Langkawi Bird Watching Tour: A Wet Birding Day

Langkawi has gone through the peak of the rainy season this year a few days ago. With only little pockets of sunshine, the rest of the days were heavy rain to light drizzle and the cycle continued on for three days. This is a yearly affair for the island and it is normal. I personally look forward to this moment every year. Simply love it! This much needed rain brings the heat down and bringing Langkawi's waterfalls back to live! I have yet to visit the Temurun waterfall and maybe I should. Temurun waterfall will be at its fullest by now. This place will be crowded from tomorrow onward as it will be the public holidays together with the local school term break for a week.

We did have some rain back in August 2016 after a long dry spell. Mandy and her friends went on my birdwatching tour and they had a wet morning. They decided to carry on after an hour of waiting for the rain to slow down to drizzle. When we got to a location for the kingfisher, the rain and wind returned and we were kind of prepared for the morning shower in the outdoor.

Ted, Mandy and El were very well prepared indeed! Can you see the coconut tree behind them was swayed by the wind? My scope was not under the brolly....aargghh!!

They gracefully accepted the laws of nature and went on with the birding on high spirits. On our way to another location for the kingfisher, we did couple of stops by the wetland and reeds area. Under the shelter of our little umbrellas, they had their morning feast of Grey-Headed Swamphens running around on the bed of wet grass with the Red-Wattled Lapwings, Wood Sandpipers standing on the swamp looking pretty wet and cold and those birds dressed in whites, the Cattle and Great Egrets.

What's next for them? 

It was still drizzling a bit when we got to the intended location. I had my scope set up, the tide was still high and the entire area was blissfully quiet. Ten minutes later, someone turned on the invisible tap and the shower came down again. As there wasn't any point in getting into the car with the heavy rain, we decided to wait on. Half an hour later, the rain and wind were telling our bodies to get some hot drinks. I invited Mandy and friends for coffee at a kopitiam nearby. I packed up my scope and just a few steps before the kopitiam, something flew out of the forest. I saw Mandy was leaping in 

joy, "There is the Brown-Winged Kingfisher!" Her face was lit up with glee. Thankfully, the Brown-Winged Kingfisher perched in front of us. Yup! This is the moment all of us were patiently waiting for! 

All of them were too busy and not paying attention to me...Hahahaha

They had twenty minutes of fantastic and intimate moment with this beauty. I had my fair share of this moment too. 

When the Brown-winged had enough of us staring at it, it took off to the other side of the mangrove. Then the Collared Kingfisher appeared wanting some attention too. 

After all the excitement, we wanted to celebrate with some coffee and then the kopitiam was closing up. Oh well...never mind...the excitement has warmed us up and we continued on with the forest birds. Thank you, Brown-Winged Kingfisher! 

Patience with high spirit definitely pays off! This is the law of nature and she teaches us a lot. She cannot be demanded or to be bossed around. She will reveal her true beauty whenever she wants to.

Despite the wet morning, Mandy and her friends had a good list of birds:
1. Oriental Pied Hornbill 

2. White-Breasted Waterhen
3. Little Heron
4. White-Bellied Sea Eagle
5. Brahminy Kite
6. Spotted Dove
7. Grey-Headed Swamphen
8. Little Egret
9. Great Egret
10. Purple Heron  
11. Common Myna
12. Lesser Whistling-Duck
13. Asian Glossy Starling
14. Brown-Throated Sunbird
15. Grey Wagtail
16. Grey Heron
17. Baya Weaver
18. Common Sandpiper
19. Wood Sandpiper
20. Brown-Winged Kingfisher  
21. Collared Kingfisher
22. House Swallow
23. Barn Swallow
24. Asian Fairy Bluebird
25. Black-Headed Bulbul
26. Crested Goshawk
27. Red Wattled Lapwing
28. Yellow-Vented Bulbul
29. Cattle Egret
30. Cinnamon Bittern 

Well done all! Big applause to you guys for your enthusiasm!
Birds of langkawi brown winged kingfisher langkawi hornbill
Additional note of appreciation: El has recently posted her review on her bird watching tour here. El's review can be viewed here