"Weng Chun is a knowledgeable and energetic birder who worked tirelessly for seven days to get us on the birds. With well over 200 birds seen and heard, we were not disappointed. He knows the birds, the calls, and the locations very well, and he got us comfortably and efficiently from one spot to the next. Malaysia is a stellar location for tropical birding, and Weng Chun is an excellent guide and birding companion. Highly recommended." - Cliff
This is indeed another amazing trip for me guiding 3 very knowledgeable birders (Cliff, Alex and Mike) from USA. Each of them carries a camera and a binocular. Cliff has an additional equipment, a video cam.
Day 1: As soon as we leave the airport, they were already looking out the car window for birds - typical birds around the airport and the along the road include Eurasian Tree Sparrow, House Crow, Pacific Swallow, Javan Myna and Common Myna. We stopped by a rest area along the highway where we spotted egrets and herons, starlings and doves. Next, we made a quick stop at an open field for additional species and exceptional close encounter with a Ruby-cheeked Sunbird. Before ascending highway 55, we added shrike, oriole, bee-eater, and lapwing into our list. On the way up, we had Chestnut-naped Forktail. Our other highlights for today include but not limited to Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Purple Heron, Red-wattled Lapwing, Mountain Scops Owl, House Swift, White-throated Kingfisher, White-breasted Waterhen, Germain's Swiftlet, Pacific Swallow, Rufous-bellied Swallow, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Long-tailed Shrike, Black-naped Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Black-crested Bulbul, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Rufous-crowned Babbler, Black Laughingthrush, Striped Tit Babbler, Common Myna, Javan Myna, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Asian Glossy Starling and Oriental Magpie Robin.
Day 2: We started the day early and continue to bird the entire day until night. During mid-day we were hit by a bird wave....incredible mixed species!!!! We have covered most of the targets up at the hill station which include Malayan Whistling Thrush, Fire-tufted Barbet, Little Cuckoo Dove, House Swift, Red-headed Trogon, Black-browed Barbet, Bay Woodpecker, Large Cuckooshrike, Grey-chinned Minivet, Black-and-Crimson Oriole, Common Green Magpie, Pacific Swallow, Rufous-bellied Swallow, Ochraceous Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Mountain Tailorbird, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Buff-breasted Babbler, Streaked Wren-babbler, Pygmy Cupwing (Wren-babbler), Spectacled Laughingthrush, Malayan Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, White-browed Shrike-babbler, Blue-winged Minla, Mountain Fulvetta, Long-tailed Sibia, Everett's White-eye, Asian Glossy Starling, Oriental Magpie Robin, White-tailed Robin, Slaty-backed Forktail, Little Pied Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Black-throated Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter, Malayan Partridge, Emerald Dove, and a call of Rusty-naped Pitta!
Stumbled upon a small group of local photographers. Here Cliff pointed out a Black-and-Crimson Oriole
Cliff found a Giant Forest Milipede
After a long wait, when everyone else have left the site, we were (quite) reluctant to move away from our position. Our persistent pays off, and we got 3 partridges.
Day 3: Again, we started the day early, well much earlier than yesterday. We made full use of the available time - day and night. We also walked along the Old Road - 2km down from Upper Gate. There were some species which we saw the days before but we managed to add Brown Wood Owl, Orange-backed Woodpecker, Lesser Yellownape, Grey-throated Babbler, Black-eared Shrike-babbler, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Golden Babbler and White-throated Fantail.
Brown Wood Owl
Day 4: Our final day in the highland, so we went "hunting" at a lower elevation which proves to be a successful session and of course, we also spent time early in the morning. At one point, Cliff shouted STOP STOP STOP when we were travelling downhill. We had fantastic view of a Crested Serpent Eagle. Our additional birds from this highland include Banded Kingfisher, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Yellow-crowned Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet, Gold-whiskered Barbet (heard only), Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Cinereous Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, White-bellied Erpornis and Orange-breasted Trogon. Driving towards the world's oldest rainforest, we added Black Hornbill (1 pair and the male almost hit our windscreen) and we also got a better look at a Gold-whiskered Barbet. At night, we did a nightwalk along the forest boardwalk with other interest in mind - snakes and frogs.
We were walking along the road and suddenly all of us spotted a bird perching quietly on a horizontal branch.....
Why we stopped here? in the middle of nowhere? actually we were on the way to Taman Negara when everyone shouted turtle!!!
Admiring at the Asian Box Turtle
Possibly a Malayan Bridle Snake
Forest Scorpion
Day 5: Today, we have Sabri to walk with us along the boardwalk. We walked uphill and downhill, lots of steps along the boardwalk....sweat alot under the hot and humid condition of the rainforest. Our highlights for today include Black-and-Red Broadbill, Black-and-Yellow Broadbill, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, White-bellied Woodpecker, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Silver-rumped Needletail, Sunda Scops Owl, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Bulbul, Abbott's Babbler, Sooty-capped Babbler, Green Broadbill, Maroon Woodpecker, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher and Purple-naped Sunbird.
White-bellied Woodpecker
Day 6: Another great birding day starting from morning until night. A boat ride rewarded us with new species to be added into our growing list and we even walked the boardwalk (AGAIN!!! because none of us feel tired at all). Some of the new species we had today include Barred Buttonquail (good spotting Mike!), Large Green Pigeon, Black-bellied Malkoha, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Reddish Scops Owl (heard only), Buffy Fish Owl, Large-tailed Nightjar, Diard's Trogon, Red-naped Trogon, Blue-banded Kingfisher, Rufous-backed Kingfisher (heard only along the small stream), Oriental Pied Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Helmeted Hornbill (heard only), Banded Woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike, Straw-headed Bulbul, Ashy Tailorbird, Ferruginous Babbler, Moustached Babbler, Grey-headed Babbler (heard only), Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler, Black-throated Babbler, White-chested Babbler, Chestnut-winged Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Lesser Fish Eagle, Grey-breasted Spiderhunter and call of Great Argus.
Day 7: In the morning, we went straight to the hide, hoping to add more species into our list. And yes, we did it! After breakfast, we check-out from the resort and before we leave Kuala Tahan, we managed to add Blue-rumped Parrot, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Dollarbird and Asian Palm Swift. Along the way, we had a few raptors - Crested Goshawk perching next to a Crested Serpent Eagle. And then, there was a pale morph Changeable Hawk-eagle as well as a dark morph Changeable Hawk-eagle. Today is our last day birding together and my pal, Adam is suppose to send the 3 gentlemen to Kuala Selangor. Our meeting point is a lowland forest between Taman Negara and Kuala Lumpur. Upon arrival, we wasted no time and continue birding before the rain finally ended our trip. In a span of few hours here, we added few more flowerpeckers, babblers, and probably the last species (Cinnamon-rumped) needed to complete the Trogon series for Peninsular Malaysia.
Blue-rumped Parrot
