Chinese New Year Feast (10/02/2016)

I have a few consecutive free days to kill for the rest of my Chinese New Year break. Thus began my festive birding spree. For my first day, I decided to go somewhere closer to home and it was none other than the forest at Sungai Sedim. The rationale behind this decision was to check on the status of the fruiting trees there. Victor, my old schoolmate, is back in Penang for the celebrations and joined me for this time’s excursion. It is good to know he is still very much into birding since the last time we met one year ago. While waiting him to arrive, I spent some time with the Whiskered and Grey-rumped Treeswifts at their usual morning hangout. The distance and lighting made it difficult for photography and the gathering of the treeswifts of Sungai Sedim will always be a spectacle best enjoyed through my binos.

Two of the locality’s regular fruiting trees have started to bear fruits but it will take a while for the fruits to ripe. My birding network has alerted me a few days back of an active fruiting tree along the Gunung Bintang trail and that was where were heading to. But mid way up the trail, we had to make a stop. A male Scarlet-rumped Trogon was calling from the forest edge and the bright red underparts stood out from the dimly lighted canopy level like a beacon in the night. It may be the commonest trogon but I do not think it is even legal to ignore such a stunning bird.

Red is an auspicious colour for the Chinese New Year and the presence of the trogon certainly brought good fortune to our excursion because we came across our second trogon species a short while later and it was a Diard’s Trogon. A pair was heard calling but despite a careful search, we only managed to locate the female. Although she was quite confiding, the dense vegetation prevented us from obtaining any better images. Don’t you just love shooting in the forest...

We almost had a third trogon species for the trip but the calling Red-naped Trogon just did not want to be seen today. Instead, we settled for a second male Scarlet-rumped Trogon. Not wanting to be outdone by its compatriot, it put on a good performance as well.

When we finally made it to the fruiting tree, Nelson was already busy shooting at the patrons of the tree. Three was not a crowd in this case and we made ourselves comfortable in our respective positions because from the look of things, we will be there for some time. The tree was aflutter with mostly bulbuls and flowerpeckers. The Red-eyed Bulbul is the commonest bulbul here and there will usually be a few at every suitable fruiting tree. Needless to say, they were gorging on the fruits here.

I am quite sure whoever named the Cream-vented Bulbul probably had his or her reason but the white iris is the distinguishing feature of the species and White-eyed Bulbul is an apt name in my humble opinion.

I have no qualms with the common name of the Spectacled Bulbul. It has a distinct yellow eye ring after all. However, it was exceptional shy today and kept to the furthest branches throughout our observation. It was a stark difference from their usual behaviour at fruiting trees. I guess birds, like people, have their mood swings too.

Ashy Bulbuls are generally shy and it came as no surprise when they kept their distance when feasting on the banquet.

The Buff-vented Bulbuls were one of the boldest today – coming right down to the lowest branches to gorge and completely disregarding the presence of the humans.

When it comes to bulbuls, the Scaly-breasted Bulbul is in a class of its own. The colour combination on the plumage of this bird can only be the work of divine powers and this beautiful representative of the bulbul family is worshipped by countless birders including yours truly.

But today, the divine Scaly-breasted Bulbuls were overshadowed by another colourful member of the bulbul family – the Grey-bellied Bulbul. It is a matter of personal preference but I feel the latter is just marginally behind the former in the looks department. It was their exceptionally confiding nature today that won me over. This time, they stole the limelight and even the Scaly-breasted Bulbuls had to concede defeat.

Quite a number of flowerpecker species were also gorging themselves on the fruits but the one that I was really hoping to see did not turn up – the gorgeous male Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker. In its absence, the male Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker took center stage. Almost equally as attractive (personal preference at work here again), there were three males present today and at times, I could not decide which one to focus on.

The male Orange-bellied Flowerpecker is another handsome devil and needless to say, had his fair share of attention today. Fruiting trees provide the best photographic opportunities to capture images of this little but striking bird. It applies to the rest of the flowerpeckers as well.

Not all flowerpeckers are brilliantly coloured but they still receive my undivided attention because some of the duller species are rare to say the least. Unfortunately, none of the rarer species made appearance but the common ones like the Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker certainly kept us busy.

The fourth species present at the tree today were the Yellow-vented Flowerpeckers. Although this species lacks the colours of some of the flowerpeckers, its strikingly marked underparts give it a certain appeal that is almost impossible to resist.

The distinct ringing call of the Everett’s White-eye filled the vicinity when a flock of these adorable birds descend upon the fruiting tree. The temptation of food can pull in all sorts of birds – even those that spend most of lives at the topmost canopy levels of the forest. That is one of the reasons I have so few images of this species. That, and the fact that it rarely stays still.

It is always exciting to find something other than the usual bulbuls and flowerpeckers at a fruiting tree here. Now, leafbirds do patronize fruiting trees but never with such consistency. The Lesser Green Leafbird is probably one of the rarer leafbirds here in Sungai Sedim but the excitement a pair brought to the tree was short lived as the male refuse to go anywhere near a slightly exposed branch. But his mate was a real sweetheart and provided plenty of good images.

I noticed last year of a male Green-backed Flycatcher that frequented fruiting trees here and since fruits are not part of his diet, it is the insects attracted to the fruits that he is after. When I saw male Green-backed Flycatcher flitting about the canopy level of the fruiting, it could very well be the same individual.

Not even an active fruiting tree can drown out what the locomotive wingbeats of hornbills does to me. Acting out on instinct more than anything else, my gaze and attention shifted to the sky above and just in time to capture a pair of Wreathed Hornbills passing through. A quick look at my camera’s playback was required to make sure it was not a pair of the rarer and similar-looking Plain-pouched Hornbills.  

On the way back home, I could not stop thinking about the Orange-headed Thrush at the Penang Botanic Gardens. Against my better judgement, I made a detour to the gardens and as expected found the tourist hotspot crowded. There was no sign of the thrush when I arrived at the spot I was it a few days back. I waited for about an hour but to no avail. A troop of Dusky Leaf Monkeys probably had a good laugh at my expense and seemed to be in no hurry to move on from the nearby trees. Well since it is the Year of the Monkey, I think they make a fitting end to another memorable birding excursion.

A happy Chinese New Year indeed (06/02/2016)

The Penang Botanic Gardens is not exactly the kind of place that you will find me on a birding Saturday. No doubt it is a beautiful place with lush green landscapes and probably provides shelter to quite a number of birds. However, it is a popular tourist and recreational destination and it can get a little crowded at times. I do not consider myself to be antisocial. There is one thing though – I do prefer to do my birding in peace far away from all those stares and interruptions. It has been more than 25 years since I took up birding and yet, up to this very day there are still people who cannot grasp the thought of someone who loves and appreciates birdlife so much that he will travel far and wide just to observe and enjoy these wonderful and inspirational creations of Mother Nature.

I found myself walking alongside morning walkers at the break of dawn as I made my way to the Lily Pond section of the gardens. It must take a very good reason to risk exposing myself to the torments from my fellow human beings and it is an Orange-headed Thrush reported by a few birders that has been showing well at that vicinity. This migratory thrush may just be uncommon here in Malaysia but to me, it is rare as I have only seen it once before and with no photos to show. It was still dark when I reached the spot where the thrush was last seen and made myself comfortable on the narrow cemented forest trail and waited patiently for my quarry to show itself.

I did not have to wait long. The Orange-headed Thrush appeared out of nowhere and started foraging along the trail. There was enough light for me to enjoy the beautiful plumage of the thrush through my binoculars but my photography gear just could not cope under such conditions. Inevitably, I laid down my camera and just watched the thrush hopped along the trail (and into my heart) as it looked for breakfast while waiting for more light to pierce through the dense canopy. It was a stunning bird and its tolerance to my presence made the encounter priceless. The setting and close proximity brought back memories to a time when Penang Hill was still a birding haven. For a few seasons, a male Siberian Blue Robin would forage along a cemented trail next to the Southview Bungalow. Back then, I did not even own a camera. I just sat on the trail and cherish the encounters through my binoculars. Birding was definitely simpler then. I did not have to worry about lighting, composition, exposure, etc.

When the lighting condition finally improved, so did my images. The encounter was now complete as I was able to obtain reasonable images. Being under the cover of the forest, the lighting was far from ideal but you will not hear a peep from me. Giving and receiving Mandarin Oranges are very much a part of the Chinese New Year tradition. With the New Year just two days away, this ‘orange’ from Mother Nature is a gift that will be treasured for a long time to come.

All my years of birding has made my sense of hearing relatively sharp and there was no mistaking the calls I was hearing coming round the bend of the trail – human speech. I avoided eye contact hoping that the group will move past me as fast as possible without jeopardizing all the efforts I have put in to gain the trust of the thrush. But I guess sitting on a forest trail alone with birding equipment was too much for most humans to ignore and I tried to be as courteous as possible when thrown with the normal array of questions. This was the first of the three groups that walked past during my observation. With each passing group, it took the thrush longer to return to the trail again. After the last  group, I had to come to terms that there was no chance of the lighting condition improving and very likely, more recreational walkers will be marching down the trail. So, I decided to pack up and proceeded to the mudflats at Bagan Belat for some time at the beach.

One of my main reasons for this visit was to try and get some improvement shots of the Slender-billed Gulls. During my last visit, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of gulls present and picking out the rare Slender-billed Gulls was tedious work. This time it was a whole lot easier as there were only seven gulls present. If only the Slender-billed Gulls were among these Brown-headed Gulls. This outcome devastated Andy (chairman of Wild Bird Club of Malaysia) who was back in Penang for the Chinese New Year more than me because the former would have been a Malaysian lifer for him.

The number of waders at the high time roost has decreased since the last visit. I never expected this phenomenon to last but I did not know it would be gone so soon. Utter disappointment...

The only wader that provided some good photographic opportunities was the Common Redshank. As usual, it will forage quite close to the shore line and will even disregard your presence if you do not pose to be of any threat to it.

Surprisingly, the highlight of this visit to the mudflats did not come from the mudflats but the sky above. When I first arrive at the river mouth, there was a pair of White-bellied Sea-eagles resting on some poles not too far from the coast and the waders. Since the waders are not perturbed by their presence, then neither should I. Midway through my visit, the eagles took to the air and were flying in unison. That can only mean one thing – we were in for a treat.

Most fish eagles throughout the world have spectacular aerial displays during the breeding season. The White-bellied Sea-eagle is certainly one of them. These large eagles lock talons in mid air while plummeting down to Earth spiralling. And just before they make contact with the ground, they release their love hold. Like the scene from The Big Year, one of my all-time favourite movies, where the three birders doing their big year actually took the time to enjoy a pair of common Bald Eagles performing a similar display. Usually they tend to exaggerate the truth in movies but there is no exaggeration about this scene. It is just as breath taking in real life. This is my crappy attempt to capture the moment and it does no justice to the courting pair.

I also bumped into Mr and Mrs Hum, some of the most senior birders in Penang, and their friend further down the coastline. Mr Hum has been shooting birds for as long as I could remember and his photographs are a true inspiration to me when I first took up bird photography to compliment my birding. However, the mudflats are unlikely to spring any more surprises and I decided to head to one last location before calling it a day. By the time I arrived at the Air Hitam Dalam Educational Forest, the sun was at its zenith and bird activities have dropped to a low point. But this is Air Hitam Dalam. You do not usually go home empty handed. This confiding Lineated Barbet certainly made sure of that.

The final bird of the day was a soaring Brahminy Kite. Red is an auspicious  colour for the Chinese New Year and an ideal way to wrap things up for this last trip before the New Year as the Brahminy Kite is a reddish bird after all. One last thing. Note to self – never pack up your camera until you are next to your vehicle because just do not know when a ever-wary Black-capped Kingfisher suddenly decides to alight on the rope of the boardwalk right in front of the gazebo you are resting in. Well, life goes on...

Where is that bleeding gull? (23/01/2016)

I was up way before my alarm went off. Perhaps the excitement of the trip ahead kept me awake. I am not off to some exotic far away location. In fact, it is just to the mudflats of Bagan Belat – one of my local patches in mainland Penang. That is the beauty of birding. Even nearby locations can be just as exciting at times especially when there is a possibility of a mega lifer. The tide was ideal for a visit in the late morning and so, I went to the nearby locality of Air Hitam Dalam to kill time. I arrived at the swamp forest just in time to witness the graceful Great-eared Nightjars hunt one last time before the arrival of dawn. The buoyancy of their flight and their immense size captivated me throughout the encounter. There was no point attempting to capture the hunt in this light and the best I could manage was this landscape shot of the breaking of dawn. After the nightjars left, that is.

It was not a slow morning at the swamp forest. Most of the regular species were present but my heart was not really here today. I longed for the aroma of exposed mud and the salty sea breeze on my face. But most of all, I just could not stop thinking about Malaysia’s first Slender-billed Gull which was recorded at the mudflats a few weeks ago. I dipped out on the gull on New Year Day and the wound is still fresh. It was a beautiful day at the mudflats. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was just so blue. Thousands of waders were foraging everywhere in this extensive mudflat but they were not my objectives today. Today, I am after gulls and I will have to try very hard not get distracted.

The mixed flock of gulls were roosting very far off shore as the tide was still low. My enthusiasm got me here a little earlier than planned. Somewhere among them were two Slender-billed Gulls. Due to the distance, there was no way I could positively identify my would-be lifers. The differences between the three species of gulls found here are very subtle as I found that out the hard way later in the day. The majority of the 250 or so gulls are Brown-headed Gulls. So far, four Black-headed Gulls have been recorded and as well as two Slender-billed Gulls. Last season, we had two gull species here which were the Brown-headed and Black-headed Gull. Now, gulls are rare in Malaysia. Having two species at the same locality was a blessing. Having three is a miracle – thus all the excitement. Anyway, the pace of the rising tide is beyond any mere mortal’s control and I patiently waited for nature to take its course.

It was a long wait and perhaps, one of the longest hours of my life. A few of the waders present did their part to help me pass the time. The most impressive of them all was this lone Eurasian Curlew that came surprisingly close to where I have positioned myself.

As the tide gradually rise, it pushed the gulls closer to the shore line where I was waiting anxiously. I did my best to scrutinize each and every bird present but from what I could tell, there were no Slender-billed Gulls present.

I did see at least one Black-headed Gull (the gull on the left of the photo) but I did not spend too much time following its movement.  This species is rare to our waters but there were bigger fish to catch today.

The closest I got the gulls was when they settled down near the river mouth. It was much easier to identify them due to the close proximity. But still no Slender-billed Gull. It was truly disheartening. I did send a few images of “possible” Slender-billed Gulls (the wonders of modern technology) taken from the flock to my birding buddies who have all seen the gull before and their replies was more or less expected. The Slender-billed Gull remains elusive to me.

I was so focus on getting my lifer that I did not spend time to enjoy the fine performance by the commoner Brown-headed Gulls. Some of them did come very close but I only took a few shots. Here are a few juveniles that can a little deceptive at times in hiding their true identity.

But there is no mistaking an adult Brown-headed Gull - even when it is in non-breeding plumage like this. By the way, the smaller gull on the left is the much rarer Black-headed Gull which I did not realise was one at that moment. My obsession with locating the Slender-bill Gull even made me overlook this rare migrant. It was only when I was back home that I took notice of the dark iris and that is a real shame because I could do with a few more good images of it. I guess I deserved that much for ignoring this species earlier on in the morning.

When the tide finally peaked, the gulls moved away from the river mouth and rested on some exposed mudflat further down the coast. I solemnly walked towards the gulls and made myself comfortable on the nearest patch of dry land to the roosting flock. Just as I was about to give in, I spotted a rather pale-headed individual and I started to feel alive again. But I had to be cautious. After hours of frantic searching under the scorching sun, there is always a possibility I was hallucinating. Upon further scrutiny and confirmation from my birding buddies (modern technology at work again), I finally found what I was looking for.

It was a distant shot, the lighting was harsh and the heatwave very apparent but I got my first lifer of the year and it was also a new record for Malaysia. The quality of the photographs will not deny me of a jubilant moment.  It was a moment that almost did not happen. And that made this whole encounter even so memorable.

Just to prove I was not seeing double, here is a photo with the two celebrity gulls in a single frame. The irony of it all was I took this shot before I positively identified the gulls. It was a random shot of the flock taken out of desperation. In fact I took many random shots with the intention of going through them on the big screen back home (which was how I found out about the significance of this photo) in case I did miss out on the gulls in the field. I did not waste the shutter count of my camera after all.

As my pulse gradually came back to normal; heat, hunger and thirst started to kick in out of nowhere. There were still thousands of waders out on the mudflats waiting to be scrutinized but the search for the gulls has really taken its toll on me. I took a few shots of this spectacle of nature before calling it a day.

When the roosting waders took flight, they literally block out the sun. This is probably the highest concentration of waders at this locality since the good old days back in early 2000s. And since I am not really trying to identify the waders, I reckon there will be a few Spoonies, Pecs and Sharpies around. Rarities can sense this sort of things and will instantly keep well out of sight when you are trying your best to locate them. That is the law of things.

As I trekked through the swamp to try and get close to a few foraging Asian Dowitchers and Nordmann’s Greenshank (and you guessed it – I failed in the end), I flushed at least two roosting Large-tailed Nightjars. There is just something about the way a nightjar flies. It is more like floating through the air and with such grace. I started off the day with nightjars and it seemed really fitting that I could end with nightjars as well.