A Night Walk with MNS Herp Group - Feb 2022

One of the most interesting things you will find from a night walk is the chance to see those nocturnal creatures or animals which you can hardly see them during daytime. Recently I joined a night walk with the MNS Herping Group into a tropical rainforest in Selangor. There were 17 of us of mostly men and a few young children who came with their parents. There were also three 'boh kiah see' ladies I believe who have joined us as well.  (Note: participants were advised to show their Covid-19 test is negative a day before event).

After a short briefing by our team leader, off we step into the darkness.

We started around 8.00pm and the entire walk took us about 3.5 hours.

We search and look for everything that came across our path.  

The first creature we saw was not a ghost but an owl.

This is a "Barred Eagle Owl". 

This owl is not rare but it is seldom seen.

Then came along this squirrel.

Someone in the group must have had the eyes of an owl to spot this Red Giant Flying Squirrel.

Not a pontianak ! but the same squirrel looking inquisitively at us. 

This is the only frog I was able to photographed in the entire walk. 

Black-eyed Litter Frog (Leptobrachium nigrops)

It appear near a small stream and after photographing it we let it back into its domain.

Another variation of the Black-eyed Litter Frog

Along the way, we saw many 'Huntsman Spiders'

There were many of them crawling just beside the trails.

Some of them might not even have been described by science.

These spiders don't wait for prey - they hunt them !

Oh yes - we also came across this warbler. Probably an Arctic Warbler.

Sorry we disturb your sleep, mate.

After about an hour of walking, we finally came across a significant discovery.

Any tarantula which are discovered here creates an aura of excitement, more so if the ones seen is very rare and can only be found in Malaysia. The above tarantula is called 'Psednocnemis jeremyhuffi'.

I think there are no common names yet for this creature.

What is also interesting about this tarantula is that it was only been named recently in 2010.

This tarantula was probably one of the highlights of the evening.

After having taken a few photos we set if free to roam the jungle again.

Of course no herp trip is considered complete without seeing a snake.

This is a male Wagler's Pitviper (Tropidolaemus wagleri). Locally it's called "Ular Tokong".

Those participants who were seeing this viper for the very first time were of course jubilant.

We also saw the big fat female above our head. Luckily she was 'resting' high up in the canopy.

Although this snake is mainly arboreal but sometimes they can come down to eye level as well.

Taking the photo of the viper from a distance because it can strike a third of its length according to our group leader.

The second snake species we came across in this trip is a rather tame one.

Here, our group leader and sifu, Steven Wong is holding a 'Dwarf Reed Snake' - Pseudorabdion longiceps (Cantor, 1847).

This snake is non-venomous and not rare as well.

You can see its iridescence scales illustrating here.

Its mouth is so tiny that I think its diet is probably some earthworms or small lizards.

A photo within a photo. 

The snake is also very tame to allow close shots like this one.

Overall the trip was quite exhausting but fun.

SEE YA THE NEXT TIME !

Birds in December 2021 and Jan 2022

Another year has gone. Along with the brand new year, a couple of new active birders have also emerged. Will they be able to sustain this bird watching hobby ? - only time will tell.

Here are a few birds seen in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022.

Got this Greater Coucal at A.I.D in Penang mainland.

The entire place has been refurbished and they look great !

It looks clean too.

The walkway has been replaced as well and it looks solid to walk on. 

There are no canopies here so you will need an umbrella esp in the late afternoon if you decide to explore at this end.

Black-eared Kites

There are plenty of them in AID, Penang. In this trip I have counted close to 80. Some birders even claimed to have seen them in hundreds. Looks like they like this place very much to be their constant winter base camp.

I noticed that there are a few variations on these migrating Black-eared Kites. Could this be a Milvus migrans lineatus ? (distinguished from the larger white patch on its wings).

While this one might be a Milvus migrans govinda - looks darker from underneath.

I had a field day taking their photos this time.

This one flew just above my head.

Most of the time they will just circle above the tree tops. The one above has only five "fingers".

The more curious ones will fly lower to see what's going on down below. 

And some of them will take off and fly further away.

Some has nice underwing patterns like the above bird.

Some of them could fly very high above.

Most of the time some will stay behind.

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo. 

It has got a variety of calls including some mimicry as well.

This one is a Square-tailed Drongo.

Daurian Starling  / Purple-backed Starling 

You can see them in hundreds at times on a fruiting tree like this one.

Regarding their eating SOP: They would usually fly in and grab a few berries and fly away and then return for a few more. 

Sometimes you can find them together with Pink-necked Green Pigeons and Asian Glossy Starlings on the same tree.

This is a lovely White-throated Kingfisher

This is a juvenile White-breasted Waterhen.

Here is a surprise find !

In a thick jungle foliage, this fella was quietly foraging for food.

Luckily it came out .

This is a Black-throated Laughingthrush. This is a non-native bird. So the question is did it came from the Northern part of Peninsula Malaysia or just an escapee?

This is a female Pink-necked Green Pigeon.

This Grey Heron was trying to mimic the more famous Sarus Crane mating stance.

A Black-crowned Night Heron having a splash.

Here is a sequence of photos depicting the life stages of Black-crowned Night Heron

This one is probably just about a year old.

As they grow older, they tend to loose their spots.

This could be a sub-adult.

This one should be an adult (non breeding)

An adult Black-crowned Night Heron collecting nesting material

The adult male in breeding colours would show deep bluish lores and red coloured legs (the one at the bottom).

This Cattle Egret is also in breeding mood.

So as this Grey Heron.

Looks like everyone is busy making nests. This is a Little Egret collecting some nesting materials.

A Red Jungle Fowl (male). This was another surprise find in an urban jungle.

Now we are back to the mudflats.

This is a Kentish Plover in its winter plumage.

A Broadbill Sandpiper with a very thin looking bill.

A Common Sandpiper with a downward curve bill.

A mix bunch of waders spotted in KKM.

Greater Crested Tern

Brown-headed Gull

A Great Crested Tern being chased by a Brown-headed Gull

There are so many twins here.

                             Finally who do you think is the real bird watcher here?

HAPPY BIRDING !