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MikeBirder - Malaysian Birds

Hi

Welcome to my Malaysian Birding Blog. I migrated to blogspot.com as my blog at multiply.com closed shop in 2012. I wish to showcase all Malaysian birds that I have photographed whether here or overseas. My countdown of lifers started in 2005. Coming to Oct 2022 my countdown of lifers photograph has reached
559/688 species of birds of Malaysia in photos.

My shooting gear was a EF400mm f4 DO lens and Canon 7D body which to me is the ideal setup for mobility and bird chasing at that time. Eventhen the weight over my shoulder is more that 5.5 kg. As of June 2016 I have also acquired a Fuji XF 100-400mm OIS lens to complement my travelling cum birding trip overseas. My Fuji X-T2 went kaput recently and I upgraded to the X-T5 in 2023 ; the weight over my shoulder is much lighter now by 30%. In December 2018 I acquired the Nikon Coolpix P1000 as supplementary camera for distance shooting of 3000mm.
Fuji have finally made available their new XF 200-600mm lens which I yet to decide to spend another RM10,000. As for Fuji body I will stop with X-T5 36megapixel ..........

I am a weekend birder. Do feel free to drop me a line at mikebirding@gmail.com and I see whether you can tag along in my outings. My usual day trip is just an hour ride away to Hulu Langat, Lancang, Kemensah, Krau, Awana, Hulu Kali, Gombak Ole Road, Fraser's Hill , Bukit Tinggi and KSNP & Coastal Sg Janggut Jeram side of the coast . Overnite trip to Merapoh & Cameron, Air Hitam and further north to Kuala Sidim is a seldom affair but for lifer we travel. Panti in Johor is another good birding site that I yet to go. Then there are the Borneo birds of Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia which I seriously much go to chalk up more lifers. This I did in 2018 to Sepilok Sandakan and Kinabalu Park. Next Danum and LahatDatu.......

WARNING Birding is an addiction once you started its hard to stop. The wifey and children are now birding widow and orphan.

ALL PHOTOS IN THIS BLOG ARE COPYRIGHT OF MIKEBIRDER. KINDLY SEEK PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER IF YOU want to use them for commercial purposes.

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Thursday 24 July 2014

TROGON 1/6 - Scarlet-rumped Trogon

 Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Second Trogon from Bkt Rengit. Not bad. This time the family came along during the HariRaya weekend. I was a bit late and Jason, Susan and Bernard were already birding at the Deer Land. I decided to bring the family to the stream for picnic since the Deer Park was closed The birds were aplenty but just too high in the canopy.
The Scarlet-rumped is the most common trogon you can see in lowland forest in Peninsula Malaysia


TROGON 2/6 - Red-naped Trogon



















Red-naped Trogon


Finally! Got my first Trogon during the weekend outing to our "hot rendervous" at Bkt Lancang with JT & Sue. That was in 2006 I was in such a good mood lunch was on me at Genting Sempah. It was about coming to 1pm. The weather was sunny & dry then and I was already got at least 3 lifer for the day and was waiting at the car chatting with JT for Sue still taking pot shots of the Frogmouth .....and then the call came and the Male just flew across the road and I screamed quietly and Jason was asking where is it. Took some insurance shots before pointing it to JT. I flap for Sue but she did not bothered . The Trogon triggered a bird wave of a pair of black headed bulbul, black throated oriole broadbills and others.

It was a good 45 minutes we kept track of the male Saw it catch a bug in mid air It was most obliging and the nearest it came in was about 20 ft.

The female photo was taken much earlier in the same morning whilst a pair of Birders were using player to lured them. Instead it came to our side.Sue & JT did not bothered to snapped it (seen them I guess) and walk down the road to look for the Frogmouth. Later the male came out but too high in the canopy. Took some shots but alas camera shake. May- July period of mating. Dry season.

Trogon is about the size of a rock pigeon but with a lengthy tail....... always imagine it to be bigger. It easy to recognise its call 4-6 same notes of "kau kaaau kauuu kauuuu" something like that. The female has a more whirring rattling call.





TROGON 3/6 - Red-headed Trogon


 Red-headed Trogon

I was really stunt when this guy pop up and pose at a close distance of 20 ft .........as you can see my shot is missing the tail. It was hyper active trying to impress the female which also showup down the ravine at the last two bend after the gate to the pumphouse.

Usually this trogon is not easily called out unlike the others Most of the time you can hear them calling but cannot see them as they remain still deep inside whilst they observe you from afar.

I have the place to myself as there was landslide again and the morning walkers were not venturing further in. Time to hit the road fellow birders........

For the past month have been regularly up to the old pumphouse road....... trying to catch the elusive Red headed This will be my fifth specie in the Trogon family of 6. The Red headed and the Orange breasted are found in lower montane forest whilst the others are residents of lowland forest

Picture below is the female. Hope to get a frontal picture soon................

The final Cinnamon-rumped Trogon will be more a challenge.......Panti forest down south is a long way from KL




Lastest picture from Ole Pumphouse trail which is now closed to the public

TROGON 4/6 - Orange-breasted Trogon


 Orange-breasted Trogon

A beautiful Merdeka day. The long weekend ended with the prize catch.

The male made it appearance at about 9 am for a good hour as the boys lead by Adrian Wee and Ong of the big Canon gunners whilst Makus Lim with his Nikon. With all the flash bursting the Trogon was most obliging .......like a film star.

The male Trogon have a orangy breast than the female and gives out a distinct 2 notes "tui teu" call and it does that continuously. It is about a foot long with its tail it look bigger. Found in montane broadleaved forest upto 1300m Hope to see its highland cousin the Red headed Trogon soon.........................


TROGON 5/6 - Diard's Trogon

 Diard's Trogon

Another Trogon lifer at Bkt Rengit This will be no 3 out of the 4 species sightable in Bkt Rengit. Diards are also found in Taman Rimba Ampang but seasonal. It is one of the larger bird about a footer in size and heavier chested

female have a brownish head do. It call are quite similar with a Kau kau kau notes in dscending scale. Expert birders can actually call them out to the open by calling them/ mimicking their call.



Monday 14 July 2014

AVIAN NESTING 2/100 - White-rumped Munia


Got this nesting in the month of July 2014 in the highland circa 850m asl.   The nest was about 10ft above the trail I was walking through. The parent is seen hatching its eggs which can be as many as 10!. 

The nest is a large loosely woven structuremade from grass seed stalk. Usually it is well hidden but   It was very exposed when the overgrowth died and dried up during the dry season. The nest is often used as a roost outside the breeding season but I think not this one.

Friday 4 July 2014

OWL 6/16 - Spotted Brown Owl

 One of the most exciting sounds to come from our woods and forests belongs our resident owl—the Spotted Wood-Owl. This bird is twice the size of the Brown Hawk-Owl and emits a loud and powerful coughing sound somewhat like the barking of a dog. It gives deep quavering call wrrrrooh....repeat.


This sound has been described as the "most exciting" and also the "most eerie frightening sound" of the forest in the night, and we can well believe that the Spotted Woods call has given rise to stories of supernatural happenings.
It's not too difficult to hear the Spotted Wood, as it prefers the edge of the forest and woods and also tends to stick to the same neck of the woods. It also calls at quite specific times in the twilight hours of roughly between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, as if to announce that it is now up and about. The Spotted Wood is a large owl that is generally brownish with whitish spots all over the upper parts of its body and, like the Brown Hawk, it also does not have ear-tufts. Can sometimes be seen in mangrove forest, plantations and fringes of wooded park.


This lifer of my shot in Penang bird park