Frogmouth Central

We arrived at the first location for the day in total darkness except for a single street lamp to illuminate the way. The Milky Way scattered all over the night sky like tiny diamonds was as impressive as always and together with the small crescent of a moon, provided the prelude to a memorable nocturnal excursion that was to come. My Singaporean guests wanted to experience owling here in northern Peninsular Malaysia and there is no other place that can better the forest surrounding Pedu Lake at the present time.

In no time, we were surrounded by eerie and unearthly sounds that penetrated the cloak of darkness concealing the forest. Instead of fear, there was excitement in the group as they were the calls of a family of intriguing night birds known as frogmouths. All three species that occur here in Peninsular Malaysia were vocalizing in this one area. I had to make a choice on which one to seek out first. And the choice was simple. The Large Frogmouth is just too spectacular for the smaller Gould’s and Blyth’s Frogmouth to compete for attention. With a little patience and luck, we managed to obtain an incredible view of the Large Frogmouth and all the effort leading to this moment was worth the while. Even the fact that only my guest had a photo to show at the end of it all does not make the encounter any less significant. I was happy for him - honest!

After daybreak, we walked along the access road hoping to observe more of the alluring bird life here. Although the forest here have been logged, it is still quite pristine. Huge forest trees reach for the heavens above and lush vegetation covers the under storey making it an ideal and rich ecosystem. Pedu is probably the best and most extensive forest birding site in this part of the peninsular and I hope it stays that way for a long time to come.

A flash of red and black among the green foliage could well be a trogon on the hunt and upon further scrutiny, it turned out to be a male Scarlet-rumped Trogon. Although this is the most frequently encountered species here, it was still exciting to see a male bird – especially when he alighted momentarily on an exposed perch.

The presence of a second bird in the vicinity did not go unnoticed and it was the female bird. However, she was rather shy today and the male was the one only I could photograph. This is not often the case. Murphy will usually make sure that the drabber ones perform much better than the attractive ones.   

Unfortunately, the diurnal birds could not maintain the momentum. Things started to sizzle down after we came across a foraging Red-billed Malkoha. Scurrying along the forest canopy, this beautiful cuckoo provided very little opportunities to capture good images.

A distant Banded Woodpecker hunting on a tall dead tree was more of a visual treat than photographic.

The forest was by no means void of birds but most proved to be difficult to be photographed today. Half a dozen babbler species teased us with fleeting glimpses from the forest undergrowth. An area of long grass at the edge of the forest offered some reprieve. A pair of foraging Rufescent Prinias came into view and despite the harsh lighting, the warblers were a delight to observe.

The mangroves of Sungai Batu soon beckoned and we made our way south to this expansive coastal habitat. The Mangrove Pitta was no where to be seen today but in its absent, a pair of Stripe-throated Bulbuls provided the highlight of the visit to this locality. This is my first record of the species here and it is certainly a welcomed addition to my checklist.

It may not be an uncommon bird but I do not have many images of it. The bright yellow streaks certainly stand out from the rest of its plumage and this is probably one of my best encounters to date.

The Mangrove Blue Flycatcher was probably the most vibrant species present today. The male was looking exceptionally handsome today as it went about its routine.

The lumbering gait was unmistakeable even from a distance as the White-breasted Waterhen strolled into today’s excursion. It was a young bird judging from the slightly dull colouration. And no doubt, it will bloom into a striking adult one day soon.

It was good to see a number of Forest Wagtails present in the vicinity today. However, the birds were exceptionally restless today. On a normal day, it is sometimes difficult to obtain their images without some part of their body blurred by movement. My photographic skills and patience were certainly put to the test today.

The resident Abbott’s Babblers were their usual laid back selves as they enjoy life here in this swampy landscape and they were the last species to be observed before we ended the visit here.

Our final destination for this 2-day birding excursion was the swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam. The resplendent Violet Cuckoo proved to be elusive again for me. Another cuckoo species provided some compensation when we stumbled onto them in a compromising position. Greater Coucals are conspicuous residents here due to their vocal nature and if all goes well, these two will bring in the next generation to expand the population.

There have been sight records of several cuckoo species at this birding location recently and it came as no surprise when we saw a juvenile Indian Cuckoo on a lofty perch. Lacking the colouration of the adult bird, this youngster was given a second look just in case it turned out to be something else.

The very first image taken by my guests was of a flock of Asian Openbills and it only seemed fitting to end the 2-day birding excursion with a photo of another flock of these charismatic water birds. The diffused lighting from the gloomy sky brought out the storks’ true appeal as they stood in a sea of green. But as we uncoiled for the day, my thoughts went back to the predawn experience that had us surrounded by frogmouths. Now, that was a memory worth revisiting.

Raptors still reign supreme

I have not been back to the grasslands of Chuping since the last migratory season and there is always a sense of anxiety whenever I revisit this unique birding site after a lapse. The landscape constantly changes and it is not because of Mother Nature but man. For years, they have been trying out different crops all over this former sugarcane plantation. The worst of the crops is rubber which unfortunately has covered vast areas. The ongoing construction of an industrial park provides no help at all to the dying landscape. But the one thing that has not change so far are the limestone hills imposing their artistic presence.

For this trip, I had a birding couple from neighbouring Singapore. It only made sense that I took them as far away from home as possible and Chuping, being at the northern tip of the peninsular, would be the ideal choice. It was good to find suitable habitats for birds still in existence here. A pond that was the only regular site in Malaysia to house the scarce Bronze-winged Jacana now houses Asian Openbills instead and a fair number of them were present today.

Barn Swallows are common winter visitors to the grasslands here and a confiding individual resting just next be the access road had our attention despite their abundant nature.

The Rufous-bellied Swallow, on the other hand, is a species that will always have my attention. Locally common only in certain parts of the country, this large and vividly coloured swallow stood out from the Barn Swallows that it was resting alongside. The encounter with the Rufous-bellied Swallow was a much appreciated one as it has been a relatively slow morning so far.

The swallows may be beautiful and graceful in flight but we did not drive all the way here for them. We were after something more majestic which are the true rulers of the skies. The vast open landscape has always been the realm of raptors. Overcast skies almost drowned out our plans. Luckily, the first rays of the sun managed to pierce through the rain clouds later in the morning. And with the available thermal, our quarries started swooping into view. Flocks of migrating Black Bazas were a sight to behold. I find these little raptors to be one of the most striking raptors to occur on our shores and naturally, ample time was allocated to witness this spectacle of nature unfold.

The Oriental Honey-Buzzards, like the bazas, are migrants to this land. As always, the plumage variations that this species is infamous for caused some hesitance from me during identification.

One of the most sought after raptors here in Chuping is undoubtedly the gorgeous male Pied Harrier. I was a little to slow to capture his image this but luckily, my guests were not. The female Pied Harrier is often overshadowed by the former but today, she was all I got to show for harriers.

The sight of this pale harrier floating above the grasslands kicked my imagination into overdrive. And for a minute there, he looked almost like the mythical Short-eared Owl that has eluded me all these years. Almost...

A huge silhouette gliding overhead brought me back down to Earth with a thump. My trusted bins quickly revealed my first Greater Spotted Eagle of the season. I have nothing but total admiration for this majestic predatory bird. Being one of the largest raptors in Malaysian skies certainly has a lot to do with it.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Common Kestrel. It is diminutive but still deadly in its own way. Hovering is a trait few raptors possess and the kestrel has mastered the art of dropping down on its prey in mid flight. Lighting was not on our side but it was the only opportunity we had of capturing of this female bird.

Every raptor that crossed our path was given its due attention for this locality has a tendency to spring a surprise or two. Even a juvenile Brahminy Kite has the potential of being something rare.

However, not all birds with immense wingspans were raptors. Purple Herons are a common sight here as well. These water birds also find food in this vast landscape and this individual lazily flew past overhead during our visit here.

From the open grasslands of Chuping, we made our way to the pristine forest of Bukit Wang. It was not the best of weathers as we were greeted by a light drizzle upon arrival. But it would take than a drizzle and a broken bridge to deny these three visiting birders the chance to observe the alluring bird life found here.

The Dark-sided Flycatcher is truly a creature of habit and I found it on almost the same perch as last week.

And it even invited a friend along this time and we were looking at two Dark-sided Flycatchers at the same spot. I now know that this species is omnivorous as it occasionally fed on the fruits.

The Sooty Barbets would have been a lifer for my guests but unfortunately, the flock did not make an appearance. Surprisingly, a male Pale Blue Flycatcher did and it was a lifer for them as well. I could not be certain if the flycatcher was attracted by the fruits as it did not stay long. And it was frustrating that I could not obtain a better image as I seldom come across this flycatcher.

You can pretty much guess how brief this scarce Puff-backed Bulbul visited the fruiting tree by this image alone. Like the flycatcher, I do not have many encounters with this species and its behaviour today only compounded my frustrations.

The other patrons were much more obliging and I was something I should be grateful for. Armed to the core in birding gear, we made the best of situation and captured some memorable images at the fruiting tree. 

The Grey-bellied Bulbul with its lovely colouration was well received as usual. And even the slight drizzle could not drown out its exquisite beauty.

The Buff-vented Bulbuls were present at the fruiting tree for the longest periods today. They certainly made themselves at home despite the gloomy weather.

Another species of bulbuls that took part in the feast were the Cream-vented Bulbuls. Another drab species, this common bird could not do much to raise the level of excitement.

Only one species of flowerpecker was present at the tree and it was the Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker. It may not be as striking as some of the other species but it presence was a welcomed addition of colours and flair.

There are a few birds that depend on forest streams for their survival. The most noteworthy one is the striking Chestnut-naped Forktail but it managed to elude my efforts to photographing it again. The Grey Wagtail is another attractive species often found in habitats like these during the migratory season and this commoner stream dweller at least provider some photographic opportunities before we finally called it a day and made our way back to Penang.

Sooty to soothe the soul

I found myself with a Saturday morning to kill and decided to take a ride up north to the pristine jungle of Bukit Wang in Kedah state. This was my first long distance ride with my recently acquired iron steed and she performed up to expectations. However, I nearly rode her into a trench as I approached the entrance to the forest reserve. A pair of White-crowned Hornbills flew low across the access road like oversized Magpie-Robins. It certainly took me by surprise. By the time I safely parked her by the side of the road and geared up, the only thing that prevented the whole episode from being just a figment of my imagination were the distanced calls of the pair from deep inside their lush jungle domain. It was one hell of a way to start off a birding excursion.

At the car park area, a Grey Wagtail scurried around for breakfast along the tarmac road. This species is a common migrant throughout the country and a locality like this is the ideal wintering ground for it. The wagtail can be quite wary at times but I was drawn to the pleasant colour combination that it possesses. I was still given the evil eye despite going down on all fours to try and conceal my human form – the thing that animals usually fear.

As you approach the forest trail, there is a huge open area where raptors can sometimes be seen in flight. Although there were no predatory birds around this time, the sky was not void of birds completely. A pair of Raffles’s Malkoha leisurely glided across and I managed to capture one of them as best as I could. The blurry image did no justice to the female bird as she followed a few seconds behind her mate.

Missing the malkohas was the least of my concerns. There was something much direr that had my undivided attention. Heaps of construction stones were scattered all over. I noticed some upgrading works taking place at the recreational on my way in but this was too close for comfort. Beyond the field is where the true forest lies and the delicate balance of nature there may not be able to cope with whatever the authorities had plan.

The access road cutting through the forest has been widened and flattened. And when a tractor made its way past me from the other direction, I knew that the entire road has suffered the same fate. I can still remember the authorities so proudly labelled this area as a virgin jungle. But now, we know the virginity of this jungle is a thing of the past.

Bukit Wang is not the place for you if you do not fancy getting your feet wet. With the bridge joining the recreational area to the forested area down indefinitely, my appreciation for my rubber shoes now knows no bounds.  

As expected, not much was about due to all the commotion. I even had time to take notice of some of Mother Nature’s less significant creations – termites. To be more precious, they were Macrotermes Termites and are supposedly the largest species in Southeast Asia (thank you, Google).

The soldiers are not all looks with no bite. They are vicious and they certainly can bite. Something I know from experience...

When I came across a little brown job hawking for insects along the access road, I do not think I have ever been so excited to stalk what looked like a Dark-sided Flycatcher. When I got closer, my first assumption was dead on. This common migrant lingered about in the sunlight and that enabled me to obtain some images that turned out relatively well despite the distance.

The Red-eyed Bulbul is another drab species that do not often stir much of my emotions but today was an exception. However it was so comfortable resting under the foliage of the forest canopy, it hardly moved throughout my observation.

Lucky for me, the long ride was not a total washout. My break came when I stumbled onto a flock of Sooty Barbet feasting on a fruiting tree. I proceeded with caution and stealth and found myself a shady spot close enough to capture this peculiar barbet. Being different can be a good thing. And to be a barbet without any traces of green on its plumage and squeaks like a mouse, the Sooty Barbet certainly stands out from the rest.

The Sooty Barbet is not uncommon here but their preference for the canopy level makes it difficult to obtain good images. Naturally, I was relishing every minute of this encounter while the barbets were ravishing the succulent morsels being offered. Don’t you just love it when things fall into place perfectly?

Contemplating which bunch of fruits to feast on next... 

It has a distinct chubby appearance that makes it utterly adorable. Away from the harsh morning sun, this image shows a truer colour of this forest dweller.

The females possess light coloured bills and this girl came closest to my position – a gesture that certainly did not go unappreciated. The whole encounter lasted about half an hour or so. When the flock dispersed, I expected them to be back soon but that was all for today. Reluctantly, I carried on along the forested track until fatigue overtook enthusiasm. The ride back was slightly taxing due to the midday heat but the encounter with the Sooty Barbets certainly made the trip worth the effort.