Initially activity is low at the lighthouse of Cape Rachado. Therefore I photograph the common Germain’s Swiftlet (Aerodramus germani) and also the House Swift (Apus nipalensis). In addition to the common Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) on the migration, there are also some Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) among them. But at some point the migratory birds do appear. They are mainly – or exclusively – Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhyncus). After the first tentative attempts – whereby one of them flies already very close to the steep slope directly at eye level with the lighthouse – it is simply impressive.
As previously stated, the daily arrival of migratory birds at Tanjung Tuan in south-western Malaysia tends to vary by species, with Oriental Honey-buzzard numbers peaking around midday, followed by Black Baza (Aviceda leuphotes) and Chinese Goshawk (Accipiter soloensis) peaking later reached on the day. The Oriental Honey-buzzard are usually observed in loose swarms, which at times formed a steady stream from the direction of Sumatra. The general flight pattern of the birds is a combination of active flight and gliding or hovering over the sea, but the flight pattern consists primarily of spiraling upward once the Oriental Honey-buzzard reaches land. The latter flight behavior was probably related to the thermals, as the birds took advantage of the horizontal winds that hit the foothills and were deflected. Occasionally the birds could also be seen trying to circle over the sea using thermals. The fact that the Honey-buzzards arrived in Tanjung Tuan at lower altitudes and earlier in the day than other migratory birds may be explained by the fact that this species uses both gliding and active flight skills and is therefore not as dependent on thermals during the migration. In this they are similar to their West Asian counterpart, the Eurasian Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus). However, it should be noted that the birds’ flight altitude was positively correlated with hourly temperature, suggesting that thermals generated during the day were used to lift the birds higher and possibly aid their migration while crossing the Strait of Malacca. It has also been observed that there is a negative trend between the number of birds counted per hour and wind speed. This could indicate that strong winds are disrupting the thermals needed for bird migration. In fact, while crossing the water, I was also able to observe many birds with their beaks wide open, i.e. panting. It is also not uncommon for birds to crash into trees immediately after arriving at the lighthouse to sit down and rest, and in some cases even fall into the sea.
First the Oriental Honey-buzzard come flying in as narrow “slits” over the sea against the gray sky. Most individuals struggle in cross-country flights. As has already been described, some are so exhausted that they crash violently into trees or even go into the water. I could also observe a honey buzzard that can no longer manage the curve when landing. There’s a good crash in the branches of the trees below me. Unfortunately he cannot be seen afterwards. An exhausted Oriental Honey-buzzard panting on a tree branch up close would have been something special. But even so, it’s real action. More and more come flying over the sea, they gather over the wooded mountain top, gain altitude in the thermals and then fly higher and higher until they fly off to the east. That’s great. You just can’t really photograph it. Luckily, every now and then a single individual comes along and flies close and at eye level towards the lighthouse.
Overall, the observations suggest that birds rely, at least to some extent, on thermals to lift themselves higher while minimizing the effort required for active flight when moving over open water.
At some point around lunchtime things get a little quieter. A rest is quiet rewarded!
In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic Bird-lens.com has specifically made trips to remote places. Additionally every chance is used, if a rare bird is around the homeground. This to do everything to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic . The yield of pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. There are other nice images of birds, that you will find behind the tab “Picture Shop“. Just give a notice if you need a picture of a bird which is not online.