22nd August, 2009: Teluk Air Tawar coast, Penang

A few years ago, the mudflats along the Teluk Air Tawar coast were hosting over 10,000 waterbirds during migration season. But each year, as the currents change the shape of the coastline and available mudflats, and as accreting mangroves obscure different sections of the shoreline from view for the land-based birder, finding the birds is a challenge each new season. Last migratory season, I found no more than 400 birds at my best count.

With high tides guaranteed to push any feeding birds off the mud today, I went determined to try to find an accessible roost.



The first surprise was to find that the local Black-crowned Night-heron colony had shifted accommodation yet again, and is now on view right on the edge of a popular picnic spot!






















Most nests seemed to have three youngsters, of varying size.





In amongst the Night-herons were at least eight Little Egret nests. Little Egret was only recorded as a breeding bird in Peninsular Malaysia relatively recently, and this is, as far as I know, the first record of breeding in Penang State. In recent times, there have been one or two incidents of people raiding night-heron colonies for eggs or the young (for food). The locals I met and spoke to about the colony seem to enjoy having the birds around, so I hope that their popularity will safeguard them from unwelcome human intruders. This is a case where probably the more birders go to see them the better, as we can highlight the value of the birds (alive and free) to the local economy, by going, educating people, and buying snacks at the picnic site.

The herons and egrets were nice, but it was waders I really came for! A reasonable walk eventually brought me to an area of open mudflats where a few hundred waders were feeding.



An adult Eurasian Curlew. It can be aged by the motley appearance of the upperparts, as the feathers are of several different ages - some fresh (coverts), others worn (scapulars).



A juvenile, by contrast, has uniformly fresh feathers, with broad whitish edges to all the coverts. Here's a video of this bird:





Not the best picture, but I think this is probably a first summer bird, judging by the extremely worn state of the upperparts (largely last year's juvenile feathers), and juvenile type breast feathers (with thin shaft streaks).



A neat juvenile in front, with a rather scruffy adult behind!

There were also juveniles of both sand plovers, Common Redshanks, and Whimbrels, but none yet for any of the calidrids - Curlew Sandpiper, Great Knot and Red-necked Stint. Eventually the tide covered the mud and the birds flew off north. Time to look for the roost!





The weather looked threatening as I returned to the car, but provided some great lighting for the Black-crowned Night-herons! I made it back to the car just as the heavens opened.



The rice fields looked hopeful, as a couple of flocks of Whimbrels came flighting over, but they didn't land. Instead, all I saw were a pair of Watercocks. The male looks like something a Disney cartoonist might invent!



The female flew out of the paddy into a harvested area, before realizing that perhaps that wasn't the brightest move, and flying back into cover!



Seeing a new housing development, I drove toward it in the hope of finding some shallow rainwater pools on an unfinished construction site, and almost immediately struck lucky! Waders, right by the road, and in an area I could drive onto.



A nice comparison of an adult (left) and juvenile Lesser Sand Plover, with a few adult Red-necked Stints for company.



Here's one to practise on! How many species can you find and what are they? (Click on the picture to enlarge it. Answers at the bottom).



While continuing my scrutiny, I got a shock when I came across this! The bird with its head down at the back left is a completely different colour from a Red-necked Stint in any plumage! And it's far too golden for a Long-toed.



And check out those pale 'braces' on the mantle.



Look how long the tibia is compared to the Red-necked Stints. Also, the dark central crown with a hint of lateral crown stripes, and the streaked, golden-straw coloured throat. My first Little Stint of the southward migration!









A few more shots and some video of the bird. It was looking very settled, and I was looking forward to getting some better shots, when a Brahnminy Kite dived on the flock and they all shot off in an instant, and did not come back! Oh well, at least I got some pictures!

A short visit back to the coast as the tide was beginning to fall produced another small roost of Whimbrels, Common Redshanks, some Bar-tailed Godwits and a lone Asian Dowitcher, which I only spotted as it flew off with the Redshanks.

All in all, about 700 birds today, but I knew that I still had not found the main roost. Something to come back for!



ANSWERS:
4 = good; 5 = very good; 6 = excellent; 7 = inspired or lucky guess! The 4 fairly easy ones are: Greater and Lesser Sand Plover, Red-necked Stint and Common Redshank. Then there's a snoozing Broad-billed Sandpiper just right of centre behind the sand plovers, and a Curlew Sandpiper near the back, left of centre. Finally, there's an extremely blurry Terek Sandpiper preening its neck at the back, right of centre..

15th August 2009: Merapoh, Taman Negara

My last morning at the Park, and it started off in customary fashion pre-dawn, hoping for one of the Large Frogmouths to show itself.





Success at last! As dawn was breaking this bird finally decided it had had enough of hiding and perched out in the open by the track, to the appreciation of an audience consisting of me and a group of visiting birders from Thailand.



Perhaps due to the overcast weather, bird activity was decidedly subdued this morning. A Ferruginous Babbler livened up proceedings somewhat.





A little way further on, I heard the monotonous whistle of a Striped Wren-babbler, and a small group of us managed to get very close views of the bird as it signalled its territory.

On my way back to the HQ to check out I was surprised to hear a Rail-babbler not far off - the first sniff of one in four days. I ducked into a trail and soon had the bird circling me doing what Chris Gooddie calls 'the blue ballooon dance of lurve' in his highly readable Jewelthrush Diaries in response to my crude impersonations of its call.



While waiting for the Rail-babbler to reveal itself, I spotted a Black-capped Babbler lurking at the base of a tree. Another bird we hadn't heard once during our stay, and this one wasn't calling either. Just goes to show! Not sure what it goes to show, but anyway, there it was.





You need to be a bit lucky to get an clear view of a Rail-babbler, and on this occasion, I wasn't!



Back where it all started. As I neared the HQ, the Moustached Hawk-cuckoo started calling - I hadn't heard it since the first day. Elusive as ever, this was the best I could manage. Anyway, it gave a kind of symmetry to a very satisfying visit to Merapoh. Thanks to James, Peter, and the Thai group for the company!

14th August 2009: Merapoh, Taman Negara

Peter and James's last day started with flight views of a Large Frogmouth, as we again heard two birds, but a long way from the two heard yesterday, so probably we recorded a total of four birds!



A stunning flight shot!

We took a ride the 14km or so into Kuala Juram today, which is the starting point for the two-day trek in to Gunung Tahan, the Peninsula's highest peak. We had brief and distant views of a pair of Scarlet-breasted Flowerpeckers, as well as a fly past by a magnificent Helmeted Hornbill (the less said about my photos the better!).





Swifts overhead included Silver-rumped Spinetails, one having a head-scratch!







There were also some strange, dark-rumped swiftlets. These were noticeably dark below as well as on the rump, and showed barely any tail-notch. Perhaps these are 'lowi' Black-nest Swiftlets, which Robson mentions have been recorded from Gunung Benom.





Some birds seen along the road at Kuala Juram - Maroon-breasted Philentoma and Dusky Broadbill - the latter with nest material.




We were treated to an exhilirating chorus by two groups of Siamangs, with another of White-handed Gibbons in the background. The Siamangs came to the road, but when this scout saw us, they turned round and headed back into the forest.



A Rufous-bellied Eagle appeared at exactly the same spot as one we saw last year







A small flock of White-bellied Munias was shy and elusive, so I only managed these distant shots.



A Dark-throated Oriole was one of a number of species we saw at our last stop before returning to HQ. Peter also saw a Black-and-White Bulbul here,but unfortunately it didn't hang around.



After lunch and seeing Peter and James head back to KL, I went back along the jeep track. There are often fallen leaves on the road which fool me into thinking they might be birds. I routinely check each one with my binoculars, and this time it paid off, as one of those 'leaves' was walking!



With a quiff that would have made Elvis jealous, a male Malaysian Peacock-pheasant strolled across the track - a long-awaited first for me!



It even gave me a flash of those peacock 'eyes' on its tail as it moved into the the sun.



More 'by-now-familiar faces' - a juv Blue-rumped Parrot...





...the same Large Wren-Babbler - still hiding in the undergrowth...






















... my daily dose of old faithful - the Garnet Pitta...





...and some other common roadside birds - Raffles's Malkoha and Spectacled Spiderhunter.





As I was walking back I heard a peacock-pheasant calling close to the track, and eventually saw it quite close. This one made a far less leisurely dash across the road than the previous one, so my pictures aren't very sharp! Still - two males in one day isn't bad! This one seems to have brylcreemed his quiff back over his crown, or maybe it was his speed that made it flip back in the wind!