Mike is the name Birding is the game ( Birding in Malaysia - Malaysian birds in photos ): Lifer 593 - BULBUL 26 /29 : Black & White Bulbul (August 2026)

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 March 2026 my countdown of lifers photograph has reached

593/688 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 & Amp; 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 . In 2024 I visited a new happening birding spot in Talang Seremban.......

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.

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Lifer 593 - BULBUL 26 /29 : Black & White Bulbul (August 2026)

Finally after more than 20 years of birding my gang got news of the re-appearance of this rarity bulbul down south of Peninsula Malaysia. We missed the June-July sighting report by other birders; that case it was nesting and too sensitive to divulge . This time my gang made the effort to drive 4.5 hours to Kota Tinggi to try our luck with our Johor gang. Thanks AT and ML ; JB John and Lim for their company.

Photo courtesy of MingLee@2026

It was not an easy bird to see as they are arboreal canopy bird and feed in the clearstory of 50-100 feet fruiting trees. They have a wide range where there are fruiting trees. They may stay a week or two here and then moving to the next fruiting spot. So whenever there are sighting it is best to take the trip soonest to the spot. The best time to chance on them is during the mating and breeding season from May - July of the year. Popular places to see them are at Merapoh, Taman Negara Tahan, Panti, Endau Rompin in Peninsula Malaysia. It is recorded as a visitor to Singapore in Pulau Ubin.

Don't mistake them for a OMR or Philentoma if you chance on them in the lower storey from afar. Its body is dark or brownish black with a obvoius splayed white patch on its upper covert of its wing. Supposedly red-eyed. Its rather small upto tp 6-7 inches.

Listen for its metallic chweet call and hope they response to you. If there other birds around they may take their turn to feed as they tend to be bullied or harassed because of its small size.

When they are breeding they make their nest at low lying tree as low as 2-3 feet high. Here is a photo of a previous nest which surprising in the open without undercover which is unusually tidy.

Photo courtesy of JB birders

We found a gem of a place to eat here in Kota Tinggi for seafood dinner popular amongst the locals- I would rate it 3.5/5 pulled down by its pricing which equal KL rates. Total damage RM162 for 3 dishes as shown.