Birding Adventure with Bryon & Diane - 30 Oct - 3 Nov 2025

 

 

Together with Bryon and Diane, we went out for a five-day birding adventure that would weave through misty mountains, lowland forests, and coastal mangroves. From the cool highlands of Fraser’s Hill to the humid green of Hulu Langat and the mangrove edges of Klang, our journey revealed the extraordinary diversity packed within Peninsular Malaysia’s compact geography — a living symphony of color, sound, and movement.

For Bryon and Diane, this was their first encounter with the Peninsula’s iconic species, and each day became a cascade of new discoveries.

Day 1 – Ascent to the Highlands

We met early in Kuala Lumpur and began our drive northward toward Fraser’s Hill, pausing for breakfast at Kuala Kubu Bharu, a small town that marks the threshold between lowland and montane forest. The winding road that snakes upward proved productive: we made several opportunistic birding stops, adding a handful of new species for Bryon and Diane even before reaching the summit.

By midday, we arrived at the hill station, and the birding momentum continued immediately. The air was alive with movement — the common birds flitting through the canopy, bulbuls calling from forest canopy, and drongos cutting sleek silhouettes across the sky. As dusk approached, we lingered near the forest edge in search of a Brown Wood Owl. Though the owl remained elusive, the night hummed with the deep resonance of forest life.

Day 2 – The Enchanted Slopes of Fraser’s Hill

The following morning, cool mist rolled through the ridges, and the forest came alive with song. We spent the entire day exploring the hill station, rewarded with a dazzling array of montane species: the striking Silver-eared Mesia, the noisy flock of Bushy-crested Hornbill, the elusive Bay Woodpecker, and the elusive Mountain Scops-Owl, among many others.

Each bend in the road offered something new. Bryon and Diane, both keen observers, quickly learned to adapt to the surrounding.

Day 3 – Owlets and Malkohas

Our final morning at Fraser’s Hill began with a quest for the Collared Owlet, one of the region’s most endearing forest raptors. The first attempt brought only tantalizing calls from the dense canopy, but patience — as always in birding — was rewarded. Later in the morning, we found Green-billed and Red-billed Malkohas, both moving gracefully through the mid-canopy. Then, as if on cue, the forest filled with the distinctive trilling of an owlet once again. We followed the sound to an open branch where a Collared Owlet perched in full view — and moments later, a second individual appeared on the same tree.

It was a moment of quiet triumph: two owlets (almost) side by side, their tiny forms dwarfed by towering trees. After lunch, we descended toward the foothill, birding the Gap and new road along the way, soaking in the last of the highland charm before moving to the lowlands.

Day 4 – From Mountains to the City

Before dawn, we were already on the road to Bukit Tinggi, hoping for a glimpse of the elusive Mountain Peacock-Pheasant. Luck, however, was not on our side that morning — the pheasant did not show up. Yet, the forest was generous in other ways. We recorded Ferruginous Partridge, Siberian Blue Robin, and several other rewarding species that brightened the morning.

By afternoon, we returned to Kuala Lumpur under darkening skies. Despite the approaching rain, we made the most of our time in a city park where herons and egrets gathered. Painted Stork stood solemnly in the shallows, and as thunder rolled in, we caught sight of a magnificent Barred Eagle-Owl — a thrilling encounter made even more dramatic by the onset of heavy rain.

Day 5 – Forest Jewels and the Farewell Pitta

Our final day began in the lush forests of Hulu Langat, where lowland specialties added another layer of richness to Bryon and Diane’s growing list. The morning’s highlights included Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Raffles’s Malkoha, Black-and-red Broadbill, and Checker-throated Woodpecker — a striking array of colors and calls that perfectly captured the spirit of Malaysia’s tropical birdlife.

The night before, Bryon and Diane had mentioned their wish to see another pitta species before the trip ended. So, with a few hours left before their flight, we made a spontaneous detour to the mangrove forests near Klang. The gamble paid off almost immediately: the Mangrove Pitta appeared not too long after we arrived.

With that final sighting — a spectacular finale to five days of adventure — we made our way to the airport. As we said our farewells, the echoes of the forest and the calls of the pitta lingered in memory, marking the end of another unforgettable journey through Peninsular Malaysia’s living wild.

In just five days, Bryon and Diane’s birding odyssey traversed mountains, lowlands, and mangrove, highlighting a remarkable ecological diversity — every landscape unveiled its own rhythm and color. More than 100 species were observed, including hornbills, owls, pittas, and kingfishers — each encounter deepening the appreciation for Malaysia’s avian wealth. Their journey was a testament to the country’s enduring wildness, where even in the shadow of cities, nature continues to sing.

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Some of the highlights during this trip are: 

Grouse, Quails and Allies: Ferruginous Partridge, Malayan Partridge, Red Junglefowl

Pigeons and Doves: Rock Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Little Cuckoo-Dove, Pink-necked Green-Pigeon, Mountain Imperial-Pigeon

Cuckoos: Raffles's Malkoha, Red-billed Malkoha, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Black-bellied Malkoha, Green-billed Malkoha

Nightjars: Large-tailed Nightjar

Swifts: Silver-rumped Spinetail, Silver-backed Needletail, Plume-toed Swiftlet, House Swift

Treeswifts: Grey-rumped Treeswift, Whiskered Treeswift

  Rails, Gallinules, and Allies: -

Shorebirds: -

Storks: Painted Stork

Herons, Ibis, and Allies: Black-crowned Night Heron, Little Egret, Little Heron, Medium Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron 

Vultures, Hawks, and Allies: Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Brahminy Kite

Owls: Mountain Scops-Owl, Barred Eagle-Owl, Collared Owlet 

Trogons and Quetzals: Orange-breasted Trogon, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Red-headed Trogon

Hornbills: Rhinoceros Hornbill, Bushy-crested Hornbill

Bee-eaters: Red-bearded Bee-eater, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Kingfishers: Banded Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher

Rollers and Allies: Dollarbird

Barbets and Toucans: Sooty Barbet, Black-eared Barbet, Fire-tufted Barbet, Red-throated Barbet, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Black-browed Barbet

Woodpeckers: Speckled Piculet, Bay Woodpecker, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Greater Yellownape, Checker-throated Woodpecker

Falcons and Caracaras: Black-thighed Falconet 

Parrots, Parakeets, and Allies: Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot

African and Green Broadbills: -

Asian and Grauer's Broadbills: Long-tailed Broadbill, Black-and-red Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill 

Old World Pittas: Rusty-naped Pitta, Mangrove Pitta 

Thornbills and Allies: -

Cuckooshrikes: Grey-chinned Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Malayan Cuckooshrike

Shrike-Babblers and Erpornis: White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Black-eared Shrike-Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis

Whistlers and Allies: -

Old World Orioles: Black-naped Oriole, Black-and-Crimson Oriole

Woodswallows: -

Vangas, Helmetshrikes and Allies: Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Maroon-breasted Philentoma

Ioras: Common Iora, Green Iora

Fantails: Malaysian Pied-Fantail, White-throated Fantail

Drongos: Crow-billed Drongo, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Monarch Flycatchers: Blyth's Paradise-Flycatcher

Crested Jayshrike: -

Shrikes: Brown Shrike

Jays, Magpies, Crows and Ravens: House Crow, Large-billed Crow

Rail-babbler: -

Fairy Flycatchers: Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher

Tits, Chickadees and Titmice: Sultan Tit

Larks: -

Cisticolas and Allies: Common Tailorbird, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Ashy Tailorbird

Reed Warblers and Allies: -

Grassbirds and Allies: -

Cupwings: Pygmy Cupwing

Martins and Swallows: Pacific Swallow, Barn Swallow, Rufous-bellied Swallow

Bulbuls: Ochraceous Bulbul, Buff-vented Bulbul, Cinereous Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Black-headed Bulbul, Spectacled Bulbul, Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Black-crested Bulbul, Red-eyed Bulbul, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Yellow-vented Bulbul 

Leaf Warblers: Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Eastern 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, Black Laughingthrush, Grey-throated Babbler 

Ground Babblers and Allies: Buff-breasted Babbler, Abbott's Babbler, Streaked Wren-Babbler

Laughingthrushes and Allies: Mountain Fulvetta, Malayan Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Sibia, Blue-winged Minla, Silver-eared Mesia, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush

Nuthatches: Blue Nuthatch, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Starlings and Mynas: Asian Glossy Starling, Common Hill Myna, Common Myna, Javan Myna

Old World Flycatchers: Asian Brown Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie Robin, White-rumped Shama, Large Niltava, Verditer Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Flycatcher, Hill Blue Flycatcher, Lesser Shortwing, Slaty-backed Forktail, White-tailed Robin, Little Pied Flycatcher, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Siberian Blue Robin , Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

Flowerpeckers: Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker

Sunbirds and Spiderhunters: Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Black-throated Sunbird, Copper-throated Sunbird, Yellow-eared Spiderhunter, Long-billed Spiderhunter, Little Spiderhunter, Streaked Spiderhunter, Grey-breasted Spiderhunter

Fairy-bluebirds: Asian Fairy-bluebird

Leafbirds: Lesser Green Leafbird, Blue-winged Leafbird, Orange-bellied Leafbird

Weavers and Allies: -

Estrildids: White-rumped Munia, Pin-tailed Parrotfinch

Old World Sparrows: Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Wagtails and Pipits: Grey Wagtail

Other Wildlife: Long-tailed Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, White-thighed Surili, Dusky Langur, Himalayan Striped Squirrel, Red-cheeked Squirrel, Grey-bellied Squirrel, Plantain Squirrel, Short-tailed Gymnure

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As I continue to immerse myself in the world of birds and nature, I am constantly inspired by the beauty and diversity of the natural world. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my work with others and to educate and inspire through my images. Your support and patience are truly appreciated as I strive to showcase the wonders of wildlife in the most authentic and impactful way possible. Together, we can raise awareness and appreciation for the importance of conservation and preservation of our planet's precious ecosystems. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

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