Of Openbill invasion and season changes...

Somewhere in the world known as Kampung Permatang Nibong, Permatang Pauh in Mainland Penang known as Province Wellesley during the day the great-grandfather serve as translator to Cheeseman....

The harvesting season had just begin

This year, it seem that the harvesting season in Permatang Pauh paddyfield begin in early August, and the season will last until early September - just ideal for paddy harvester chaser migrant such as herons and raptor - but I don't expect much Aquila's this year as it happen to be a late migrant.

muddy patch within paddy plot attract wader

After harvest, the remaining paddy straw will be burn down before the first plough - the gap within the burning process to the first plough is the best time to see 'in-land' wader, rail, crake and quail, the latter is the uncommon resident. After both burning and first plough, the paddy plot will turn out to be large mud field - during this time, some wader that use to feed in the coastal area such as golden plover, curlew sandpiper and in uncommon event small group of greenshank do visit this area when hightide.

Recently, huge flocks of Openbill had been seen in numerous location in west coast of Peninsular Malaysia - Most of the location where this bird had been seen share a same trait, most of them are paddyfield or wet plantation.

The so called new Openbill roost - this site - the mango tree island should be known for those familiar with Permatang Nibong - Kubang Semang - Permatang Pauh paddyfield complex

The first Openbill I saw after 2 years...

Although this paddyfield complex is the location where this species sighted in a number more than one, the number of openbill encounter during the dusk before this photo taken just 11 and I count about 16 in the morning. The 'new comer' bird use to be more curious and well aware on human presence - they took off in a range about 50m. The Openbill visiting this area in 2010/2011use to be more timid and approachable in distance about 15-20m.

The lazy flock - maybe these three stork is the last to left the roost

......

Spring Migration pt 2 6/4/2012

The number of passage migrant and winter visitor in my area were still a lot although the migrating season close to the end. Today I'd seen more migrant birds compare to the part 1, this including all 3 pond-herons that present in my area.

The ricefield look alive with some migratory bird still present

Chinese Pond Herons are among them

A comparison of a Javan Pond-Heron and a pond heron with no breeding plumage

Today the bird appear: Indian Pond Heron - thus this season I seen all three pond herons species in my area

Beside pond-herons, there are some other migrant present in the surrounding ricefield area:

The Black-winged Stilt were still around, despite the number decreasing slightly from 2 to 3 hundred birds in peak season (November-December) to 10 to 20 birds at the end of season

Common Stonechat : the bird I been search in the past few months - this season found when it approaching to the end.

Blue-tailed Bee-Eater - A total of 26 birds were seen today

Blue-throated Bee-Eater - only 3 bird seen today

Some of resident birds seen around the ricefield:

Yellow Bittern 

Baya Weaver - the bird with nice nest. 

Black Crown Night Heron - this is one of the few individual which not obtain the breeding plumage yet.

Some other attractive birds that present in the area today are Rusty-rump Warbler and Sand/Pale Martin. However no good photo of those bird could be post.

Next on B.O.B : Air Itam Dalam

Spring Migration pt 1 31/3/2012

The Aquila eagles in my area were already left ( I haven't seen them since coming back from Tanjung Tuan). However, the other winter visitors were there. The main attraction at the end of March to May is the Pond-herons. During this time of year, you can differentiate the pond herons to three species namely Chinese, Javan and Indian Pond Heron. For the last two season all three pond herons had been seen in my birding playground.

Chinese Pond Heron - The commonest pond heron to be seen in my area, in Malaysia indeed

Javan Pond Heron - Uncommon bird, the number seem increasing year by year. This is my favourite pond heron, they are very nice in a full breeding plumage.

The second Javan Pond Heron of the day

No Indian Pond Heron for now. Maybe it would appear after few weeks, in my observation for the last 2 season, Indian Pond Heron is the last pond heron to show their breeding plumage. Hope to capture all 3 pond  heron in a frame like Mun (http://penangbirder.blogspot.com/) did before.

Beside pond heron, there are some birds which show up their breeding plumage at this time of year:

Cattle Egret - Most bird had transform into their breeding plumage

The comparison between bird in breeding and non-breeding plumage Cattle Egret

Some bird movement also can be seen in my area, bird that fly toward north direction such as raptors and bee-eater were often seen during this time.

Blue-throated Bee-Eater - one of the bird you can get easily during this time

For now....on this post

Permatang Pauh ricefield 8/1/2012

I went to my playground as usual and today I decide to do the full-scale birding for this area. I start birding from Permatang Nibong ricefield covering the whole Permatang Pauh ricefield area up to Air Itam Dalam.

The ricefields in this area generally in a fruiting stage and the ricefield surrounding Air Itam Dalam area already ripen. The harvester machine already operating at the ricefield area situated north of Air Itam Dalam.

Fruiting ricefield in Permatang Nibong area.

I head straight to the area so called 'Openbill pond' first in the morning. Although the Openbill were last seen in October by Mun and Mr Hum (And no one saw the Openbill since then), the area is worth to visit because a lot of birds present there.

Oriental Reed Warbler - regular winter visitor

Yellow-bellied Prinia - Common resident bird

Pied Fantail - forage in the undergrowth

Then I went to some ricefield block that loosely planted with paddy ( which attract wader), there were Wood Sandpiper, Long-toed Stint, Grey-headed Lapwing, Black-winged Stilt and...

2 Common Snipe - I notice that during the early stage of paddy planting, Snipes (Common, Swinhoe and pintail)  tend to forage in non-paddy vegetation instead inside of inside ricefield. When the paddy growing up, and more water flooded into the field, the snipes were seen more frequently inside the ricefield.

The next place is the Aquila Eagle pylon area, where two Imperial Eagle and a Greater Spotted Eagle were seen today. In addition, a sub-adult female Pied Harrier is also present - the first harrier seen in this locality so far during this wintering season - harriers are among frequently seen migrating raptor in past two season

The adult Imperial Eagle on its perch...

While juvenile up in the sky, foraging

The adult make a move after the juvenile capture the first prey

After observing the Aquila eagles action, I move to Air Itam Dalam and the ricefield surrounding expecting to see more harrier, however no harrier present in that locality but a paddy harvester is operating nearby, good sign for raptor.

Black-shouldered Kite - This pair will have chick soon...

Crested Serpent Eagle - at least 4 individual were seen today

Regular paddy harvester chaser - Black Kite, this bird usually kleptoparasiting egrets before been chased by crow.

Black Kite is the most common migrating raptor seen when harvesting season started in this area - 9 birds were seen today.

For now on this post. Cheers.

Sungai Prai basin's Ricefileds, 7/12/2011

Sungai Prai, main river that flow in the middle of the mainland Penang is the main catchment for ricefield  in Permatang Pauh. The Sungai Prai rivermouth located at Prai and the basin extended to Sungai Ular in Kulim, Kedah.

Most of area that bound near the estuary of Sungai Prai had developed as urban area, leaving some agriculture and swampy forest area in the middle and upper reach. Along Sungai Prai basin, Air Itam Dalam is one of reserve area that charted by Forestry Department of Malaysia.

Map show  the upper and middle reach of Sungai Prai basin and ricefields bound inside this basin.

In term of birds, ricefield bound within Sungai Perai basin is famous with the Greater-spotted Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Asian Openbill and Black-winged Stilt which can be the keystone species for this ricefield area. Some rare migrant/vagrant birds such as Ruff, Black-head Ibis, Temminck Stint and Baillon's Crake also had been recorded here.The Air Itam Dalam forest is the important habitat to Mangrove Pitta, Ruddy Kingfisher and Laced Woodpecker beside being roosting area for migrating Black/Black-eared Kite.

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On Tuesday, 7 December 2012 I went out to my locality the Permatang Nibong and Kubang Semang ricefield to see what birds present. By this time, the ricefield is green with the paddy plant which generally extend one feet high and will fruiting in less than one month time.

A Black Drongo perch on a pole with fertilizer bag - the pole is a new kind of 'scarecrow' that used by farmer nowaday.

After wandering about one and a half hour around the ricefield area, I went to the adjacent aquaculture pond which known as Openbill pond to check for Openbill which is missing since I'd arrive in Penang and other birds that present in that area.

A couple of Pink-necked Green Pigeon

One took off leaving one alone

Pink-necked Green Pigeon are numerous in this area which, unfortunately, attract a lot of village folks to hunt for them. Methods usually used by them is mist netting that involving harassing the bird including using firecracker to make sure the birds flew to the net. 

Oriental Reed Warbler - Common migrant in this area, here you can get a good chances to observe this bird

Beside Oriental Reed Warbler, other warblers that recorded in this area including Black-browed Reed Warbler, Rusty-rumped Warbler, Arctic Warbler and Dusky Warbler.

Wader of the day:

Pacific Golden Plover - Finally it found some space in this area suitable for foraging

Not it - It was they, a total of 47 individual seen in three loosely planted paddy plots near the Openbill pond

Golden Plover is one of wader species that frequently visit this ricefield area. Since most of the paddy plot present were either packed with high paddy plant or flooded by water, I think this species may switch their foraging area. Yes, they switch, but in different place within the same area.

A flock of Munias consisting Scaly-breasted Munia and White-rumped Munia seen foraging near the Golden plover's paddy plot, with 2 Crested Serpent Eagle and an adult Greater Spotted Eagle flew overhead is the final scene of the morning before I decided to move to other area. 

Two Scaly-breasted Munia in their feeding action

Later, I decide to go to Guar Jering / Guar Petai area to observe what occuring there since I'm not visiting that area since I came back to Penang. This area located close to Air Itam Dalam and consisting mixture of ricefield, rubber plantation and swampy forest - sound interesting place to visit.

Once I reach there, I was greet by a Honey Buzzard - good sign

Oriental Honey Buzzard - The first individual seen in this time of year, usually it only seen by mid-October to early November, on migration. This individual seen foraging in that area, two possibilities, late passage migrant or winter visitor.

When I wonder deep to the ricefield area, I was shocked by a large raptor, flying low from a paddy plot to a low perched, I went to approach the bird and it turn to be...

An Aquila Eagle

The perched located too close to the bund road - A motorbike ride past it, then it took off, giving chance for me to obtain the flight shot of this large raptor

I let the large raptor go, after a good more than 15 minutes observation and spotted the other perch this large raptor took to give way for the smallest raptor in this area

Black-thigh Falconet

The smallest raptor in Peninsular Malaysia indeed

I move to Air Itam Dalam as I saw few Black Kite thermalling over the area, the Guar Jering ricefield only separated by the main river to Air Itam Dalam. While I'm approaching the circling bird I saw a Black Kite perched on a tree.

Black / Black-eared Kite - Common migrant raptor in Air Itam Dalam

Air Itam Dalam is one of the known roost for Black Kite in northern west-coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Up to 60 Black Kites had been counted on this site, however for this visit only 7 individual seen in that particular area (4 birds seen circling with 1 Brahminy Kite and 2 Crested Serpent Eagle, 2 seen on perch; preening).

At 1300, the activities of the raptor seem to decrease and after had a quick stop at nearby stall to quench my thirst, I went back to Kubang Semang to see is there anything make stop at the pylon in the middle of ricefield.

Yes, there are birds perch on the pylon:

Two Imperial Eagles perched on the pylon - on top is an adult, below is the sub-adult (Third different plumage of this species recorded in this area for this year)

Later, one White-bellied Sea Eagle join the pair:

Three large raptor on a pylon.

Later the adult took off leaving the immature and White-bellied Sea Eagle

After more than 15 minutes all the raptors move, the adult imperial eagle flew to east direction, the immature flew to northwest and the White-bellied Sea Eagle flew and circling above that area. 

Satisfied with more than 50 bird species seen and with an appointment waiting me I head west with my motorbike...

Until next post...