Peninsula Malaysia 11th-25th April 2015 (1 Viewer)

[dandsblair]

Really enjoying the report

I'm really enjoying the report and very envious of the Rail Babbler, next time in Malaysia we are going to use a guide as we have been unsuccessful on our own. Well done!

 

[Chlidonias]

I'd be interested in how many people see rail-babbler alone, and how many think you "need" guides. I've seen them every time I've been to Taman Negara and I certainly don't consider myself to be an expert birder.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I'd be interested in how many people see rail-babbler alone, and how many think you "need" guides. I've seen them every time I've been to Taman Negara and I certainly don't consider myself to be an expert birder.

I've also seen them both times I've been to TN without a guide or tape, and I'm not that sharp either! Helps if you've at least been told they sound very like Garnet Pitta. Presumably they're harder at times of year when they're not calling, if there is such a time.

I guess it's mostly down to luck, or having enough time to chance upon a calling bird near enough to a track to be worth crawling in without getting lost! Think they can be pretty much anywhere there, but at low density.

 

[simmojunior]

I've also seen them both times I've been to TN without a guide or tape, and I'm not that sharp either! Helps if you've at least been told they sound very like Garnet Pitta. Presumably they're harder at times of year when they're not calling, if there is such a time.

I guess it's mostly down to luck, or having enough time to chance upon a calling bird near enough to a track to be worth crawling in without getting lost! Think they can be pretty much anywhere there, but at low density.

I don't think a guide would help with Rail-babbler. Their call is fairly distinctive, they respond to the tape and just show briefly so it would not help if only the guide saw them. I heard them several times but did not bother chasing them after another. If going off path after a bird, use a compass so you can find your way back and constantly look behind you to build a picture. Good luck :t:

 

[simmojunior]

Day 10: Tuesday 21st April – Taman Negara (Blau Hide, Kuala Tahan, night drive)

Last night David and I arranged a boat to the Blau Jetty for 8am but before I met him, I decided to have a leisurely breakfast outside. This turned out to be a brilliant decision as I found a stunning Rufous-chested Flycatcher, 3 White-bellied Woodpecker and a Blue-eared Kingfisher. The boat ride itself was fairly quiet as was the forest. In the first hour or so, the only new bird for me was a family party of Black-throated Babblers, a bird David had seen previously. Nothing on the bird front was by the Blau hide apart from frustrating calling Black Magpies and a brief spiderhunter that escaped identification but we did enjoy a superb Prevost’s Squirrel.

The forest remained quiet until we heard another enigmatic sound, the bizarre call of the Garnet Pitta. Over an hour ensued as we entered deeper off path in to the forest and I felt we should turn back but David persuaded me to keep going in. Eventually I noticed the bird calling in a tree but in David’s rush to get to me, he knocked a few branches and the bird flew off. David was understandably distraught and the next couple of hours did little to help his mood. We tried to walk to the Yong Hide but ended up in some second growth that was full of litter so returned to the Blau Hide. Here we enjoyed my first Chestnut-breasted Malkoha and a few common Bulbuls but nothing new for David. Eventually he decided to have another go at the Garnet Pitta, while I stayed in the hide. His decision turned out to be a good one but my session in the hide was quiet apart from my first Common Hill Mynas and a calling Rail-babbler that I did not bother chasing.

After an hour or so I decided to leave the hide and soon flushed two birds off the path. For some reason as I got no features at all, I decided they were Banded Pittas and played the tape and one started responding. I started to go in after it as David arrived and we both headed in. However, the sound was quite far off and we had to leave for our boat. This was a frustrating end but it would have been greedy to get both sought after Pittas on the same day.

Once the boat had returned to Kuala Tahan, I decided to spend a couple of hours exploring the scrub and farm land in the town on Steve Keen’s recommendation. This was a good idea as I found four new birds (Asian Palm Swift, White-headed Munia, Baya Weaver and Barred Buttonquail) as well as superb views of two Blue-crowned Hanging Parrots. I returned to the Tahan Hide before dusk and enjoyed decent views of a Lesser Malay Chevrotain just before the entrance.

After dark, I decided to take one of the advertised night drives. I cannot say I was expecting much and it was a somewhat bizarre experience sitting on a roof of a jeep in a palm plantation in a lightning storm with a “guide” who could have been no more than 10 years old. Nevertheless, it was surprisingly productive with 2 Leopard Cats, a Common Palm Civet, 2 Wild Boar, 2 Brown Wood Owl, 2 Barn Owl, a Large-tailed Nightjar and a sleeping White-breasted Waterhen. The claimed “Lesser Fish Eagles” were not Lesser Fish Eagles but sleeping Crested Serpent Eagles. What a good way to end to the day, completely confounding expectations!

Species List at the end of Day 10: 195

Photos: Brown Wood Owl, Wild Boar (in the day from the Tahan Hide)

Sorry, I will not be able to do any more updates until at least Sunday as I am away with work (nowhere exotic just Milton Keynes!) and do not have my notebook with me.

 

[simmojunior]

Day 11: Wednesday 22nd April – Taman Negara (Canopy Walkway, Bukit Teresek, Swamp Loop)

As usual, I started the day in the Tahan Hide but there was little around so I decided to head towards the Canopy Walkway. The walk was quiet but a stop at the walkway jetty turned out to be productive as I enjoyed 3 Red Junglefowls on the far bank. I was a bit concerned about whether they were wild as the male had white on the face but these fears were allayed when I later saw the same male from the Tahan Hide. While waiting for the walkway to open, I enjoyed superb views of a family of Grey-headed Babblers but was frustrated by calling Banded Broadbill, Moustached Babbler and Indian Cuckoo that all refused to show. The walkway itself was surprisingly productive as I enjoyed something of a Bulbul fest with 3 new species; Grey-bellied, Streaked and Buff-vented. Squirrels were also very evident as I saw a total of 5 (yes 5) species from the walkway including both Black and Pale Giant Squirrels. Rail-babbler was also again calling by here but the supposed Banded Pitta site by a big tree near the walkway remains a mystery. I received all sorts of conflicting information about places to look for Banded Pitta so my suspicion is none of the local guides really know where to look for them at the moment.

After the walkway, I decided to head up Teresek Hill and enjoyed my only Grey-cheeked Bulbul of the trip as well as several birds that I had seen previously at Fraser’s Hill like White-bellied Erponis, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Buff-necked Woodpecker and Ashy Bulbul. At the top of the hill, I heard Rhinoceros Hornbill and Diard’s Trogon but, as always with these families on this trip, I was left disappointed. The way down was surprisingly tricky and quiet until that is I heard some rustling to my right. I looked and could not believe what I saw – 2 female Great Argus! Obviously I would have preferred a male but this species is very rarely seen and has been missed on the last three Birdquest tours to the area so I was delighted.

The Tabing trail was typically birdless so I returned to the resort for a late lunch before heading back to the Tahan Hide. There was nothing new from here but a walk round the Swamp Loop was successful as I enjoyed my first Rufous-winged Philentoma and excellent views of a Rufous Piculet. The rest of the day was quieter but I did see Blue-winged Pitta again and just before dark I saw the bright blue back of a small bird walk in to a bush. A Malaysian birder thought they saw a white front but I’m not sure. We waited until close to dusk but this bird never came out – my suspicion is it was a Siberian Blue Robin. After dark I enjoyed excellent views of the tame Malayan Tapir and an evening visit to the Tahan Hide amongst the crowds of tourists on night walks produced the only Sambar Deer of the trip.

Species list at the end of Day 11: 204

Photos: Red Junglefowl, strange park rule, Malayan Tapir.

 

[simmojunior]

Day 12: Thursday 23rd April 2015 – Taman Negara (Tabing Trail, Jenut Muda, Tahan Hide, Resort, Swamp Loop)

I weighed up taking a boat to the Kumbang Hide area for my last full day at Taman Negara but instead decided there was plenty for me to find nearer by so I headed along the Tabing Trail towards Jenut Muda. The Tabing Trail was as always birdless but as I started Jenut Muda, I enjoyed superb views of 2 Great Slaty Woodpeckers. The rest of the trail was quieter but I did finally see my first Moustached Babblers as well as enjoy good views of Grey-cheeked Bulbul and Rufous-winged Philentoma. A stroll up Bukit Teresek proved fruitless apart from a Streaked Bulbul so I headed back down towards the result. I stopped in the Tahan Hide but there was nothing present but just outside the hide I noticed a nondescript Babbler that turned out to be a rare Horsfield’s Babbler. As I was heading to have a late lunch, I noticed a fruiting tree in the resort full of Bluebirds, Bulbuls and Green Pigeons as well as a Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker.

I was quite hungry so I had a quick lunch before returning to the tree which David had also noticed as he was standing there. After a couple of days where I had seen more than him, David had managed a superb morning seeing both Rufous-bellied Eagle and White-crowned Hornbill so I was quite jealous. Nevertheless, the next hour or so was some of the most productive birding at Taman Negara as the fruiting tree was teeming with birds. New birds were made up of Green Iora, Blue-eared Barbet, Brown Barbet and a stunning male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher but also present were Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Red-throated Barbet, Black-and-yellow Broadbill and Grey-bellied Bulbul. I thought I saw a Jambu Fruit Dove disappear in to the back but I could not be certain.

Tearing ourselves away, we headed round the Swamp Loop and found Red-tailed Tailorbird, a tick for both of us, and my first Ferruginous Babbler. We returned to the magic tree just before dusk and managed to confirm the presence of a female Jambu Fruit Dove, enjoying good but brief views. I wish I had found this tree earlier so I do recommend to anyone visiting to spend time in the resort itself.

Species list at the end of day 12: 214

Photos: view, Monitor Lizard, Great Slaty Woodpecker

 

[simmojunior]

Day 13: Friday 24th April 2015 – Taman Negara – Kuala Lumpur Airport (Fruiting tree, Canopy Walkway, Swamp Loop)

I had originally planned to take the 9am boat out but when I heard there was a public bus at 3pm, I decided to maximise my time in Taman Negara. I started the day at the fruiting tree, which was noticeably quieter but did contain my first Yellow-vented Flowerpecker. I then headed to the Canopy Walkway again and spent a couple of hours there but, apart from a Chestnut-breasted Malkoha this was quiet. The walk back was more productive however as I enjoyed a superb Maroon Woodpecker and a long overdue male Tiger Shrike. A final whizz round the Swamp Loop was successful as I saw the last new bird of the trip, a Grey-chested Jungle Flycatcher. I then headed over the river for lunch and the bus to Jerantut.

I intended to use public transport to get me to the airport but when I realised I had a 90 minute wait in Jerantut, I splashed out 300RM for a taxi direct to my hotel. The journey was quiet apart from a couple of feral Milky Storks in Kuala Lumpur and a dark raptor in the failing light that could well have been a Changeable Hawk Eagle.

Species list at the end of Day 13: 218

Day 14: Saturday 25th April 2015 – Kuala Lumpur airport

I had around 40 minutes of daylight at the Concorde Inn before I set off for the airport so I made one last desperate push for new birds. There were plenty of birds including Black-naped Oriole, Asian Koel, Common Myna and Olive-backed Sunbird but I was unable to find anything new. Similarly at the airport, I only managed a couple of Brown Shrikes but I could not complain, it had been a brilliant trip.

Species list at the end of Day 14: 218

 

[simmojunior]

I took this terrible photograph of a crow on the penultimate day, which I wondered if it could be a Slender-billed Crow. Opinions welcome!

 

[simmojunior]

Full List of birds seen

Ferruginous Partridge
Crested Partridge
Red Junglefowl
Crested Fireback
Great Argus
Little Heron
Chinese Pond Heron
Eastern Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Purple Heron
Great Egret
Little Egret
Oriental Honey Buzzard
Black-shouldered Kite
Brahminy Kite
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Black Eagle
Blyth’s Hawk Eagle
White-breasted Waterhen
Barred Buttonquail
Red-wattled Lapwing
Feral Pigeon
Spotted Dove
Little Cuckoo-Dove
Emerald Dove
Zebra Dove
Little Green Pigeon
Pink-necked Green Pigeon
Thick-billed Green Pigeon
Jambu Fruit Dove
Mountain Imperial Pigeon
Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot
Greater Coucal
Raffles’ Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Black-bellied Malkoha
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
Asian Koel
Plaintive Cuckoo
Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo
Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Brown Wood Owl
Large-tailed Nightjar
Grey-rumped Treeswift
Glossy Swiftlet
Germain’s Swiftlet
Silver-backed Needletail
Asian Palm Swift
Black-nest Swiftlet
Fork-tailed Swift
House Swift
Red-headed Trogon
Oriental Dollarbird
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Blue-banded Kingfisher
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Red-bearded Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Black Hornbill
Fire-tufted Barbet
Golden-whiskered Barbet
Red-throated Barbet
Black-browed Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Coppersmith Barbet
Brown Barbet
Rufous Piculet
White-bellied Woodpecker
Banded Woodpecker
Greater Yellownape
Lesser Yellownape
Laced Woodpecker
Maroon Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
Buff-necked Woodpecker
Buff-rumped Woodpecker
Great Slaty Woodpecker
Black-and-red Broadbill
Long-tailed Broadbill
Black-and-yellow Broadbill
Garnet Pitta
Blue-winged Pitta
Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
Rufous-winged Philentoma
Common Iora
Green Iora
Javan Cuckooshrike
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
Pied Triller
Grey-chinned Minivet
Scarlet Minivet
Mangrove Whistler
Tiger Shrike
Brown Shrike
White-bellied Erponis
Blyth’s Shrike Babbler
Black-eared Shrike Babbler
Dark-naped Oriole
Black-and-Crimson Oriole
Square-tailed Drongo
Bronzed Drongo
Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
White-throated Fantail
Pied Fantail
Black-naped Monarch
Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Common Green Magpie
House Crow
Large-billed Crow
Rail-babbler
Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
Cinereous Tit
Sultan Tit
Black-headed Bulbul
Black-crested Bulbul
Grey-bellied Bulbul
Stripe-throated Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Olive-winged Bulbul
Cream-vented Bulbul
Asian Red-eyed Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul
Ochraceous Bulbul
Grey-cheeked Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Buff-vented Bulbul
Mountain Bulbul
Streaked Bulbul
Ashy Bulbul
Barn Swallow
Pacific Swallow
Dusky Crag Martin
Rufous-bellied Swallow
Mountain Tailorbird
Arctic Warbler
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Mountain Leaf Warbler
Chestnut-crowned Warbler
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Common Tailorbird
Dark-necked Tailorbird
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Ashy Tailorbird
Grey-throated Babbler
Grey-headed Babbler
Black-throated Babbler
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Golden Babbler
Pin-striped Tit-babbler
Mountain Fulvetta
Abbott’s Babbler
Horsfield’s Babbler
Moustached Babbler
Sooty-capped Babbler
Scaly-crowned Babbler
White-chested Babbler
Ferruginous Babbler
Buff-breasted Babbler
Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
Black Laughingthrush
Malayan Laughingthrush
Blue-winged Minla
Silver-eared Mesia
Long-tailed Sibia
Oriental White-eye
Everett’s White-eye
Asian Fairy Bluebird
Blue Nuthatch
Asian Glossy Starling
Common Hill Myna
Javan Myna
Common Myna
Lesser Shortwing
Oriental Magpie Robin
White-rumped Shama
White-tailed Robin
Slaty-backed Forktail
Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher
Dark-sided Flycatcher
Brown Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Mugimaki Flycatcher
Rufous-chested Flycatcher
Little Pied Flycatcher
Verditer Flycatcher
Hill Blue Flycatcher
Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher
Malaysian Blue Flycatcher
Mangrove Blue Flycatcher
Rufous-browed Flycatcher
Large Niltava
Greater Green Leafbird
Blue-winged Leafbird
Orange-bellied Leafbird
Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker
Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
Plain Flowerpecker
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Brown-throated Sunbird
Purple-naped Sunbird
Olive-backed Sunbird
Black-throated Sunbird
Little Spiderhunter
Long-billed Spiderhunter
Streaked Spiderhunter
Tree Sparrow
Baya Weaver
White-rumped Munia
White-headed Munia
Paddyfield Pipit
(Milky Stork)

Birds heard only – n.b. there will be many more but I’m unfamiliar with most calls so these are only the ones I am certain I heard

Collared Owlet
Mountain Scops Owl
Rusty-naped Pitta
Pygmy Wren-babbler
Malaysian Peacock Pheasant
Indian Cuckoo
Banded Broadbill
Chestnut-rumped Babbler
Malayan Banded Pitta
Black Magpie
Rhinoceros Hornbill

Mammals

Cream-coloured (Pale) Giant Squirrel
Black Giant Squirrel
Prevost’s Squirrel
Plantain Squirrel
Black-banded Squirrel
Grey-bellied Squirrel
Slender Squirrel
Western Striped Squirrel
Shrew-faced Ground-squirrel
Lesser Giant Flying Squirrel
Red-cheeked Flying Squirrel
Common Treeshrew
Leopard Cat
Dusky Langur
Silvery Langur
White-thighed Langur
Crab-eating (Long-tailed) Macaque
Yellow-throated Marten
Common Palm Civet
Wild Boar
Lesser Malay Chevrotain
Sambar Deer
(Malayan Tapir)

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Great report Simmo, and some great birds. Thanks :t:

 

[James Eaton]

Nice report, and really pleased to hear everything went well. Stephen mentioned to me that he thought you enjoyed your time at Fraser's Hill.

A few ID pointers from your report which I hope help:

Dusky Crag Martin is a limestone-specialist in Malaysia with no confirmed records from Fraser's Hill I believe. It generally occurs only in the north (down to the limestone-dominated area of northern Taman Negara) except for a few birds that cling on around a limestone outcrop just north of KL. Worth nothing that juvenile Pacific Swallows can appear very dark with white tail spots?

Storks - yes, Painted, feral population from Zoo Negara that ranges widely, all the way to Kuala Selangor - they regularly perch on the houses opposite me even. Milky is extinct in the wild now in Malaysia, with a few released birds at Kuala Gula further north and the very occasional record from elsewhere along the coast, or the odd bird in the Painted Stork flocks as they freely mix in the zoo.
Asian Openbill had a huge eruption southwards from Thailand 2-3 years ago when thousands arrived, but since then they have restricted themselves to Penang northwards, so I would say your birds would be Painted.

You may know already but unfortunately the Tapir is a released individual - there used to be two of them.

Your report brings back very happy memories of my first day at Taman Negara, enjoying my very first Rail Babbler, Garnet Pittas and Crested Fireback - superb!

Does it give you itchy feet to head back east once again?!

All the best

James

 

[simmojunior]

Thanks James, Painted it is as I only saw them from moving vehicles. Won't be counting the feral population any way.

Don't worry, I haven't counted the Tapir, I knew it was feral. Apparently the female has run off in to the forest with a wild male.

For the Martins, I am still fairly sure of what I saw as I had really good prolonged views by the golf course while waiting for Stephen. Obviously I have no experience with the species but it immediately reminded me of Eurasian Crag Martin. Sorry I hadn't realised the significance of the sighting as otherwise I would have tried to report it.

It definitely gives me itchy feet to head back to the Tropics, whether Asia, Africa or South America.

 

[dandsblair]

Some great birds and jealous of Slaty Woodpecker

I weighed up taking a boat to the Kumbang Hide area for my last full day at Taman Negara but instead decided there was plenty for me to find nearer by so I headed along the Tabing Trail towards Jenut Muda. The Tabing Trail was as always birdless but as I started Jenut Muda, I enjoyed superb views of 2 Great Slaty Woodpeckers. Great Slaty Woodpecker

Really jealous of Great Slaty Woodpeckers despite being told it was nailed on in Palawan we didn't see a single bird (heard only), still gives us something else to look forward to on a trip to Borneo later this year.

Sarah

 

[wengchun]

Interesting. I saw a few storks fly over the road in the failing light in Kuala Lumpur at the end of the trip but I was fairly sure they were Milky. Are they present in KL too?

Probably Painted Stork

 

[wengchun]

Nice report, and really pleased to hear everything went well. Stephen mentioned to me that he thought you enjoyed your time at Fraser's Hill.

A few ID pointers from your report which I hope help:

Dusky Crag Martin is a limestone-specialist in Malaysia with no confirmed records from Fraser's Hill I believe. It generally occurs only in the north (down to the limestone-dominated area of northern Taman Negara) except for a few birds that cling on around a limestone outcrop just north of KL. Worth nothing that juvenile Pacific Swallows can appear very dark with white tail spots?

Storks - yes, Painted, feral population from Zoo Negara that ranges widely, all the way to Kuala Selangor - they regularly perch on the houses opposite me even. Milky is extinct in the wild now in Malaysia, with a few released birds at Kuala Gula further north and the very occasional record from elsewhere along the coast, or the odd bird in the Painted Stork flocks as they freely mix in the zoo.
Asian Openbill had a huge eruption southwards from Thailand 2-3 years ago when thousands arrived, but since then they have restricted themselves to Penang northwards, so I would say your birds would be Painted.

You may know already but unfortunately the Tapir is a released individual - there used to be two of them.

Your report brings back very happy memories of my first day at Taman Negara, enjoying my very first Rail Babbler, Garnet Pittas and Crested Fireback - superb!

Does it give you itchy feet to head back east once again?!

All the best

James

James,
Milky is still around Kuala Selangor but sighting is not guarantee anymore. If I remembered well, my last record of Milky was in KSNP but that was almost 2 years ago. Yes, they are not the wild population but those escape from the aviary. Defnitely, the birds in Kuala Gula is easier to see than those in KSNP.

 

[Bryon Wright]

storks

I'm really enjoying the report and very envious of the Rail Babbler, next time in Malaysia we are going to use a guide as we have been unsuccessful on our own. Well done!

Openbills have become common in parts of NW. Malaysia/Southern Thailand as most birders will know. Dubious Milky, singletons can even be seen easily with a scope on the estuary at Melaka at times. Have even seen imm.Yellow billed Stork flying high above the river/ridge at TN. again provenance unknown?