"It was my first time birding in Fraser’s Hill, and I felt a bit apprehensive due to the thick vegetation, which I thought might make spotting birds challenging. However, my concerns quickly vanished upon arrival, thanks to the guidance of Weng Chun. I had a fantastic time spotting and photographing birds, with 99% of them being lifers! This would not have been possible without Weng Chun’s expertise. He is meticulous, has a superb eye and ear for spotting birds, and is incredibly patient. His energy and dedication ensured that I got the shots I wanted. Thank you, Weng Chun, for making my trip memorable. I’m now in the process of filtering and editing my thousands of images!" - Razali
This is a short trip to Fraser's Hill for Pam and Raz. They have not been to the hill station before and so, every bird they encounter will be a thrilling new experience for them.
After a short walk and some patient waiting, we were rewarded with amazing views of this iconic species. Next, we were on the lookout for the Silver-eared Mesia, the unofficial mascot of Frasers Hill. While waiting, we were delighted to spot other species like the Buff-breasted Babbler, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, and Oriental Magpie Robin. The day continued with sightings of the Pygmy Cupwing, Lesser Shortwing, and more.After lunch, we didn't waste any time and drove to the spot for Malayan Partridge, which showed up after a short wait and before it started drizzling. Later part of the afternoon before dusk, we had Blue Nuthatch, Sultan Tit, White-throated Fantail and many more.
Day 2 was packed with even more bird sightings as we explored a different sections of the hill station. We were thrilled to spot species like the Slaty-backed Forktail, Large Niltava, and Golden-throated Barbet. The checklist was growing with each new discovery.
On our final day, we were determined to add as many species as possible to our list. Our efforts paid off as we had incredible encounters with the Rhinoceros Hornbill, Banded Kingfisher, and Orange-breasted Trogon. The excitement peaked as we added the Barred Eagle-Owl to our checklist just before concluding our trip. Each day was filled with new discoveries and unforgettable moments. Frasers Hill truly is a birdwatcher's paradise, and we can't wait to return for more adventures in the future!
Here is the checklist (exclude HEARD ONLY birds) for this trip:
Grouse, Quail and Allies: Malayan Partridge
Pigeons and Doves: Little Cuckoo-Dove, Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Cuckoos: Red-billed Malkoha
Swifts: House Swift, Plume-toed Swiftlet
Vultures, Hawks and allies: Crested Serpent Eagle
Owls: Barred Eagle-Owl, Collared Owlet
Trogons and Quetzals: Red-headed Trogon, Orange-breasted Trogon
Hornbills: Rhinoceros Hornbill
Kingfisher: Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher
Bee-eaters, Rollers and Allies: Red-bearded Bee-eater
Barbets and Toucans: Fire-tufted Barbet, Black-browed Barbet, Red-throated Barbet, Sooty Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet
Woodpeckers: Greater Yellownape, Rufous Woodpecker, Speckled Piculet
Asian and Grauer’s Broadbills: Black-and-red Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Long-tailed Broadbill, Banded Broadbill
Cuckoshrikes: Grey-chinned Minivet, Large Cuckooshrike
Shrike-Babblers and Erpornis: White-browed Shrike-Babbler
Old World Orioles: Black-and-Crimson Oriole
Vangas, Helmetshrikes and Allies: Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Fantails: White-throated Fantail
Drongos: Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo
Jays, Magpies, Crows and Ravens: Large-billed Crow
Tits, Chickadees and Titmice: Sultan Tit
Cisticolas and Allies: Common Tailorbird
Cupwings: Pygmy Cupwing
Martins and Swallows: Pacific Swallow, Rufous-bellied Swallow
Bulbuls: Mountain Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul
Leaf Warblers: Chestnut-crowned Warbler
Bush Warblers and Allies: Mountain Tailorbird
White-eyes, Yuhinas and Allies: Hume’s White-eye
Tree-Babblers, Scimitar-Babblers and Allies: Golden Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler
Ground Babblers and Allies: Buff-breasted Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler
Laughingthrushes and Allies: Mountain Fulvetta, Long-tailed Sibia, Blue-winged Minla, Silver-eared Mesia, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Nuthatches: Blue Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Old World Flycatchers: White-tailed Robin, Large Niltava, Oriental Magpie Robin, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Verditer Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Slaty-backed Forktail
Flowerpeckers: Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Sunbirds and Spiderhunters: Black-throated Sunbird, Streaked Spiderhunter
Leafbirds: Orange-bellied Leafbird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Lesser Green Leafbird
Estridids: White-rumped Munia
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Throughout this short trip, we also found and added a few other wildlife to the trip checklist.
