Reading Birds of Pandemonium and Watching the Royals aka the Royal Albatross

 

Birds of Pandemonium by Michelle Raffin was a good read. I bought this book and several other books during the Big Bad Wolf 2020 Virtual Book Sale. The breeding of her Green-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon (GNPP) species - categorized as Least Concern in BirdLife's website HERE, was a tears of sorrow turn tears of joy moment for me. I didn't know these pheasant-pigeons were easily startled and that they'd break their necks against branches whilst sitting on their nests in the forests of their natural breeding grounds in New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea. Lancelot, the GNPP was one of her earliest adoptees (pictured below from her book together with the Australian crested dove and Bleeding-heart dove). Her life as an Aviculturist was tough but the moments of tenderness and understanding that she shared with her adoptees including a very clever zebra finch named Oscar (which had an injured wing), were testament to the ingenuity of birds and how these species can adapt to new surroundings such as her Aviary.

Read about her struggles with the rescued birds and those adopted by her. To manage an aviary, looking after the exotic birds and subsequently turning her residence into a breeding site for some of the pigeon and dove species, were to me all gargantuan tasks faced by her as an aviculturist. Can just imagine all the planning permissions she'd had to obtain for the construction of aviaries adjacent to her house. An extract from her book in the final chapter is reproduced below:-

But I am coming to realize that in our efforts to understand birds and partner with them, meaningful advances don't necessarily come in big leaps. As I learned from Oscar the finch when we built the ladder, no matter how high the aspirations, progress comes in incremental step. Yes, bird by bird. 

The GNPP, Crowned Pigeons, Bleeding Heart Doves, Nicobar Pigeons are some of the Species which form part of Pandemonium's Breeding Bank, based on their website HERE.

Royal Albatross cam by the Cornell Lab and New Zealand's Department of Conservation can be viewed HERE. When the researchers and caretaker kneel near the nesting Royal Albatross, the latter is about the same height as them. IF Royal Albatrosses are that huge, can imagine the size of the biggest albatross species in the world which is the Wandering Albatross. Some of the visitors to this nesting site included the White-faced Heron, Little Owl, Little Penguin and a Fur Seal pup. The Royal Albatross chick was named "Atawhai" which means "Kindness" in Maori language. The video contained highlights from the 8 full months of nesting season from the incubation of the egg, hatching of the chick until the ready-to-fly phase of Atawhai. Spot the Owl in the screenshot from video cam below:-

Atawhai ready to fly amidst the terribly strong winds of the Taiaroa Head, New Zealand. The conservationists were wearing really thick coats when weighing the fully-grown chick so I can just imagine how cold it was in this place! Screenshot from videocom below:-

 

It has been challenging having to work and live during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) imposed in the Klang Valley since October 2020. Birdwatching in the field had to be put on hold. Reading the book, and watching the Royal Albatross pair looking after and bringing up baby were in some ways an indoor birding experience.  

Flashback Fraser Hill 2020 - Remembering the Birds and Mother Nature

 Black-Browed Barbet. One of the 11 species of Asian Barbets, more of which is described in Mr Allen J's Notes on the Field Identification of Green-Plumaged Barbets in Peninsular Malaysia available for further reading online via eBird Malaysia portal HERE. Pictured above and below during my last trip to Fraser Hill with my wader sifu Ang early this year 2020, BEFORE Covid-19 pandemic swept through Malaysia. The calls of BB Barbet will echo throughout sub-montane forests of Malaysia. Hearing them and the calls of the Fire-tufted Barbets in Fraser Hill, is soothing to my soul.  When will we meet again. Wild Bird Club Malaysia trip to Fraser Hill in 2018, is featured HERE. The earlier encounter with the Zappey Flycatcher and the Grey Nightjar can be read HERE. I will always remember my Malaysian Honeyguide (and the post-trip visit to the hospital for an antibiotics injection when I got back to KL with a swollen foot). Fraser Hill is the Little England of Malaysia and with borders currently closed due to Covid-19 pandemic, it is the closest we will ever get to feeling the cool (cold when it rains) climate whilst the sun sets after 6.30pm. It is winter in the Northern Hemisphere by November, and it gets dark by the early afternoon in England and other Northern Hemisphere countries.       God-light, as the morning sun rays stream through the canopy of the forest near entrance to Hemmant Trail and Lady Maxwell Road, Fraser Hill.Fire-Tufted Barbet. Seeing this barbet species COMPLETES the birdwatching experience in the hills:)Long-tailed Broadbill. Short dumpy bird with a ridiculously-long (but absolutely pretty) tail. It was nesting when we spotted it. Nesting birds need as little disturbance as possible so I limited myself to taking a record shot of this broadbill for memory sake, and to highlight the importance of preserving Fraser Hill as a natural heritage and to maintain the hill's Important Bird Area status, for future generations to continue enjoying the flora, fauna and to share the beauty and joy of birdwatching!  Malayan Laughingthrush (incorrectly named as Chestnut-Crowned). As to why it is now correctly named Malayan Laughingthrush, you can read on about the taxonomic changes to Clements Checklist and the correct names of other bird species found in Malaysia in an article by Mr David Bakewell published in eBird Malaysia website HERE. Black-throated Sunbird. This particular sunbird (pictured above) had a gorgeous deep maroon red patch on its nape, as it fed on the nectar of these ginger flowers. Wild Ginger Flowers when they bloom in the forests are a sight to behold. Spiderhunters and Sunbirds would be their frequent visitors as well as other animals, insects, helping to pollinate the plants and working symbiotically to regenerate growth. Raspberry bush with some berries, grows very well in the hills. It will not survive in the balcony of my Kuala Lumpur condo. Raspberries we get in the supermarkets are all exported from either USA, Europe or Scandinavian countries. The fresh (imported) raspberries are expensive. Collared Owlet. Pictured above with False Eyes. It was seen during daytime and the smaller birds including the Streaked Spiderhunter were mobbing it. This owlet is diurnal, hunting in the daytime. It prefers to eat insects, moths and butterflies, and whether small birds form part of its diet, remains a mystery. According to David Wells' Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsular, in hand the Collared Owlet is described as being nervous, quick and aggressive as the falconet and sparrowhawk. Similarity with Falconet's nesting behaviour was also described by Wells in that the Owlet has been found to occupy tree holes previously belonging to Barbets and Smaller Woodpeckers  The real face of the Collared Owlet is pictured below. Audubon Article on the purpose and function of the false eyes for an American Owl species can be read HERE. May the territorial poot poot-oop poot calls of the Collared Owlet echo throughout the hill forests of Peninsular Malaysia for aeons. The familiar calls recorded by Marc Anderson can be heard through  Xeno-Canto website HERE.

Of Bulbul, Butterflies and Goats

Stripe-throated Bulbul was very cooperative that late afternoon. Singing away whilst perched and this was not a performance to be missed. According to Wikipedia, the word Bulbul derives from Hindi (बुलबुल) or Persian or Arabic (بلبل), meaning Nightingale, but in English, Bulbul refers to Passerine birds of a different family, the Pycnonotidae.  It would be quite easy to see the association with the Nightingale, since this Stripe-throated Bulbul had very melodious songs. An even more melodious bulbul that shares a darker fate than this Stripe-throated, is the Straw-headed Bulbul, which is listed as a Critically Endangered species by the IUCN. One of the Straw-headed Bulbul images, is published in Oriental Bird Club website HERE. The Straw-headed bulbul species was once abundant in the National Parks of Pahang, easily heard and seen but sadly this is not the case for the past few years. Beautiful pair of butterflies, fluttering all over the flowers of this plant in Hulu Selangor. The minute I sat down, one butterfly alighted on flowers and appeared to start feeding on nectar. It looks like a Swallowtail Butterfly species, and there are 18,000 species of butterflies found worldwide (except in Antartica). Swallowtail species are sadly being traded in the black market. World Swallowtail Day is celebrated online through the World Land Trust website HERE. The Great Mormon species featured in 75 cents stamp of Malaysia is published in website. It is described as occurring in 13 subspecies in different countries within South Asian and Southeast Asian region.No wonder Robert Frost described butterflies so poetically as "Flowers that fly and all but sing"Hulu Yam, the old town was worth a stop whilst I was on my way to Kuala Kubu Bahru, Selangor. The uncle selling the cakes, noodles and fried vermicelli was quite difficult to spot that day. If only his stall had a bright signboard across emblazoned with the words "UNCLE'S ULU YAM CAKES & NOODLES", I'd bet no one would miss it:)  I like the pandan-flavoured mochi, Ma Lai Kor (Steamed Brown Sugar Cakes) that he sells. Hulu Yam has a rustic old town charm to it. A herd of goats were grazing on the football field just behind a row of shophouses.  Amongst the hilly backdrop, this herd of goats was just missing the bells tied around their neck.Healthy-looking goats, with very little fur. Look to be well-adapted to hot, humid weather of a tropical country like Malaysia. Seeing this herd in Ulu Yam reminds me of the Jamnapari goat breed, which were being raised in a farm down south in Johor that my family last visited in UK Agro Farm in Kluang, Johor.

Impromptu Birdwatching with Curious Native Kids

Kampung Gerachi Jaya, a settlement for the Natives (Orang Asli) in Hulu Selangor, with nearest town being Kuala Kubu Bahru was interesting. A view of the Selangor reservoir from the winding road leading up to this settlement is pictured above. I was on the way to deliver food for natives at Kampung Pertak and this settlement. Due to CMCO, I was subjected to a number of questions by the policeman on duty at the road block just beyond KKB. I cooperated with him, explaining that I was delivering food and had no intentions whatsoever to cross the border into Pahang. He checked my IC then informed me to head back to Kuala Lumpur thereafter. I showed him the bag of food in my car which included some chocolates for the Orang Asli kids. This disheveled group of Orang Asli kids followed me around that afternoon after I had given them chocolates. Two of them followed me as I took a short walk up a tarred road towards a water treatment plant just above a hill. I told them that the birds were afraid and wouldn't show if they continued talking to me, but to no avail. Curious kids who had not seen a woman with binoculars and a camera before, I suppose. When they did ask questions about the birds, I was happy to answer them. When I asked whether they had seen a hornbill Burung Enggang before, they asked what it was. A long-tailed Shrike (with greyish cap on head extending to its neck and mantle) was the first seen as pictured below. The minute I zoomed in with my Digital Camera at 600mm, it turned its head away leaving it impossible to see black mask across its eyes - Sheesh!. The Blue-winged Leafbird, Crested Serpent Eagle, Spectacled Spiderhunter, Brown-throated Sunbird, Black-crested Bulbul and Hume's White-Eyes were flying around in the hill, some behaving in a skittish manner. I was worried when Siti, the Orang Asli girl told me the Orang Asli boys would practice slingshots at the birds. I explained to her that she must tell them not to hurt the innocent birds since she wouldn't like it if the boys fling stones at her, to which she gave me a positive nod:) A Book dedicated to the Laniidae family entitled "Shrikes: A Guide to the Shrikes of the World" by Norbert Lefranc and Tim Worfolk is currently out-of-print. I think it was highly likely the Long-tailed Shrike, Bentet subspecies that visited Gerachi Jaya that afternoon. 

Mixed Flock and Mixed Feelings - Birdwatching during Monsoon Season

This small road leads to a Water treatment plant in Kampung Pertak, Kuala Kubu Bahru, Selangor. I was fortunate enough to witness a bird wave on an afternoon trip at this small patch of forest BEFORE Conditional Movement Control Order was issued from 14th October 2020 onwards. Freedom of movement has been curtailed following CMCO. Going beyond Klang Valley (Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) to birdwatch, is no longer possible. Short day trips within Selangor are possible, although birdwatching sites are decreasing with the notable example of Genting Highlands being off-limits since pre-registration with a private entity one week before is now required. When the window of opportunity for birdwatching opens, it is tempting to go all out and bird as much as possible, but with monsoon season now in full swing, that window of opportunity gets smaller and smaller by the day. A birdnote's Audio Story on Mixed Species Flocks including the calls of the North American birds, really brings back memories of my first encounter with the bird wave at this patch of forest in Kampung Pertak.
The woodpecker in my bird wave was the Buff-necked (pictured above), and then there was the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, the Red-eyed Bulbuls, Hume's White-eyes, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, the full list of which is recorded HERE in eBird Malaysia.    

A view from the bridge across the reservoir, leading to Kampung Pertak.

Tree brimming with low-hanging Petai in Kampung Pertak

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher behaving like a well-played ping pong ball during the mixed flock/bird wave

A partially hidden view of the mountains beyond

A scary encounter reminded me of the additional need to bird safely. The growls I heard along the road leading to the Reservoir near Kampung Gerachi Jaya (a different Orang Asli village), gave me cold scary chills. Whether the growls were that of a dog or bear or other mammal, that was enough to make me stay inside the car. It seems the growls and barking of a bear are similar to that of a dog. I very much doubt it was the Malayan Sun Bear that was growling that day, as that species is facing a bleak future according to an article by Dr. Wong Siew Te on "The Status of Malayan Sun Bears in Malaysia" which can be read HERE. The forests leading to the reservoir is not undisturbed, with oil palm plantation sighted further uphill so it was very unlikely that a Malayan Sun Bear was growling that day. It might have been a dog since the Orang Asli village in Kampung Gerachi Jaya was further up the hill but I did not dare to walk and bird too far from my car. 

Can imagine owls may be possible to see along this stretch of road near Kampung Gerachi Jaya

Malaysian Plovers of Mersing

Malaysian Plover, one pair of male (left of picture above) and female (right of picture) was finally sighted and an inexplicable wave of joy washed all over me. Whether it was pure joy or just the heat of the Saturday afternoon sun bearing down on me, it didn't matter. All that mattered was finally being able to see what was most probably the cutest pair of plovers on the shores of Mersing beach in Johor, Malaysia! Lesser Sand Plovers, Common Sandpiper and Little Egrets were the most visible out in the beach and sandy shores when we first arrived in Mersing Jetty from Panti Forest. The Malaysian Plover was slightly smaller than the Lesser Sand Plover and seeing this pair scurry around the sandier shores of the beach was pure delight. It has such pale pinkish white legs and creamy white throat and chest.

  Malaysian Plover (male) on the lookout for tasty morsels such as crabs!

The Male Malaysian Plover (pictured above and below) with its distinctive black dot on its head. Proud mascot and official bird of the Wild Bird Club of Malaysia:)

The Terek Sandpiper was quite far out hunting for food in the muddier parts of beach (pic below). Orangy legs and long bill were the features which stood out for me.

The Malaysian Plover stoops its head to almost same level as its body when it hunts for food (pic below).

The female Malaysian Plover (pictured below) had browner scalloped feathers compared to the Male.

There were Whimbrels and other waders feeding on the beach of Mersing but they were really far out since the tides were low. The Sanderling, Grey-tailed Tattler and Ruddy Turnstone were sighted earlier on the beach by Wader Sifu Ang, Mr and Mrs Liew and Raj. But these wader species were missing in action that Saturday afternoon. The identification features of the Malaysian Plover, its range map, photos and videos (including two videos shot in Jason Bay, Johor by Del Hoyo) are available HERE.
     It was blazing hot when we reached Mersing beach that Saturday afternoon.

Low tide and no signs of Malaysian Plovers when we first arrived. Learning the preferred habitat was a pre-requisite in order to successfully spot these small-sized waders!

Checklist submitted to eBird Malaysia for Mersing, Johor is available HERE. Ontario's Piping Plovers Conservation Program is quite interesting and can be read HERE. 

Panti which I read and heard about so much in the past as as being THE place to see the Malaysian Rail-Babbler and other forest birds, did not live up to its reputation. The number of lorries and trucks passing through the inner road, leading to the trails inside the forest could be one of the major factors leading to its declining status as a hotspot for birdwatching.  

Panti Bird Sanctuary - Less Birds More Leeches and the Dettol Solution

Blue-winged Leafbird, male was busily feeding in this tree. Three leafbirds were part of the morning birdwave that Saturday in Panti Bird Sanctuary, Johor. I was waiting for Wader Sifu Ang, Mr and Mrs Liew and Raj who were exiting from Kulai. I had stayed a night earlier in Kluang, Johor, with this long-distance birdwatching trip being the first that I took after State borders opened during Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) that was announced in early June 2020.

To see the glorious colours of this Blue-winged Leafbird in full view, and to hear its melodious songs again after abstaining from crossing State Borders since February 2020, it felt therapeutic for me.  Never noticed the bluish underside of Leafbird's tails before. This bird just burst alive in colours of blues, green and yellow surrounding the black front-patch of its face.

It was raining when I arrived in Kluang, Johor on a late Friday afternoon. It was still raining when I checked out of boutique hotel and started my drive to Panti Bird Sanctuary at 6.30am. It was only when I reached Kota Tinggi, that the first rays of the sun and bright blue skies appeared. It would have been quite miserable to birdwatch in raincoat. God was kind to us that Saturday morning AND afternoon.

This White-Faced Gibbon nestled high up in a tree, was one of the pleasant encounters in Panti Forest. We heard its whooping songs earlier in the morning whilst walking in one of the trails, on the lookout for the Grey-breasted Babbler and Malaysian Rail-Babbler (both no-shows, unfortunately). The seriously-menacing look of the Pig-tailed Macaque (pictured below) meant business as we drove pass it.  Macaques are a notorious bunch, which are known to be carnivorous in nature. 

The buildings in Panti Bird Sanctuary were in disrepair and none of the toilets were functioning. Very sad to see one of the most popular birdwatching spots in Peninsular Malaysia in such a state of neglect.

Red-beared Bee-eater (Female) with its lilac pink head was vocal that afternoon. The Grey-headed Babbler (as pictured below) was very active in one of the trails and provided us with very good views of it for the longest time. Barbets were heard calling just as we were exiting the earth road in Panti. However the lorries driving in and out of this earth road, had drowned out those calls.

The Grey-headed Babbler with silver streaks on its throat. Blythe's Paradise-Flycatcher was still at same spot later in the afternoon. It was in a mixed flock earlier in the morning.

This trail was filled with leeches. I had dropped my camera accidentally, picked it up in less than 5 seconds, and one leech was already clinging on to it. Dettol solution sprayed liberally all over my shoes, leech socks and long-sleeved blouse, was very effective that day! Ang leading the way for us into the trail. Crested Jay, Black Magpie and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo were seen inside this trail.  

 

The road into Panti Bird Sanctuary was quiet that Saturday morning. Some fruiting trees further down this road were frequented by leafbirds, bulbuls, flowerpeckers and the Paradise-flycatcher that bright sunny Saturday morning. A cool breeze was blowing as I walked further in. Checklist from eBird Malaysia for Panti, Johor is available HERE. Dettol solution to prevent the leeches from sucking my blood veins really helped overcome an otherwise quiet day of birds in the Panti trails. Hand Sanitizers are a must-have when heading outdoors in the current Covid-19 pandemic we are facing. Dettol is a MUST-HAVE when visiting a place like Panti. So we just have to KEEP CALM AND SANITIZE against both covid-19 and leeches!