10 - 13th March 2012: Raptor Watch, Tanjung Tuan

Compared to last year, this year's pilgrimage was a decidedly low key affair. The weather conditions conspired against getting many good photos, so, for a better idea of the event and its birds, have a browse through 12-13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th March 2011.



On the 10th, the entire day produced only 17 Grey-faced Buzzards, including this juvenile.



We were glad of the opportunity to watch any bird that would show itself, such as this immature Black-naped Oriole...



...and a Blue-throated Bee-eater.



After a while, even these disappeared, so we resorted to looking at pictures of raptors...






















...And people HOPING to get pictures of raptors!

Thankfully, the 11th was a lot better! We counted over 5,300 Oriental Honey-buzzards, though wind and lighting conditions were still not in favour of the photographers!









The best of a bad bunch - a male, two females and a juv. I got much better pics last year!

The star of the day was a dark morph Booted Eagle.





The pictures would have been a lot better if I hadn't had the camera on the wrong settings! Still - it happens, and there will be others...



This Barn Swallow seemed to think it was hilarious!

The 12th was a new low - just one OHB all day, but fortunately, we had made the decision not to sit at the lighthouse. Instead we had a lazy day in the garden and by the beach, when I trained my camera on some of the common birds I usually overlook.









Asian Glossy Starling, Brown Shrike, Spotted Dove and Yellow-vented Bulbul, all taken with coffee in John and Ting Howes' front garden!





A pair of Oriental Magpie-robins coming to take scraps as we lunched at the Yacht Club!



At dusk we went to check out a green-pigeon roost hoping for Orange-breasted. No luck, but we did observe this male Pink-necked apparently eating mud from the foreshore - can anyone explain it? Perhaps taking mineral supplements?





A female Pink-necked Green-pigeon preparing to roost in Rhizophora.

So that was it for Raptor Watch this year. We were fortunate to have one 'big day', and it made us realize what exceptional fortune we'd had last year!

28 December 2011: Batu Kawan and Pulau Burung, Penang

Two days after we arrived back from holidays in the UK, a small window of opportunity became available, and there was only one place to go; Batu Kawan, to see whether Mun's superstar visitors had waited for me, as he had promised they would! Getting up early wasn't a problem, courtesy of jetlag, so I was on site as first light dawned.



Sure enough, a quick scan soon located a solitary Oriental Darter roosting in a dead tree, and not long afterwards, the second bird flew in, having apparently been fishing in the floodwater beneath the tree.







As the light improved, I was joined by Mun himself, so was able to congratulate him personally on a memorable find (his finder's account is here).

Having had a good look at the darters, I decided to make my way to Pulau Burung. Mun was a bit shocked when I announced that I was moving on so soon, and in retrospect, I probably should have hung around longer, as his superb shots testify, but it was my first time out in over a month, I only had a few hours, and was anxious to get better views of the Garganeys, and whatever else may be lurking at Pulau Burung.

My first port of call was the temporary pools where the Little Stints had been last time. Since then, there've been White Wagtail and Pectoral Sandpiper, so I gave it a good grilling. There were now fewer birds, and all were were much more distant. Just one Little Stint was in evidence, and no rare wagtails or waders!



As I drove along the track I disturbed a pair of foraging Barred Buttonquails. This is quite a familiar scenario. The birds run along the track directly in front of the car. They are wondering how they can escape into the foliage either side, while I am wondering how to avoid the windscreen, get my eye to the viewfinder out of the side window (pointing forwards!) while keeping my foot gently on the gas and the car from meandering off the road! As usual, I largely failed, but the male did dither long enough for me to get one or two acceptable shots.





Next up it was time to focus my attention on the Garganeys. Oddly, they didn't associate with each other the whole time I was there. This rather bright bird turned out to be a female (you can check out the forewing colour in Mun's blog here.)





The male (told by the bright blue-grey forewing) kept much more distant, and hung out with the Lesser Whistling-ducks most of the time.

The other birds present were the 'usual suspects', but, even though I have filled my memory cards many times over with their images, it's hard to resist them when they pose so beautifully!



Blue-tailed Bee-eater.



A subadult (and subtly colourful) Common Moorhen.



Common Sandpiper (and friend!).







Wood Sandpipers.

So, thanks to Mun and those Oriental Darters, I managed to pick up my 560th species in Peninsular Malaysia on my last birding outing of the year! What surprises will 2012 turn up? Bring it on!

Every best wish for 2012.

4 and 5 February 2011: Sungai Dua, mainland Penang

I've spent the last two evenings at Sungai Dua ricefields trying to track down a Steppe Eagle seen by Hakim. So far, no joy, but plenty of consolations!



Stubble burning - not good for our atmosphere but it brings in the birds - swiftlets and swallows to feed on the insects and raptors for the rodents.

Black and Brahminy Kites were there aplenty, but what I wanted to see was aquilas. I missed on here yesterday, but this adult Greater Spotted was present on my arrival today.



I was puzzled by the white patch on the throat till I realized that it was caused by under feathers exposed by an extremely distended crop. The bird had obviously just swallowed something large!



That might explain why the bird had its beak open most of the time.





You can get an idea of the size of the crop from a side-on profile.



Had I arrived 5 minutes later I would have missed it altogether - it was probably off to find a quiet spot to digest its meal.



This Peregrine was present both days, sitting on the same pylon.



It was an immaculate bird in perfect, fresh plumage.



Keeping a wary eye on me!



Watching swiftlets.



And checking out Hakim!



All these pics and the video were taken with my new canon S95 through the telescope at up to 60x magnification. I'm very happy with the results!



It had a fly around once. In flight a grey background colour to the underparts was noticeable, contrasting with the white throat.



Flypast.



Comin at ya! The last view of a Peregrine many birds ever see!



Returning to her perch. The alula (the raised feathers at the carpal joint) is used for braking.



At dusk today, while I was waiting for the Great-eared Nightjars, this juvenile Peregrine flew past. It looks as if it had fed well!



We got brief views of a juvenile Pied Harrier yesterday.



And this fine adult male Eastern Marsh put on a good show both evenings.



These are last evening's pictures.



This evening it was closer...



...till it spotted me!



Great light!



A couple of resident Black-shouldered Kites - this is one of the adults.



And one of their offspring, already quite mature.



A digiscoped Blue-tailed Bee-eater at dusk.