Mike is the name Birding is the game ( Birding in Malaysia - Malaysian birds in photos ): Avian Site Report in September 2019

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.

Wednesday 11 September 2019

Avian Site Report in September 2019 - Bukit Tinggi (Yellow morph Pin-tailed)

With the promising find at Awana I was enthusiastic to go to Lancang on Sunday but because of a car issue I decided to go to the nearer destination in Bukit Tinggi instead. On the way up the winding road I heard the barking call of a pair Great hornbill which were roosting on a tree near the roadside. Dare not move out from the car so as not to spook them As it was still dark before 7.00am; I have to boost up ISO of my Fuji to 3200 and shooting at 1/8s I can only manage a few shots before they flew away.

The security is now even more stringent to pass the boomgate after paying up the entry fees of RM16.00 at Colmar. By time the guard confirm my car no and open up it was already passed 7.35am. On the way up to the Japanese Garden I saw some tiny birds in the distance. It was a beautiful encounter with a colony of parrotfinch (of about a dozen or so)!!!! they were feasting on the many bamboo outcrops below the ravine. Alas I did not bring my P1000 as the birds is about 150-200 ft away I cannot get any good resolution photos as the tiniest subject are just too out.

This is my first for me seeing a parrotfinch with a yellow tail and yellow bellied but with a blue face. It supposedly a yellow morph male specimen. It is a rarity 5-8 % of its population.

The above bird look unfamiliar; perch on a dead tree for quite sometime............. cropped far out in the ravine.

At the chicken port, I met Bubu and his gang of three who are there for the third time to catch the Ferruginous Partridge for the past two months. He is Burmese working in Subang. They failed again today. The resident Mountain Peacock Pheasant were in attendance though. Both were male with 3 spiked legs and turquoise spotted tail. Wish to report there are no migrant birds so far. Hope you guys have better luck..........

The famous ficus tree is again fruiting so its is a good time to plan a trip in middle October to BT again. BTW I manage to sight a Chestnut-winged Scimitarbabbler there. No good photo but a blur one.