Not so ordinary garden birds...

 

My birding endeavours take me to all kinds of locations ranging from spectacular mountain tops and lush tropical rainforests to bleak coastal mudflats. However, there is one type of habitat that I will try to avoid and that is habitats with humans. Wherever there are humans, there will usually be situations. Situations that I can do without when I am enjoying my birding. I guess there is some truth when some consider me to be somewhat anti-social but I will not be losing any sleep over that. Before I carried away with this, I better get back to the birds. That is what this blog is all about after all. A quiet neighbourhood in the outskirts of Taiping became the centre of attention when the presence of Common Hoopoes was discovered. This enigmatic species is still considered rare here in Peninsular Malaysia with irregular records throughout the years. I have personally recorded this species as far back as 2003 and it is not new to me. But at this particular location, it appears to be thriving and that is good enough a reason for a visit.

With my companions Hor Kee and Rodney, we arrived at our destination just after dawn. The first bird that caught my attention was a Crested Goshawk surveying its domain from a lofty perch. This stunning raptor was a great way to start off the day and I began to develop a good feeling about this modest location.

A pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills compounded the feeling as they wandered about the housing area. No matter how many times I have recorded this species living alongside humans, it still evokes the same amount of excitement.

I guess the same can be said about Lineated Barbets but on a lesser scale. Well, very few things in life can rival the awe of hornbills and that is the brutal truth. From the look of things, the barbets have also found sanctuary here and the population is set to increase.

A lone Asian Openbill casually foraging within a house compound certainly took me by surprise. There is no doubt this species has come a long way since when they first started to colonize Peninsular Malaysia back in 2010. But this cool fellow is taking it to a whole new level.

Pink-necked Pigeons occur even in my own home compound and I would find it odd if I do not come across them here. Here is a male feeling a little dismay that the lighting condition and my photographic effort did not do much justice to his true appeal.

Another common species of built-up areas is the Asian Glossy Starlings. Electrical cables are predominant in any housing area and birds have a tendency to use them as perches. For birders, this behaviour eases our main mission in life which is to find and observe.

For a bird photographer, these man-made perches hold little value for their photographic effort. This applies to even a striking species like the Blue-throated Bee-eater. In my eyes (and the bird’s), the cable is a strategic point for it to launch aerial assaults on flying insects. If it good enough for the bird, it is good enough for my camera.

The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a species you do not get to see in a lot of neighbourhoods. So, it was heartening to see one here. There is a possibility of escapees for the beautiful bird as it is a popular cage bird. Either way it will not cause any major scientific impact if I get the status wrong for this individual.

I stated earlier birds on cables are more conspicuous and to proof my point, that is how we got our first Common Hoopoe of the day. This may be normal sight in neighbouring countries like Thailand but in my own, it will take some getting used to.

Eventually, we managed to locate a flock of at least five birds consisting of adults and sub-adults as feeding still took place within the flock. During my documentation of the birds, I could not really tell any differences between the birds. All of them were striking and charismatic.

When I scrutinized my photographs back home, I noticed that all the birds I shot had slightly shorter bills. Only then did I realize that maybe both the adult birds managed to evade my photographic efforts.  

The discomfort of a “human-habitat” started to take its toll and we shifted to the second destination of the trip which is the foothills of Bukit Larut. Soon after our arrival, we were greeted by the diagnostic territorial call of the Banded Broadbill. It took a little effort but the result was rewarding. Often hidden by the cover of the forest canopy, a good view like this is a real godsend to me.

I could not believe it when another broadbill species decided to show well after the first encounter. The Black-and-yellow Broadbill can be confiding at times but the individual today has surpassed that point.

The full black collar indicated that it was a male bird and that feature is only the difference between the sexes. He is a truly exquisite creature of the forest.

A few fruiting trees in the vicinity were in season and they attracted the usual groups of bulbuls. Among them was a female Blue-winged Leafbird and she was the only that managed to find her way into my memory card.

The Verditer Flycatcher is a species that I have not seen for a long while now. When one decided to hawk for insects nearby, I was elated. It may be the duller female but the prolonged encounter was fair compensation.

I know I always lament how frustrating forest birding can be but apparently, not today. Another female bird provided a memorable encounter and she was a Raffles’s Malkoha. Initially she played hard to get, typical of most desirable ladies. On a more serious note, malkohas are usually difficult subject for photography and the Raffles’s Malkoha is no different. But the good girl performed unexpectedly well in the end and made every birder present fell head over heels for her.

Here is one final image of the alluring Raffles’s Malkoha to wrap things up this time. The foothills of a colonial hill station and a surprisingly birdy neighbourhood certainly rose up to the occasion and provided ample material for another entry to my birding blog.

The Bird Hide Part 2: Gamebirds galore

 

During our stay at Samarn Bird Camp, I would usually walkabout the vicinity as we waited for dinner times. One evening our guide noticed me and casually asked if anything was about. I told him there is a pair of Red Junglefowls that will usually come around this time of the day but clear shots were difficult. You will get to shoot to your heart’s content soon enough was his reply and at The Bird Hide, I finally understood what he meant. The Red Junglefowl is the one gamebird that is more or less guaranteed here and the most confiding one of them all.

The beauty of the male is both underrated and underappreciated simply because we are all so used to seeing the domestic version. Now imagine if you would that domestic chickens do not exist and you encounter the male Red Junglefowl for the first time skulking about the undergrowth in some Godforsaken jungle. You will find him to be a most exquisite creature. The combination of vibrant coloration and plumes; the elongated tail feathers and of course, the wicked comb and wattle. That is one hell of a lifer if you ask me.

Anyway, if you can look past its common status and domesticated form, the Red Junglefowl is an impressive subject for photography. And my man Arjin was right. I shot to my heart’s content.

The female, like a majority of gamebirds, is at the other end of the spectrum almost lacking any vibrancy.

But since the females are also regular patrons to the watering hole, I accumulated a number of their images by the end of the day. My best to date if I might add.

Other than the Red Junglefowl, four other gamebirds are regularly recorded at The Bird Hide. And each and every one of them, a lifer to me. Known for their loud and persistent vocalizations, partridges are more often heard than seen. And the Scaly-breasted Partridges announced their presence long before they strolled into view.

The intricacy of their plumage is a familiar sight to me. They were once considered by some to be the same species as the Chestnut-necklaced Partridge – a species I know intimately from Malaysia. In this case, the differences between the two are distinct enough to justify the split. The Scaly-breasted Partridges kept their appearances brief and was probably the least photographed gamebird of the day.

Senses heightened again with the arrival of the Bar-backed Partridges. Sporting a very foreign plumage to me, fascination was instantaneous.

Behaviour-wise, the two partridges are quite similar but the latter was certainly more obliging today. The Bar-backed Partridges came back to the hide more often and provided longer views each time. I could not have asked for more from this adorable and striking ground bird.

The evening before our visit to the hide, we heard that the big group of hardcore birders whom we shared our accommodations with at Samarn Bird Camp dipped out on the Grey Peacock-Pheasant at the hide earlier. It was worrying news but when it comes to birding, everyone is at the mercy of Mother Nature. A little prayer before bedtime was probably the only thing that we could do. I could not determine if it was divine intervention or just plain luck but the Grey Peacock-Pheasant appeared not only once and four times throughout our day at the hide. And the female was the first to vanquish whatever worries we carried with us to our beds the night before.

The ocelli on her plumage may lack the brilliant definitions of the male but there is no denying the beauty and grace of this alluring species.

When the male made his first entrance, he too was alone and almost three hours later. But he was worth the wait. A constellation of stars covered his entire plumage and to top it all off, an array of striking blue ocelli with the intensity that pierces one’s soul. Unbelievably, the best was yet to come.

When the pair finally visited the hide together late in the afternoon, the male put on a performance that is undoubtedly one of the best I have experienced in all my years of birding. Instead of walking, he strutted into the vicinity feathers all fluffed out. His intention was clear enough. We were about to witness the courtship display of the Grey Peacock-Pheasant and the anticipation was nerve-wrecking.

Some last-second adjustments to make sure every feather was in place and our boy was finally ready to begin...

He danced seductively around his lady love. With his head bowed and tail fully fanned out, it was a flawless display to our eyes. Unfortunately for him, the female was not so easily impressed. In fact, the watering hole seemed to be the focus of her attention.

So caught up in the moment, the male carried on even after the female has wandered off. And like the pheasant, I forgot to capture some video clips of the display until it was too late. It was an overwhelming experience and I seldom use a tripod (which I did at that time) or capture video clips after all. That was what I told myself for self-consolation. To be honest, there was not much consoling required. Not when you get to observe and photograph such a compelling wonder of nature unfold itself right in front of you.

When reality finally kicked in, the male, like yours truly, performed some self-consoling and started foraging. And life goes on.  

Now for the final species to be paid homage. Initially, it had me slightly worried because there was no sign of it the entire morning and it is too big and beautiful a bird to be overlooked. When time trickled into mid-afternoon, anxiety took over. Then, I was alerted of something moving along the edge of the forest. Upon further scrutiny, it was a fluffy white tail. The rest of the body was too camouflaged to reveal its true form. But I knew what it was. A sigh of relief escaped my lips when the Kalij Pheasant stepped into the open. It was a female but that did not stop me from appreciating the moment.

Right from the start I could tell there were at least two pheasants. The second bird, a stunning male, made us wait before we could start gawking at his splendour.

I thought of writing something fancy to describe the appearance of the male. However the more I study his image, the harder it got to find the right words. Then, I realized that it was impossible task for a species as spectacular as a male Kalij Pheasant.

Later in the afternoon, a flock consisting of an adult pair and an immature male presumably their offspring visited the hide and rocked my world again.

Here is the young male and I far as I can tell, his smaller facial wattle was the only difference. His plumage colouration is reaching maturity and has every right to flaunt it.

And here he is. The head of the flock. The alpha. There is not a single doubt that he is an impressive individual. Every move he made, oozes with pride and confidence. I just could not take my eyes (and lens) off him. Inevitably, the female was a pale comparison foraging alongside him.

One last tribute to this amazing bird.  I have seen peacock-pheasants before back in my own country. But the Kalij Pheasant is something else and I simply adore the wicked crest. But it was not the end of the experience yet. The pheasants had a parting gift for their admirers in the hide. Another male wandered too close to the flock and it did not go down well with the alpha male. A flurry of feathers and leaf litter soon ensued but the dispute was beyond the capabilities of my photographic gear and partially hidden by the dense vegetation. When the dust settled, the intruding male retreated. And gradually, so did the flock.

The Kalij Pheasants provided the perfect conclusion for my coverage of the birds at The Bird Hide. A few squirrels were present in the vicinity but they were certainly overshadowed. Among the images that I managed to take included one of the ever-adorable Himalayan Striped Squirrel.

If I am not mistaken, this is an Indochinese Ground Squirrel and it was a mammal lifer.

Amidst all the avian wonders, there was one mammal that distracted my attention whenever it appeared. The Lesser Mouse-deer is an enigmatic jungle dweller and under normal circumstances, elusive and shy. In this heat, however, the watering hole is a vice that few can resist.

Back in Malaysia, this small deer-like animal is shrouded with folklore. Observing it for the first time, I can understand why. It is a fascinating species and there were no regrets for the time and effort taken to immortalize the encounters into my digital archive.

From Kaeng Krachan, we headed three hundred kilometres east to Khao Yai for the last leg our tour. To make the most of this gruelling four-hour drive, we made two stops for two twitches. The unique Indian Thick-knee was the reason we explored the scrublands of Pho Rai Wan. A brief sight of our lifer flying away served as a reminder of how cruel birding can be. A pair of Rufous Treepies could have provided some consolation had they been a little more accommodating to our photographic efforts.

And a Common Hoopoe, despite all its charisma, could only fare slightly better with this encounter that took place under the blazing midday sun.

Our twitching endeavours ended on a low note at the campus grounds of the Bangkok University. The phrase being kicked when you are down came to mind when we stared at an empty spot where an Indian Nightjar has been roosting for weeks until our arrival. For the first time since we landed in the Land of Smiles, Murphy’s Law replace the smile with a frown. My next post will tell if Murphy has followed us all the way to the legendary Khao Yai National Park.

The checklist of the birds seen:

1. The Bird Hide Kaeng Krachan

2. Pho Rai Wan Scrublands