POST COVID 19 BIRDING

 Hi all birders, hope you are all safe.

It has been a while since i last went birding, i think it was 16th March 2020, two days before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced throughout Malaysia due to the spread of Covid19 virus. Nothing much we all could do since the whole world is dealing with this pandemic still. Even before that i personally was struggling with an issue of blurry vision due to cataract in both eyes, to the point i almost gave up birding and was thinking of selling off my gear. However, i decided to go for the eye laser treatment in July to remove the cataract, and whala!..the whole world looks crystal clear again, 20/20 vision...i could spot the birds in the tree canopies and bushes again. I feel like i was reborn.

So, last Sunday (30/8/20) i went to my regular spot, Fraser's Hill to reconnect with my favorite pastime - birding and a bit of car camping. Boy, was i surprised! The last portion of the road up to the hill was jammed with cars, the whole place was packed with visitors! Never happened before, but not unexpected since we were celebrating Malaysia Independence Day on 31st August. I was telling myself there was no way i could do any birding in peace! Hell, i could not even find a parking spot until later during the day.

Something i noticed even a few months before MCO, the number of birds up in the Fraser's Hill not what it used to be a few years back, i am not sure what are the main reasons. However, i managed to photograph one of my favorite species on Fraser's Hill, a Grey Wagtail visiting his favorite drinking spot - a small stream going into a culvert.

Initially, i could not photograph it because it was very jumpy, he would fly away at the first sight of me, even though i  approached the spot with caution, but after a few tries he stayed long enough for a few shots. The thing with Grey Wagtail is it is a bird with a habit, he will keep visiting his favourite spots a few times a day and most of the time the spots are near water source like streams, waterfalls, drains, culverts etc.

I went birding this time looking for one species that has eluded me for so long - Rusty Pitta. The jungle clearing used to be near the parking lot close to the paddock, where it was spotted by so many has gone, filled with thick bushes. MCO gives nature time to heal, with less human activities. Well, maybe next time, and i have to find it elsewhere.

Until then, happy birding and be safe.