Weng Chun is a great guy and fantastic guide. Just completed a 7 day photography trip from KL to the Mecca of birding - Frasers Hill. The trip was flawless. Comfortable hotels and all locations arranged by Weng Chun. 5 star logistics and a very comfortable car. His knowledge of birds and where to find them, plus his magician like ability to call them in and down from the trees is probably second to none. Amazing. From Hornbills to Cupwing, Wood Owls and Kingfishers I nailed them all. Well nearly! Thanks Weng Chun, for your patience and assistance, from birds in flight techniques to which ISO I should use, and the 100's of birds that I saw. My 2025 bird calendar is the best yet! Better than Thailand 2024! - Paul, UK
Spent a week guiding Paul from UK recently. The trip was planned more than 6 months ago and Paul enquired if it is possible to see hornbills. Without any hesitation, I drafted an itinerary that will provide opportunities to see and take photographs of a few species of hornbills in Peninsular Malaysia.
We started the trip early in the morning from Selangor and head northward with a quick stop to take photographs of birds in flight. We spent 3 nights in Perak where we saw and photographed many species of birds. The highlights were Rhinoceros Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Spotted Wood-Owl, Buffy Fish-Owl, Cinereous Tit, Greater Flameback, Common Flameback, Laced Woodpecker, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Java Sparrow, Blue Rock Thrush, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Black-and-yellow Broadbill and Milky Stork.
The 2nd half of the trip, we spent 3 nights in Pahang. Great time with birds in the hill station and also the lowland forest. Some of the notable species which we managed to photographed include Malayan Partridge, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Malayan Laughingthrush, Bamboo Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Fire-tufted Barbet, Black-browed Barbet, Blue Nuthatch, Red-headed Trogon, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Red-billed Malkoha, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Large Niltava, Pygmy Cupwing, Lesser Shortwing, Buff-breasted Babbler, Yellow-bellied Warbler, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Rufescent Prinia, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Black-throated Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Black-and-red Broadbill, Green Broadbill, Black Hornbill, Black Magpie and Blue-eared Kingfisher.
Here is the checklist (exclude HEARD ONLY birds) for the trip:
Grouse, Quail and Allies: Malayan Partridge
Pigeons and Doves: Feral Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove, Little Cuckoo-Dove
Cuckoos: Red-billed Malkoha
Treeswifts: Grey-rumped Treeswift
Rails, Gallinules and Allies: White-breasted Waterhen
Shorebirds: Red-wattled Lapwing
Storks: Milky Stork
Cormorants and Anhingas: Little Cormorant, Oriental Darter
Herons, Ibis and Allies: Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret
Vultures, Hawks and allies: Crested Serpent Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Crested Goshawk
Owls: Barred Eagle-Owl, Spotted Wood-Owl, Brown Wood-Owl, Buffy Fish-Owl
Trogons and Quetzals: Red-headed Trogon
Hornbills: Oriental Pied Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Black Hornbill
Kingfisher: White-throated Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Blue-eared Kingfisher
Bee-eaters, Rollers and Allies: Blue-throated Bee-eater, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Barbets and Toucans: Coppersmith Barbet, Black-eared Barbet, Fire-tufted Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Black-browed Barbet
Woodpeckers: Grey-and-buff Woodpecker, Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker, Bay Woodpecker, Common Flameback, Greater Flameback, Laced Woodpecker, Bamboo Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Lesser Yellownape
Falcons and Caracaras: Black-thighed Falconet
Parrots, Parakeets and Allies: Long-tailed Parakeet, Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot
African and Green Broadbills: Green Broadbill
Asian and Grauer’s Broadbills: Black-and-red Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill
Cuckooshrikes: Grey-chinned Minivet, Large Cuckooshrike
Shrike-Babblers and Erpornis: Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis
Old World Orioles: Black-naped Oriole, Black-and-Crimson Oriole
Vangas, Helmetshrikes and Allies: Large Woodshrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Ioras: Common Iora
Fantails: Malaysian Pied-Fantail, White-throated Fantail
Drongos: Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Jays, Magpies, Crows and Ravens: Black Magpie, House Crow, Large-billed Crow, Slender-billed Crow
Tits, Chickadees and Titmice: Cinereous Tit, Sultan Tit
Cisticolas and Allies: Ashy Tailorbird, Common Tailorbird, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Rufescent Prinia
Cupwings: Pygmy Cupwing
Martins and Swallows: Pacific Swallow
Bulbuls: Cinerous Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Olive-winged Bulbul, Red-eyed Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul
Leaf Warblers: Chestnut-crowned Warbler
Bush Warblers and Allies: Yellow-bellied Warbler, Mountain Tailorbird
White-eyes, Yuhinas and Allies: Hume’s White-eye
Tree-Babblers, Scimitar-Babblers and Allies: Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Golden Babbler, Chestnut-winged Babbler
Ground Babblers and Allies: Buff-breasted Babbler, Sooty-capped Babbler
Laughingthrushes and Allies: Mountain Fulvetta, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Malayan Laughingthrush, Black Laughingthrush, Blue-winged Minla, Silver-eared Mesia
Nuthatches: Blue Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Starlings and Mynas: Asian Glossy Starling, Common Myna, Javan Myna
Old World Flycatchers: Oriental Magpie Robin, White-rumped Shama, Large Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Pygmy Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Blue Rock Thrush
Flowerpeckers: Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Yellow-vented Flowerpecker, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker
Sunbirds and Spiderhunters: Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Ornate Sunbird, Black-throated Sunbird, Little Spiderhunter, Streaked Spiderhunter, Long-billed Spiderhunter
Leafbirds: Orange-bellied Leafbird, Blue-winged Leafbird
Weavers and Allies: Baya Weaver
Estridids: Java Sparrow
Old World Sparrows: Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits: Paddyfield Pipit
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Contact me to make a reservation for a private birding tour with an experienced and licensed tourist guide specialize in birdwatching and photography tours. I have been guiding professionally since 2007 with birders coming from United States, Canada, UK, Finland, Sweden, France, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Ecuador, Greece, South Africa, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Brunei and others.
Send messages via email to wengchun@gmail.com
Follow my year 2024 sightings with photographs from camera and mobile phone: Bird of Year 2024
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