Since 2008, i have been guiding Siewlin during her several birding visits to Peninsular Malaysia and it has always been a wonderful experience. This time is no exception however we covered different habitats and areas.
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6 Days Birding 5-10 Sep 2022
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
2 Days Birding 28-29 Aug 2022
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
A last minute arrangement with Sudip for a trip to catch up with a pair of Blue-banded Kingfisher in Hulu Langat. It has been a long time since our previous trip before the pandemic. It is always nice to meet my guest again for another round of birding.
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5 Days Birding 18-22 Aug 2022
Monday, August 22, 2022
Another birding adventure with Dr Kuan. As usual, I was given a list of targets and I planned the itinerary according to his target species. For this trip, we covered Kuala Selangor, Fraser's Hill, Bukit Tinggi and Hulu Langat. This is a standard route for birding that I have enjoyed since 15 years ago.
5 Days Birding 11-15 Aug 2022
Monday, August 15, 2022
Just concluded another standard tour covering Genting Highlands, Fraser's Hill and Hulu Langat. Another trip with birders from Singapore.
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The trip started with a Buff-necked Woodpecker and a male Banded Kingfisher (awesome!) and end with a Black-and-yellow Broadbill.
"Weng Chun: thanks for your excellent guiding for this birding trip. Also appreciate your good memory for the birds/species seen in every day 😃👍🙏👏👋. Thanks for your professionalism 😃🙏👏👋"
" Thanks Weng Chun for your excellent guiding. Appreciate your efforts in seeking out as many birds for us to add to our Lifers' list. Is a great birding experience for me. Thank you.😊"
3 Days Birding 2-4 Aug 2022 with extension
A wonderful time with this group of 5 from Singapore.
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"Weng Chun, I am writing on behalf of our birding group comprising Yong Wah, Daw, Jim, Basil and I to say a big THANK YOU to you again for organizing a very productive, exciting, exhilarating and enjoyable birding field trip in Fraser’s Hill. Not only did we sighted more than 50 different species ( including those in Congkak ) , we shot all the iconic birds that we went for. We would have been more than satified if we have not shot the other trophy birds. It would not have been possible without your invaluable help in locating them and profound knowledge of the birds. We also appreciate your meticulous attention to details, and care and concern for a safe and pleasant ‘escapade’. You were a professional and we would not hesitate to recommend you to other birders, and to engage you in future birding trips in Peninsular Malaysia. We are unanimous in rating your services as ‘Excellent’ 👍🏻😀 With all good wishes, till we meet again." - Soon Hock
A 2020 postponed tour 30-31 Jul 2022
Finally I get to meet Artur and Felipe after corresponding with them few years ago. Artur is a very supportive father while Felipe, inmy opinion will be one great birder in the near future.
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Our trip was a short but fruitful one and we spent our 2 days up in Fraser's Hill.
5 Days Birding 18-22 Jul 22
Friday, July 22, 2022
For the past 5 days, I was again out in the field guiding 4 birders from Singapore. We explored Fraser's Hill, Genting Highlands and the forest of Hulu Langat. This is another good trip with good weather. We only had heavy thunder storm at the end of the trip.
Here are the testimonials from the group.
"Thanks to Weng Chun for his expertise. I am so astonished by his skill and knowledge on birds. He worked tiredlessly to make sure we can get as many lifers as possible." - John
"Dear Weng Chun, thank you for a very well organised and enjoyable trip and working so hard to give us our lifers of the beautiful birds of Malaysia! Appreciate it ☺️" - Lilian
"Hi Weng Chun, thank you very very much for guiding us in the trip 18-22/7.
Your hard work and enthusiasm in spotting the rare birds really made our trip fruitful, enjoyable and easy though tiring! I really marvel at your ability to spot the presence of any bird with the slightest of sound n movement, and the expertise in identifying them at once without even seeing !! To you, calling them down is as easy as calling your children over !! Hope to learn 10% of your skill in next trip !! Once again thank you very very much." - Mr Ng
"Thank you Weng Chun for my maiden birding trip. It has been a ‘eye popping ‘, rewarding and enjoyable one, full of laughters , adrenaline rush , tiring but a happy and memorable one. A big 🙏😁" - Cheryl
Here is list of species photographed (numbered) and sighted:
1. Black-thighed Falconet
2. Gold-whiskered Barbet
Spotted Dove
Javan Myna
White-throated Kingfisher
Asian Glossy Starling
Purple Heron
3. Black-and-yellow Broadbill
4. Red-bearded Bee-eater
5. Spectacled Bulbul
6. Grey-bellied Bulbul
7. Black-crested Bulbul
8. Yellow-bellied Warbler
9. Sultan Tit
10. Scarlet Minivet
11. Streaked Spiderhunter
12. Black-throated Sunbird
13.Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
14. Malayan Laughingthrush
15. Rufous-browed Flycatcher
16. Malayan Partridge
17. Mountain Bulbul
18. Blue-winged Minla
19. Silver-eared Mesia
20. Large Cuckooshrike
21. Long-tailed Sibia
22. Fire-tufted Barbet
23. Black-and-crimson Oriole
Oriental Magpie Robin
Grey-throated Babbler
24. Mountain Imperial Pigeon
25. Black-browed Barbet
Little Cuckoo-dove
26. Orange-bellied Leafbird
27. White-rumped Munia
28. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Black-crested Bulbul
29. Red-headed Trogon
30. Large Niltava
31. Buff-breasted Babbler
32. Oriental Magpie Robin
33. Mountain Fulvetta
34. Slaty-backed Forktail
35. Grey-chinned Minivet
Silver-eared Mesia
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Malayan Laughingthrush
Long-tailed Sibia
36. Lesser Yellownape
Mountain Bulbul
Black-throated Sunbird
Streaked Spiderhunter
Common Green Magpie
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Long-tailed Broadbill
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo
Black-and-crimson Oriole
37. Rufous-bellied Eagle
38. Plume-toed Swiftlet
Little Cuckoo-dove
Black-browed Barbet
39. Red-throated Barbet
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-winged Minla
Sultan Tit
Orange-bellied Leafbird
White-bellied Erpornis
40. Rufescent Prinia
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
41. Black Laughingthrush
42. Brown Wood Owl
Fire-tufted Barbet
Black-browed Barbet
Long-tailed Sibia
Red-headed Trogon
Mountain Fulvetta
43. Mountain Imperial Pigeon
44. White-tailed Robin
Slaty-backed Forktail
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Black-throated Sunbird
White-bellied Erpornis
Grey-chinned Minivet
45. Black-eared Shrike-babbler
46. Golden Babbler
Buff-breasted Babbler
Streaked Spiderhunter
Mountain Bulbul
Black-crested Bulbul
47. Cinereous Bulbul
48. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
49. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
50. Verditer Flycatcher
51. Black-headed Bulbul
52. Banded Broadbill
53. Brown-throated Sunbird
Red-throated Sunbird
54. Red-eyed Bulbul
Pin Striped Tit-babbler
Plain Sunbird
Purple-naped Spiderhunter
55. Grey-bellied Bulbul
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
56. Stripe-throated Bulbul
Slaty-backed Forktail
57. Chestnut-tailed Minla
Little Cuckoo-dove
Large Niltava
58. Mountain Leaf Warbler
59. Mountain Tailorbird
Malayan Laughingthrush
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Black-throated Sunbird
Streaked Spiderhunter
60. Golden-throated Barbet
61. Yellow-breasted Warbler
62. Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Temminck's Sunbird
Buff-vented Bulbul
63. Buff-necked Woodpecker
Scaly-breasted Bulbul
64. Raffles's Malkoha
65. Rufous-collared Kingfisher
66. Scarlet-rumped Trogon
67. Black-and-red Broadbill
68. Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher
69. Silver-breasted Broadbill
70. White-chested Babbler
71. Sooty Barbet
Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
72. Spectacled Bulbul
Red-eyed Bulbul
73. Black-capped Babbler
74. Dark-throated Oriole
Asian Fairy Bluebird
Buff-necked Woodpecker
75. Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Chestnut-winged Babbler
76. Purple-naped Spiderhunter
Green Iora
77. Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Rufescent Prinia
78. Rufous Piculet
Grey-breasted Spiderhunter
Mammals / Other Wildlife:
Long-tailed Macaque
1. Pig-tailed Macaque
2. Himalayan Striped Squirrel
3. Grey-bellied Squirrel
4. Dusky Langur
5. White-thighed Surili
5 Days Birding 9-13 Jul 22
This trip follows the same standard itinerary as the previous trips for most of my guests from Singapore. It covers Fraser's Hill, Genting Highlands and Hulu Langat forest.
"Weng Chun, Thanks very much for an enriching and enjoyable birding/photography experience. Really appreciate your hardwork and helpfulness." - Carole
5 Days Birding 3-7 Jul 22
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Initially it was suppose to be a highland birding trip but on the last day, my guests agreed to spend a few hours in the lowland forest.
Sunrise in Fraser's Hill
Revisit Sabah 24-30 Jun 22
Sunday, July 3, 2022
It was a privilege to be back in Sabah. My last visit was last year and since I am more focus in Peninsular Malaysia, I never really had the opportunity to plan my own birding holiday to visit Sabah or even Sarawak. My guest for this trip insist that I follow him on this trip, although he can just go directly to the local guide but I guess this trip will make him more comfortable and get to know the local guide.
Despite my hectic schedule, I managed to allocate 1 week to accompany my guest to this wonderful forest. No network signal? No problem. It is not always we can be connected to the natural world but at the same time disconnected with the urban world.
Day 1. We took a early flight out from KLIA and landed in KK. Met the local guide, Calvin in front of the airport. After a quick lunch, we covered a few local birding spots. Weather wasn't perfect but we had to made do with whatever we can get for this afternoon. After dinner, we headed to the hotel and rest for the night.
Day 2. Calvin picked us up from the hotel before sunrise and we arrived at our birding spot just in time for a taste of birding in the highlands of Sabah. A great selection of local species which include Bornean Treepie, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, Indigo Flycatcher, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Crimson-headed Partridge, Red-breasted Partridge, Sunda Bush Warbler and much more. Moving on to another forest at 1,200m above sea level, we went into a birding hide - hoping to get the Bulwer's Pheasant. No luck for today.
Day 3. Wonderful day! We finally got the Bulwer's Pheasant but dipped on Bornean Banded Pitta and Crested Partridge.
Day 4. It was a great morning session which we bagged the Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler, Brown Fulvetta, Spotted Fantail, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Ashy Drongo, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, and a lot more. We nailed the Bulwer's Pheasant again and after changing several locations, we finally got our targeted Bornean Banded Pitta in the afternoon.
Day 5. In the morning, we went to try for the Crested Partridge. Still no luck. We check-out from the camp by mid-day and Calvin dropped us off at Kundasang.
Day 6. I have made arrangement with a local resort owner, Mr Kang and he sent us to Kinabalu Park where we met Andrew, one of the most experienced bird guide in Sabah. He was with us the whole day and helped us to get our 2 main targets - Whitehead's Trogon and Whitehead's Broadbill along with several other species. But the bonus for us would be a Fruit-hunter.
Day 7. We got Mr Kang to sent us to KK where we met Calvin again. Calvin tried for the Hooded Pitta again. By noon, we call it a day and went to the restaurant to get our lunch before taking our flight back to KL.
Birding Fraser's Hill 13-15 Jun 2022
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
"It was our maiden trip to Frasers hill and we decided to employ the services of Weng Chun for three days of birding. We were expecting our guide to bring us to the various locations where the birds could appear and maybe explain a bit about the birds in Frasers. What we got instead was an amazingly well planned, customised and professional experience from our guide Weng Chun. Not only was he knowledgeable about the birds, he was relentless and determined to seek out the target birds we had requested to see. He made every effort to ensure that we are able to see the birds and 'shoot' them in good positions. He really went the extra mile and wasn't a time watcher at all. We were birding as early as 630am and even as late as 930pm. You can really feel his enthusiasm and passion as a guide and this energy is really infectious. He is also very mindful of our safety and security and made very good recommendations for food and accommodations. It was really top notch service and experience in our three and a half days of birding with Weng Chun. You will not go wrong choosing him as your guide and please book early as his schedule is really full and always fully booked months ahead. 😁 " - Kelvin
"I am not a birder nor a photographer. I m a mother supporting my son's birding passion. Despite my non-interest in birds, the birding trip with Weng Chun had been an awesome experience ! He was patient with my son's many questions and helped him fulfil his wishlist of birds. This is the start of more birding trips in Malaysia and Weng Chun is definitely our go to guide !!" - Aileen
"108 species, 85 lifers and 12 out of 15 targets ticked off the list. This would not have been possible if not for Weng Chun's amazing knowledge of the birds in Fraser Hill. He brought us to specific spots and tried his best to find target birds. His extensive experience of knowledge and bird calls helped us gain many lifers and also taught me the many different vocalizations of Fraser Hill's avifauna. When I was unable to get a photograph of a Red Bearded Bee Eater because I was distracted by an Orange Breasted Trogon. Weng Chun tried relentlessly at many spots to find the Bee Eater and just before the end of our trip due to his passion and determination we were able to photograph it in the end! His wonderful guidance and passion has sparked my interest even more and expanded my spectrum of birds to Malaysia! If we ever go birding in Malaysia, Weng Chun will be the first choice!" - Kaeden
5 Days Birding 6-10 Jun 2022
Testimonial:
We went on a 5 day bird-photography trip in Fraser Hill, Genting and Hulu Langat with Weng Chun. Before the start of the trip, there was good communication about what to expect from the trip including what we need to bring and what types of birds we may encounter in the different regions. On the day of arrival, he was already waiting for us at the airport as our plane touched down – and he always punctual and professional. Our birding experience start even en-route to the hotel, as he made stops to look for birds at the different locales along the way. His knowledge of the local birds is amazing, as he recognises the different bird calls and knows when these birds are in the vicinity. He takes special efforts to ensure we are able to see the birds and even find good positions for us to photograph them.
His enthusiasm is infectious and though we were out from wee hours of the morning to late in the evening, we are ready to go with him again the next day! He also has a good sensing of the weather conditions in the mountains. Even though we encountered rainy spells he was able to make the best use of available light whenever the rain stops. We also enjoyed good food and durians in between looking for birds – all in all a great experience!
Indeed we are very fortunate to have Weng Chun give us a great introduction to joy of bird photography in the highlands of Fraser Hill and Genting as well as the lowland rain forest of Hulu Langat. - Jin Wei
5 Days Birding 27-31 May 2022
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Testimonial:
How not to have a professional guide in Cheong Weng Chun at Fraser’s Hill when he co-wrote this chapter in the “125 Best Birdwatching Sites in SEA”. Such a joy and pleasure to have seen Weng Chun working tirelessly, making sure we were able to see as many lifers as possible.Combined with the fantastic and mouth watering eating places he brought us to, this surely was a most delightful and pleasurable overseas birding trip for a first timer like me. - Bernard
It was a real pleasure to have Cheong Weng Chun as our guide in our recent birding trip to Fraser’s Hill, Genting Highlands and Hulu Langat. Weng Chun is a wonderful spotter and lovely man; he worked very hard to ensure we saw as many birds as possible and was very good at pointing out their exact position. Weng Chun is very patient and has certainly whetted our appetite to return to do more birding in Malaysia. I highly recommend Weng Chun as your guide, for an unforgettable birding experience. - Joyce
When going on a birding trip, you can only rely on what you can control. Birds don’t always do what you want them to do. The only way to minimize this is by having a bird guide who knows his stuff. And Cheong Weng Chun is one of those guides. He goes the extra mile to get you what you need and his knowledge of birds in this country is second to none. Apart from locating the birds, he does his utmost to make sure that you can get in position for a great photo. And at the end, he always checks that everyone in the group has been well taken care of. If you want a great experience, Weng Chun is your guide! - Andrew
Weng Chun is a superb bird guide with his extensive knowledge of birds and where to locate them. What made the birding experience even more enjoyable was the constant effort he puts into helping you get to a position to take a great photo. While keeping his eye on the birds, he could still be in tune with everyone in the group to help each one have the best chance of seeing the birds. Weng Chun is the guide to go to for a great birding experience in Peninsula Malaysia. - Shiu
Recee New Site 23-24 May 2022
Made a short trip to recee a new birding site to check on the potential to bring birders into the 'real' forest and at the same time benefits the local community.
And i partly fund my recee and small projects with the guide fees i earned during tours.
Revisiting a key site 19-22 May 2022
It has been a while. My last visit to Taman Negara was probably 3 years ago. I took some time off from the busy schedule to visit this National Park just to check on some of the usual stake out and birds in this forest.
I must admit. I am not getting any younger, the walk along the boardwalk can be tiring especially walking up and down the steps. 😃
6 Day Birding 10-15 Apr 2022
Saturday, April 23, 2022
My 2nd birding group from Singapore since the government decided to open the borders.
End the tour with a quick stop for a family of Barred Eagle Owl in Seremban.
Lucky to find birds feeding on a tree near the car.
Our first stop upon reaching the hill station. Need a rest with a cup of coffee. It was drizzling anyway.
A fruitful trip indeed!
