Tusker territory....

 The vicinity around the Titiwangsa Rest Stop along the East-West Highway has been recently producing notable records including a number of montane species. Although, it is a two and half hour drive from home, it is now the closest site for montane species and I could do with some montane birding. Together with Hor Kee and Michael, we left the warmth of our beds at an ungodly hour in order to reach this new birding site at the break of dawn. The rest stop sits approximately 1000 meters above sea level and the view is refreshing especially in the mornings when the mountains are still engulfed with mist.

Unfortunately, it is a popular rest area for those traveling from east to west of the peninsular and vice versa. So, it is not exactly my cup of tea. But a spotlight erected at the edge of the rest stop indirectly create a tree full of resting insects at dawn attracted by the light during the night and the birds are well aware of this breakfast buffet. We did not have time to even position ourselves near the tree when the first patrons swooped in from the forest and it was a pair of Sultan Tits. I could not believe our luck. The Sultan Tit is one of the most striking birds you can find in Malaysia and this pair provided the perfect start to our excursion. They showed little fear of our presence and I can only assume the birds here are used to human presence as there is certainly plenty of that at this locality. Even at this hour the car park area was already half full.

The Sultan Tits were restless and active. The tasty insects were the only things on their minds. There were hardly any chance for me to capture them unobstructed by the vegetation despite the close proximity. It was frustrating but the encounter with this stunning forest denizen made the relatively lethargic drive here worth the effort.

It was a long weekend as our National Day fell on the following Monday and that brought in even more travellers than usual. Amidst convoys of superbikes and other vehicles drowning the locality with their presence, I found a momentarily sanctuary here courtesy of a pair of Sultan Tits.

A few female Large Cuckooshrikes decided to join in the feast and their immense size made them rather conspicuous. Like the Sultan Tits, they exhibited a level of bravery I have not come across before and gorged on the insects at a leisurely pace.

The Large Cuckooshrike is not new to me. It is common in montane habitats but it has been almost a year since my last visit to the mountains and the pair offered temporary reprieve until my next visit. However, this birding site is no Fraser’s Hill. I do feel the cool mountain air in my lungs. The presence of several montane species this morning was a welcomed change from the usual lowland species. But the variety of species is simply not here and there are limited areas for birding. And the crowd, especially during holidays like this weekend, bordered my tolerance level.

The bird of the day goes to a family of Large Woodshrikes. They were ridiculously bold and at times, I found it hard to believe that these were wild birds. This is by far my best encounter with the Large Woodshrike. The males, with their more intense colouration, naturally had my immediate attention.

The Large Woodshrikes have a tendency to take a breather while they fed on the insects. This provided me with ample photographic opportunities and I took full advantage of them. Occasionally, I was interrupted by either curious or ignorant fellow human beings walking up to my position. Lucky for me, the interruption did not deter the Large Woodshrikes from feasting here.

The females were just as photogenic despite lacking some of the radiance of the males. The flock came and went frequently and each visit was hardly brief. So, I managed to shower the ladies with some affection at the end of it all.

One female had quite distinct pale fringing on the crown and back and as well as a paler bill. It is an indication that it is a juvenile bird rather than a female. Following the manner of the adult birds, it was also exceptional confiding.

The concentration of insects at the vicinity offered a family of Black-thighed Falconets with a relatively easy source of food. Although this tiny raptor usually prefer to take insect prey, little birds are also known to fall prey to it. From the look of things here, all the birds present seem to get along well enough.

A few common lowland birds have followed the humans up to this elevated outpost like the Yellow-vented Bulbul.

Eurasian Tree-Sparrows also opted for cooler living conditions and have settled in well here.

It was no surprise to come across a pair of Asian Fairy-Bluebirds as it occurs from the lowlands up to the mountains. The male was shy as usual leaving only the female to provide me with this one record shot.

These hornbill statues although not quite that visually appealing to me made sense as these incredible birds are present in the locality. Well, at least I can take comfort it is not a statue of a toucan instead of a hornbill.

Birds are not the only wildlife thriving along this forested highway. Asian Elephants find refuge here as well. In fact, this is one of the main strongholds of these majestic beasts. It would be exhilarating to catch a glimpse of them in the wild. But trekking vulnerably along a trail, fresh dung and pugmarks will definitely be sufficient enough for me. There are very few animals one needs to truly fear in the wilds of Malaysia and this tusker is one of them.

To end my post this time is a photo of some Bamboo Orchid flowers basking in the morning sun. I did some online research and apparently, this plant is also known as the Tapah Weed. I would not associate it to any kind of weed but then again, when it comes to plants, there is much that I still need to learn.