilaration.

Due to the Crested Myna’s status here in my home state, it is usually taken for granted by local birders. Occasionally, I am guilty of this too and it is unfair to the bird. Sporting a sultry black plumage and an absolutely wicked crest, it is a stunning bird. And this time-at-home period opened up my eyes to the beauty of the Crested Myna again.

The lamp posts again provided the magic (I cannot believe that I actually wrote that) for my photographic efforts. From the looks of it, the birds here are fond of these manmade perches as well. The Feral Pigeons are harmless but they are cumbersome. The facial expression of this Crested Myna says it all when a pigeon decided to squeeze in on the perch.

Clumsy as it may be, the pigeon still has the mentality to practice social distancing which is more than I can say for some of my fellow humans...

Asian Glossy Starlings can form huge flocks to roost but unfortunately, not in this neighbourhood. This week their numbers were relatively lower and although most of us have been requested to take a break from work, I can see Murphy is still hard at work maintaining his law. Then on one beautiful morning, a lone individual alighted on a water pipe of the unit above mine. The perch was hideous and obstructing but thankfully, it could not obscure the true radiance of an Asian Glossy Starling.

Back when I was an easily excited teenage birder, I used to travel all the way to the fruit orchards in the southern part of the island to watch Dollarbirds and their aerial displays. At that time, it was a sight very foreign to me and I found these birds to be remarkable. Anyway, a lone individual will usually come round in the evenings and I was that teenage once again as I marvelled at the Dollarbird’s presence and occasional sallies. The backdrop of brick and mortar may not be as appealing as the lush greenery of the orchards but at least this common bird gave me something to look forward each evening.

Being married to a birder has enriched my wife’s knowledge on birds including their calls. And when it comes to bird vocalizations here in the city, the Asian Koel has no rivals. Loud and unbelievably persistent, the territorial call of this parasitic cuckoo is a regular sound in my neighbourhood. Inevitably, my wife has had ample opportunities to learn the calls. To actually see the bird, on the other hand, requires effort and luck as it often keeps itself concealed. A fruiting palm tree was the only reason I managed a few record shots during my challenge and even then, the Asian Koel rarely gave in to the temptation.

One other bird that she has learned to recognize by call quite efficiently is the White-throated Kingfisher. It will announce its arrival by filling the vicinity with its tremulous call and needless to say, striking appearance.  My wife still has to go to work during this lockdown period because she is attached to a private hospital. Although she is not really on the frontline, the risk is very real for her. Whenever I see the White-throated Kingfisher in this difficult time, an uneasy feeling creeps in. My better half is the only thing that makes sense in this world other than the birds. Everyone should be fighting this war but from what that I can see, it is not the case. She is out there doing her battle and I am proud of her. My only concern is that I cannot be there to protect her.

The vibrant colours of the Black-naped Oriole is a welcomed sight here. Its beautiful song is a reminder that the world is not such a gloomy place after all. Some might find solitude in religion and others in music but for me, it is always the birds. The Black-naped Oriole has a preference for trees when alighting and that puts me out of luck except for a few rare occasions.

I hate to admit it but the king of the block is the marauding House Crow. There is a reason why they are called a murder of crows. Although I am not terribly fond of this species, I have to respect its intelligence and tenacity. Nothing is safe when these birds have their eyes locked on it. Luckily House Crows are not capable of killing everything at will but they certainly have mastered the art of harassing and tormenting their victims.

However for several months each year, this ruthless king will be temporarily dethroned. For there is one that can strike fear even in the hearts of the hardiest House Crows. The Peregrine Falcon has a cosmopolitan distribution and in Malaysia, it occurs as both migrant and resident. The migrants will usually winter in concrete jungles where it reigns supreme. Even the House Crows do not mess with this deadly predator and that is one of the reasons why it is my all-time favourite bird (apart from the mighty Harpy Eagle of South America). For me the Peregrine Falcon is the most exciting bird to be found from home and through the years, I have seen it on several occasions. During the challenge, fleeting views in flight (it is the fastest bird in the world) was all that was given. A stroke of good luck produced this distant image of the Peregrine Falcon looking over its kingdom from a lofty perch. It was an unworthy shot for such an amazing bird but it was the one shot I wanted the most for this post.

There is one more raptor that makes me feel blessed I can enjoy it from the comforts of my balcony and it is the majestic White-bellied Sea-Eagle. Penang Island has the highest density of White-bellied Sea-Eagles in Malaysia and they are also one of the largest eagles around. The sight of these eagles soaring effortlessly on those huge wings is very impressive indeed and even after all these years, it still takes my breath away.

I stay relatively close to the coast and this raptor can be seen regularly making its way out and back from the sea. Evenings will usually have the White-bellied Sea-Eagles returning and occasionally, with fish securely in their talons.

I am elated I managed to obtain enough content for a decent blog posting despite all the drawbacks. In fact, I rather enjoyed the whole challenge. The birds, regardless of status, still continue to thrill and amaze. Surprisingly, the sunsets here can be quite lovely at times. Something that I usually do not take notice of. To quote from an antihero lead character in a movie that has some relevance to what we are facing today - enjoy the little things. And that I shall.

Reaping rewards from the reeds - Part 2

Still using my vehicle as a mobile hide but abandoning the bittern approach to hunting, I drove slowly skirting the marshlands of Batu Kawan in search of more birds. Yellow Bitterns are undoubtedly the commonest of all the bitterns here. They are usually more confiding as well and it is not too difficult to approach them especially if you do it using a vehicle.

The lighting conditions and obstructing vegetation often foiled my attempts for better images of this species as usual.

With years of experience, you will be able to master the art of field craft to enable you to approach birds easily – in your dreams, that is. A lot will ride on luck and the mood the birds are in. Most of the time you can and will be outdone by the birds, trust me. But sometimes, when the birds are obliging enough and Lady Luck is by your side, you will get what your heart desires.

Unlike the bittern, I found the Eurasian Moorhens to have little tolerance for human presence. It took some effort before I managed some reasonable images but these lovely and graceful birds are worth the trouble. This birding hotspot has a good number of Eurasian Moorhens and I encountered them a few times throughout the trip.

I thought they were shy on water but on dry land, they are even worse. When out of its element, this water bird is likely to feel particularly vulnerable which is understandable. God forbid if it lets a birder enjoy fetching views of its awkward gait. Or worse, post the images on his blog for all to see.

The next dweller of this marshy realm stopped me at my tracks. For when it comes to beauty, the Grey-headed Swamphen is utterly gorgeous. Boasting a plumage of shades of purplish-blue and not to mention a striking red bill and frontal shield, this water bird is certainly a feast for the eyes. This individual was resting openly at edge of the marsh when our paths crossed and with the lighting much in my favour, today’s birding excursion provided yet another treasured encounter for me.

It is not an uncommon species but I do not come across it often enough in my usual birding locations here in northern Peninsular Malaysia. This locality and its vast reed beds is probably the last stronghold of the Grey-headed Swamphen in Penang state but that did not make it easy to encounter one. This was my fourth visit here and the first time I actually got to see the bird.

Purple Herons, though common, are another spectacular water bird that is thriving here. Unfortunately, I did not have much luck with the adults today.

The juveniles lacking the vibrancy of the adults are still impressive. Despite its towering stature, the Purple Heron can be relatively shy at times. Young birds have a tendency to be bolder and that offered some compensation for their duller appearance.

A confiding juvenile Purple Heron right out in the open may not be that exciting to most. But for me, a sucker for water birds especially the big ones, the youngster’s performance certainly did not go unappreciated.

This photo depicting a pair of Asian Openbills perched over the marshlands somehow reminded me of my amazing trip to Cambodia. Well, this is certainly not Cambodia – not even by a long shot. But for a place located within of one the most rapidly developing states in the country, it is heaven sent.

Asian Openbills are the most numerous of the big water birds found here in the marshlands of Batu Kawan. I have come to learn from previous trips that they are exceptionally bold here as well. And I cannot help but to take a number of images of these unique storks - again.

With a diet that consists primarily of snails, I thought that the Asian Openbills have it made. There were plenty of Golden Apple Snails judging from the eggs deposited throughout the vicinity. It was not until I started following foraging storks that I realized it was not a walk in the park for them. It took effort to fill their stomachs - just like every other bird species. I must have observed at least three individuals but not even one ended its foray with success.

I rarely use a tripod for my photography and that is a major hindrance when shooting videos. That is why I usually keep my crappy clips for my own viewing. Anyway, one Asian Openbill was hunting so close to my vehicle that it would be a shame if I only took still images. Luckily, I could brace my gear against the window sill of my vehicle and it provided the support I needed for a decent video capture. The day just keeps getting better.

On the opposite side of the access road from the marshlands lies a big area of mangroves. A network of shallow tidal canals weave their way among the exposed roots and one such canal ran quite close to the access road. I invested some time here because of the presence of foraging waders. There were no exceptional species present but birding is not always about rarities. Poise and sensual, the Black-winged Stilt is one of my favourite waders. This lone male was not perturbed by my presence and continued his daily routine in full view.

Smaller but no less elegant was the Marsh Sandpiper. This individual was obtaining its striking breeding plumage and soon, it will probably be able to give the stilt a run for its money. I have not used these words in a long time - reflections of wings and inspiration...

A preening ‘Swintail’ Snipe had my undivided attention as I saw an opportunity to confirm its identity. Or so I thought. I took a lot of images with emphasis on the tail region especially when fanned out. Back home, I sent my best efforts to my man Dave only to be disappointed again. The images did not quite show the outer tail feathers well enough and without that, it is impossible to tell the Swinhoe’s Snipe from the Pin-tailed Snipe.

I normally keep my post light but since I have touched on the subject, do allow me to attempt to finish what I started. These two images were taken with permission from Dave Bakewell’s posting on snipe identification. The title of the article is Keep Calm and Study Snipes. Well, calm is not exactly what I feel when it comes to identifying these snipes. It is, please excuse the language and no disrespect to the author, fucking frustrating. Anyway, here is a Swinhoe’s Snipe with its tail when fanned out for a positive identification...

And here, a Pin-tailed Snipe. Go knock yourself out. On a more serious note if you are interested to know how to truly differentiate the two snipes, here is Dave’s informative article.

Although this trip was predominantly for water birds, the land birds did play a part to make this birding excursion complete. I have not noticed any other munias present here apart from the Chestnut Munia. It could just be a coincidence but whatever the reason may be, I am glad this species has found refuge here because I do not think it is doing well in other localities. A pair of these seedeaters was drawn to some dried mud on an area of red earth. I guess the mud was actually some vegetation unintentionally dragged out from the marsh and the munias were picking out edibles.

The red earth and heatwave barely complimented the stunning colourations of the Chestnut Munias well and I waited in vain for them to improve the situation for my photographic efforts.

A pipit flew across my moving vehicle and alighted just next to the access road. It did not budge as I rolled slowly next to it and such confiding behaviour usually belongs to only one species. Even without lifting my binoculars, I knew it was a Paddyfield Pipit, the commonest and only resident pipit in Malaysia. However, it has been an amazing day and it could not hurt being a little more optimistic. Perhaps there was still one more moment of magic left for me. A few photos later the bird in question, now standing all so elegantly on a tiny mound, was indeed a Paddyfield Pipit. I know I may be demanding at times but any bird, regardless of status, performing this well certainly deserves some loving.

With summer fast approaching, this Blue-tailed Bee-eater should be starting its migration back north soon. A skilled aerial hunter of open country habitats, it usually tolerates intrusion as long as you hide your human form. I did exactly that resulting in a prolonged and rewarding observation of a common but attractive winter visitor.

As I was about to part ways with Blue-tailed Bee-eater, it was joined by another. There was one more moment of magic left for me after all. The second individual was also looking its best and all prepped up for the breeding season.

Just when I thought I have seen everything there is to see, something unexpected took place. When returning from its flying assault on insects, the bee-eater misjudged the strength of a twig and landed clumsily. In fact, it almost fell from the flimsy perch and held on to whatever pride it had left belly up. Now, that is something you do not see very often with this agile bird but mistakes do happen. Just like the Japanese proverb, even monkeys fall from trees.

As a closing for this surprisingly long post for a visit to a local patch, the species selected to do the honours was not my typical choice. It is not even a bird but a lotus flower. I came across a few in bloom as I made my way to back the harsh reality of life. Somehow the sight of this bright flower in a dull landscape captivated me. Normally, flowers do not have such influence over me but it is not exactly normal times now. I took it as a message from Mother Nature. True we are now plagued by a lethal element but even in our darkest hour, there is always hope and it will shoot up from the most unlikely places to make our world beautiful again. Until then, stay home and stay safe to all. The Penang Birder signing out for now.