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.

The bold and the beautiful

It has been a while since I last wandered into the wild interiors of Pedu Lake in Kedah state and my second day of birding with Bob gave me the opportunity to do so. The lone access road that cuts through the forest here is isolated and can spring a surprise or two – especially at this hour. A distant gamebird foraging along the edge of the road got our pulses racing. But when it finally revealed itself, there was no mistaking its identity. Naturally, I was hoping for it to be one of the uncommon species but I have be contented with this common but handsome male Red Junglefowl for this time.

Brownish flycatchers can be tricky to identify but the majority of them usually turned out to be Asian Brown Flycatchers. After all it is the commonest flycatcher despite being only winter visitors. This one had our attention until we were certain of its identity and I obtained yet another image of the Asian Brown Flycatcher for my digital archive.

It did not take long for the temperature to soar and from the look of things, it was going to be another sweltering day. The condition now was perfect for a soaring raptor and true enough, an Oriental Honey-Buzzard glided into view.

The magic of birding in the forest, despite all the challenges, is that you can never expect what you might come across. A red trogon was perched significantly low and one species naturally came to mind – the elusive Cinnamon-rumped Trogon. But I cannot identify a bird based on habits alone. The trogon was exceptionally confiding and we patiently waited for him to reveal his rump in order to eliminate the possibility of the much commoner Scarlet-rumped Trogon.

I do not have enough field experience to confidently identify a Cinnamon-rumped Trogon from the front. Due to the close proximity, my images of the trogon were commendable. A quick check with my mates online left no room for doubts and it was a Scarlet-rumped Trogon. Posterior view was not required. Bob was exhilarated with the find but I could not share his joy. And I am not proud of it.

Our next destination of the day was another forest site and it was the Bukit Wang Forest Reserve. This migratory season, a couple of uncommon flycatchers have been performing well. The male Chinese Blue Flycatcher continued to awe birders from his shadowy domain. Apart from the lighting, his performance was flawless.

Today, the Green-backed Flycatcher was just amazing. This is the closest I have ever been to this uncommon migrant and needless to say, the encounter left me breathless.

Just when I thought nothing could better that, the Short-tailed Babbler refused to be outdone. I have a soft spot for this adorable bird despite its dull colouration. Looks can be deceiving and the Short-tailed Babbler can be quite feisty at times and its behaviour is the thing that earn my affections.

Like the flycatcher, it was literally fearless today. For a bird of the forest undergrowth, open and intimate views like these do not come often and spending time at a stakeout is probably the only way where you can have that opportunity.

How can you not love a face like this?

One of the reasons why this site is such an alluring site is because it is one of the few places where you have a chance to encounter the beautiful Chestnut-necklaced Partridge. I have my fair share of encounters with this game bird but to lay eyes on one moving about the forest floor still does it for me.

The last destination of the tour was the mangroves of Sungai Batu. We came across another confiding babbler and the Abbott’s Babblers maintained our momentum with this family of birds.

When it comes to common birds, very few species can beat the Yellow-vented Bulbul here in Malaysia. However, we cannot hold that against the bird and an occasional recognition of its presence is only right.

However, for the striking Forest Wagtail, its presence will always receive my recognition…

The Mangrove Pitta again proved difficult and despite all my efforts, refuse to reveal itself from the depths of the mangrove forest. For the second time today, the feeling of disappointment crept in. A confiding male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher eased the episode with the pitta and his radiant blue plumage and charm was good enough to wrap things up for the day.

Now, this is more like it...

It started out like any other birding excursion. Together with my foreign guests, this time from Australia, we crossed the Straits of Melaka and headed to our first destination in the mainland well before dawn. The state of Kedah still has a few good forest sites left and the Bukit Wang Forest Reserve is certainly one of them. I have been birding long enough to know that forest birding is no walk in a park. It can be frustrating and difficult. One’s love for birding will often be tested. But occasionally, moments of magic will take place when you least expect and you find yourself experiencing something truly incredible. We hardly broke a sweat when the peculiar call of the Red-bearded Bee-eater echoed through the vicinity and stopped us at our tracks. It sounded close and when we laid eyes on the bird, it was even closer than I had anticipated. In all my years of birding, this is the closest I have ever been to this gorgeous resident of the forest and I was just as amazed as my guests. What a great start to the tour considering the somewhat poor outcome of my last few birding adventures.

The Red-bearded Bee-eater is by no means a rare bird. However, its preference for the canopy levels often prevents close and intimate encounters like this. That is most unfortunate for this species has a stunning plumage and the chubby appearance only enhances its overall appeal. The call is unmistakeable and that is usually the first indication of its present. This female, told by the reddish forecrown, was exceedingly confiding today. She even allowed me to reposition myself in order to capture her stunning beauty from a slightly different angle. That’s a good girl...

As we wandered further into this forested domain, we came across a flock of birds foraging just next to the access road. The call of the birds gave away its identity which is often the case for birding in the forest. It was a flock of White-bellied Erpornis and despite lacking any vivid plumage colourations, this babbler has enough character to thrill us with its presence.

There is probably at least a pair of Dark-necked Tailorbirds in every forest reserve - here in my usual birding circuit anyway. It has a big voice for such a small bird and this male bird was adamant on stressing that point. On an exposed perch among the thickets of the undergrowth, he gave a flawless performance. And this is one of the few occasions that this common species had my undivided attention.

Sensing that perhaps a change of backdrop could further improve his performance, he scurried through the dense thickets and popped up on a new stage to continue what he started. And that was to charm his way into the hearts of a trio of visiting birders.

There were a few interesting species that managed to evade my photographic attempts like the Red-crowned Barbet and Black-thighed Falconet but they were much welcomed additions to my guests’ life list. Bukit Wang is a beautiful place from the picturesque recreational area to the majestic trees of the forest proper. Lush, wild and alluring; it is no wonder that this site is usually a favourite with my guests.   

This juvenile Tiger Shrike, on the other hand, was a different story. It was more than willing to show off the intricate barring from which its name is derived. Resting on exposed in good light, we obtained great views of the youngster and naturally, good images as well. The Tiger Shrike is a regular migrant to suitable habitats throughout the country and crossing paths with one here at this time of the year, comes as no surprise.

The reasonably good weather brought out a pair of Oriental Honey-Buzzards and they were seen circling gracefully above the forest. By then, the noon hour was upon us and the level of bird activities had dropped noticeably. I guess there was no better time to adjourn to the next destination of the day.

I have to admit things have been slow at the stakeout in the mangroves of Sungai Batu lately. Nevertheless, I still maintain it as part of my birding circuit because of the opportunity to obtain good views of the striking and adorable Forest Wagtail. I am grateful this migrant continues to find the locality worthy of its wintering home and its signature sway will greet visiting birders for at least one more season.

The only other bird to join the wagtail this time was the resident pair of Abbott’s Babblers.

A pair of confiding Red-wattled Lapwings resting next to a canal was a good enough reason to park our vehicle and take the time to enjoy the encounter. I have always been drawn to the vivid colouration of this large wader and nothing has changed. It remains to be one of my most adored waterbirds.

While we were soaking in the view of the lapwings, I realized that there was a Little Cormorant resting nearby that went unnoticed till now. I am not sure if it was the mesmerizing beauty of the lapwings but I could hardly believe that I nearly missed the opportunity to show off this sleek bird that is increasing in numbers here in Peninsular Malaysia. Little Cormorants are usually wary of human presence and to find one as obliging as this individual was nothing less of a blessing.

Our final destination of the day was the freshwater swamp forest of Air Hitam Dalam. Surprisingly, the weather did not turn for the worse as expected. That, itself, was another blessing. The male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher teased us from the dark lower storey of the forest. A moment of unexpected courage from this attractive migrant led to the only image I managed to obtain from the encounter.

The sunny condition will almost certainly have the wintering Black Kites out and about. The raptors soared and swooped in the heavens above and on those occasions when they floated closer to the earth than usual, outstanding views were provided.

A flash of blue diverted our gaze down towards the river. It was a Black-capped Kingfisher on the hunt. Unfortunately, it did not take too kindly to a Common Kingfisher that was lingering nearby – unlike the nearby human observers who are obviously overwhelmed by the presence of two sought-after kingfishers at a single spot. Although I was not given enough time to capture this encounter digitally, it would remain as one of the highlights of the trip. A big flock of Asian Openbills on the move formed a curtain that almost concealed the sky from view. I could not have asked for a better way to wrapped things up for the day than this breath taking sight.