Birding in Merbok, June 2017

Merbok is a small sleepy town located in a Northern state of Peninsular Malaysia. It was believed that the place was once a site of an ancient civilization or trade centre where its archaeological sites/ruins can be seen just from the roadside. I was there not as "Indiana Jones" but more for the birds which can be seen/found in the area especially the Mangrove Pitta. Here are some of the birds which i have seen although the Mangrove Pitta had decided to stay hidden. 

Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus)

Jungle Myna are common in the Northern states of Peninsular Malaysia especially from Penang upwards. They can be found mostly around plantation areas, jungle edges and interior villages. There were some discussions out there as to why most photos don't show the bluish base at their bill as described by some field guides. I have actually seen Jungle Myna with their bluish bill base but unfortunately it was in a pet shop. Could the bluish color only appear during courtship, or when they are afraid or perhaps it will only shown if the birds are not hybrids? They are known to cross breed with Common Myna. 

Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum)

I didn't expect to see Oriental Pratincole at this time of the year. Alan J (2012) field guide however mentioned that there are a few resident colonies in the state of Kedah and Perlis. Could this be a resident bird then?

I saw a total 5 birds. They were mainly airborne, thanks / no thanks to Mr Brahminy Kite which was thermalling above them. Most of them were juvenile/sub adult and probably just one adult as shown below.

If you happen to bump into this bird, do come out from your car and watch them fly. Their graceful flight patterns are definitely pleasing to see.

At times they would do some preening in flight.

This swiflet is the master of airborne activities. They could do almost anything in flight, from eating to preening etc.

Oriental White-Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus)

Hardly see them in my birding trips and i think you can see Everett's white-eye (Zosterops everetti) more often than these white-eye.

Pacific Swallow

Photos were taken near some mangrove area hence the pleasing greenish background albeit with some noise texture.

On my way back, i bump into a family of Smooth-coated Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata)

The above photo was taken from inside my car about 60 m away. I decided to stop the car as i sense they are about to cross the road. The first otter probably an alpha male / patriarch was constantly looking at my direction before signaling them to cross the road.

One by one they dashed across the road as fast as they could. The young ones were accompanied closely by their parents as would by any human parents with their children. 

Once everyone were safely across, the adults lead the way into the mangroves.

"No, you go first, i will cover for you" !

Even at this young age, the behavior of "looking out for each other" in this species of otter had already embedded into them. Not sure whether this behavior had emerged thru observation from their parents or perhaps they are already in their genes. Anyway they really cute animals!

HAPPY BIRDING !

Gonocephalus robinsonii (Robinson Anglehead Lizard) - 2017

While looking for birds, i stumble upon this lizard which looks a bit like a baby dino. This is one reptile which would certainly make 'cicak man' proud because it may one day be described as one of those species of lizard which can only be found in Peninsular Malaysia. According to a review from Denzer et. al (2015) they believe that the species found in the highlands of  Peninsular Malaysia is different than other recognised species in the genus Gonocephalus. Based on chromosomal (i.e karyotyping) and molecular (i.e molecular phylogenetics using 16SrRNA sequencing) investigations, Denzer et. al (2015) have named the "new" genus as "Malayodracon robinsonii" !

However like all results from natural sciences, this finding is subject to comments and critique. Raymond T Hoser (2016) in the Australasian Journal of Herpetology (1 August 2016), had refuted the above findings not so much on its methodology but more on ethical issues. Using the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature which governed via the rules of homonym and priority, Hoser (2016) argues that Hoser (2014b) had earlier named this lizard as "Daraminagama robinsonii".

Whatever their differences are, what is more important here is that both researchers have probably found a new agamid genus! While we wait for further clarification, let us enjoy the beauty of this little dino.

Appearing just like a scene from a Hollywood movie !

At first i saw some movements inside a bush near a hill slope at about 1,628 m asl.  Thinking that it may just be a flowerpecker, i did not pay much attention to it until i saw its head. Instead of moving away from me, it inches slowly towards my direction knowing very well of my presence. Your common house lizard would probably run away upon seeing humans but not this one.

Science has described this lizard as an arboreal mountainous form of agamid lizard. From the above photo, you can clearly see its extended dewlap or some literature has described it as a large gular sac. This extended dewlap / gular sac is actually an extended skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw/neck and it is reported to functioned as territorial markers and for males to attract females.

It stopped at a tree just right in front of me.

The following are its morphological description:

                                                          * body triangular in cross-section

                                                          * no pataqia

                                                          * head is large, elongated and pointed

                                                          * bony protuberances on the occipital region

                                                          * sharp canthus rostralis and rounded superciliary edge

                                                          * tympanum exposed

                                                          * antehumeral fold presence

                                                          * transverse gular fold absent

                                                          * large gular sac

                                                          * nuchal and dorsal crest continous

                                                          * no preanal or femoral pore

                                                          source: www.reptile-base.org

Some people has described this lizard as having a beastly appearance but it was actually as accommodating as your domestic cat. In fact it was so accommodating that you can take its photos with any handphones available in the market. This docile character will makes it potentially vulnerable to poachers and collectors alike. I could have brought it back home but i believe it belongs more to the wild.

I think some days one of my photos might just appear inside this bright yellow square !

ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURES !

Appreciating Nature in Cameron Highlands - May 2017

Yup ! there were more strawberries than birds in Cameron Highlands but unlike those i have tried in lower land, these ones tasted really sweet.

It has been 22 years ago since i last set foot in this tourist land. Nothing much has change except that more hillsides were turned into agriculture lands. I stayed near the town called Brinchang which is just 9 km from Tanah Rata. Contrary to what most people have said the place is still cold especially during the night and in the early hours of the morning. The temperature then was between 16 -17 degrees.

While most people were comfortably tug inside their warm bed covers, i did what most birders would do i.e sneaking out in the early morning for birding activities. Weather was cloudy throughout the day and it rained almost every day in the evenings. Birding was done just along the road sides - recall the roadsides along Perdik or the old Gombak Road albeit with much more traffic. I could also hear the calls of Grey-throated Babbler, Stripped-throated Bulbul and Mountain Bulbul from inside this forest patch.

The first bird which i encountered and in numerous numbers were the House Swift (Apus Afinis).

 Despite their substantial numbers it was never easy to photograph them.

Only two species of swiftlets were seen during my stay. The second one as shown above was probably a Black-Nest Swiflet. It was much larger than Apus afinis  but their numbers were fewer.

The next bird seen was a raptor !

If your eyes are better than mine, you could probably see some noticeable field markings which will point it to a Black Eagle. The first feature is the paddle-shape wings and the second one to look for is its yellow legs. Unlike other raptors which often thermal high above the sky, this eagle prefers to hunt while circling silently just above the tree tops. 

The photos were taken from quite a distance and the size of this raptor is almost as huge as an Aquila.

The song uttered by this Oriental Magpie Robin was very much different than its cousins in lower land.

If you are a non-birder, you would probably won't include this myna picture. There were only two official records of its sighting in e-bird (as at this point of time) in this location. Although there are probably more unrecorded sightings of this Javan Myna over here but the more significant thing about this myna was that it has spread towards the east coast ! Although there were plenty of Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) around here but this Javan Myna was the only one seen. 

There were also a number of Pacific Swallow seen here. Here you could see Mommy had just arrived with possibly some early morning snacks.

As the sun light slips through the moody sky, things were a bit more brighter and nicer.

I have waited and waited but yet no butterflies came. So i decided to soaked into the beauty of mother nature.

I believe there was a nest inside this pine tree but i certainly do not carry any scissors or knife unlike some unscrupulous photographers to see what was this Everett White-Eye up to.

This White-Rumped Munia was seen leaving from its nest and its nestlings can be clearly heard calling from inside the nest.

Streaked Spiderhunter - the only spiderhunter which is very common in the highlands.

Did you just mentioned my name?

Enter the Dragon !

Robinson's Angle-Head Lizard

This was only the second time in my life to have encounter this lizard.

A gravity defying stunt, clap ! clap !

Upon seeing me, this squirrel tried its level best to slowly inch its way up the tree trunk by keeping its head as low and parallel as possible with the tree trunk. Well i have pretended not to have seen you as well.

 One of the most difficult bird to photograph in my opinion (IMO) was this Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker.

Despite its continuous presence, i just could not get a clean shot.

While looking for a best shot of the above Fire-breasted flowerpecker, in came this bird (below) which i initially thought it was a flycatcher .

then i thought that this could be a female Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker. Ah ! wrong again !

Field Guides described a female (Fire-breasted Flowerpecker) as having greenish-olive upperparts. This one doesn't ! So i believe it was just a juvenile male.

Although most of the birds seen were common but it was still an exciting trip through out. To wrap things up, here are some parting gifts for all of you !

There were probably enough roses for all the damsels in this town as well as the entire country.

HAPPY BIRDING !