Birding at Jeram Perlus and Nuang - 2012

My first birding trip for year 2012 was at a new place called Jeram Perlus. It is located at the same route to Gabai waterfalls in Ulu Langat. Birding can start as soon as you turn into the road leading right up to the orang asli village. It is advisable not to go beyond the orang asli houses. This was because the trails are covered by bushes and some of the orang asli folks don't look so friendly here.

Here are some of the birds seen along the road:

This Oriental Magpie Robin certainly knows how and where to make itself heard early in the morning.

The next bird i saw was this Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo.

This was the highlight of the trip - a Little Green Pigeon ! Said to be quite common in this region but you won't see it in every birding trips.

This is a more common Black-naped Oriole

This little bird is an Orange-Bellied Flowerpecker - its just about 9cm in length.

As the birding activities were slow at this place, i proceeded to Gunung Nuang which is located just nearby the area.

The first bird i saw at Gunung Nuang today was this Banded Woodpecker. It certainly has an intense red in its feathers as compared to other woodpeckers in this region.

Then i came across this Greater Coucal.

This Purple-Naped Sunbird, according to Dr Ronald Orenstein has DNAs which are closely related to spiderhunters - could it possibly be a streaked spiderhunter relative?

When this Crested Serpent Eagle came out to make its calls, the entire jungle was silent.

Then out came this Warbler. Can't positively id this bird due to the lighting conditions which have hidden some of its features.

I reckon this bird is a Hairy-Backed Bulbul.

Birding at UNISZA and UMT

Recently i went back to Kuala Terengganu to see my mother-in-law who was very ill on X'mas day. I took the opportunity to visit two universities which are located nearby to each other at a place called "Gong Badak" i.e. Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UNISZA) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). A local birder (Mr Annuar McAffee) has written and published a book on birding at UNISZA alone, listing close to 135 birds seen around its campus. I must say that the guards at both the universities were friendly and allowed us (me and my kids) in without much questioning.

Although Mr Annuar McAffee was in KL during my visit, we did not have any problems locating the birding area as the guards are kind enough to show us the lake area in UNISZA. Here are some of the birds seen along the way:

The first bird we saw was this White-Throated Kingfisher.

Then we saw this lone Yellow-Bellied Prinia.

My kids spotted this juvenile Purple Heron across the lake.

We saw plenty of this Pond Heron, not only around the campus area but in most places in KT. We also saw a juvenile Yellow Bittern, about 15 Scally-Breasted Munias, lots of swallows flying around and a Common Sandpiper near the lake area.

Since the birds were probably having a X'mas holiday, we decided to visit UMT which is just 5 minutes drive away from UNISZA. Its signage can be seen here from the boundaries of UNISZA.

The first bird we saw at UMT was this Asian Brown Flycatcher. 

Then we also saw a Common Sandpiper along the banks of a man-made canal which was built on a mangrove area.

We saw close to 15 of these Ashy Minivets. They seem to enjoy the strong wind blowing from the sea front.

At a glance this bird could have been a white wagtail but after further observation this was just an Ashy Minivet - probably an adult male.

Amongst the minivets, we saw this Olive-Backed Sunbird.

As i was crossing the bridge near the mangrove area i saw this kingfisher. Before i could raise my camera again, it flew away @3#$%%&^&*@

God must have been kind to me as it flew back and allowed me to take a few shots before it flew away again. This is an uncommon Common Kingfisher !

The following day i went around the neighbourhood to look for more birds and here are some of them:

This Pond Heron was shot from the car.

Then came this Brown Shrike trying its best to hide himself.

These pipits actually was hovering before it landed just like a richard's pipit description but i think these birds were just Paddyfield Pipits.

This could be a Black-Bellied Malkoha.

This is a Dollar Bird perched high up on a tree trunk. Back-light was the order of the day through out my stay.

Finally a clear shot of a Pied Fantail - the MNS SBBG's mascot!

 ...and this Ashy Tailorbird concludes my birding trip in Terengganu.

Bird Watching at Bukit Rengit, Lanchang, Krau Forest Reserve

Bukit Rengit is famous as a tourist attraction for its deerland park and an elephant sanctuary. It is also famous among birders for its variety of birds. It takes about an hour and 45 minutes drive as well as 3 tolls (about RM10.00 per way) to reach the place from KL. The landscape of Bukit Rengit is quite similar to Merapoh where there is a long track of tar road flanked by pristine jungle on both sides of the road. Although Merapoh in Pahang is much more quiet but Bukit Rengit has its own unique profile of birds. For example there were calls of Great Argus in three locations along the road as compared to zero heard in Merapoh. I reached the place close to 8.00 am and started birding as i turned in to the road leading to the Deerland. As i turned in, suddenly a Red Jungle fowl flew across the road to the opposite side. There were also many birds calls along the trail leading to a bridge eg Garnet Pittas, Hill Mynas, Sooty-capped Babbler, Stripped-Tit Babblers and a host of other calls which i am still in the process of identifying them with the help of experts. Have also sighted a few birds which i did not manage to photograph them such as Rhinoceros Hornbills, Greater Coucal, Red-bearded Bee Eater, White-Rumped Sharma etc.

Here are some which i managed to take:

A lone Drongo perched on a misty morning.

This is a noisy Maroon Woodpecker, drumming and probing at a tree branch while calling out loud!

As the sun came out, so did this woodie. I think woodie looks more like an Olive-backed woodie.

There were woodpeckers galore at this place...saw at least a few of this Checker-Throated Woodpecker along the trail.

Then this Crimson-Breasted Flowerpecker flew in and say come and snap me ! - it stayed on the branch for several minutes staring curiously at me.

This could be a Lesser-Racket Tail Drongo.

A male Chestnut-Breasted Malkoha collecting nesting materials.

This is a rather confusing Warbler. Note: according to experts, the bar markings on the wings may not be a good indicator for an eastern crown as some were observed not having any white bar markings. Now that was interesting ! So according to the experts one also has to look at the colour of its vent. But this bird's vent has no yellow like what an eastern crown usually has. At the same time its face has no speckles like an artic warbler. But the more i look at this picture, the more i would say that this bird is an Eastern Crown Warbler ! 

I turned back after this sign board.

As i headed for home i came across this Red-billed malkoha along the trail.

It was close to noon and this fellow is still busy looking for insects to eat.

All these photos certaintly do not do justice for the numerous birds which can be seen at this place. Perhaps with a bit more luck, i could take more pictures the next time. Conclusion: this place is certaintly worth going for the second time and with this i conclude my birding trips for year 2011. Certaintly look forward for more birding trips next year - 2012!! Until then wish you birders and visitors a Merry X'mas and Happy New Year !

Note: After having obtained confirmation from a local bird calls expert - Mr Choo Jiin Hwa, here are the few bird calls which were identified later:

i) White-Rumped Sharma

ii) Rufous-Crowned Babbler

iii) Grey-Cheeked Bulbul

iv) Scarlet-Rumped Trogon

v) Diard's Trogon (possible)