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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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Tuesday 31 October 2017

Avian Birding Site 4/10 - Sungai Balang Muar-Batu Pahat Johor

Sg Balang Padi Field near the seashore between Muar & Batu Pahat is a homing bird  stop-over for many rare and  migrants birds in  transit during the winter of the northern hemisphere. So the best time to visit  this place is during the period of October- early December of the year in their winter colors.

Then in Feb- March when the waders may starts their return journey back to their breeding grounds. You can see  bitterns  and waders in their breeding coats.





Beside Sg Balang padi field you can drop by the seashore of Parit Jawa to chance on other shore birds and pelagic birds.


If you travel from Kuala Lumpur it will take you about 2.5 to 3 hours reach Sg Balang which is a 225km journey. Exiting Tangkak interchange you will drive toward Muar and detour off at the new bypass to Batu Pahat. Quite easy with Waze nowaday.

There is a chinese restaurant at the  nearest town  Sarang Buaya (aka Crocodile Nest) for quick breakfast and lunch  meal of "chapfan" or noodles. Homestay are aplenty around but  I prefer Muar town 23 km  away cos you can savour  hawkerfood  and otak-otak to your heart content. There are  many budget hotels with room rates as low as RM78- 98 per nite. You  just  google them and make your booking.





There is a colony of  Lesser Adjutant here.  You can shoot them in full frame from your car. Beside that  many egrets species can be sighted here too.

They can be seen as early as 7am flying from their roosting trees from the hinterland.



                           















Greater Coucal and Lesser Coucal  are quite easily spotted amongst the peripheral tree along the bunds and amongst the reed   in the open padi field. Open perch is seldom affair. No short-toed though which is a jungle fringe bird.





The "Christmas tree" of Weaver nest is so photogenic dont you think.

The sight of  Egrets and Heron in close range of 50-60 ft give you full frame shot even if you are using a 400mm lens. Stork and Asian Openbill I have not seen here as yet.




And then there are frequent raptor visitors  like the Spotted Eagle and Steppe Eagle, Booted Eagle  and Harriers here.

Then you can also  shoot the  resident Black-winged Falcon, Changeable Hawk Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle,  Crested Serpent Eagle and Brahminy Kite in close quarters.



You can see 3 species of Munias namely the White headed Scaly and Black -head here

Wish the Feral Javan Munia have reach  the place from Singapore.

I will still list it as lifer of Malaysia if I see one like the Javan Sparrow of Ipoh.

This Bittern looks different but is actually a Juvenile Cinnamon Wish it was a Von Schrenck's...... now that is a rare bird.
 The Oriental Pranticole is a  regular seasonal visitor but the rare Little Pranticole is the one that everyone want here in Sg Balang. I missed it for past 2 years and will wait for the news of their arrival in anticipation in 2017 to chalk up another lifer.


The Yellow wagtail striding in the muddy field ever vigilant of our present .............


The Brown Shrike is another winter visitor. It  can be obliging as you shoot from your car but   once you try maneuver closer to  ; it will always fly away to a further perch . This the most frus part.                                                                                                     
 A pair of Lesser Whistling Duck was seen at the water canal parallel to the Sg ...............
 That is if there are cooperative enough when you shoot from a distance of 50-60 ft.


 Lawrence in  its suzuki jeep is the hometown  birder here in Sg Balang. Udi of Tokki Group is the other local birder here who can give you a head up on any rarity vagrants and migrant birds here. Not forgetting my good acquaintance Ang TH who will take all effort to come down from Melaka to join you in any rare hunt.



In the month of October ;  juvenile Cinnamon Bittern were common bird to see here as the open canal drains and padi field which are still devoid of vegetation. MO is to drive around in your 4x4 and shoot from the car. I drive around my MPV. It have suffered much  to its underside  because of the undulating track. At one time  it drop off  a  RC canal crossing which I did not realise the bridge was a feet off the dirt track. So be careful.

Monday 30 October 2017

Avian Call - Siberian Blue Robin


Migrants and visiting birds usually are a quiet lot when they dropby Peninsula Malaysia. This Robin responded to my call at the far side  of the port ever vigilant of my present. Its a  small bird   of 6 inches (15cm). It is a male 1st Winter bird with its coat in pale bluish which soon  turn completely blue in the next 5-6 weeks to come. It still on transit to the hill lands like in Bukit Frasers and Bukit Tinggi where it will stays for weeks...............



It was a bit skittish and do a hit and run feeding session    when ever the other birds are not at the port to harass it.


Venue: Lancang Pahang ... Late October  the start of the migration period.

Sunday 29 October 2017

AVIAN Birding Site 3/10 - Merapoh Taman Negara

Merapoh  is the eastern corridor to Taman Negara. It is about 2.5- 3 hours drive from Gombak toll vie Bentong passing Raub and   Kuala Lipis travelling at an average of 100kmph. The time of travel is cut short with a new stretch of highway( after the last town) now open since 2016. The total distance from KL is about 260km one way. Best is to carpool.

To stay overnite the nearest homestay is just outside the bridge. bunker-bed cost only RM25 per head while you can rent a bungalow with 3 rooms. Gua Musang is the next nearest town which have plenty of budget hotel.

Best time to go there is Mar - July where the bird activity is highest. During this period nesting sighting is common. It is a matter of knowing the signs and spot to see them.



























Blue-eared Barbet feeding on ficus berries in the month of March




The  star bird & lifers here are Brown Fulvetta, Black&White Bulbul, Spotted Fantail, Crested Jay the resident Pittas species and Large Green Pigeon and many more. The dry period here of  March till April the trees usually bear fruits and berries which bring congregation of birds to the place. The star frugivorous bird is the Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker. If you are lucky enough the Large WrenBabbler and Scaly Thrush

The norturnal birding can bear lifers like the Large & Gould's Frogmouth unless you are lucky to spot them roosting in the day.
Male Maroon Philentoma


Tuesday 24 October 2017

Pelagic 7/30 - White-winged Tern (Lifer 482)


I would id it as the White-winged Tern with its roundish dark ear patch (earphone) and its uniform primaries and secondaries feathers of its wing. There were only a pair flying over the overgrown lallang padi field at Sg Balang. These are First winter birds

They are even smaller than the Little Terns by (2cm ) coming in at 20-24cm long only. Sometimes its very contradictory  when naming. Little Tern can be seen in Malim Nawar in the hundreds.


WADER 56/60 Lifer no 481 - Little Curlew


Can spot the bird. My Fuji XF400mm do not have the reach. The bird was hiding in the high grass  field. On that Sunday saw a dozen of us hunting for the bird after the beautiful showing by Lawrence Siew the resident birder in Sg Balang. Thanks to Ang Teck Hin's sharp eyes it was spotted at one of the padi field plot at a far distance of 200m. I just took some hasty shots to where he pointed out at the front of the brown bush there as I really cannot visualise.  By that time the head has popped down which you can notice blurred silhouette of the bird in my photo. This is 50% cropped still!

Below is the bird in the open which was shot by my fellow birder Ang. Looks like I have to make another 2 hours journey down from KL to get a better picture of this mega bird.  Apparently  a Little Curlew visited the same padi field of Sungai Balang 9 years ago which was also reported by Ang Teck Hin. This is the second time and the fact it happen almost the same time and  month makes it a repeat in history. Coincidence you may ask but you may never know as birds have their own instinct and radar. We know it happen in BT in the case of the Orange Thrush and the regular Mugimaki. The Eurasian Hoopoe in Langkawi etc.

Photo courtesy @ AngTeckHin
The Little Curlew is a vagrant to Malaysia travelling 1,000 of miles  from Siberia Marshland during winter period. Their last destination is in  Northern Territories of Australia.

Thursday 19 October 2017

Avian Sighting in October 2017 - Juvenile Indian Cuckoo


Last Sunday saw me showing Leow and his wifey Angie the birding ports in Genting Highland. Leow has just started bird photography a few months back. He have chalk up plenty of lifers in Sg Congkak, Frasers hill , Bukit Tinggi and Lancang but not in Genting Highlands like Bukit Chin Chin aka Ulu Kali .

We got this cute Juvenile visiting Cuckoo at Awana Port down in the valley at the gate end of the Awana  trail. Later they treated me to a sumptuous lunch at my regular restaurant at Genting Sempah - Summer Park. There surprise to see Ken with his in-laws who travelled all the way from Hartamas  to having lunch at the place.