STORK 4/4 - Storm's Stork (lifer 587/688)

The final Stork species of Malaysia. I  have to travel to Sukau Sg Kinabatangan to see this bird. My family arrange a 3 days 2 night chalet stay package at Sukau Backpackers Bed & Breakfast. They will fetch you from the airport  at a price of RM400 per pax. The package include 4 river cruises; 2 in  morning session 6am-8am and the evening session 4pm-6pm and a night cruise. You may ask for birding  excursion  for you group at extra charge. Our guide Harry is very good in his profession in looking for any living animals in our way at Kinabatangan. 

This medium-sized stork stands at 75–91 cm tall and most of the plumage is black. The undertail coverts and the back of neck are white with a black cap. It has orange facial skin with a yellow ring surrounding the eye, a red iris, and a pinkish-red bill. On some but not all male individuals, the culmen of the bill is slightly concave with a basal knob.

Storm's stork feeds primarily on small fish, frogs, aquatic insect larvae, and sometimes earthworms. These are also the food items brought by both parents back for their young at the nest; with the fish measuring 5–7 cm long and weighing 10-30g, and the worms measuring 10–15 cm long. The parents regurgitate the food into the bottom of the nest, whereupon it is picked up and swallowed by the chicks. During a series of nest observations in southern Sumatra in 1989, adults were found to return to the nest with food for the chicks every 2–4 hours in June; but in July, food was brought to the nest less often and significantly more frequently in the late afternoons. In Sabah, they have also been reported to feed on grasshoppers and possibly crabs. Hence, other food taxa may be similar to those of the woolly-necked stork, but more data are required to fully confirm this,

This stork typically forages stealthily with slow, deliberate movements and a retracted neck  along muddy banks of rivers and creeks within dense primary forest keeping primarily to the shaded areas. Individuals with chicks usually forage 2–3 km from the nest. It will also use other freshwater bodies as foraging localities with high densities of fish and freshwater invertebrates. These include small pools, trackside puddles, swamps and oxbow lakes; and the Storm's stork may be able to use these features optimally where they occur in a patchwork arrangement on riparian floodplains. It can also use boggy clearings created by ungulates such as gaur that trample vegetation to access mineral licks. In contrast, deep, fast-flowing rivers and waterways are avoided by this species due to reduced prey availability and its inability to stand in these waters.

CRAKE/RAIL 5/6 November 2025 - Red-legged Crake (Lifer 586/688)

Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam can be a place for surprises for vagrants and migrant birds. The last time  was a Slaty-legged Crake which stayed for a while. After the last sighting of the Red-legged Crake about 4-5 years back I was really hoping that it will reappear. That time it stayed for just a couple of days. Then this Oct my good friend who regular bird there gave me a head up that a crake has been sighted for the past week there. After confirming that it was my lifer I immediately make arrangement to go the following morning before it leave without notice; as I believe it a passage migrant. Some says it a nomad local bird that moved around  vast territory. For the record It was also sighted in Frasers Hill which I missed it by a day 2 years back. 

The Red-legged Crake (Rallina fasciata) is a striking yet elusive bird of dense wet forests and swampy undergrowth across Southeast Asia and parts of northern Australia. Known for its rich colour plumage and bright crimson legs, this medium-sized crake is more often heard than seen, skulking through thick vegetation in search of invertebrates and seeds. As a member of the rail family (Rallidae), it exhibits many of the typical rail characteristics—secretive habits, strong legs for walking, and short, rounded wings for brief flights. Despite its rarity in sightings, the Red-legged Crake plays a vital role in the health of tropical wetland ecosystems. (extract simplybirding.com)

The Red-legged Crake is a medium-sized bird, measuring around 24–28 cm in length. It has a relatively short tail, rounded wings, and long, strong legs that are distinctly bright red or crimson, giving the species its name. The plumage is chestnut to rich rufous-brown on the head, neck, and upperparts, transitioning to bold black and white barring on the flanks and underparts.

The eyes are bright red, adding to its vivid appearance, and the bill is greenish to grey, often with a darker tip. The bird’s combination of warm chestnut tones and zebra-like flanks makes it unmistakable when seen clearly—though such views are usually fleeting.

Juveniles are duller in colour, with more muted barring and paler legs, gradually acquiring the adult’s vibrant hues as they mature.

Red-legged Crakes are mainly terrestrial, spending most of their time walking quietly through dense ground vegetation in search of food. They are shy and reclusive, making them challenging to observe in the wild. When disturbed, they are more likely to run and disappear into cover than take flight, although they can fly short distances when necessary.

They are usually solitary or seen in pairs and are most active during the early morning and late afternoon. Their diet includes insects, worms, snails, seeds, and other small invertebrates, which they forage for by probing in soft soil or leaf litter.

One of the most common ways birders detect the presence of a Red-legged Crake is by its distinctive vocalisations. Its call is a series of harsh, grating, or clucking notes, often delivered at dusk or during the wet season when breeding activity peaks.

Breeding typically coincides with the monsoon or wet season, when water and food resources are abundant. In Australia, this is usually from December to March, though the timing varies throughout the bird’s broader range. The nest is a loosely constructed platform of leaves and grass, usually hidden in thick vegetation or in low bushes near water. The female lays 3 to 6 buff-coloured eggs with reddish or brown blotches. Both parents share incubation duties, which last for approximately 18–20 days. Chicks are precocial—hatching fully feathered and ready to leave the nest within a day or two to follow the parents and forage.

Sharma 3/3 - Rufous-tailed Sharma (Lifer 582/688)

 At last  my final Sharma was found by my team in Endau Rompin. On entering the river trail I heard its call quite clearly but nothing in sight as the low light condition and heavy undergrowth was not helping. We played its call intermittently for a good stretch  of our walk but no respond and then an hour into our trail it was sighted sitting quietly on low tree branch as my gang managed to shot it abate behind foliage thru a small pocket opening. It was so blessed to encounter this rarity in my case after birding for 15 years.

Photo courtesy of AT

Our encounter of this male  bird here was enlightening. It seldom call out and it would sit quietly on its own for long period until it is spook by people. The male bird has a rufous rump and tail with a broad black tip not as long as the White-rumped It looks a bit rounded rather than slender. It has this quarter white brow and its beak is thick shrike-like. 

This bird like swampy habitat in broadleave forest below 950m ASL. Panti will also be a good location to see this bird and record in Krau forest which never showed up since umpteen years visiting the place.

Pigeon 9/10 - Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon (Lifer 581/688)

These pigeon are gregarious roosting in a pair  or a group of many. They like to hang out perch high on barren tree away from human. We found  many colony along route 63 / Muadzam-Rompin trunk road nearing Simpang Tiga Leban Chondong or the off road of Kanpung Lanjut to Kuala Rompin.

The name "Cinnamon headed" follows the color of the male bird in a distinct bright maroon with patchy pink & orange tones. The female is plain green like the thick-billed  and others species but with slight different in color array of their green tones. Their red beak is unique with broad white tip.

This is coastal bird mainly seen in Swampland, Bakau forest and Scrub land  along the east coast of Peninsula from Dungun Rompin Mersing right down to Johor Bahru. Usually if sighted near the road it is advisable to shoot from the car first before embarking from the blind side of the road as the birds are skittish and wary of approaching human. In our case the birds were 50m away from us unfortunately and we approach thru the fringe tree undergrowth and shrubs.

Next to find  the Large Green Pigeon in Melaka/Janda Baik...........
 

Swift-Swiftlet 8/12 - Germain's Swiftlet (Record 580/688)

I always thought this Swiftlet is a migrant bird but actually common resident There are several subspecies of this bird depending on the color texture of its rump and bottom body. The rump with paler gray whitish feathers with blackish shaft streaking is its main id. The wing line is very straight at its wing end primaries. Size wise its about 11-12cm is small amongst the other swiftlets names migrant Himalayan and Waterfall Swiftlet which I hope to see next

I was never good in BIF shooting This time with my buddies guiding me my I set my Fuji XT5  to all focus point and limited focusing distance to infinity ; then setting to at least 1/2000-4000 speed max multi frame speed  I manage some decent  handheld shots. Sometime I envy two buddies who were shooting with Nikon Z series where shooting BIF with ease.....Should I change system.

 Its habitat is all terrain whether it is forest or agri land  towards open land like in Rompin over swamp flats and scrub land, sea isle upto 1300 asl.

Next target Swiftlet that I wish to see is the Waterfall Swift; Glossy Swiftlet with its bat like flight and the migrant Himalayan Swiftlet &Fork-tailed Swift

Babbler 19/23 - Scaly-crowned Babbler (New 579/688)

 Actually I have shot this babbler before but lost my photo during migration to Blogspot umpteen years ago. This time we were lucky in our recent trip to Rompin forest reserve when a threesome came out to greet us in the middle storey as they responded to our callback. 

It average 15cm in size which is smaller than its sibling Rufous-crowned coming in at 18cm/8 inches. Beside that the different between the two is the rufous crown of the Scaly has black speckle ; its breast is pale white without streak whilst the legs are pale  rather then black.

There are found on lowland broadleaves forest upto 800m feeding and playing at low to middle storey level. The Rufous is more often recorded sighted in lower lying (upto 400m asl) forest jungle.  

Babbler (18/23) - Grey-breasted Babbler Lifer 2025 (578/688)

Opportunity  came in July 2025  when news arrived by Johor birders that a family of Grey breasted babbler (post nesting) were regularly sighted in Panti at one of the many trails there. You definitely need a local birder to guide you to seek this rarity babbler. As far as I have been birding  for 20 years I only know Panti Johor as one site to see this bird in Península abate East Malaysia sighting like at Sabah Poring. 

ID - It is a small to medium-sized bird of  12-15cm. It has Gray-breasted plumage as its name with distinct white throat and underparts. Bill is Slightly curved and slender, suitable for insectivorous diet. Eye color is Dark eyes, often appearing bold whote lore and black face. – Wing and tail: Shorter wings and a relatively long tail, which is often held downward. Typically found in pairs or small groups, often foraging in leaf litter or low shrubs in  dense undergrowth in humid forests or secondary growth areas. It produces a series of soft, melodious notes; listen for its distinctive vocalization.

Photo courtesy of AT

This gray-breasted babbler species stays in the middle storey of virgin lowland forest especially swampy and flooded terrain. In peninsula Malaysia it is found in central Pahang which I always try to search is in Krau Lancang but so far no such sighting. 

Photo courtesy of ML

 
 Like many other babblers they respond to your bird call  but this bird was a bit skittish in our encounter as there too many distraction from other birders also seeking the bird. It is known to mimic the calls of other bird species, which can sometimes confuse predators!
 We got just a window of 20 second or so to shoot in the early morning lighting. My Fuji XT5 failed me as it was not focussing well enough in the low like condition. There were a family of 3 birds we saw during this  post nesting period in July. It's  mimic unique hopping manner and perch on vertical stump branches like forest Wren babbler showcasing their agility and adaptability.