Offshore Birding Off Kuala Selangor Coast - Sept'2013

I have always wished that one day i could do some offshore or pelagic birding somewhere in Malaysia. That wish did came true on 21 Sept 2013. I was glad to have AngTH on board as he is currently one of Malaysia very own expert in waders and shore birds - well at least he is more experience than me. Also on board was a lady who is also a MNS member. She was one tough lady who is not afraid of the high seas and sun. She was also kind enough to bring along yam cakes for us. So if you do not want to starve to death in a trip it is always good to bring along a lady. We started at about 8.30am when the tide was quite high.

Some of the shore birds have to seek shelter inside the mangroves while waiting for the tide to recede.

Black-Crowned Night Heron

Little Egret

Once we have reached the high seas, we headed straight to Pulau Ketam and along the way this tern followed our boat for about an hour. Just like you would experienced dolphins swimming along side your boat this bird flew non-stop behind us all the way.  Thanks for the escort mate.

Common or Whiskered Tern?

Although some birders have also described it as a Common Tern but this fella has stronger bill and a shorter forked tail like a whiskered tern. It has been confirmed. This tern is a "Common Tern" - here are some pointers to note: "too long-winged and bodied to be a 'marsh tern' (btw - whiskered and white-winged terns are sometimes called marsh terns). Note also the extensive black head markings and the black sides to the tail - this latter mark is a useful diagnostic pointer to common tern" - Dave

Common Tern

This tern has all the features pointing to a common tern. I have actually spent a few days just to id these birds here. Sometimes i find it easier to id a rare bird than a common one.

While in the open seas, Ang told me to look out for storm-petrals. Instead it was the Bridled Terns which flew in from the Malacca Straits. 

The Bridled Terns came in fast and furious. This one flew in just above the waves. You can see the swells in the open sea which at times was about 1 meter high. 

Bridled Tern

Bridled Tern

This one flew in just above us and later joined other terns to savaged fishes from a nearby fishing boat. These terns (2 of them) were the only truly pelagic bird seen on this trip and it was amazing how they knew where to find fishes from an open sea. Probably from a distance it has seen the flocks of terns circling the fishing boat.

Common Terns

As we near Pulau Ketam, we could see lots of these terns "floating" in the sea. This one was on threesome. 

Common Terns

ID: white forehead and black carpal bar

Common Tern

ID: white forehead, long bill and black covers rear portion of the crown.

Gull-Billed? , Whiskered Tern? or Common?

ID: Stronger billed and long legged.

What about this fella? I believe it was also a Common Tern".

Observation:  this trip found that Common Terns were more abundant in the open seas and closer to the islands where else whiskered, little terns and white-winged terns were more confined to the coastal waters.

Brahminy Kite

Lesser Adjutants

As the tide did not recede as fast as we have expected we did not see many waders here. Instead we have good views of 6 Lesser Adjutants which is currently under the "vulnerable" status.

Lesser Adjutant

Locally it is called "burung botak" (bald bird). Probably it has used the wrong shampoo. This fella here is in the breeding mode as the "white circle" feature on its feathers indicates that.

Since it is a large bird, it would need to run a few steps before it could take off.

Eurasian Curlews in Flight

Eurasian Curlew

Seen nearby was this curlew. Its bill was certainly long and downward curved like an eastern curlew but unfortunately its belly colors was not so brownish as the former. 

For comparison purposes here is an Eurasian Curlew and a Lesser Adjutant.

We also saw a flock of sand plovers flying out from Kapar towards one of the nearby islands.

On the way back we saw lots of flying fishes jumping out from the water. Can you see one here? Wish i have brought my shimano and abu garcia kits but then this trip was for a different mission with different objectives.

Not sure why was this heli flying so low? Recon duty?

It was past noon when we headed back and i believe my camera had some heat stroke as the photos didn't turn up as well as it should be. Perhaps there was some white balance issue here.

Little Tern

Little Terns taking a break

Whiskered Tern

Lesser Sand Plover

Red-Necked Stint or Little Stint?

Too bad - Dave has confirmed that it was just a red-necked stint.

Common Redshanks

Note: Based on the recent write-up by Dave titled: Asian Redshanks in his blog dated 2 Oct 2013, could this pair belong to a subspecies called "Ussuriensis" which was said to breed in Mongolia and Russia Far East?

With this trip i think i have almost completed my birding profile except that i have not been to bird watching in the Antarctica. Watching waders and shore birds i must say was the hardest part of bird watching. Some birders would disagree with me as it could also be one of the most interesting aspect of bird watching as you can spent days and weeks just to id a bird. Plenty of intriguing features/feathers to see and discuss indeed. Nevertheless this is one part which every birders need to go through or otherwise you will be just like Mick Jagger without his lips or Dolly Parton without her assets.   

 Cheers!

Exploring the Ex-Mining Ponds of Malim Nawar - Sept 2013

Birding trips will be getting lesser and lesser for me but when there is an opportunity we will need to grab it and go as far and wide as possible to look for our dream birds. The "Pull-Factor" was stronger than the "Push-Factor" in this case as i have never been to this place before (for birding that is) and also i have wanted to see the "Little Stint" and "Greater Painted Snipe". Locating this place was not a problem as there were ample road signs but searching for the illusive birds is another story to be told. This place was huge indeed filled with craters of former mining ponds - some were really huge while some were shallow enough for birds to stand on it. There were a few which have dried-out to the base.  There were lots of birds here no doubt but unfortunately i did not get my dream birds.  Nevertheless i have some great flight shots.

A mix flock of  waterbirds in the middle of an island within a pond

Little Grebe

Purple Heron

Grey Heron

Common Kingfisher

This was the first wintering bird seen by me here.

White-Throated Kingfisher

Common Stork-Billed Kingfisher

Of course there were also some very common resident birds like these ones:

Spotted Dove

Javan Myna

Its like he is practicing to dive for food - the myna way.

Barn Swallow

Black-Winged Stilt

It was reported that some of this bird has been given a red ID card.

White-Winged Tern

 Is this bird a resident bird as well? - some says yes some says no.

Purple Swamphen

This bird has a long history behind him. In America, Africa and Europe it has a similar looking cousins from the family named "Gallinue" while in New Zealand it is called "Pukeko" - not potato lah!

A Flock of Black-Crowned Night Heron

Here are some of the other wintering birds which i saw at this place.

Again i believe the experts would agree with me that these were just "Paddyfield Pipits".

Citrine or Yellow Wagtail?  

Probably just a 1st winter Yellow Wagtail in view of absence of isolated ear coverts line.

Chinese Pond Heron

Its about to change his summer clothing into something more sober.

Pacific Golden Plover

Little Ringed Plovers

Finally the highlight of the day is the sighting of this Accipiter.

Crested Goshawk

Although it is not my lifer but i think this was the first reported bird at this place.  I believe it is a male from its greyish facial colors.

 This was what the birds were aiming for - free talapia (black morph). Black morph talapias were said to be more delicious then the domesticated white morph talapia (oh yes - fishes also got white and dark versions). 

For various reasons this place was the "temporary home" for many of the malaysian first - eg Tufted Duck, Masked Finfoot etc. So it is not surprising that many people will continue to bird here.