The Old Pump House Road

14th March 2010

We were In Gohtong Jaya around the Christmas seasons of 2009, we were shocked that the Old Pump House Road was sealed off to facilitate construction and no admittance to outsider. There was no notice posted but the guard on the newly erected guard station was kind enough to give to us an estimate - should be ready and open to the public after the Chinese New Year.

We waited for that CNY to be over plus a couple of weeks buffer. This day, we were there to check out. Situation did not changed a bit. Construction was still going on inside. This time, the guard gave us more details. An electric fence was being installed together with guard station and sort of warehouse. He took a safer stance saying that he presumed that the work could be over by May or June this year.

Satisfied, we mentally register our mind when comes to future planning. So without that route, we went for the fall-back -The Awana Trail.

Weather was less than ideal. No mist and no rain but the air was still and the place shrouded in darkness like that before a heavy downpour. Hardly any call.

First and only bird we met was a Orange-bellied Leafbird. Then, the mono-tone calls from Hornbill.

Not long to wait, the big bird appeared on the higher part of the slope across a valley.
The picture -when it landed.





Another one moment later, the Hornbill dashing off.

There were chances of we getting flying shots of the bird gliding away. But the pictures would be low grade due to the poor lighting and long distances away.

Then it stopped and perched. Nice grandstand view across an open valley.
About a kilometer away.
Such glimpses of one bird that broke the monotony of a otherwise dull day in our birding record.

The Rufous-collared Kingfisher

13th March, 2010
Had a fruitful visit to the Blue-eared and this day's turn for the Rufous-collared Kingfisher.
This Saturday as with other mornings of the week started as a gloomy mood. I waited until 8.30 am for my electrical shop to open to get my missing link. Normally I would be in Perdik by 8.00 am but there was no need to rush this morning, I had specifically target the Kingfisher, I think they are not early birds.
While on the main road in Ulu Langat, the weather turned good and the sun was shinning. Made my turn into the tiny country road, I was greeted by a long line of trainees. They were heading for the waterfall. Somehow they would be out there plus support group loitering in the area. My dream of quiet birding session just vanished?
Wait! a bigger shock I got when I reached the T junction. The place where I used to park my car, the road with the broken bridge, where I do my walk-about for birding, completely filled with cars. And people! Oh! My birding ground turned into the stage for the film set. Quick thinking and no investigation, I took the left turn fork into the jungle park. Third surprise for the day. Right at the bend, there was a group of guys already in the midst of their business with their bazookas. Cornered with limited choice, I parked car next to where they were "perched".
I told them that I was there for Rufous-collared Kingfisher. Expressed surprise?
They went into action and a batteries of calls brought the whole forest awake. There were Rufous-collared, Dusky and Hill Mynas.
Within minutes -someone shouted "One on top". A few more hops within the next the 15 minutes, it came to the tree and a branch overhead. Here this is, I got my first proper picture of the bird, with their "help".

At last, I completed my assignment of getting that much needed picture. A start for me as I wish to get better pictures. But with crowd, the bird would not come to the lower storey. You can be sure that I will be back on a non working day with more hope. Right now, this period would be a week of school holiday and Perdik is one of the "No No" places.

The Blue-eared fledged

12th March 2010

I won't say that I didn't purposely went into hibernation waiting for my luck to change but I was really below par after that dinner. So the body needed the rest.

Been few days down and time to be out.

This time arriving on the spot beside the T junction for the Blue-eared once more. The materials I used for seating and waiting in my last visit were all intact. Could see that the place did not attract much visitor nor fisherman. Of course for the day, no more hindrances and no more excuses for not getting my pictures. Settled down and waited one hour. Again no show.

A White-throated came to occupy that perch. Even made a couple of dives into the river, right in front of my eyes. Yet, no Blue-eared!

Would the larger Kingfisher had taken over its tuft? Very likely, but still I should wait for a while. The break came when I saw a dark brown shadow of a small bird that darted across the T junction skimming over the water surface towards the Bamboo clump upstream. So the bird was around and possibly up in the Bamboo clump again.

Squatting and crawling with my hide over me and camera, low profile eh! I approached that clump of Bamboo. Couldn't see much but shadows of 2 birds making exchanges. Shoot first, through the network of twigs, sorry nothing of quality came out.

Then one bird off, leaving behind this. On closer look -  a fledgling!

 Yes, the Blue-eared's chick fledged! Stood exposed unable to move very much but quietly chirping away. I was too close for comfort. Both parent came. Exposed themselves to me in a brave attempt to lure my attention away.

This picture is typical of the result I get from the hazard I faced. Putting the camera on manual focus I still could not make much out of the scene.

This day, I accidentally stumbled into the fledgling and I could not capitalize on the situation. I am happy that I was given the opportunity, time to leave the family alone. Now that one nesting is over, I cannot say whether the Blue-eared would continue spending that much of time in that favorite perch.

Blue-eared - Here I come!

3rd March, 2010

That elusive Blue-eared! Dodged me from one place to another. This time I've got the best fix on it. After the tip off by Madi, made a recce earlier to the place, saw the bird flying past 3 times and no perching.

This morning I hoped that my luck would not be that low. Upon arrival, I saw 3 fishermen hanging around the T junction. Oh No! Not again.

Still I waited, the Little Heron hunting in the stream flew up the "bridge" to check on me.

 Chi! Chi! Chi! The bird stopped. Not on the bough overlooking the stream but within the Bamboo clump opposite. Just long enough for me to run a few shots.

Very quickly it was over and never to return, so long as I was there.

Wait for 2 hours and no sign. A pathetic wagtail came to the river kept me company for a while.
 
 
 

Time for the fishermen to leave too. Both went out and another went upstream to continue his quest. Couldn't understand why he overflew the usual perch, I left only to find out that the bird was all the while waiting in the lone Bamboo clump.

For me, it is a day to confirm that the bird followed a pattern. Not on the bough but flew to that lone bamboo clump some 50 feet upstream.

Close encounter with the "Flying Carrot"

28th February 2010


There were postings on the Multiply about the Rufous-collared being spotted in Perdik. Those pieces of news also coincided with my long absence from that destination. So it was time for me to make that habitual trip. Rather unusual was, this time the trip fell on a Saturday, when holiday makers would be around.

Once at the spot, the place looked very quiet and the leaves thatched "resort" was deserted but looked well kept. Walked into the compound. The family of Banded Broadbills were enticing me with endless calls from a few directions.

Drongo Cuckoo were common bird in the area. Perched low and looking sedated. It is a matter of having good eye sight and easy to see them on each trip, they should be around most time. This one an acquaintance Yee alerted me to its perch.

While we had enough and wishing that we could get the front view, the bird obliged.

The next pix was the highlight of the day. The Rufous-winged aka Flying Carrot as known in our circle had settled down in a secluded area and using it as their place of normal residence. Knowing it now I need not wait for it at the bridge, but just stalk it around its normal hang-out.

An event not within my routine, this forest Lizard just popped out from a decaying trunk. Beautiful specimen.

Lastly, I saw this big bird flying in. Stayed high, nerviously exchanged a few perches. Without warning it came down to the road and I was about 30 meters away in full view. I could not verify whether the bird was feeding on seeds dropped to the ground or grains left by some one.

Another short visit for me as I had not taken my breakfast. Very fulfilling trip too as I got most birds in close quarters.

The Erawan Natyional Park

25th February 2010

I always think that my travel blog should detail interesting points of our travel. For this trip to Thailand and the 5 relating write ups that I have posted up, I've talk of nothing but birds. Really give an wrong impression that I am head over heals about birds. Never mind, I am just writing about what came to my mind. A bit long winded perhaps, bear with me, this should be the last of the series.

Beside the Bridge Over the River Kwai, there is another famous name that is also an icon for Kanchanaburi province - Erawan. Don't know what that word means in Thai, we were landed in the National Park of the Erawan. Our driver too was unfamiliar with the place. For me, they had made minor alteration to the entrance which also threw off my sense of recognition. Anyway we parked and started walking before the main throng arrived.

There was a bird wave at the car park but happening too high at the canopy level.


We were there early at 8.00 am and the crowd fair, the starting stretch of track was one making us walk over broken stone. Here, calls stopped us and got our day going. Common but good to know that they were in abundance. This was where the Bulbuls and Tit-babbler were active. Hungry for pictures in the morning, we hope to get a good start.

Next, after a short distance of 100 meters, we returned to paved road, scene changed to one of a heavily forested portion with the river proper running beside. There the tiny bird wave was monopolized by the Monarch.

Moving on to the first waterfall, right at the spot with lots of tourist, this resident was confidently perched , waiting for us to pick him up.

While we were busy clicking away for better and better close-ups, the mate joined him at the opposite bank. She had her own agenda which we later fund out was - needing a morning bath. If you can make out the dark image against that of the rock.

The rest of my time was spent chasing after Flycatchers. There was this one with heavily mottled face.

 
There were other Flycatchers that I encountered that were in a more advance stage of development. And with light rufous appearing over its breast.
 

Soon it was time to leave the waterfall area and back into the car park. That's the time we met this black-hooded Oriole in full view and spending some time with us. Perched high and against the bright afternoon sky, photography was a tricky business.

Along the way out, the countryside scene on both sides of the road appeared to be well stocked with birds. Here are some of the birds that we stopped the car to record. A Wood swallow that looked familiar but with a shade on its breast.  

 
 

I was disappointed that this turned out to be a Crested Treeswift and not the Grey-rumped that I was hoping for.
 
 
 

Green Ioras were abound among the road side scrubs. Typical of all Ioras, lots of calls and scattered in the small confine giving a false impression of the area having good bird life.

While we passed an small area of padifields, I saw a flock of birds foraging among the new crop. About 15 birds, I shouted Ibis.

The van shot passed that spot and we turned the van around for closer inspection, the birds that we had earlier spot and a quick glimpse turned out to be Stork and not Ibis. Rather odd looking Stork, we opened the door and got out of the car for our picture. That was the time the whole flock took flight.

It was only after checking the bird guide that we confirmed these were Openbill. A lifer for all of us.

It was our lack of knowledge that threw away our chances of getting good and proper pictures for the Openbills.

Overall I personally was taken by surprise that this forest route which was much greener than all the routes taken during our trip was so productive. I take back my words that they are few birds seen in our drive through the Thai country side

Prasat Muang Singh Historical Park

24th February 2010


The ostentatious objective of the trip was to pay a visit to Thailand largest National Park - Kaeng Krachan, also a known birders' paradise. Privately Stephen and myself were looking forward to harvesting Hoopoe pictures. It was way back in 2005, that I accidentally ran into a family of 3 birds, extremely friendly and flying in and out to another point on ruin No.2. At that time, though I was not interested in birds seen elsewhere outside Malaysia and having a home model of Sony videocam, I cannot disregard the Hoopoe. They are unique looking birds. Years later in 2008, the craze in Juru showed me that regretfully I don't have camera for that type of job then.

That was the background to our visit to this little known tourist spot.

On this visit with the group, as expected, we were the only people to the place. After getting the ticket and entering the park's compound, a beautiful, bright blue bird, was perched at 12 o'clock on the tree beside the road. 30 feet up with gorgeous colors. As Malaysian, someone shouted "Dollarbird". No lah! It was a "Thai Baht bird" Got down the van and of course the bird, shocked to see so many people in this otherwise quiet park, took flight.

Disappointed in not getting the first big bird we saw we headed for the car park. It's hot, then earlier in the trip, we could not find lunch at the Temple of the Tigers. We stopped, the ladies headed for the Loo &  Canteen. I led Stephen to the spot where the Hoopoe were last seen perched, some 5 years ago. Of course, they were no where to be seen. Hung around the spot to wait for a while but gave up and we too had lunch. At the canteen, our meals were interrupted by Bulbuls and Flycatchers luring us away.

After having our stomach filled, we went back to the same spot to wait for miracles to happen. But this time we saw some activities. Saw large birds chasing big birds. Actually, couple of hundreds meters away, were the pair of Indian Rollers dispersing a flock of Drongos. We too joined in their kind of chase but the Rollers decided not to have their pictures taken.

Typical of bird scene, 2 trees later, huge compound of the park and where were the birds? We were lured from a point at the back portion of the ruins to the front entrance area.

Simultanously, the distance between us and the Rollers got further apart. These Rollers, they are not powerful flyers, seeing them needing frequent rest stops. So at great distances, I started collecting my souvenir. This one, for example, easily 300 meters away, canopy level.
With the Rollers high up and far away, the compound had Egret in the Lily pond and Drongos in the nearby trees.
 

A long hour's wait, no birds but Drongos in the area. So frustrated that I was contended having Drongos for souvenirs.  Then I saw a pair of birds on the ground. Hoopoe!

Excited, I had to bring the rest to the place quickly. While I was calling, the pair just flew up to disappear within the clump of low trees of Drongos overhead.
 
The whole group waited. Recollecting my action, as apart for the shouting, we had not make any action to spook the birds. 30 minutes passed and the Hoopoes not descending to the ground to continue their foraging. Unknown to us, that clump of trees had a motorcycle lane passing through in the center. Quite disturbing when we waited. Murphys Law, a motorcyclist just passed under the trees and 10 minutes later, on return leg. Since the disturbances had set the pace, we decided that's enough of waiting and slowly inched in, spread out in one line to flush the birds out. Yes! 8 Drongos made their way out to the nearby tree, but no Hoopoe. We then splitted and searched all around - None! Suddenly Gilbert spotted them landing on branch overhead. Real stubborn or fearless birds
 

Taken by surprise, the bird too immediately retreated to the ruin. That was the first short hop, at that spot, all of us had our fill of souvenir shots. Just for 3 minutes.

Second hop, this time flew to the rear of the ruin, same side - left. Then it perched for good 20 minutes allowing us to try our position and angles. Not so good for us, the afternoon sun was right into our eyes. That was one reason why we needed to keep shifting our position to shoot.

Yes, the Hoopoe stayed that long. We had mixed feelings when the birds decided we had enough of shots. Happy that bird was near and remained still enough for good pictures but the lighting compromised the final quality of the shots we collected.

Then it flew into a heavily foliaged tree on the right of the ruin. Gone forever! We were happy that all of us, got our pictures.
Still discussing, reviewing our performances and slowly making our way back to the van. We passed the ruin, there one bird was in full view on a 9 o'clock branch of that thickly foliaged tree. The  exact spot where I saw the birds 5 years ago. Another 30 minutes of shooting, then the mate came in for the shoot as well.

This time the sun was at our back and the bird just 12 feet up. Where else cam we find such cooperative models.

For me especially exhilarating was the fact that the telephoto pictures that I should have taken 5 years ago, finally landed on my hand. More important too, the birds or descendants of the ones I met, chose the same spot to pose.