Friday 14th March: Kedah and Perlis, Penang

I took an opportunity to accompany Tan Choo Eng, first to see his family swiftlet project, and then onto some of the sites in Perlis where he and others have been seeing lots of great birds recently, including 2 firsts for Malaysia - Long-legged Buzzard and Asian Openbill.

First stop was the swiftlet house, where there were a number of swiftlets wheeling around in the early morning, clearly interested in this new potential breeding site.




These swiftlets seemed less -longed winged (or maybe broader at the wing bases?) and less 'Apus'-like than the Singapore birds I photographed. All of them seemed to be in fresh plumage, with no sign of moult. Later on I hope we can establish their identity by looking at the nests. Choo Eng's family are obviously hoping they'll be the 'White-nest' or Germain's Swiftlets, as their nests are much more valuable than those of Black-nest Swiftlets.

From the swiftlet house we journeyed north toward the Thai border. En route I got good but brief views of a White-breasted Woodswallow, which I think is the first sighting for Kedah state, and evidence of yet further northward expansion.




Just before we reached the Chuping sugar cane plantations, we made an unscheduled stop to photograph an Oriental Honey Buzzard. This proved to be the first of many.

The sugar cane plantations at Chuping are the largest in the country, and stretch like prairie grassland for miles in every direction. We saw many field being planted with young rubber trees in response to the rising price of rubber at the moment.

Over the fields were sizable flocks of Oriental Pratincoles, and, further up, several flocks of Oriental Honey Buzzards making good use of the wind and hot temperature to migrate northwards.


It was a good opportunity to observe the variability of plumage of this species; this one being a particularly distinctive individual. The yellow iris marks it as a juvenile.


More OHBs...


...And yet more!

A thorough survey of the plantations failed to reveal either the Long-legged Buzzard or the Openbill, but we did manage to find a few good birds typical of the habitat including Siberian Stonechats, at least two Sand or Pale Martins...


This rather wary Indian Roller - possibly a first for the state of Perlis,


... a distant Osprey,























...a pair of Long-tailed Shrikes frequenting a patch of burnt sugar cane,




...and this subadult male kestrel. We did wonder for a while about whether it might be a Lesser, as it seemed quite short-tailed, had pale underwings and rich pale rufous underparts. After doing some reading we realized that it must be a Common, and that the race found in south-east Asia, 'interstinctus', has much richer-coloured underparts than their European counterparts.



Butterfly Lizards were commonly encountered in the plantations.



Perlis is very different geologically from most other places in Malaysia, with limestone karst formations in abundance, and the large and unique lake, Timah Tasoh. This is a view from a look-out in the State Park.


"Arrrggghh! I've been shot!" We watched two pairs of Blyth's Hawk Eagles calling and displaying from the viewpoint.

In the next valley there were a few paddyfields between the forested limestone escarpments, and several hundred Striated Swallows lined the wires there.


They seemed to enjoy coming down to the road to dustbathe and perhaps warm themselves whenever there was an opportunity.


Striated Swallows are residents in Malaysia, and seem to prefer limestone cliffs to breed. They are very similar to the migratory Red-rumped Swallow, and differ from them in having heavier streaks on the underparts and rump, less red on the ear coverts, and a dark rather than rufous nape. This bird is presumably a first winter.


Here's an adult in moult, showing the diagnostic dark blue nape. All but one of the birds we saw were apparently of the race 'stanfordi', though we did see one of the distinctive 'badia' race, with its brick-red underparts. EDIT: These birds are probably the migratory Red-rumped Swallow, in spite of the obviously dark nape.



Don't fall off your perch! I saw several birds leaning over like this in an attempt to get into the best sunbathing position, even though it was past midday and already very hot.

Near the swallows we spent some time walking through the forest, following the valley between to ridges. A Great Hornbill flew overhead and several others were heard, as well as Banded and Black-and-Yellow Broadbill.






















We got not very good views of both male and female Banded Kingfisher (this is the male), and, at the same spot ...


a nice Ferruginous Flycatcher, the first I'd seen in many years.


Grey-breasted Spiderhunters seemed particularly numerous. I heard the bird calling, and knowing their predilection for banana tree flowers, focused my camera on this one. As soon as I had done so, the spiderhunter flew into frame - one of the few times I've successfully anticipated a shot!



This Many-lined Sun Skink was uncharacteristically confiding.

From here we took a short drive to the excellently laid out Perlis State Park. On the way in, we spotted a number of Forest Wagtails foraging and preening by the roadside.


This one seems to have lost its head completely!


Ah, that's better!

I got close but frustratingly brief views of a stunning male Banded Pitta (I'll be back!), and then close and unfrustratingly prolonged views of a stunning male Rufous-collared Kingfisher.




Our second 'forest' kingfisher of the day.


Our final stop of the day was Timah Tasoh, the lake itself. We weren't successful in seeing either Pheasant-tailed Jacana or Racket-tailed Treepie, but the scenery alone was well worth the visit. I shall certainly be making more trips to Perlis!

3rd March 2008: Cameron Highlands

I had just a few hours before checking out and beginning the drive home. I settled myself at a roadside spot where there was a good selection of birds singing and waited.


First to show was this splendid male Lesser Shortwing. The male of this race (wrayi) looks completely different from the 'carolinae' race I photographed on Doi Inthanon in January

At the same spot, a Pygmy Wren Babbler began singing, and it eventually gave itself up by perching on an exposed branch in the undergrowth.


Half bird, half mouse! The last 'target bird' of the trip on my last day!

The trip down to Simpang Pulai was interspersed with various roadside diversions.


The first emergency stop was caused by several squadrons of Brown Needletails wheeling around in display flight - fabulous birds!

I made several fruitless inspections of bamboo clumps - I'm racking up the hours, and one day I WILL bump into Pin-tailed Parrotfinches - I hope!

The last stop was an old favourite - a haven for butterflies, and in particular, Rajah Brooke's Birdwing.


'Paranticopsis delessertii' or Malayan Zebra, drinking at a muddy pool.


'Cyrestis lutea', one of the Map-wing butterflies, one of my favourites!


The Common Caerulean (Jamides celeno) is a 'blue' that is practically white on the upper surface of the wings.


The best I could do of a Rajah Brooke's Birdwing. Constantly on the wing, these bird-sized buuterflies are stunning - especially when seen in their natural environment.



I'll finish with a big bee! It's worth clicking on this image to see the detail!

2nd March 2008: Cameron Highlands

Sun at last! After a few more shots of the obliging thrush first thing, it was up to the top of Brinchang again. Blue skies below can be deceiving though - the summit was still wrapped in cloud!


Every once in a while in the deep green forest there is a splash of vivid red - the so-called Lipstick plant or Aeschynanthus






















And a stunning orchid hidden amongst the dripping moss.


This unknown (to me!) agamid lizard was warming itself on the road near the summit.


A fine adult male Mugimaki Flycatcher was using the perimeter fence of the radio towers at the summit as a vantage point from which to hunt.


Normally denizens of the forest, a pair of Streaked Wren Babblers was feeding young in the tea plantation at the base of the mountain.


And while driving along the same road, I got this single lucky shot of a male White-tailed Robin feeding by the roadside.






Cameron is the best place I know in Malaysia to see Grey-faced Buzzard during the northern winter, and this visit I wasn't disappointed!


So one morning left, and two of my three 'target' species in the bag! Would tomorrow yield the third??

1st March 2008: Cameron Highlands

Any hobbits about? The mossy forest on top of Mount Brinchang


The view (when there eventually was one) looking down from the trail to Mount Irau.

I spent the first few hours of the day up in the mossy forest at the top of Mount Brinchang. Most of this was spent in semi-gloom and thick cloud, so, while birds were about, photographing them wasn't easy. Snowy-browed Flycatchers, White-tailed Robins and Mugimaki Flycatchers seemed quite abundant, and I found a single female Siberian Thrush feeding in a fruiting tree.


A Black Eagle appeared briefly out of the clouds. They always seem to me to have unfeasibly large wings!


Back down below, I spent some more time waiting for the thrush to put in appearance, and was rewarded instead by a pair of Slaty-backed Forktails. This one seems to be nursing an injured leg.


Enjoying a rare bit of sun!


White-tailed Robins are fairly abundant and easy to see, except when you're carrying a camera apparently! I got this dim and distant photo of a female as it perched on a wheelbarrow in a garden plot.

29th February: Cameron Highlands

Cameron Highlands is the most popular of Peninsular Malaysia's four highland destinations among general tourists, but is generally less visited by birders in favour of Fraser's Hill. Fraser's has more accessible intact montane habitat, whereas Cameron is more spread out and much more developed. Generally, birding at Fraser's is much easier, but Cameron has a few specialities that are easier to see than at Fraser's.


Cameron Highlands, famous for tea plantations...


...and giant self-plucking strawberries!


Cameron Highlands is also the place where Landrovers go when they die.


Actually, they don't really die, they get cannibalised and re-in-CAR-nated (groan!).

Anyway, back to the birds. Apart from a fairly unrealistic 'wish-list' of really difficult birds, my main goal was to try to photograph Malayan Whistling Thrush, White-tailed Robin and Pygmy Wren Babbler. These are three species that are usually easier to see at Cameron than Fraser's.

Within 15 minutes of checking into my hotel I was happily photographing the first of these targets.



One of Peninsular Malaysia's few endemic bird species, the Malayan Whistling Thrush has been rarely photographed. Formerly easy to see at Fraser's Hill, they have become difficult to see well there over recent years, with fleeting glimpses at dawn usually the best one can hope for. The main problem with this one was that it came too close to fit into the frame!



































It was amazing how the light could affect the apparent colour of the bird - it could appear black, brown or blue at different times.


The angular head, caused by the prominent supra-orbital ridge, and the hefty bill were noteworthy. None of the birds I saw had shiny blue lesser coverts, supposedly a feature of Malayan.



EDIT: These pictures are not of Malayan, but the poorly known 'dicrorhynchus' race of Blue Whistling Thrush. These pictures eventually led to the launching of the Whistling Thrush Project, which aimed to clarify identification criteria and field identification characteristics of the whistling-thrush taxa in Peninsular Malaysia.