[Mark Bruce]

Part 1: Singapore

My wife and I arrived in Singapore on the night of 28 June. We headed for the Parkroyal Hotel in Little India where we met up with BF's Ann Chaplin. After checking in and saying hello to Ann it was getting pretty late so we went off to bed.

Sunday, 29 June

After breakfast the three of us took a taxi to theSingapore Botanical Gardens. The gardens were established in 1859 when the colonial government granted 32 hectares of land to the Agricultural & Horticultural Society to establish a botanical garden. An earlier botanical garden had been established bySir Stamford Raffles, the founder of the colonial Singapore settlement, in 1822 at Fort Canning. This garden fell into neglect after Raffles’s death in 1826 and was closed in 1829.

The garden now occupies 63.7 hectares making a great birding spot well within Singapore's city limits. The SBG Bird Checklist lists 137 species recorded in the garden up to November 2007. The gardens open from 5 a.m. to 12 midnight 365 days a year, and admission is free except for the National Orchid Garden (8.30 am to 7 pm daily) where an S$5 admission fee is charged.

On route to the gardens we sighted numerous Javan Mynas, House Crows, Tree Sparrows and a small flock of Common Mynas. We entered the gardens through the Cluny Rd Gate at the Visitors Centre. As we entered the gardens a Black-naped Oriole flew over and a pair of Pink-necked Green Pigeon could be seen in the top of a nearby tree. We took a walk through the Rain Forest and Orchid Garden during which we sighted Spotted Dove, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Asian Palm Swift, House Swift, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Dollarbird, Oriental Magpie Robin, Pacific Swallow, Brown-throated Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Crimson Sunbird, Asian Glossy Starling and more Javan Mynas, House Crows, Tree Sparrows and Common Mynas.

We then had lunch and walked back to the visitors centre via Symphony Lake and added Brahminy Kite, Crested Goshawk, Golden-bellied Gerygone, and White-breasted Waterhen to the list. We visited Nature’s Niche Bookshop where I had a chat to Morten Strange, author of a number of regional field guides and manager of the bookshop. After the chat to Morten we headed back to the hotel for some cool during the hottest part of the day.

The late afternoon saw us heading to Fort Canning Park to visit the Battle Box Museum at the site of the former Allied HQ during the Battle for Singapore and Malaya. While in Singapore I wanted to take the opportunity to visit some of the POW sites from the World War II Japanese occupation of Singapore. After our visit to the museum we took the opportunity to do some birding in Fort Canning Park, another well-known Singapore birding spot. We were able add a lovely Collared Kingfisher to our list.

Monday, 30 June
After breakfast we headed to the Changi Chapel, a former POW chapel at the site of the infamous Changi Prison via Beach Road. My visit to Beach Road was to photograph the site of his capture for a dear former Far Eastern POW friend of mine. While at Changi Chapel we were able to add Edible-nest Swiftlet to the list.

From Changi Chapel we proceeded to the Kranji British and Commonwealth War and Military Cemetery and Memorial. In the quiet car park we added Scaly-breasted Munia and Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker to the list. Moments later I saw a small green parrot-like bird race out of tall tree across the car park and disappear into some trees on the far side of the car park. I was just about to chase after it when it came flying back and disappeared into the dense foliage of a tall tree near where we were standing. After a brief search we were able to add three Blue-crowned Hanging Parrots to the list.

The cemetery and memorial were very moving. I couldn’t help notice the Brown-throated and Olive-backed Sunbirds darting between the tombstones from shrub to shrub. While in the cemetery a lone Brahminy Kite circled and glided overhead. As we walked back towards the main road from the cemetery to get a taxi we added Common Iora and Changeable Hawk Eagle to the list. We headed back to the hotel for lunch and a rest.

Mid afternoon saw us heading back to the botanical gardens. During our time in the gardens we added Striated Heron, Lesser Whistling Duck, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Long-tailed Parakeet, Common Koel, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Blue-throated Bee-Eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Common Tailorbird, Hill Myna, and Large-billed Crow to the list.

While up at the far end of the gardens near Bukit Timah Road I observed a pair of parrots flying over that looked like Blue-rumped Parrot. Blue-rumped Parrot is a very rare resident in Singapore. The Blue-rumped Parrot are known to frequent the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Area and these parrots were certainly heading in that direction.

After several hours in the garden we decided to have dinner. As we sat outside in the visitors centre area enjoying a quite evening meal, suddenly a Red-legged Crake jumped out of the dense plant cover next to a small pond and walked right past our table and disappeared into the dense plant growth of another small pond, a really unexpected and delightful way to end our stay in Singapore.


Getting to the Singapore Botanical Gardens


On Foot or Bicycle:
Entrance to the Gardens through: Tanglin Gate, Burkill Gate, Nassim Gate, Cluny Park Gate, and through the Bukit Timah Entrance.

MRT:
At present there isn’t a station at SBG. A station is planned for the future but is still several years away. At present the closest MRT station is Orchard MRT Station (NS22) on Orchard Road. From the station the gardens can be reached on foot, by bus (SBS bus 7, 105, 106, 123 or 174) or taxi.

Bus:
Via Holland Road
SBS Transit 7, 105, 123, 174
SMRT 75, 77, 106

Via Bukit Timah Road
SBS Transit 66, 151, 153, 154
SMRT 67, 171

Taxi:
There is a taxi drop-off and pick-up point at the Visitors Centre on Cluny Rd.


Part 2: Malaysia and our adventures with BF's Dr Manjeet Singh and Jason Tan to follow shortly

[A CHAPLIN]

Thank you Mark for the detailed posting of our days in Singapore sitting here on a very wild, cold showery day in Lancashire I wish I was back there in the heat exploring again the Botanical Gardens among the many beautiful birds and plants.

The visits to Fort Canning Park and the Kranji British and Commonwealth War and Military Cemetery and Memorial meant a lot to me as you know. We all remember the Wars in Europe but many British forces died in the Far East and I have always wanted to honour them too, thank you for taking me, especially to Kranji which is a beautifully moving place.

Sorry if this is off topic but the visits were a fitting end to my "trip of a lifetime".

Thank you.

Ann

[Dr Manjeet Singh]

Mark a well detailed report...make's me wish i was there...suprised at the birds you saw there my friend.....Now were are the photos....keep it coming my friend.Regards.

[Allen S. Moore]

Interesting account, Mark, especially as I will be in Singapore for a short visit in November and am hoping to visit the Botanic Gardens with another BirdForumer while I'm there. I was impressed that you saw 3 species of raptors. Were they actually in the Botanic Gardens or flying over?
Thanks.
Allen

[Steve G]

A very interesting report Mark.
The wealth of bird life found in the Botanic Gardens is a real revelation.
Are there any Pittas on the SBG birdlist?

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by Allen S. Moore

Interesting account, Mark, especially as I will be in Singapore for a short visit in November and am hoping to visit the Botanic Gardens with another BirdForumer while I'm there. I was impressed that you saw 3 species of raptors. Were they actually in the Botanic Gardens or flying over?
Thanks.
Allen

Allen, well worth spending time in the gardens. All raptors were overhead and quite low. The White-bellied Sea Eagle sighting was clear but quite brief. It was passing over. According to the checklist: Brahminy Kite is a fairly common resident (four sightings hunting over general area); White-bellied Sea Eagle is an uncommon resident (one sighting); and Crested Goshawk is a rare resident but with breeding records (two sightings clearly hunting over the gardens. Second sighting the Goshawk went down into the trees in the Rain Forest area and disappeared from view).

The SBG checklist lists the following raptors for the gardens:
Black Baza - UC migrant
Oriental Honey Buzzard - FC migrant
Brahminy Kite - FC resident
White-bellied Sea Eagle - UC resident
Grey-headed Fish Eagle - Rare resident
Crested Serpent Eagle - Rare resident
Japanese Sparrowhawk -UC migrant
Chinese Sparrowhawk - Rare migrant
Crested Goshawk - Rare resident
Shikra - Rare migrant
Common Buzzard - Rare migrant
Rufous-bellied Eagle - Rare migrant
Changeable Hawk Eagle - UC resident

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by Steve G

A very interesting report Mark.
The wealth of bird life found in the Botanic Gardens is a real revelation.
Are there any Pittas on the SBG birdlist?

Steve, two Pittas listed on the SBG Checklist: Blue-winged Pitta as an uncommon migrant; and Hooded Pitta as as a rare passage migrant. Their overall status in Singapore is the same according to the Annoted Checklist of the Birds of Singapore, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology (April 2007), National University of Singapore. The only other pitta found in Singapore is Mangrove Pitta which is a very rare resident. Garnet Pitta became extinct in Singapore in 1949 but was a fairly common resident originally.

[Mark Bruce]

Some photos showing typical SBG habitat.

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by Dr Manjeet Singh

Mark a well detailed report...make's me wish i was there...suprised at the birds you saw there my friend.....Now were are the photos....keep it coming my friend.Regards.

A few for you, Doc !

[Marmot]

Great report and photos no wonder Anne loved it so much.

But did you meet the main Man in Malaysia ...or is that story yet to come.

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by Marmot

Great report and photos no wonder Anne loved it so much.

But did you meet the main Man in Malaysia ...or is that story yet to come.

Margaret, adventures with Big Brother Manjeet and Jason Tan to follow shortly .

A few more shots.

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Marmot,

Like all good storytellers Mark is keeping us all in suspence for as long as he can and I for one am definitely enjoying the read and the wonderful photographs which bring back happy memories not only of the birds and places we visited but the heat and the sun as well.

I don't know what it is like in your part of the country but here it is dull cold and windy and keeps looking like rain which we have had plenty of this week, Singapore it definitely is not.

Ann

[Mark Bruce]

Tuesday, 1 July
We flew out of Singapore for Kuala Lumpur on Air Asia, a typical budget airline with a really below budget service to match. Fortunately, it was a short flight. Dr. Manjeet Singh was a real star. He had us met at the airport and taken to the Crystal Crown Hotel in Klang, near his clinic. On the drive to Klang we spotted the usual mynas, crows and a Black-naped Oriole.

About an hour after checking in we were ready to meet the good doctor in person and go to his local patch. The big question, was Doc Manjeet going to be wearing his famous turban and sword? We stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor. We instantly recognized the good doctor. Where his turban should have been was a wide-brimmed hat and he had on a pair of calf-length boots. He looked the perfect gentleman, an Edwardian naturalist in person.

Doctor Manjeet took us to his patch. We exited the car and followed the good doctor. Wielding his tripod and TD1 he led us through the grass and scrub. We picked up Yellow-vented Bulbul, Asian Glossy Starling, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Spotted Dove, Asian Koel, Black-naped Oriole, Common Iora, White-throated Kingfisher, Oriental Magpie Robin, White-breasted Waterhen, and the ever-present mynas and crows.

BF’s Jason Tan then called Doc on his mobile and he joined us. We then exited the scrub and grass and crossed the road into a wetland area. A couple of Blue-throated Bee-Eaters were hawking insects over the edges of the river. A young Purple Heron moved about quietly in the shallows. A Cinnamon Bittern and Striated Heron flew across the river. A Moorhen broke cover for a moment and then disappeared. House Swifts and Pacific Swallows flew overhead constantly. Amongst these we spotted the odd young Barn Swallow. Evidently it is quite common for first winter Barn Swallows to stay for the summer. Tree Sparrows frequented the edges of the path.

We then headed off to Doc’s clinic for a drink. Now there is a small problem going around with the good doctor. He is without a doubt the unofficial mayor of Klang. The locals, the police, the fire department all hoot and wave madly when they see him. I know they’re not angry with him because they smile broadly at him and some even call him Uncle Doctor. There are others that just laugh. I guess they remember the monkey and then, the good doctor up the tree chasing owls in the early hours of the morning.

After our drink with Doc we went back to the hotel for a shower. A little later we met up with Jason and his wife and went out to dinner.



Part 3, the trip to Fraser's Hill to follow soon.

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Mark,

Another great read, I hope the photos will appear soon we all like to see those and look forward to reading about Fraser's Hill and the birds you saw.

Glad to hear Dr Singh had left his turban and sword behind while birding with you, now I know what he meant writing that you were still intact, he had left his sword at home.

Ann

[Mark Bruce]

Wednesday, 2 July

Jason and his wife and son picked us up at about 6:30 from the hotel and we headed for Fraser’s Hill. Once we got beyond the city and out into the country we started adding birds and Long-tailed Macaques.

First up was a Peaceful Dove followed by Rufous-bellied Swallow. This was followed by a Long-tailed Shrike. The Long-tailed Shrike got Jason shouting. Long-tailed Shrikes are winter visitors to Western Malaysia so the sight of one in mid summer was most unusual. We snapped a quick shot for record purposes. We soon added a Crested Serpent Eagle to the list. We were to see quite a few Crested Serpent Eagle in Malaysia. Crested Serpent Eagle is the most common resident raptor in Taiwan. The endemic Taiwan race hoya is the largest of the island races. I was really surprised at how much smaller these Malaysian birds were. The Taiwan birds must be close to a third larger in size. As we neared The Gap we sighted a Blyth's Hawk Eagle. We stopped to look at the eagle and were able to add Grey-throated Babbler, Sultan Tit, Everett's White-eye and, Black-crested Bulbul to the list.

The wait at The Gap to go up to Fraser’s Hill didn’t really produce anything we hadn’t seen. I got a glimpse of a red with black and brown disappearing, likely one of the trogons. There is only an 8km narrow winding road leading from The Gap to Fraser’s Hill (There is a second road but it’s closed at present due to a landslide). The direction of travel is changed every hour.

Fraser's Hill is a hill station, about 105km north of Kuala Lumpur, named after a Scottish adventurer who disappeared in the area in the early part of the twentieth century.

After our wait at The Gap (790m) we traveled up to Fraser’s Hill (1165m). We checked into the Silverpark Resort where we were staying. We stayed in a comfortable two- roomed apartment with a spectacular view. Swifts and swallows were everywhere. We added Glossy Swiftlet to the list. From the apartment we added Lesser Green Leafbird, and Streaked Spiderhunter to the list.

After lunch and a brief rest Jason and I went out. The afternoon produced a good showing of birds: Little Cuckoo Dove, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Red Junglefowl, Javan Cuckooshrike, Ochraceous Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Grey-chinned Minivet, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Golden Babbler, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Malayan Laughingthrush, Silver-eared Mesia, Mountain Fulvetta, Long-tailed Sibia, Slaty-backed Forktail, and Bronzed Drongo. Late afternoon rain finally put an end to the day’s birding. After dinner we did try for night birds but the weather wasn’t very good.




Thursday, 3 July

Jason and I were at the gate before dawn waiting for the Malayan Whistling Thrush. The weather wasn’t too good but things started off promisingly with a bird calling from down in the stream to our right. The call was answered from the dense undergrowth to our left. Things were looking up. Any minute we expected one of the birds to break cover. Then barp-barp-barp, Slaming car doors, shouting and revving engines. A police car arrived from the direction of The Gap and found the gate locked. Well, that was the end of our morning shot at the whistling thrush we thought. As the noise and human presence around the gate grew we disappointedly drove off. We turned onto a quiet road (Jalan Mager) just before the gate and almost emideately saw a Slaty-backed Forktail up ahead. As we stopped for that a Malayan Whistling Thrush came into view just to our right and hopped up into a low branch of a small roadside tree. We had our Malayan Whistling Thrush!

The morning produced a good string of birds. We added White-throated Fantail, Blue-winged Minla, Black-throated Sunbird, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Green Magpie, Ferruginous Partridge, Greater Yellownape, Bay Woodpecker, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, White-browed Shrike Babbler, and Large Niltava to the list.

By mid morning rain and mist were making birding impossible and we had to pack it in. The rain and mist were heavy until the late afternoon. At about four the rain finally let up a little and the mist thinned out a bit. Not ideal conditions but we could at least bird so we were off again. We added Little Pied Flycatcher, Scarlet Minivet, Verditer Flycatcher, Black-browed Barbet, Mountain Bulbul, Blue Nuthatch, and Black-and-Crimson Oriole to the list. The mist started to thicken. It became really frustrating. We could hear the birds and even see the movements but it just wasn’t clear enough to see the birds. Twice I had a calling Long-tailed Broadbill above me. This was my number one target bird on the trip. The Broadbill was even responding to my whistling and I could make out movement above me but the mist was just too thick to see the bird. As the rain really started coming down we had to call it a day.




Friday, 4 July

The weather was a little better on the Friday morning and we were able to get some birding in. Blue-winged Leafbird and Lesser Shortwing were added to the list before we headed back to Klang and the good doctor. We picked up an Oriental Pied Hornbill on the way back to Klang.

We had a drink with the good doctor at the hotel late that afternoon. Doc was really busy at the clinic so he had to go back to work that evening. We got in an early night to catch up on some sleep.


Saturday, 5 July

Jason picked us up on Saturday morning and we headed for the Rimba Ilmu Botanical Gardens at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur. As we arrived we noticed a Crested Serpent Eagle in a sports field opposite the car park. As we glassed the eagle we picked up a Paddyfield Pipit. In the gardens we added Pied Triller, and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo to the list.

After our walk through the gardens we went into Kuala Lumpur to do a little shopping. Taiwan doesn’t have much in the way of English bookshops with books on natural history so looking for books was the main focus of the shopping. After some shopping we returned to Klang and said goodbye to Jason.

That night I had dinner at the Singh’s house. My wife had come down with flu during the day so she stayed in bed. I dodged the flu until our return to Taiwan and was wacked with a good dose of it on the Monday. I had an excellent meal at Doc Manjeet’s home thanks to Mrs. Singh.


Sunday, 6 July

Doc had us collected from the hotel on the Sunday morning and taken to the airport for our flight back home on Air China.

A total of a 106 species were seen on the trip. Considering the weather working against us at Fraser’s Hill, the total is pretty respectable for the actual time spent birding.


Getting to Fraser’s Hill

Fraser’s Hill (1165m), 105km north of Kuala Lumpur on the Pahang - Selangor border, is about a two-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. Fraser's Hill is accessible only by road. The best way to reach Fraser’s Hill is by hiring a car. The alternative is to take a taxi from Kuala Lumpur or Kuala Kubu Baru but you’ll be left without transport once there. It is possible to hike around Fraser’s Hill but it would limit your birding somewhat.


Thanks

My thanks and appreciation to a number of people who made this trip possible. First, to Ann Chaplin for doing the Singapore leg of the trip with us. Then, to BF’s Dr. Manjeet Singh and Jason Tan for all their help in Malaysia. Doc Singh and Jason really went out of their way to make the trip a success .




Bird List


Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus M
Striated Heron Butorides striatus S, M
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea M
Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanica S
Brahminy Kite Haliastur Indus S, M
White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster S
Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus S
Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela M
Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus S
Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus S
Blyth's Hawk Eagle Spizaetus alboniger M
Ferruginous Partridge Caloperdix oculea M
Red Junglefowl Gallus gallus M
Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata S
White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus S, M
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus M
Rock Dove Columba livia S, M
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis S, M
Little Cuckoo Dove Macropygia ruficeps M
Peaceful Dove Geopelia striata M
Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans S, M
Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducala badia M
Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus S ?
Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot Loriculus galgulus S
Long-tailed Parakeet Psittacula longicauda S
Common Koel Eudynamys scolopacea S, M
Edible-nest Swiftlet Collocalia fuciphaga S
Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta M
Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis S
House Swift Apus affinis S, M
Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis S
Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis S
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis M
Collared Kingfisher Halcyon chloris S
Blue-throated Bee-Eater Merops viridis S, M
Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis S
Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris M
Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti M
Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala S
Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos moluccensis S
Greater Yellownape Picus flavinucha M
Bay Woodpecker Blythipicus pyrrhotis M
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica S, M
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica M
Rufous-bellied Swallow Cecropis badia M
Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus M
Javan Cuckooshrike Coracina javensis M
Pied Triller Lalage nigra M
Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris M
Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus M
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus M
Black-crested Bulbul Pycnonotus melanicterus M
Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier S, M
Ochraceous Bulbul Criniger ochraceus M
Mountain Bulbul Hypsipetes mcclellandii M
Ashy Bulbul Hypsipetes flavala M
Common Iora Aegithina tiphia S, M
Lesser Green Leafbird Chloropsis cyanopogon M
Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis M
Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickei M
Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach M
Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophrys M
Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis S, M
Slaty-backed Forktail Enicurus schistaceus M
Malayan Whistling Thrush Myiophoneus robinsoni M
Golden Babbler Stachyris chrysaea M
Grey-throated Babbler Stachyris nigriceps M
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Garrulax mitratus M
Malayan Laughingthrush # Garrulax peninsulae M
Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris M
White-browed Shrike Babbler Pteruthus flaviscapis M
Blue-winged Minla Minla cyanouroptera M
Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis M
Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides M
Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris M
Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutoris S, M
Mountain Tailorbird Orthotomus cuculatus M
Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea S
Verditer Flycatcher Muscicapa thalassina M
Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni M
Large Niltava Niltava grandis M
Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica M
White-throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis M
Sultan Tit Melanochlora sultanea M
Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea M
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus M
Brown-throated Sunbird Anthreptes malacensis S
Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis S
Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata M
Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja S
Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna M
Everett's White-eye Zosterops everetti M
Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata S
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus S, M
Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis S, M
Common Myna Acridotheres tristis S, M
White-vented Myna Acridotheres grandis M
Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus S, M
Hill Myna Gracula religiosa S
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis S, M
Black-and-Crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus M
Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus M
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus M
Green Magpie Cissa chinensis M
House Crow Corvus splendens S, M
Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos S, M

S = Singapore
M = Peninsular Malaysia

# Formerly a race of Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus

[Mark Bruce]

A few shots from Malaysia

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Mark,

Another fascinating read, sorry about the weather but you still managed to see a lot of birds.

The forest pictures remind me of driving with you up through the clouds in the mountains of Taiwan and then driving back to bright sun and heat so close. Can't remember the name but we stopped to take photos of a small bird on the way up.

Ann

[Marmot]

It sounds a really good time had by all.

[MKinHK]

A nice report Mark - and good to see your blog - I wondered why you'd gone quiet on your own patch.

Cheers
Mike

[Dr Manjeet Singh]

Mark...congrats for the amount of birds seen..you know i have gone to Fraser's Hills many times...but have seen only half the birds you saw......as for the help my little bro...it is my duty..only i wish i could have gone with you..sigh..well there will be a next time you hear.Regard to Oscar and take care ..loved the report.

[halftwo]

Great report, Mark, especially as it includes the Doc!
Bit of bad luck with the almost-views of the Broadbills - very frustrating.
Love the photos.

[birdboybowley]

Hey Mark

Nice report and great pics!
Also, Chestnut-crowned L-Thrush has been split big-time so that the Fraser's Hill birds are now Spectacled L-Thrush (Rhinocichla mitratus). Also the family has been split into varying names, so that Malayan is Trochalopteron peninsulae.....fun fun fun!! Garrulax only applies to the 'bigger ones' now - White-crested, the Necklaceds, etc....Good luck!
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[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by birdboybowley

Hey Mark

Nice report and great pics!
Also, Chestnut-crowned L-Thrush has been split big-time so that the Fraser's Hill birds are now Spectacled L-Thrush (Rhinocichla mitratus). Also the family has been split into varying names, so that Malayan is Trochalopteron peninsulae.....fun fun fun!! Garrulax only applies to the 'bigger ones' now - White-crested, the Necklaceds, etc....Good luck!
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Thanks, birdboybowely ,
Yeah, the very grey area of laughingthrush splits and the joys of revising Timaliidae. It's likely sometime before all this gets sorted out. I stand to be corrected but as far as I know the split has only gained "official" recognition as far as peninsulae. With the IUCN/BirdLife following Collar (2006) and only recognising the peninsulae split for the West Malaysian birds and still leaving them in the Garrulax genus as it seems the general acceptance of the splitting the genus is still sometime off. Even Gill & Wright seem to recognise the split only as far as peninsulae. As in Taiwan with our Hwamei, which is still retained as Garrulax taewanus rather than Leucodioptron taewanum. At present I'm largely following the splits as far as the IUCN/BirdLife and the OBC are recognising them and using that, and to a point, Collar (2006) as my guide for lists but certainly watching other developments and holding thumbs for the [Taiwan] Rusty Laughingthrush and Grey-cheeked Fulvetta.

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by Dr Manjeet Singh

Mark...congrats for the amount of birds seen..you know i have gone to Fraser's Hills many times...but have seen only half the birds you saw......as for the help my little bro...it is my duty..only i wish i could have gone with you..sigh..well there will be a next time you hear.Regard to Oscar and take care ..loved the report.

Cheers Big Bro !

[Mark Bruce]

Originally Posted by MKinHK

A nice report Mark - and good to see your blog - I wondered why you'd gone quiet on your own patch.

Cheers
Mike

Mike,

The patch. Yeah, I need to get that going again. The Blog's in its very early days but hopefully will become a good reference for birders wanting to visit central Taiwan [and a good place for a Taiwan birder's Hong Kong trip report. I really must make an effort.].

Cheers,

Mark