Another long trip covering most of the interesting birding sites in Peninsular Malaysia with 4 birders from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Since all of them arrived in Kuala Lumpur the night before the commencement of the trip, we get to start the day early in the morning.
I need to make adjustment to the original itinerary since I have received news that many birders will be visiting one of the sites that was planned for the first day. Our first site was Bukit Tinggi and we were fortunate that we get to enjoy the site by ourselves with great view of Mountain Peacock-Pheasant and several other species. Coming back to Kuala Lumpur, we spent a few hours birding in the city and we managed to get Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Gold-whiskered Barbet, and many other species. A perfect start to the trip.
The following day, we went for the Blue-winged Pitta, Black-and-red Broadbill, and Banded Broadbill. Within the same park, we found a fruiting tree that provided views of Common Hill Myna, Black-eared Barbet, Sooty Barbet, Thick-billed Pigeon, Little Green Pigeon, Banded Woodpecker and others. Next, we continue our journey to one of the best birding sites near Kuala Lumpur, and that’s Fraser’s Hill. It was quite late when we arrived at the hill station and weather looks gloomy. Without wasting any time, we head for the Malayan Partridge site and added that to our trip list before heavens opened and rain poured down. Another brilliant day!
For the next few days in Fraser’s Hill, we found the birds we need to see and photographed which include Red-headed Trogon, Collared Owlet, Sultan Tit, Silver-eared Mesia, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Malayan Laughingthrush, Streaked Wren-babbler, Pygmy Cupwing (it wasn’t easy as we need to find an alternative site), Lesser Shortwing, Long-tailed Broadbill, and many more. But the highlight for Fraser’s Hill is definitely a family of Siamang.
Next in our itinerary, is the Garnet Pitta in Taman Negara. Our first session, we heard our target bird calling but unable to get a view of the bird, however we were rewarded with a male Malayan Banded Pitta. We tried for the Garnet Pitta the following day but only one of the 4 birders managed to get a shot of the bird. An unexpected species showed up in front of us - Crested Partridge. After spending the morning in Taman Negara, we drove over Titiwangsa range towards Ipoh and added Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Peregrine Falcon and few other species.
The next day, we added Javan Sparrow, Blue Rock Thrush, Baya Weaver, Little Cormorant, Coppersmith Barbet, Milky Stork, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Black-thighed Falconet, Long-tailed Parakeet before ending the day in Alor Setar with Asian Openbill, Streak-eared Bulbul, Paddyfield Pipit, Plain-backed Sparrow and Oriental Pratincole.
From Alor Setar, we made our way to the north nearer to the border of Malaysia-Thailand, where we saw Blyth’s Frogmouth, Dusky Eagle Owl, Great Iora, Green Iora, Chestnut-winged Babbler, Puff-throated Babbler, Ruddy Kingfisher and others. We rushed to the next birding site and only grabbed something light for lunch because we need to be sure we have enough time to look for a pair of Malayan Banded Pitta, Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher and Banded Kingfisher. After we have successfully find the targets, we had early dinner and called it a day.
On Day 8, we started the birding at the hotel carpark with great view of Pink-necked Green Pigeon (both male and female). With a few hours left before taking the ferry to Langkawi, we traveled to a small park near the hotel where we found Streak-eared Bulbul, Lineated Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Stork-billed Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher and Baya Weaver. Upon reaching Langkawi, we head to another small local park to find Collared Kingfisher, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Dollarbird and Blue-throated Bee-eater.
The next day, we took a boat ride to an estuary to photograph White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Brahminy Kite. This is the main reason why we come to this beautiful island. After a successful morning session, we took an afternoon rest after lunch before heading out to look for Great Hornbill. (Dipped!).
We only had a few hours for birding the following morning before we return to Kuala Kedah. We tried really hard and managed to add Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Dark-necked Tailorbird, and Greater Flameback. When we finally reach Kuala Kedah, we rushed to Taiping for better view Green-backed Flycatcher and also added Spotted Wood Owl, with fantastic view too!!!
We woke up really early in the morning hoping to add another owl to our trip list, although we missed the Buffy Fish Owl but we managed to locate a Brown Boobook. The next bird we added is the much awaited Hooded Pitta, showing up after Siberian Blue Robin and Green-backed Flycatcher. Strange enough, there is no sign of Rufous-collared Kingfisher. We tried again to look for Buffy Fish Owl but dipped again but there was a Crested Goshawk at close range.
When we finally made our way back to Kuala Lumpur, we added Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Black-capped Babbler, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Purple-naped Sunbird and concluded the trip with a dark morph Changeable Hawk-Eagle.
Overall, this has been another fantastic trip - slightly under 200 species with great photos for most of the species.
Some of the highlights from the trip: Milky Stork, Mountain Peacock-Pheasant, Malayan Partridge, Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Black-and-red Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Black-thighed Falconet, Malayan Banded Pitta, Garnet Pitta, Blue-winged Pitta, and many more species.
The following list is a compilation of birds and other wildlife "seen and photographed" throughout the trip. Chinese names were added since my guests are from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant 山孔雀雉 Siberian Blue Robin 藍鴝 White-rumped Shama 白腰鵲鴝 Sunda Scimitar-Babbler 巽他鈎嘴鹛 Blue-winged Leafbird 藍翅葉鵯 Cinereous Bulbul 灰黑短腳鵯 Ochraceous Bulbul 白喉褐冠鵯 Black-crested Bulbul 黑冠黃鵯 Hairy-backed Bulbul 絲背鹎 Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike 褐背鶲鵙 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker 橙腹啄花 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker 紅胸啄花 Red-throated Barbet 紅喉擬啄木 Whiskered Treeswift 小鳳頭雨燕 Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 朱背啄花鳥 Ornate Sunbird (formerly Olive-backed Sunbird) 黃腹花蜜鳥 Common Flameback 金背三趾啄木鳥 Banded Woodpecker 鑲紅綠啄木 Gold-whiskered Barbet 金頰擬啄木鳥 Javan Myna 爪哇八哥 Red-eyed Bulbul 紅眼褐鵯 Stripe-throated Bulbul 紋喉鵯 Pin-striped Tit-Babbler 紋胸鶥 Black-and-yellow Broadbill 黑黄闊嘴鳥 Asian Glossy Starling 輝椋鳥 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 大盤尾 Blue-winged Pitta 藍翅八色鳥 Short-tailed Babbler 短尾雅鶥 Asian Glossy Starling 輝椋鳥 Pink-necked Green Pigeon 紅頸綠鳩 Little Green Pigeon 小綠鳩 Thick-billed Green Pigeon 厚嘴綠鳩 Black-eared Barbet 黑耳擬啄木鳥 (formerly Blue-eared Barbet 藍耳擬啄木) Sooty Barbet 馬來褐擬啄木 Banded Woodpecker 鑲紅綠啄木 Common Hill Myna 鷯哥 Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker 紅胸鋸齒啄花鳥 Black-and-red Broadbill 黑紅闊嘴鳥 Banded Broadbill 斑闊嘴鳥 Asian Brown Flycatcher 褐紋鶲 Yellow-vented Bulbul 白眉黃臀鵯 Little Cuckoo-dove 棕頭鵑鳩 Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush 栗頭噪鶥 Rufous-browed Flycatcher 棕眉姬鶲 Malayan Partridge 馬來山鷓鴣 Long-tailed Broadbill 長尾闊嘴鳥 Sunda Cuckoo 巽他中杜鵑 Dark Hawk-cuckoo 烏鷹鵑 Fire-tufted Barbet 火簇擬啄木 Streaked Spiderhunter 紋背捕蛛鳥 Mountain Imperial Pigeon 山皇鳩 Hill Blue Flycatcher 山藍仙鶲 White-tailed Robin 白尾蓝地鸲 Blue Whistling Thrush 紫啸鸫 Streaked Wren-babbler 短尾鷦鶥 Red-headed Trogon 紅頭咬鵑 Lesser Shortwing 白喉短翅鸫 Buff-breasted Babbler 棕胸雅鶥 Rufous-browed Flycatcher 棕眉姬鶲 Streaked Spiderhunter 紋背捕蛛鳥 Grey-chinned Minivet 灰喉山椒鳥 Black-browed Barbet 黑眉擬啄木 Malayan Laughingthrush 馬來亞噪鶥 Silver-eared Mesia 銀耳相思鳥 Mountain Bulbul 綠翅短腳鵯 Long-tailed Sibia 長尾奇鶥 Pygmy Cupwing 小麟胸鹪鹛 Black-throated Sunbird 黑胸太陽鳥 Velvet-fronted Nuthatch 絨額鳾 Orange-bellied Leafbird 橙腹葉鵯 Black-crested Bulbul 黑冠黃鵯 Sunda Cuckoo 巽他中杜鵑 Sultan Tit 冕雀 Large Niltava 大仙鶲 Grey-throated Babbler 黑頭穗鶥 Mountain Fulvetta 山雀鶥 Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo 小盤尾 Pygmy Flycatcher 侏藍仙鶲 / 鏽胸藍姬鶲 Little Pied Flycatcher 小斑姬鶲 Little Spiderhunter 長嘴捕蛛鳥 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker 紅胸啄花 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker 橙腹啄花 Collared Owlet 鵂鶹 / 領鵂鶹 Grey-chinned Minivet 灰喉山椒鳥 Speckled Piculet 斑姬啄木鳥 Hume’s White-eye Yellow-vented Flowerpecker 黃臀啄花鳥 Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle 馬來鷹鵰 Yellow-bellied Bulbul 灰頭冠鵯 Ferruginous Babbler 鏽色雅鹛 Checker-throated Woodpecker 斑喉绿啄木鸟 Malayan Banded Pitta 马来蓝尾八色鸫 Rufous Woodpecker 栗啄木鳥 Grey-cheeked Bulbul 灰頰冠鵯 Scaly-crowned Babbler 小紅頭樹鶥 Garnet Pitta 榴紅八色鶇 Buff-rumped Woodpecker 黃腰斑啄木鳥 Crested Partridge 冕鷓鴣 Raffles’s Malkoha 棕胸地鵑 Crested Serpent Eagle 蛇鵰 Baya Weaver 黄胸织布鸟 / 黃胸織雀 Chestnut-headed Bee-eater 栗頭蜂虎 Peregrine Falcon 遊隼 Eurasian Tree Sparrow 麻雀 Baya Weaver 黄胸织布鸟 / 黃胸織雀 Eurasian Tree Sparrow 麻雀 Java Sparrow 爪哇禾雀 Zebra Dove 斑姬地鳩 Blue Rock Thrush 藍磯鶇 Red-whiskered Bulbul 紅耳鵯 Crested Goshawk 鳳頭鷹 / 鳳頭蒼鷹 Coppersmith Barbet 赤胸擬啄木鳥 Little Cormorant 黑頸鸕鶿 Milky Stork 白䴉鸛 Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker 星頭啄木鳥 / 小啄木 Black-thighed Falconet 黑腿小隼 Long-tailed Parakeet 長尾鸚鵡 Chinese Pond Heron 池鷺 Javan Pond Heron 爪哇池鷺 Black-crowned Night Heron 夜鷺 Purple Heron 草鷺 Grey Heron 蒼鷺 Little Egret 小白鷺 Cattle Egret 牛背鷺 Black-naped Oriole 黃鸝 / 黑枕黃鸝 Spotted Dove 珠頸斑鳩 Asian Openbill 鉗嘴鸛 Paddyfield Pipit 東方田鷚 Streak-eared Bulbul 紋耳鵯 / 條耳鵯 Oriental Pratincole 普通燕鴴 Plain-backed Sparrow 黄腹麻雀 Blyth’s Frogmouth 星喉蟆口鴟 Puff-throated Babbler 棕頭幽鶥 Rufous-tailed Tailorbird 紅頭縫葉鶯 Chestnut-winged Babbler 紅翅穗鶥 Green Iora 綠雀鵯 Great Iora 大綠雀鵯 Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher 中南壽帶 Ruddy Kingfisher 赤翡翠 Dusky Eagle Owl 烏鵰鴞 Chestnut-breasted Malkoha 栗胸地鵑 Spectacled Spiderhunter 大黃耳捕蛛鳥 Chestnut-necklaced Partridge 栗胸山鷓鴣 Green-backed Flycatcher 綠背姬鶲 Abbott’s Babbler 阿氏雅鶥 Forest Wagtail 山鶺鴒 Banded Kingfisher 橫斑翠鳥 Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher 三趾翠鳥 Pink-necked Green Pigeon 紅頸綠鳩 Stork-billed Kingfisher 鸛嘴翠鳥 White-throated Kingfisher 白胸翡翠 Lineated Barbet 綠擬啄木鳥 Coppersmith Barbet 赤胸擬啄木鳥 Common Myna 家八哥 Collared Kingfisher 白領翡翠 Oriental Pied Hornbill 冠斑犀鳥 Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 大盤尾 Blue-throated Bee-eater 藍喉蜂虎 Common Sandpiper 磯鷸 Dollarbird 三寶鳥 Brown-throated Sunbird 褐喉食蜜鳥 White-bellied Sea-Eagle 白腹海鵰 Ashy Drongo 灰卷尾 Laced Woodpecker 花腹綠啄木鳥 Red-wattled Lapwing 肉垂麥雞 Brahminy Kite 栗鸢 Great Egret 大白鷺 Striated Heron 綠蓑鷺 / 綠鷺 Greater Flameback 大金背啄木鳥 Ruby-cheeked Sunbird 紫頰太陽鳥 Dark-necked Tailorbird 黑喉縫葉鶯 Spotted Wood Owl 點斑林鴞
Heard: Rhinoceros Hornbill 馬來犀鳥 Yellow-crowned Barbet 黃頂擬啄木 Orange-breasted Trogon 橙胸咬鵑 Moustached Babbler 鬚樹鶥 Rufous Piculet 棕啄木鳥 Red-bearded Bee-eater 赤鬚夜蜂虎 Brown-winged Kingfisher 褐翅翠鳥
Other wildlife: Siamang 合趾猿 Dusky Langur 憂葉猴 / 鬱烏葉猴 White-thighed Surili 白腿葉猴 Long-tailed Macaque 長尾獼猴 Pig-tailed Macaque 豬尾猴 Red-cheeked Squirrel 紅頰長吻松鼠 Himalayan Striped Squirrel 明紋花松鼠 Three Striped Ground Squirrel Prevost’s Squirrel 普氏松鼠 Black Giant Squirrel 黑果狸 Short-tailed Gymnure 小毛蝟 Water Monitor Lizard 巨蜥 Clouded Monitor 暗影巨蜥 / 越南巨蜥 Many Lined Sun Skink / Common Sun Skink 多線真稜蜥 Changeable Lizard 變色樹蜥 Spotted Gliding Lizard 斑飛蜥 Green Gold Black Cicada (Trengganua sibylla)
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Bird of Year 2024
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