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.

Living colours (Part 2)

Some of the birds found here in Fraser’s Hill find it hard to respect personal space of others. But for birders, it is a trait that is most welcomed. Rufous-browed Flycatchers can be ridiculously tame at times and this individual came close enough for me to give a pat on the head. I guess this is the magic of Fraser’s Hill.

No visit here is ever complete without feasting your eyes on the splendid colouration of the Silver-eared Mesia. No doubt it is common and conspicuous here but I do not get to see it often enough. And after all these years, it can still get me excited.  

This trip the Silver-eared Mesias outdid themselves and provided several intimate encounters and photographic opportunities that were simply amazing.

I am well aware of the sexual dimorphism found in this species. Perhaps both sexes are just as spectacular that I do not even bother to take notice of the differences all that often. Here, the male in front exhibits a slightly more intense colouration to the throat and nape area compared to his mate.

However, not all avian residents of Fraser’s Hill are confiding and this resting Mountain Imperial-Pigeon reminded us that we are dealing with completely wild birds here and occasionally may not adhere to the will of man.

With its preference for the canopy levels, the Large Cuckoo-shrike usually does not provide close encounters. But it is not uncommon here. Its vocal nature especially in flight makes it rather conspicuous in a way.

It took some persistence to finally obtained great views of the Fiery-tufted Barbet this trip. This remarkable resident of the montane forest is a pure delight to photograph and it certainly left a lasting impression on my guest.

The larger than life personality with eye lashes that are the envy of women everywhere and as well as vivid coloration makes the Fiery-tufted Barbet one of the most distinct species of birds found here.

On the last day of our birding adventure, we have not forgotten about the Red-headed Trogon. We spent the morning along Hemmant’s Trail as there was where we came the closest to tasting success. A male bird offered a brief view at a distance and that only compounded our frustrations. After checking out from the hotel, we decided to give it a final try. It was almost noon and with each passing minute, our chance grew ever slimmer. Just as we about to give up hope, I spotted the trogon resting just next to the forest trail. Finally, after more than six attempts along this isolated stretch of the hill resort, we got the Red-headed Trogon. It would have been perfect had it been the male but the all the anxiety leading up to this moment and the confiding nature of this female bird made the encounter as good as it is ever going to get.

We took our time to savour the moment and this girl was more than happy to oblige. I am not sure about my guest but I was feeling a little out of breath as we positioned ourselves the best we could to capture her images. It could have been the sight of the trogon perched so elegantly on this curvy vine or the suspense of the hunt. She did shift position once during our observation before flying deeper into the forest to join her mate. The male, yet again, taunted us from a distance. I guess in life, sometimes you just have to roll with the punches.

Here is Paul, on his knees, in the presence of a startling beauty. He added one more trogon for his lifetime gold and yours truly, an overwhelming sense of satisfaction (and relieve) for helping him achieve his targets for the trip. Just in case you are wondering why I am taking photos of a human instead of a trogon, the latter was so cooperative I had ample time to do basically anything I want.

Shortly after mist began crawl up from the valley below and rain clouds darkened the sky. It could well be only a coincidence but I like to take it as divine intervention. A soft word of gratitude was uttered to a higher power before we start our descent from the birding haven. Fraser’s Hill proved once again why it is one of the best birding locations in Malaysia. And for both of us, it was certainly a memorable visit. It is routine for me to stopover at the Kek Lok Tong cave temple in Ipoh for my drives back to Penang. The temple with its impressive and artistic limestone formations is quite a sight to behold. Although Paul did give this natural phenomenon its due attention, it was not our main reason for the visit here. The temple grounds were rather devoid of interesting birds this time with the exception of a Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo hunting along the boundary of the temple.

At the car park area, we encountered one of the reasons birders flock to this place of worship – the resident Blue Rock-Thrushes. Accustomed to human presence, these limestone dwellers usually provide great photographic opportunities. The female although slightly less intense in colouration put on a memorable performance for a couple of weary visiting birders.

But once the radiant male makes an appearance, all eyes and lenses were on him. The Blue Rock-Thrush was a fitting end to another fantastic road trip and his vivid colouration certainly went well with my guest’s taste for luscious colours of the avian world. The drive back was smooth although there intermittent showers along the way. But one thing is for sure. Both of us, had one particular bird in our thoughts and it was the Red-headed Trogon that almost got the better of us.

Good day, mate - Part 2

We finally arrived at one of the best birding sites in Malaysia which is the montane forest of Fraser’s Hill in Pahang State. The town centre has not changed much through the years with the iconic clock tower still standing proud and greeting every guest as they make their way past the winding road up from the Gap.

However, I did not drive 4 hours from Penang just to admire colonial architectures. As soon as we settled our accommodations at this rustic hill resort, we were off in pursuit of feathered denizens that find sanctuary here. The first spot that we went to is where the endemic Malaysian Partridges are regularly seen. It took a long while for the partridges to show. Lucky for us, we had the commoner species to keep us company. The Oriental Magpie-Robin is still doing well in this cool mountainous environment and an adult male looks just as good as he sings.

It did not take long for the Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush to show and soon, we were surrounded by these vocal and inquisitive birds. I may be getting immune to the birds’ colourful presence but to a first timer like my Australian guests, the Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush is one hell of a bird.

Overshadowed by its more conspicuous relatives, the Malayan Laughingthrush prefers to take a more discreet entrance. However being the rarer of the two, it naturally had our attention too.

I find the Common Emerald Dove to be a difficult bird to observe as it is wary of human intrusion. However, the doves here are accustomed to human presence and intimate encounters with this striking ground dweller is possible for a change.

The wait for the Malaysian Partridge was a long one – just like my last attempt here almost a year ago. Time came to a standstill when the first of the partridges appeared. Followed closely by another and another. Then came the one of the main highlights of the trip. Four fluffy and adorable chicks hopped out from the shadowy world of the forest understorey.

The chicks stuck to the adults like magnet to steel. Needless to say it was for their survival and wellbeing.

It is good to see these elusive gamebirds thriving. The sight of the next generation of Malaysian Partridges melted my heart away. It was not expected and that made the encounter all the sweeter.

This is what the chicks will eventually transform into – a striking adult perfectly adapted to life among the leaf litter and undergrowth.

The undergrowth is home to a number of exquisite bird species and one such bird is the White-tailed Robin. Due to its preference for dark gullies and ravines, this secretive bird does not often reveal its true beauty especially the male. The two white tail streaks from which its name is derived is probably all you see as the robin makes its getaway. Thus, to have a handsome male White-tailed Robin out in the open is an encounter can drop a seasoned birder to his knees. In which I did – in order to obtain more intimate images of this beauty of a bird.

It would be difficult for the White-tailed Robin to be overshadowed but it was in the hands, or should I say wings, of a male Orange-headed Thrush. With a colour combination of bright orange head and underparts contrasting sharply against greyish blue upperparts, this uncommon migrant is a true visual feast.

I have only a handful of encounters with this thrush but this is the best one by far. Our first day at this birding haven is drawing to a close and I am absolutely delighted to have this species wrapped things up.

The next morning, we were on a quest to see one of the most striking birds of this hill resort. The great thing about this bird is that it is not too difficult to locate here. Time yourself right at a particular stretch of road and you will have a very good chance to catch the gorgeous Red-headed Trogon hunting for breakfast at the forest edge. The male, naturally, has more vivid colouration and today Lady Luck was on our side. Not only did we have a male bird in all his glory but there was hardly any mist which is the norm at this hour.

The lighting may not be ideal but it could rob the trogon of his splendour. Throughout our observation, he moved about leisurely along the forest edge. From overhead electric cables to the foliage of trees; no matter where he alighted he graced the vicinity with his presence and it was a mesmerizing affair.

One of the biggest of our flycatchers, the Large Niltava is another common species here in Fraser’s Hill. For someone who does not spend enough time birding in the mountains, the male Large Niltava will always have my admiration even if he is ringed for I suppose scientific purposes. Why else would some human want to spoil the natural beauty of this bird by placing gaudy coloured rings on its legs, right?

The living mascot of Fraser’s Hill is the Silver-eared Mesia. And deservingly so I might add. Common, confiding, colourful and cheerful; this montane babbler is always a delight to encounter. This post is now getting a bit too lengthy for my liking and I will continue my write up of this amazing place in my next post.