Well, what do you know...

 

There was a time when Cameron Highlands was a haven for both birds and birders. Fast forward to the present day and you will usually have traffic congestion greeting you upon your arrival, development everywhere and an unbelievable number of people present. In short, they brought city living up to this hill station. This trip was a family vacation more than anything else. For my better half, it was her first outstation trip since the lockdowns. The colours and fragrances of the floral gardens and the rolling hillslopes of the tea estates certainly had her attention. I naturally agreed to everything that was in her itinerary. Getting in her good graces in exchange for some birding time never once crossed my mind.

I managed (or should I say allowed) to sneak out twice during our stay here. The first was an afternoon affair and it was along an isolated road close to our accommodations. Hopping about the undergrowth was a small ball of feathers and I knew exactly it was. The ever-adorable Pygmy Cupwing was the first true montane species I encountered on this trip and I could not have asked for a better start. As usual, the skulking nature of the bird and the cover provided by the dense vegetation tested both my patience and photographic gear.

My lucky break came when the Pygmy Cupwing was done tormenting me and alighted on an exposed perch. In full view, it is undoubtedly a cracking bird. And I thought to myself perhaps there is still some magic left here after all.

The Lesser Shortwing is another skulker of the mountainous regions and its distinctive and melodious call is a common sound in this habitat. To enjoy good views, one usually has to work (or pray) really hard. And for my efforts this time, a view that I really should not complain about but the obstructing vegetation hampered what could have been a decent image of a handsome male bird.

Away from the hustle and bustle of Brinchang town and potentially a good birding area, I was grateful to have found this “local patch” to satisfy my birding addiction. Here the natural habitat remains relatively untouched and the sounds of Mother Nature filled the vicinity instead of human activities. It reminded me of the Cameron Highlands of old and the nostalgia brought back unforgettable memories of a teenage birder experiencing the avian wonders this place had to offer.

I froze when I came across an open space among the forest. There was a slender and black mammal lying on the ground in a distance and it appeared to be feeding. As I lifted my binoculars, I could hardly contain my excitement. However instead of a fearsome Black Panther as I so wishfully hoped for, it was just a domestic dog. Luckily I was alone and my pride, intact.

The Mountain Tailorbird, apparently, is no longer a Tailorbird but it is still a warbler. Whatever it is, this bird is difficult to photograph because it is restless and small. The individual I came across today was rather inquisitive and a little more confiding than usual. And I pulled every trick in the book to try to finally obtain some images of this montane denizen. The images obtained were not exactly award-winning material but it did not matter. This Mountain Tailorbird was the bird of the day for me.

Not only did I managed to photograph the Mountain Tailorbird but the little guy lingered around for quite some time before disappearing back into the forest. Initially, I did not expect much from this short excursion but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Like I always say, expect the unexpected when it comes to birding.

Flowering bushes will often yield the Black-throated Sunbird which is the only sunbird here in Peninsular Malaysia that has adapted to life in the mountains. And the iridescent throat, in certain angles, had yours truly gawking at one of the most easily encountered birds in Cameron Highlands.

A quick glance at my watch and it was time to head back. An early dinner with the family awaits at the famed night market of Cameron Highlands. And keeping your end of the bargain especially after a birding excursion, is one of the keys to a happy marriage. Despite that, a soaring raptor is almost impossible to ignore and this one turned out to be a resident Oriental Honey-Buzzard. To the unwary, it can be dismissed as the commoner Crested Serpent-Eagle because of the similarities in plumage.

The next morning, I was blessed with another hour of birding and I arrived at my local patch at first light. The dawn chorus was absolute music to my ears and one particular call had my immediate attention. It belonged to yet another skulker of the undergrowth and effort was certainly required before I had visual of the Streaked Wren-Babbler. It was still dim and my photographic gear struggled to obtain some digital memories of this encounter.

Determination and luck eventually produced some decent images. It has been ages since I last enjoyed such views of a Streaked Wren-Babbler. Despite the urge to carry on with the excursion I could not bring myself to do it and continued to enjoy the performance.

The tail markings of the White-tailed Robin are prominent even when seen in a gloomy environment. However to appreciate the true splendour of a male bird, he has to be in enough light for his colours to shine. Which he was but only for the briefest moment.

I caught sight of some movement along the edge of the access road and proceed to investigate as discreetly as possible. When I was greeted by a clear white throat, it was none other than a Rufous-browed Flycatcher in search of breakfast. Then it dawned on me. Almost all the photographic opportunities here so far involved species that frequent the lower storey of the forest. And that is often not the case because these birds tend to be more elusive than their arboreal counterparts.

The Silver-eared Mesia to me is the perfect epitome for montane birding. Beautiful and charming, no visit to the mountains is complete without this common but stunning species stimulating your senses with its presence. And the Silver-eared Mesia was a fitting end to my birding quickies at Cameron Highlands. Although birding was not a priority this time, I enjoyed some fascinating moments with the birds that still called this diminishing paradise home.

Unforgettable - Part 1

I was really looking forward to my latest birding adventure as it would take me to one of the best lowland forest sites in Peninsular Malaysia – good old Taman Negara. Just a few days before the tour, it dawned on me. The dates coincided with Malaysia Day and that made the weekend a long one. I planned to have a stopover at Cameron Highlands for a night with my Sabahan guest, Kuan, before going over to the other side of the peninsular. And to be brutally honest, this highland resort is the last place to be during long weekends. As expected, we were greeted by horrendous traffic upon our arrival and particularly everywhere was crowded. Even the only birding spot left on Cameron Highlands, the narrow road up Gunung Brinchang, had its share of visitors. However, the human congestion and engulfing mist could not deny my guest of two outstanding lifers in the form of a Malayan Whistling-Thrush and Rufous-vented Niltava. Both species were equally exciting to me as they are montane specialities but the conditions made it utterly meaningless for my gear to attempt any photography.

We left Cameron Highlands and all the festivities behind when we made our way to the wild interiors of Pahang state. Taman Negara Sungai Relau was to be our hunting ground for the next few days and it has been 3 years since I last wandered into this wildlife sanctuary in search of feathered denizens. I was well aware of the ongoing construction works for a new canopy walk in the park and I can only hope it will not effect the birding too much. Certain parts of Malaysia has been under siege this past week with the return of the hazardous haze – the worst in 4 years. Fortunately, it was still relatively clear here.

The monumental sign at the entrance has been refurbished with a simpler one. There is room for improvement but I guess it will do given the isolation of this locality. This is the consequence of my years in the advertising and signage industry. It is in my blood and I cannot help but to take an interest in this manmade structure.

For the rest of Taman Negara Sungai Relau, nothing much has changed - lush vegetation, wild environment and captivating views. For that I am most grateful.

Oriental Magpie-Robins continue to do well here under the protection of the national park and from the look of things, it will be another successful nesting season. In fact, it was breeding season for quite a number of other species as well.

Ayuwat’s last visit here yielded a lone Slender-billed Crow that was mixing around with Large-billed Crows at the entrance to the park. It is a species that I have not encountered for many years. Naturally, all crows seen within the compound of the entry point were given extra attention. My efforts were not rewarded in the end as I do not possess the same good fortune as my Thai compatriot. On the other hand, my guest enjoyed our time scrutinizing the Large-billed Crows. For him, the Slender-billed Crow is the commoner one in East Malaysia.

In the forest proper, Ayuwat found yet another gem and it was the elusive Cinnamon-rumped Trogon. And again, it is another species I yearn to reconnect with. Unfortunately, the only trogon we managed to observe for this trip was a male Diard’s Trogon. Forest bird photography is often challenging and it took considerable time and effort to obtain this shot.

Have I ever mentioned that patience is a virtue for birding in the forest? Well, it certainly is. And so is determination. However when all the elements are against you, those virtues don’t do squat. Like this female Green Broadbill making an appearance at first light.

The Yellow-bellied Bulbul was a regular feature during my last visit. This time, there was only one brief encounter. Come to think of it, bulbuls were rather elusive – however unbelievable that may sound.

The only bulbul that I had a reasonably good encounter with was the Grey-cheeked Bulbul. The colouration of this individual lacked its usual radiance and I assumed it is a young bird.

Apart from a distant Crested Goshawk, there were no other photographic opportunities with raptors. I have to admit that this trip produced less photos than I had expected and I hope it is just me getting more demanding with age and not the fact that even mighty Taman Negara is starting to deteriorate just like any other birding site.

I was happy just to be able to locate this Yellow-crowned Barbet shouting its head off from a lofty perch late one evening. Barbets usually conceal themselves well among the foliage of tall trees but we can sometimes surprise ourselves with what we can achieve when we really put our heart into it. The ache from straining our necks will heal itself eventually...

Even from that distance, the barbet received a fair share of attention from a couple of visiting birders. For Kuan, this is only his second sighting and obtaining a record was never an option.

Taman Negara Sungai Relau is not only home to the birds. Mammals roam the forest here with very little threat from humans. Our encounters with Wild Boars and a Yellow-throated Marten left us with nothing but memories. A Prevost’s Squirrel using the electrical cables to move about the edge of the park made sure we did not end up empty handed. Thank goodness for that because this species is one of the most beautiful mammals found here in the park.

We also crossed paths with Smooth Otters on a few occasions. The thought of Hairy-nosed Otters did cross my mind since we are in this rare mammal’s neck of the woods. A quick check with Goggle put all uncertainties to rest. Anyway, the encounters were still exciting despite the common stature of the Smooth Otter.

It was good to see the herd of captive released Bantengs still surviving here in the park. The male looked as intimating as ever. Sporting a fresh wound on his shoulder only enhanced the look.

For this trip to Taman Negara, the main targets for my guest were two species of pittas. To increase our chances with these shy jewels of the jungle, a considerable amount of time was spent in hides. How we faired with these beautiful but shy terrestrial birds will be covered in my next blog posting.

Holiday blues...(06/07/2106)

I was really looking to this 4-day birding tour with my regular guest Ben as we would be exploring the pristine forest of Taman Negara Sungai Relau in Pahang. It has been 7 years since my last visit to this birding haven and that is an awfully long time. As it was the Malay New Year, the national park will only be opened on the second day of our tour. Since Cameron Highlands was along the way to Sungai Relau, I decided to let Ben experience birding there at the mossy forest of Gunung Brinchang – the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia that is accessible by car. I was expecting a crowd at this popular hill resort during our overnight stay but it cannot be all that bad or so I thought. It was a very long holiday break with Hari Raya, Heritage Day and Penang Governor’s Birthday. My intention of showing some of the montane species to my Singaporean guest could blow up in my face as the hill was overrun with visitors. Traffic congestion is the last thing any birder would want to face during a birding excursion.

This montane forest has been heavily marred by development and agriculture. I am not sure how much more Mother Nature can endure this onslaught. It is truly disheartening to see what has become of this locality.

Fortunately, there is enough left in this old girl to provide a couple of birders with some memorable experiences. The access road up Gunung Brinchang is one of the few places left where the natural environment has barely suffered under the hands of man. And it is along this mossy slope that we had some decent birding.

There are a few montane specialists that find refuge here. Although we missed out on all the rarer species, the commoner Golden-throated Barbet took centre stage and provided one of the main highlights. It was a close encounter but the constant movement of the bird and the harsh lighting made it difficult for me to capture better images.

We came across several birdwaves throughout the day but one particular wave had the birds coming towards us quite low and sometimes below eye level because we were overlooking a ravine. The Grey-chinned Minivet is not an uncommon bird but there is nothing common about the male’s remarkable plumage. His vivid red and black plumage is easily one of the most outstanding in the avian world. I can spend hours ogling at him especially when he is not flitting about his usual domain among the forest canopy. This is the kind of encounter that is responsible for keeping my passion for birding alive after all these years. This is also the kind of encounter that justifies the usage of profanity to describe this fucking incredible moment.

I do not like to see Blue Nuthatches in a bird wave. I get so enthralled with their antics and beauty that I usually miss out on all other species that come along. I have tried for years to get some decent images of this species but their hyperactive nature and preference for the canopy levels have always got in the way. Well, today was my lucky day. Following the minivet’s encounter, this oddly beautiful bird made sure that my adrenalin stayed at this heightened level.

Typical of nuthatches, they like to crawl upside down along tree trunks and branches. Yes, that makes them a delight to observe but a real hassle to photograph. None of my images had the bird right side up in the end. That would have been a killjoy normally. This time, however, I am elated to have finally obtained some reasonably good images.

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodations here in Cameron Highlands. They come in all shapes and sizes – from posh hotels to basic dormitories. De’ Native Guesthouse was highly recommended by Hor Kee and it was not hard to see why. It is located conveniently within Tanah Rata but secluded enough to escape all the activities of the township. The guest house was rather basic but it serves its purpose well enough. And the surrounding environment, serene and lush.

Most of all, birding around the guesthouse was good. The compound will usually have a few of the common birds loitering around. One of them is the Everett’s White-eye. These birds greeted us almost every time we walked around the compound but being small and active, obtaining good images is a tall order.

The distinctive whistle of the Lesser Shortwing filled the vicinity throughout the day. We were fortunate enough to get this adorable species out in the open on one occasion and some of our best images of it were obtained. The Lesser Shortwing is common at most hill stations but their skulking habits among the dark undergrowth make them challenging subjects.

Sharing similar habitats and habits, the White-tailed Robin is another alluring resident of the montane forest here. A lone female foraging along the road leading to the guest house in the late evening wrapped things up for us for the day. Despite the holiday crowd and ongoing habitat destruction works, Cameron Highland turned out to be a good start to the tour. Our next destination is Taman Negara Sungai Relau – the main objective of the tour. That will be covered in my next post. Any visit to Taman Negara deserves a post of its own.