Viator (Mike Hooper)'s 2009 List (5 Viewers)

[viator]

Feb 21
Bunker Trail, Panti Forest

Arrived before dawn in search of Malaysian Eared Nightjars and Javan Frogmouth but couldn't find a frogmouth. Thereafter took the car up the track birding likely locations including some from the previous day plus also going further in.

306. Malaysian Eared Nightjar
307. Maroon Woodpecker
308. Dusky Broadbill
309. Chestnut-winged Babbler
310. Black Bittern
311. Great Argus
312. Bronzed Drongo
313. Scarlet Minivet
314. Chestnut-necklaced Partridge
315. Checker-throated Woodpecker
316. Crimson-winged Woodpecker
317. Rufous-fronted Babbler
318. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
319. Spectacled Spiderhunter
320. Fiery Minivet
321. Grey-capped Woodpecker
322. Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler
323. White-rumped Munia

Before leaving Panti Forest I decided to do a short hike up the trail at the 270km milestone which was much quieter but produced three excellent additional species.

324. Bushy-crested Hornbill
325. Black Magpie
326. Black Hornbill

By mid-afternoon it was simply too hot so I drove to Mersing to check the mudflats and spend the night. The drive added Green Imperial Pigeon on the outskirts of Jemaluang.
327. Green Imperial Pigeon

On arrival in Mersing went straight to the mudflats for the last hour of light. Lots of waders but most already seen in 2009 in Singapore.

328. Greater Sand Plover
329. Terek Sandpiper

 

[viator]

Feb 22, Mersing and Parit Jawa, Malaysia

Started the morning by checking out the mudflats at dawn. Less birds than the previous evening but a single Chinese Egret was feeding on the mudflats.
330. Chinese Egret

Driving from Mersing to Parit Jawa stopped on the Jemaluang - Kluang Rd to bird up a logging track into the forest.

331. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
332. Grey Wagtail
333. Black-throated Babbler
334. Jungle Myna
335. Blue-rumped Parrot
336. Streaked Bulbul
337. Long-billed Spiderhunter
338. Dark-sided Flycatcher
339. Wrinkled Hornbill
340. Siberian Blue Robin

Parit Jawa
The main target in Parit Jawa were the resident Lesser Adjutants of which there were 10 in the bay.

341. Lesser Adjutant
342. White-winged Tern
343. Red-necked Stint
344. Grey-tailed Tattler
345. Marsh Sandpiper

After finding somewhere to stay I then went from a walk in the surrounding countryside which is predominantly canals and palm plantation.

346. Greater Flameback
347. Stork-billed Kingfisher

 

[viator]

Feb 23, West Coast Peninsula Malaysia

Parit Jawa
348. Cinnamon Bittern
349. Greater Coucal
350. Black-capped Kingfisher

Parit Yusof
351. Black Kite
352. Black Drongo

 

[viator]

Mar 5
Bedok

353. Javan Munia

 

[viator]

Mar 7, Pulau Ubin

I spent a pleasant morning and early afternoon hiking various trails until heavy rains arrived which meant I was drenched by the time I got back to the ferry terminal. In all I saw 59 species of which 4 were new for 2009.

354. Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher
355. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
356. Laced Woodpecker
357. Emerald Dove

The highlight though were the 10+ Oriental Pied Hornbills I saw particularly the male below who was delivering food to a mate in one of the nesting boxes put up by the Singapore Hornbill Project.

 

[viator]

Mar 14, Sungei Buloh

Mixed flock of Painted and Milky Storks were the only new birds.

358. Painted Stork
359. Milky Stork.

 

[viator]

April 6, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

An afternoon walk yielded a single new bird for 2009, a Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo.

360. Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo

 

[viator]

April 16

Set off on a 10-day trip into Peninsula Malaysia which is a family holiday but with some dedicated birding sites in the last half.

Today we drove up from Singapore to Kuala Selangor and only saw a couple of new birds for 2009.

361. Pied Harrier
362. Oriental Pratincole

 

[viator]

April 17

Today we continued driving north along the coast to Penang and along the way added

363. Green-billed Malkoha
364. Little Cormorant

Having arrived in Penang we went on the railway up Penang Hill in the late afternoon and added a couple more species

365. Crested Myna
366. Black-headed Bulbul

 

[viator]

April 18

A morning walk in the rice paddies at Tikam Batu in southern Kedah added a couple more new birds

367. Javan Pond Heron
368. Von Shrenck's Bittern

The afternoon was then spent at Carnivall water theme park at Sungei Petani which was not bird friendly but did provide a lifer in three Brown-backed Needletails passing overhead!

369. Brown-backed Needletail

 

[viator]

Apr 19

The first new bird of today was an early morning surprise, an Eastern Barn Owl, which was sitting on the side of the N-S highway in mainland Penang.

370. Eastern Barn Owl

Continuing south into northern Perak added two new raptor species for the year list

371. Grey-faced Buzzard
372. Greater Spotted Eagle

Later in the afternoon checked out the rice paddies around Juru, Penang and surrounding country-side. In amongst the many Blue-throated Bee-eaters in Kg. Juru was a single Chestnut-headed Bee-eater.

373. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

 

[viator]

20 April

Started a day with a visit to Air Hitam Dalam, Penang with the primary focus of looking for owls and Mangrove Pitta which was very successful with two lifers! In total 44 species were seen in the 11 acre site.

374. Oriental Bay Owl
375. Abbott's Babbler
376. Lineated Barbet
377. Mangrove Blue Flycatcher
378. Spotted Wood Owl
379. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
380. Mangrove Pitta

It was then over to Penang island for lunch and to look for waders - before both those though a Pied Imperial Pigeon was spotted not longer after crossing the bridge!

381. Pied Imperial Pigeon

Checked out several places for waders but the most were at Tanjung Tokong - the vast majority of birds were Common Redshanks however I added a couple more lifers in a single Spotted Redshank and a Eurasian Curlew

382. Spotted Redshank
383. Eurasian Curlew
384. Asian Dowitcher

 

[viator]

21 April

Despite a miserable wet morning drove out to Sungai Sedim Forest Reserve, Kedah to spend the day. This site has what is claimed to be the longest canopy walk (925m) in the world which at the highest point is 26m above the fast flowing river.

I had the place to myself - in fact had to find someone to unlock the gate to the canopy walk - and didn't see anyone except the staff for the whole day. Apparently on the weekend it is over-run with people but it certainly isn't the case on week-days.

In the end I did 4 'laps' of the canopy walk and hiked several trails and saw a total of 44 species including 10 lifers.

385. Brown Fulvetta
386. Verditer Flycatcher
387. Pale Blue Flycatcher
388. Rhinoceros Hornbill
389. Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
390. Rufous-winged Philentoma
391. Chestnut-naped Forktail
392. Ferruginous Flycatcher
393. Yellow-crowned Barbet
394. Yellow-bellied Warbler
395. Orange-backed Woodpecker
396. Grey-bellied Bulbul
397. Buff-rumped Woodpecker
398. Taiga Flycatcher

 

[viator]

April 21, update

Thanks to BF members have another lifer to add, a Finsch's Bulbul

399. Finsch's Bulbul

 

[viator]

April 22

Today was spent driving up to Lake Pedu, Kedah and hiking various locations.

The first couple of new birds for the year were seen in rice paddies and ponds before reaching the rainforest.

400. Indian Pond Heron
401. Common Moorhen

At Lake Pedu the following birds new for 2009 were seen

402. Lesser Fish Eagle
403. Blue Whistling Thrush
404. Black-thighed Falconet
405. Black-crested Bulbul
406. Great Iora
407. Red-billed Malkoha
408. Red-throated Sunbird

Took the back roads to head back and stopped to check out some fish ponds at Ulu Legong. Surprisingly little there however did manage to add Fork-tailed Swifts to the year list

409. Fork-tailed Swift

 

[viator]

April 23
Gurung Jerai, Kedah

410. Vernal Hanging Parrot
411. Cinereous Tit
412. Stripe-throated Bulbul
413. Yellow-browed Warbler
414. Everett's White-eye
415. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo
416. Narcissus Flycatcher
417. Mountain Fulvetta
418. Blue-Rock Thrush

 

[viator]

April 24, Fraser's Hill

This morning was an a early start leaving at 4am to drive to Fraser's Hill and it's great birding!

Having arrived at The Gap 2-3 hours was spent birding the main road and up the Old Road.

419. Little Pied Flycatcher
420. Red-headed Trogon
421. White-rumped Munia
422. Hill Blue Flycatcher
423. Bay Woodpecker
424. Pygmy Blue Flycatcher

The Resthouse which is currently closed for renovations also added two swallow species to the year list
425. Rufous-bellied Swallow
426. Asian House Martin
427. White-throated Needletail

Having driven up Fraser's Hill checked into the Jelai Hotel and birded the carpark before heading to find some lunch.

428. Large Niltava
429. Long-tailed Sibia
430. Silver-eared Mesia
431. Streaked Spiderhunter
432. Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush
433. Malayan Laughingthrush

Walking from the hotel down to the foodcourt and then on to the Bishop's Trail head added

434. Grey-chinned Minivet
435. Black-eared Shrike Babbler
436. Black Laughingthrush
437. Blue-winged Minla
438. White-throated Fantail

Bishop's Trail continued the new birds

439. Lesser Shortwing
440. Streaked Wren Babbler
441. Mountain Leaf Warbler
442. White-browed Shrike Babbler
443. Golden Babbler
444. Chestnut-crowned Warbler
445. Mountain Bulbul
446. Black-throated Sunbird
447. White-tailed Robin

Finished a long day by then walking around Telekom Loop before going in search of beer!

448. Black-and-crimson Oriole
449. Speckled Piculet
450. Little Cuckoo Dove
451. Yellow-vented Pigeon
452. Fire-tufted Barbet
453. Long-tailed Broadbill
454. Ochraceous Bulbul

 

[viator]

April 25, Fraser's Hill

Started the morning by being in the Jelai Resort capark before dawn for the morning's birds. Unfortunately the hotel is now under different management and they don't leave the lights on all night anymore - result is less insects and hence the numbers of birds are way down from the reports you read online!

455. Orange-bellied Leafbird
456. Lesser Yellownape
457. Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeon
458. Javan Cuckoo-Shrike
459. Mountain Imperial Pigeon
460. Black-browed Barbet
461. Thick-billed Green-Pigeon
462. Lesser Cuckoo-Shrike

After breakfast in the foodcourt I then hiked down the first 3km or so of the New Road (still closed due to landslides).

463. Great Hornbill
464. Banded Broadbill
465. Crested Jay
466. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker

After lunch it was then a hike along the first 3-4km of the Pine Tree Trail. This hike yielded surprisingly few birds!
467. Buff-breasted Babbler
468. Black Eagle

I then headed out to the waterfall with two targets, Slaty-backed Forktail and Malayan Whistling Thrush. Before heading up the waterfall path I walked up the over-grown continuation of the road and eventually ended up in an abandoned golf course! I was watching a Bamboo Woodpecker in bamboo by a stream when I was stunned to see a Malayan Whistling Thrush hop out of the thick undergrowth along the stream onto the path barely 10 feet from me! Alas it didn't hang around for a photo session!
469. Bamboo Woodpecker
470. Malayan Whistling Thrush

I then headed back to the start of the waterfall trail as the last of the tourists were leaving. I'd gone no more than 10m along the path when the first of two Slaty-backed Forktails appeared.

471. Slaty-backed Forktail
472. Banded Kingfisher
473. Silver-breasted Broadbill

 

[viator]

April 26, Fraser's Hill

I spent the first few hours birding the top of the Old Road before starting the drive back to Singapore. A relatively quiet morning but still a few new birds

474. Grey-throated Babbler
475. Dark Hawk Cuckoo
476. Mountain Tailorbird

The last species for the trip list was a Common Flameback on the outskirts of Johor Bahru which brought the trip list to a very satisfactory 262 species. Another way to look at it is I still have approx 180 lifers on Peninsula Malaysia to find Hopefully at least another couple of short trips this year will reduce that.

 

[viator]

April 21, Addendum

Realised my counts on this list didn't match my database and eventually worked out that I'd left off a male Black-naped Monarch seen at Sg. Sedim on the Treetop walk.

477. Black-naped Monarch