Birding restart after RMCO - June 2020

With the lifting of restriction of MCO for recreational activities several of my birding friends have already restarted their birding excursion. I have not being birding for the past 3 months or so. With great anticipation I decided to venture to Lanchang last weekend. Met Ray & Friend and Vic & Mic there.

Reaching the port at 7.30am after getting my breakfast nasi lemak at Warung Zai.  First bird to see was a pair of  Black Hornbill perched at a dead tree in the early morning. If you are lucky you can get the Great Slaty Woodpecker instead at the same tree opposite the port.





The overcast lighting was still dimmed at the port as I venture out  towards Deerland. A lot of babbler were  calling and the Buff-chested was the only one I manage to see. At that moment the Crested Jay was calling but no where in sight. Later Vic manage to shoot it as I move further to Deerland.

The highlight of my trip was the Cinnamon-rumped Trogon and my lifer Male. Last shot it in Bakun ; that time it was a female. The encounter was very short I only managed 3 record shots.  As I tried to move my shooting position it flew inside from jungle fringe. We never learn to be patient .....sign. Any drastic movement it will be gone for good. So guys be tactful when looking for this most wanted Trogon. It looks like the Scarlet except its bigger, eye-brow much shorted and lastly it stays at lower storey ie eye level.

The Cinnamon-rumped Trogon is a must see bird in Bukit Rengit

Further down at the first turning from Deerland there was plenty of bird activity. The resident Red-bill Malkoha and Red-bearded Bee-eater were sighted but too far for any good photos. Here a pair of Blue-winged were sucking nectar I think of the blooming flowers beside the common Flowerpeckers and Bulbuls.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
































At about 11am I was back at the port to shoot whatever that come out. The other highlight was a pair of Large Wren Babbler. They were been chased. Some of us just side behind the hide screen as they flush out the birds LOL. I just got a some record  shot. The common birds are returning to the port as the good time are back ...... The most vocal was the Black-capped dueting with the LWB.

Other birds are the Hairy-backed & Yellow-breasted Bulbuls and Short-tailed. Rufous Collared Kf was not present that day ; instead the tiny Rufous-backed was flushed out to the port. So plenty of action there in Lancang........................

Avian Site Report Sg Balang Muar Jan2020 - Duck has landed

A single Garganey was sighted here. My Sifu  AngTK was also recce -ing  the place on the day after a successful outing up north Perlis getting the rarity Sakhalin leaf Warber and Olived Bulbul.  The Woolly-necked Stork I think have left the place together with the Open-bills as the food source of moon snails are not seen anymore as the fields are been ploughed.

Meanwhile the  current star bird in Sg Balang Muar still remains the visiting Imperial  Eagle (Aquila). The other raptors  that can also be seen here beside Batang Tiga Melaka are the Steppe Eagle and Greater Spotted . Will wait for news there before dropping over.

Avian Site Report November 2019 - Awana Genting

In the middle of November 2019 I recce the Awana trail  again with Bubu and friend in tag. This is to gauge the incoming visiting or migrants birds here in Genting. So we rendezvous at the usual entrance at 7.30am sharp and I am glad we started our excursion  as scheduled. PS I hate  waiting for people during my outing as the montane bird are active during the witching hours. 

The best encounter in the early morning session was @ 8.00-8.30am as we sighted this daring Black-tight Falconet. It was feeding on insects at a distance of 80-100 ft away. It has uncanny telescopic eyesight which it can spot insects as far as 100-150ft away. It literally flew over our heads to snare its prey before flying to the same perch. Below picture it was seen feasting on a juicy hopper from one of its  several successful hunt during our encounter. We were lucky it later change its perch under shade and not so harsh background.

A couple Orange-bellied Leafbird was also seen on 2 occasions This was at a close distance of 30-40 ft. They are curious enough to stay for a good 10 minutes for us to capture it as shown here. Beside that the Blue-winged Leafbird was also sighted but no open shot.

The Mugimaki Flycatchers have arrived; not one but 3 birds were sighted. The Male was rather elusive and I only got the female bird high up a barren leave tree about 100-150 ft away 

Later further down the trail, a Darksided Fc was more accommodating sallying for insects at lower storey. 

 Next came the other  highlight of the excursion a family  of 5-6 birds of White-hooded came out for us to shoot. It was a short encounter but it was a delight for my myammar friends. The birds were absent for a time and I guess it was beginners' luck. They are very skittish bird and keep a distance and most of the time perch behind foliage or branches. during my many encounters.

Then another surprise was a sighting of the Pin-tailed Parrotfinch along the track. This was my first encounter here. The birdwave were quite frequently during the time circa 9.00-10.30am as we shoot whatever comes near. Bubu got a bunch of lifers I think.................

The surprises keep coming when we  saw a pair of quietly perching Male Red-bearded Beeeater from afar - 200 ft. I instructed my friend to take shoots every 10 steps as we approach the pair. We managed to reach about 60-70 ft from them before one of them felt we are too close for its liking and left .....followed by the other. Nonetheless, we were blessed to sight them up to that distance.

There are some fruiting fig that as yet to attract the barbets or Hornbills here. The Black-browed  Barbet was the common one here.

The other resident birds that we encounter but many without good photo opportunity. A pair of  Hill Blue was very obliging staying behind the birdwave.

By 1130am we were we retreating back to the entrance; the bird activity has somewhat diminished to solo encounters. We left the place at about 12.30 pm untill the next outing bye bye...................

Avian Field Report September 2019 - Ulu Kali aka Bukit Cincin

End September Dennis invited me to go to Genting to try out his newly acquired Canon EF500mm mk2 and 5D mk4 setup after his windfall in the stock market Lucky fellow.  

As for me its migrant hunting in the Banjaran migration route. The place was rather active with many of the common residents. A pair of confiding White-throated  Fantail came out to look-see look-see in the open.  Its been awhile for me  to see & shoot this fantail. 

A pair of Yellow-rumped Flycatcher were also the early arrival here. Usually they will move down to the lowland and suburban ports in Klang valley like Ampang and Congkak side. No Mugimaki as yet to be seen.

There were at least a few grey Wagtails around but as usual, they are always wary of us and kept their distance.

A Tiger Shrike and a Brown Shrike  were sighted  as they sally for moths in the early morning hours. The Shrikes may move on south once they fatten up at this Ulu.Kali stop. It was a sad news to  hear that a migrant jungle flycatcher probably a brown-chested hit the the glass window on the day before and died mentioned by Rosla.

There was at least a pair of Asian Brown Flycatcher that are mindfully sallying for insect.  

Only a male Large Niltava and Snowy Flycatcher were seen at the UK port. The females were missing. The resident Lesser Shortwing was calling but did not show up. Dennis was rather happy with the outing and gave me a treat that afternoon.

So we returned to  Gohtong Jaya for Bakuteh and it cost Dennis a bomb at RM22 per head which is 50% more expensive than in KL. The whole affair with Tea and Veggie came out at RM65.00++ Swear I will not go there anymore I rather go to Bukit Tinggi for a sumptuous meal for  that kind of money!