Arriving at Sungkai forest reserve, Lee Yuet Wah wasted no time to arrange for them to settle down.

It was too warm to have any outdoor activity then. But the itchy eyes of the birders were uncontrollable. Headed by Lean and wife, their impatience sent them up and away into the forest reserve.  Pointing their gear skywards, detecting every movement in the branches, their effort was with a high hope of spotting lifers.

But, there were no lifers. Of course, there were some birds. There were the ‘commons’. There were the ‘seen before’. The disappointment was never meant to test anyone’s patience. Their willingness to go through the disappointment was voluntary. In fact, they enjoyed the challenge.

The magic of birding is such that seeing an ‘old’ bird is always better than seeing no bird.  The magic of birding is such that ‘a common bird’ is almost always as uncommon as a ‘new’ bird.

This is an addiction not seen with couch potatoes. Whatever disappointment there is is soon forgotten.  Fresh hope is often generated by a chat up on historic encounters. Braggarts steal the limelight many times too often. Leave behind the half-cooked ‘juniors’ yearning for want to level them. Time and again the dreadful thought of being a laggard prompts some to be on the double. This set the pace for a contest amongst themselves.

Evening fell. James displayed his culinary skill in creating such cuisine the equivalent to that meant for the V.I.P. He did it for the birders. But the meal was not good enough to displace the discomfort caused by the shortage of water for bathing. Some guys had to be contended with a simple mopping before retiring. 

Morning was breaking. The birds were chirping. It would have been a cardinal sin to sleep on. Up they went, breaking their own speed record, into the forest again. Scanning the branches and the bushes, their unwavering intention was uniform. The hope for a lifer urged them on. It was hard work indeed.

Soon, they were rewarded with a consolation  --- a ‘seen before’. 

It perched on a branch facing the morning sun fluffing its feathers intermittently as if to show off its beauty. It was oblivious of the surrounding. It was keeping itself to itself minding its own business. A hundred feet or so below, were nine guys with spotting gear cast at a single spot.  Galvanized by this sudden rush of Adrenaline, they were not about to miss this! Scanning its body from head downwards, they scrutinized every spot of it.

“It’s yawning. I saw it. It must be sleepy, I’m sure it’s sleepy!” a familiar voice burst out with absolute certainty.

There was a sudden silence.

Lean sprang into action. He tuned his scope and began to click. With eyes firmly glued to the digital camera waiting patiently for a special pose, he clicked on. To his heart’s content, he must have clicked.

“It’s frowning at us. It’s angry with us. I saw it. I’m sure it’s angry”. The same euphoric voice was almost schizophrenic!

There was silence --- eight smiles of silence --- some cynical, some sardonic.

“What eagle is that?” the whisper was barely audible.
“Sleepy eagle of course!” was the reply.
(Webmaster note: From pictures emailed by Lean, this was identified as a Rufous-bellied Eagle.)

That bird was very cooperative. It stood there. The razor sharp eyes were piercing and penetrating.   The every turn of the head was decisive. Such a majestic pose could only be seen in a bird of prey.    Such a majestic grace could only be displayed by an eagle. The regal posture was in the highest order among the animal kingdom. What a magnificent sight it was. All befitting the indisputable - king of the sky.   The fearless and the feared, for a moment, was almost being reduced to that of a sleepy, wretched soul. 

Soon, it was over. It disappeared beyond the horizon. Left behind a memory, the memory of its kin; recognized as a symbol of the mightiest nation on earth. 

What an experience it was. It was this kind of experience that had the bird watchers trapped in. There was more for the Leans. They had it recorded in their digital camera. They can now enjoy the privilege of reviewing this majestic king of the many skies in the cozy environment of their own home.