Bird Group

We have migrated!

2009-05-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Not just for the winter but for good to www.piedfantail.com. Bookmark our new website for info on birdwatching, the latest on Selangor Bird Group events, activities and more. Keep clicking in!

Workshop: The ABC's of Birdwatching

2009-05-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

· 15* - 17 May (Fri–Sun)
· 2 days / 2 nights
· RM 300 per person** (MNS members only)

Interested in birdwatching but do not know where to start? This course is for you if you are asking: "What is that bird? How do I use my binoculars, by the time I find the spot where I thought the bird was, it had flown?"

Conducted via classroom and outdoor practical sessions at Fraser's Hill, participants will be grounded on birding basics in class followed by field experience, with the guidance of experienced birder-trainers. Members from all branches welcome.

Book early! For details, email, call or sms Bee Cheng (016-212 1754) by 5 May. Confirmed places will be on a first-come-first-served basis with payment in full.

There will be a pre-trip meeting on 7 May at MNS HQ auditorium.

* * Check-in begins at 4.30 pm on Friday evening.
** Covers transport from Kuala Lumpur, 2 nights accommodation, meals and course materials.

Long Trip: Birding in Taman Negara, Kuala Tahan

2009-05-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

· 1 - 4 May (Fri–Mon)
· 4 days / 3 nights
· RM 250 per person* (MNS members only)

One of the world's oldest rainforest, Taman Negara is home to some 350 species of birds including Hornbills, Trogons, Pittas, Barbets, the Crested Fireback and the Great Argus.

The trip will entail daily trekking through jungle trails that may sometimes be strenuous but at a manageable birder's pace. This trip is not suitable for digiscoping. There will be a boat ride to get to Yong and Blau hides.

Hurry! Confirmed placement will be on a first-come-first-served basis, with payment in full to Alan (016-3322 991). Please indicate whether you need transportation or if you have spare seats to offer (drivers will be compensated). There will be a pre-trip briefing on 23 April at MNS HQ Auditorium.

* Inclusive of dorm lodging, transport, 3 dinners, entry permit and a boat ride. Limited units of chalets are available at an extra RM 45 per person (double occupancy + breakfast).

Day Trip: Intro to Birdwatching, FRIM Kepong

2009-04-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

Bring your family and friends for a taste of birdwatching! This outing is open to members and non-members. Look through the telescopes and be captivated by our feathered friends.

The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) was once tin mines, vegetable gardens and scrubby forest. In 1926 scientists and foresters started planting trees that matured into the giants that we see today. Expect to see lots of lowland birds species!

Entrance fee is RM5 per car and RM1 per adult. Children enter for free. For more information or to register, call or sms Tang (012-306 1133 ; call after 6.00pm ; SMS anytime).

Bring along a pair of binoculars, a hat, drinking water and mosquito repellant for this half-day walk. Wear dull-coloured clothes and comfortable walking shoes.

See you at the car-park outside the primary school within FRIM Kepong at 7.15am sharp!

Day Trip: Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve

2009-03-01T01:17:00.000-08:00

Come and bird in one of the last remaining coastal forests on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Both resident and migratory bird species can be found here. Tanjung Tuan is known as the place to witness raptor migration as they make their way across the Straits of Malacca from Indonesia.

Please meet at the parking bay in front of Ilham Resort at 7.30am sharp. Ilham Resort is the venue for the annual Raptor Watch Weekend organised by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

All MNS members are welcome. Wear comfortable walking shoes and earth-coloured clothing. Don't forget to bring along your binoculars, a hat, a light-weight raincoat, drinking water and snack. We will take a slow walk up the hill which may be strenuous for some, but it won't be a race to get to the top!

To register, call or sms your name and membership number to Jasmine; 23 Feb onwards, before 10pm. Please indicate whether you need a lift or if you have car space to offer. Go green. Car-pool when you can!

Talk: Field Identification of 'Acridotheres' Mynas in Peninsular Malaysia

2009-02-10T03:26:00.000-08:00

· 10 February 09 (Tuesday)
· Schmidt Marketing, 5th Floor, Wisma Domain, Petaling Jaya
· 8pm

We see mynas everywhere in the country. Before we dismiss them as common and uninteresting, find out why Allen Jeyarasingam finds them as unique as other birds we eagerly seek out.

Allen J. is the renowned author of "A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore". He will be sharing with us insights on the Acridotheres mynas (Common, Jungle, White-vented and Crested mynas) in Peninsular Malaysia, with special reference to the northward spread of the Javan Myna A. javanicus (White-vented).

The speaker is a member of the MNS Bird Conservation Council, the BCC-Records Committee and one of the editors of Suara Enggang.

All are welcome. For details, call or email Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm.

Talk: Birding in Sulawesi

2009-01-20T03:23:00.000-08:00

· 20 January 09 (Tuesday)
· Schmidt Marketing, 5th Floor, Wisma Domain, Petaling Jaya
· 8pm

Indonesia's Sulawesi is in the biogeographical area of Wallacea, between the Oriental and Australasian regions. Wallacea, with avifauna reflecting elements of both regions, has an extraordinarily high 249 endemic bird species, of which 97 are found in Sulawesi.

The talk, by Mohd. Rafi Kudus who recently went on a birding trip to the island, will focus on North Sulawesi, with pictures of birds sighted, travel tips, and where to find the endemics. Rafi is an avid birder of over 15 years, with a passion for bird and nature conservation.

All are welcome. For details, call or email Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm.

Day Trip: Birdwatching at Taman Rimba Ampang

2009-01-11T02:58:00.000-08:00

Taman Rimba Ampang (TRA) is located at the end of Jalan Ampang / Jalan Bukit Belacan, 6km from Ampang Point Shopping Centre. It is the place to spot the globally threatened Blue-Banded Kingfisher.

Parking fee is RM2 per car and entrance fee is RM1 per adult. Children may enter for free. For more information or to register, call or sms Tang (012-306 1133) before 10pm.

Bring along a pair of binoculars, drinking water, mosquito repellant and an umbrella (just in case) for this half-day walk. Wear dull-coloured clothes and comfortable walking shoes. The road is paved.

See you at the car-park at 7.30am sharp!

Talk: Shutterbugs - An Intro to Bird Photography

2009-01-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

· 6 Jan '09 (Tuesday)*
· MNS HQ Auditorium
· 8pm - 9pm

Shutterbugs is a new component of the Selangor Branch Bird Group, focusing on bird photography. This talk given by John Steed is the first of several and will cover the basics including Equipment and Ethics.

We will have on display a wide variety of cameras – dSLR's (digital Single Lens Reflex), with telephoto and zoom lenses, and also digiscoping equipment. From this, you will get an appreciation for the different types of solutions available in case you haven't yet taken the plunge and purchased your own.

The talk is open to MNS members with an interest in bird photography, from beginners, to the hobbyist. If you are interested in attending, please send John an email.

* Please note that this talk was originally scheduled for 2 Dec '08. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Talk: Bird Trade in Southeast Asia

2008-12-23T06:06:00.000-08:00

· 23 December (Tuesday)
· Schmidt Marketing, 5th Floor, Wisma Domain, Petaling Jaya
· 8pm

Hunting and trade is a major threat to the conservation of birds in Southeast Asia. This trade involves millions of birds representing hundreds of species. Come and find out what is real out there, and what a bird lover can do about it.

Learn about trade hubs that are open markets, wholesalers, pet shops and the Internet; the impact trade has on bird populations; legislations and conventions in place to protect birds; and enforcement efforts.

Chris Shepherd is currently with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, and has been working on wildlife trade issues for 17 years. He carries out enforcement assistance work in the region and works closely with enforcement agencies around the world.

All are welcome. For more details, call or email Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm.

Day Trip: Intro to Birdwatching, Lake Gardens

2008-12-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered why people find birds fascinating? There are over 700 bird species in Malaysia. While you may already know the Sparrow, Myna and Crow, let us show you more -- from Sunbirds, to Kingfishers and Woodpeckers -- right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur!

All are welcome. Join us at 7am at the Bukit Aman carpark (opposite the police station). Wear comfortable walking shoes and earth-coloured clothing. Bring along your binoculars, a hat, drinking water, some snack; and an umbrella, just in case!

For more information or to register, call or sms Tang (012-306 1133); 6pm and 10pm. See you then!

Talk: Little Grebe – Life-cycle and Behaviour

2008-12-11T06:11:00.000-08:00

· 11 December (Thursday)
· MNS HQ Auditorium
· 8pm
· All are welcome

Come watch and learn about the Little Grebe, a small duck-like waterbird found in open bodies of water. Tan Sri Dr Mustaffa Babjee will share his observations and a video that shows the life-cycle and behavior of the Little Grebe observed for almost two years at two ponds at Janda Baik.

The 28-minute video will show the courting, mating, nest construction, incubation, parenting and the environment for breeding of these aquatic birds.

Dr Mustaffa is a retired veterinarian, whose hobby is nature study and photography.

Intermediate Birdwatching Course @ KSNP

2008-11-21T21:08:00.000-08:00

· 21* - 23 November (Fri-Sun)
· 2 days / 2 nights
· RM 200 per person** (MNS members only)

Are you able to identify birds, but maybe have difficulty with Bulbuls, Warblers and Egrets, which all look so similar? Aware of different bird calls, but need help learning them?

If so, the Intermediate Course is for you! Join us for two  nights and two days of practical and classroom sessions at Kuala Selangor Nature Park. We will also touch on monitoring techniques, and how you can contribute towards conservation.

Book your place early! For details, email, call or sms Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm. Participants need to have their own binoculars and field guide. This course is not suitable for Beginners.   

* Check-in time is 7pm sharp on Friday evening.
** Covers accommodation, meals, transportation and course materials.

Workshop: "T-shirts Have Nine Lives"

2008-11-15T08:40:00.000-08:00

· 15 November (Saturday)
· MNS HQ Auditorium
· 2pm sharp – 6pm

Don't throw that T-shirt away, turn it into funky, goofy, snazzy, or just plain functional items! Make yourself or loved ones: 1) a travel pillow; 2) a sleep mask; 3) a pair of add-on sleeves to keep sun rays and thirsty insects away; or 4) a jacket for the passport.

Or, make chubby little stars for the Christmas tree! Handmade presents are gentle on the environment, and they've got character; closer to the heart than what money can buy.

Fabric + scissors + needle + thread + a big smile = Your recipe to great handmade presents! Just bring your own T-shirt fabric, and we'll prepare the rest.

For ages 7 and up. Your contribution of RM 6 will help to cushion costs. Please register in advance. Email your full name and membership number to threelittlepiks@gmail.com. See you there!

Long Trip: Birding Gems of Langkawi

2008-11-07T21:06:00.000-08:00

· 7 - 10 November (Fri-Mon)
· 4 days / 3 nights
· RM 320 per person* ex-Langkawi (MNS members only)

Langkawi Island in the northwest of Peninsular Malaysia is a place to seek out bird species that do not occur further south. Don't miss out on the chance to see the Brown-winged Kingfisher, Plain-backed Sparrow, Mountain Hawk-eagle, Black-hooded Oriole and Jerdon’s Baza. November is a good time to possibly spot some exotic migrant birds.

To register, call or sms Alan (016-3322 991) by 24 October. The pre-trip meeting is planned for Thursday, 30 October at 8pm at the MNS HQ Auditorium.

 * This includes accommodation and transportation on the island. It will also cover the cost of a boat trip. Meals are on your own account. Participants are required to make their own way to Langkawi and to meet at a pre-determined place on 7 November. You will have an option to extend your stay in Langkawi on your own with 4 nights with accommodation free.

Talk: "Biological Conservation and Sustainable Management of Swiftlets" by Lord Cranbrook

2008-11-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

· 4 November (Tuesday)
· Schmidt Marketing, 5th Floor, Wisma Domain, Petaling Jaya
· 8pm

Lord Cranbrook's first appointment was with the Sarawak Museum in 1956. After a post-doctoral fellowship in Indonesia, he was appointed to the Zoology Department of the University of Malaya (1961–1970).

Through a subsequent career as biologist and parliamentarian (in the UK House of Lords, 1978–1999) he has maintained close links with Malaysia and pursued research in zooarchaeology, wildlife conservation and the ecology of living vertebrates.

With over 50 years of research on the cave swiftlets of the Indo-Pacific region, he is also the author of many scientific papers concerning the field identification of these birds, their breeding biology and echolocation. He remains Honorary Curator of Mammals at the Sarawak Museum, and was awarded the honour PNBS (Honorary).

It is a privilege to have Lord Cranbrook (Lord Medway) give us a talk. For directions to the venue, call or email Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm.

Workshop: Identification of Asian Raptors

2008-10-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

· Day One: 18 October (Sat)
Classroom work at MNS HQ Auditorium

· Day Two: 19 October (Sun, morning)
Field practice in Bagan Lalang, Sepang

Raptor Study Group of Bird Conservation Council will hold a workshop on raptor identification and counting. The aim is to build up a pool of proficient raptor watchers required during events such as Raptor Watch Week.

This one and half day programme consists of one-day classroom work and a half-day field practice at Bagan Lalang, Sepang. Classroom work and material is FOC but participants will need to share the cost of car-pooling to and from Sepang (approximately RM 45 per head).

To enrol, please email Aun Tiah or sms him (012-697 9075) by 14 Oct, providing name and mobile number. As space in the auditorium is limited, priority will be given to birders who have previously volunteered for RWW.

Long Trip: Watching Raptors in Chumphon, Thailand

2008-10-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

· 10 - 15 October (Fri-Wed)
· 6 days / 5 nights
· RM 450 per person* (MNS members only)

Stand on top of a 200m hill, with binoculars focused on hundreds of Oriental Honey Buzzards, Grey-faced Buzzards, Chinese Goshawks, Japanese Sparrowhawks, Shikras, Peregrine Falcons, Greater Spotted Eagles. Not just raptors, but other migrant species such as Black Drongos and Bee-eaters as well!

Khao Radar is sited along the Isthmus of Kra, Thailand. It is well known to Thai birders as a choke-point, giving birders and photographers spectacular views and photo-taking opportunities.

Led by Lim Aun Tiah and Lee Oon Teik, the program begins with a night journey by express bus from Puduraya Station (KL) to Hatyai.

The following morning we take local vans to Chumphon. We spend two full days birding at Khao Radar, and one day in Chumphon for its culinary delights and local places of interest.

On the 4th night we board an air-conditioned Thai train (berths provided) from Chumphon, arriving Hatyai at 7am the next morning. After breakfast we take an express bus back to KL, arriving at around 7pm on 15 October (Wed).

Book now, before the seats get snapped up! For details, call or sms Oon Teik (017-889 7510) or Swee Seng (013-386 3663) before 10pm.

* Covers transport, hotel and local transfers. Food on individual account. Cost subject to change (should there be a drastic increase in fuel prices).

Day Trip: Old Pump House Road, Genting Highlands

2008-09-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

Make a date with birds of the sub-montane forest -- Hornbills, Barbets, Wren-Babblers, Woodpeckers and a whole lot more!

We will meet at 7am sharp at the Indian restaurant next to Seri Malaysia hotel at Gohtong Jaya. Click here for a map to Genting Highlands (scroll down, to Map To Genting).

All MNS members are welcome (please note that the Old Pump House Road is on an incline for some of the way). Wear comfortable walking shoes and earth-coloured clothing. Don't forget to bring along your binoculars, a hat, a light-weight raincoat, drinking water and snack.

To register, call or sms your name and membership number to Tang (012-306 1133); 7pm to 10pm. Go green. Car-pool when you can!

Long Trip: Panti Forest Reserve & Kuala Sedili

2008-09-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

· 12 - 15 September (Fri-Mon)
· 4 days / 3 nights
· RM 340 per person* (MNS members only)

Panti Forest Reserve is a lowland forest while Kuala Sedili, along the east coast of Johor, is one of a few places to see the Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii, our only resident species of shorebird.

One trip, two habitats, with plenty of birds to see! To register, call or sms Alan (016-3322 991) by 29 August. Please indicate if you would like to drive. Car-pooling arrangements will be made at the pre-trip meeting on 4 September (Thu) at 8pm at the MNS HQ Auditorium.

* Covers car-pooling expenses and twin-sharing accommodation. Food on individual account.

Day Trip: Bukit Lagong

2008-08-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

Bukit Lagong is located at the back end of FRIM Kepong. This is a lowland forest area mixed with fruit orchards. We will be taking a leisurely walk along the tarred road (1-2 km) that leads to a small Orang Asli settlement.

Please be at the kiosk at entrance to Bukit Lagong at 7am sharp (click on the map for a larger view). Wear comfortable walking shoes and dull-coloured attire. Don't forget to bring along your binoculars, a hat, insect repellent, drinking water and snack!

Indoor Talk: Birding on the Kinabatangan, Sabah

2008-07-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

At 560 km, the Kinabatangan is the second longest river in Malaysia and the longest in the state of Sabah. Although the forest on the lower Kinabatangan floodplain is severely degraded and encroached upon by oil palm plantations, it remains one of the best places to observe wildlife.

John Steed will talk about his recent birding experience there, where proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephants and orang-utans roam free, together with a great variety of birds, including several endemics.
The talk will be accompanied by a slideshow which depicts a sample of what can be seen.

Venue: MNS HQ Auditorium, Jalan Kelantan
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Attendance is FOC. All are welcome.

Day Trip to Sungai Perdik

2008-07-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Join us for a lowland forest experience just outside of Kuala Lumpur in the forest reserve area of Ulu Langat. Witness such delights as Broadbills, Barbets, Spiderhunters and Flowerpeckers as we walk along the road and into the forest.

We will be out until late morning, so do bring your own refreshments, a hat, insect repellent, and comfortable walking shoes. Please be suitably attired in dull-coloured clothing for birding.
We will meet at Batu 14, Ulu Langat alongside the Mosque at 07:00.

If you require directions, please email Jasmine. Or, if you would like to know more about this event, contact Jasmine

Birds of a feather flocked together

2008-07-07T03:38:00.001-07:00

2008-07-07T02:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you for coming to the annual get-together. If you didn't make it this year, look out for it in twelve months' time :)

Those who came went home with a happy tummy and the word oologist in their heads. The day's votes brought a record-high of 17 faces, new and old, on the committee. May the birds and the birding community enjoy a great term ahead.

Elephants and Hornbills in Endau Rompin

2008-06-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

Twenty-four keen early birds set off in five vehicles and drove from Kuala Lumpur to Kluang. Some of us found the famous Coffee Shop on the platform of the old Kluang Railway station.
This is a historic building remaining just about the same as when the British built it some 100 years ago. The Coffee Shop must have been the original waiting room. The wooden window frames were obviously made of very hard wood, The Coffee and Kaya buns were as they were years ago. It was jammed with people. The toilet was unchanged since the time it was first built and for this we paid 20sen.

We all assembled at the office of the Endau-Rompin National Park (ERNP) at 12. 30 noon in Kahang. After a quick lunch and registration, we were assigned five 4WD vehicles and drivers who drove for nearly two hours to cover the 56Km to the Visitor’s Centre inside the Park.

When we left Kahang it was raining heavily, and the jeep track was wet and slippery. This made the drive to the Visitor Centre quite an adventure. Before reaching the Park, the first stretch of about 15 km was mainly secondary forest. The rest of the area was just oil palm plantations until we finally arrived at the Park.

Monoculture Palm Oil Plantations

The jeep track was used by lorries carrying logs out from adjacent forests where logging was still going on. We saw many lorries loaded with medium -sized logs.
When we reached Sungai Mas, about half way before reaching the Park, a wooden bridge that once spanned the river was no longer useable. Our driver informed us that it was washed away during the monsoon rain last December. So, a temporary floating bridge made of large -diameter bamboo lashed together with thick ropes became our only means of crossing the river.
Our driver slowly steered the 4WD down a slope in order to get onto the floating bridge, then accelerated up a slope on the opposite bank. It was quite daunting because of the pouring rain!

Bridge Crossing

We arrived at the Visitors Centre during mid afternoon, unpacked and straightaway went on our first birding walk for about three hours.
The first evening dinner served by the Park’s caterer consisted of rice, slightly over-burnt roast chicken, vegetables and fruit. Despite our disappointment, everything was eaten probably because everyone was hungry. There was some speculation as to what birds we could find after dinner. We decided to look for owls, but there was none to be seen. We got back at around 10.30pm . I happened to get up at 4. 30am the next morning. A very keen birder who had just seen an owl signalled for me to follow him. He took me to spot where a Buffy Fish-Owl was still perched on a branch not far from our chalets. This caused great excitement and by 5.30 am, Sunday 8th June, just about everyone had seen the owl.

Buffy Fish Owl

After breakfast, we split into four groups before climbing aboard a pick-up truck , for a 3 KM ride road to Nature Education and Research Centre (NERC). There was an abundance of birds at the NERC.
After lunch we walked the same road going back to the Visitor Centre. Along the way we noticed fresh elephant dung on the jeep track, trampled vegetation and some uprooted wild ginger plants. Sure enough, we soon came across a small herd of elephants; it was very exciting even though it was difficult to see them clearly through the vegetation.

Learning to identify every bird that was seen or heard took a great deal of effort, especially for beginners. However, our group leader John Steed was great at identifying birds and their songs. On our way back to the Visitor Centre a hornbill flew low over us and perched on a tree. It was not difficult to identify it as a Rhinoceros Hornbill, a male bird about a meter long, with a very bright orange-red curved horn attached to its upper mandible, a truly magnificent bird.

Rhinoceros Hornbill

In the afternoon a Black and Yellow Broadbill was spotted feeding a juvenile Indian Cuckoo that was at least twice as big as herself. The Broadbill had been tricked into incubating an egg laid by an Indian Cuckoo and subsequently feeding the ever hungry hatchling as though it was its own offspring.

Juvenile Indian Cuckoo

There were many other interesting sightings and within two adventurous of birding in around the NERC, the four groups collectively identified 102 species of birds. For some of us, almost all of the birds were what birdwatchers termed as ”lifers”, meaning a species seen for the first time by a person. One truly compassionate member, known to us as” Noor “saved a river terrapin from the cooking pot by purchasing it and later releasing it at a safe site. Monday, early morning, was our last time to go out birding before leaving at 11. 30am for our parked the cars at Kahang. After lunch we drove back to KL. It had been a wonderful trip.

Text by Diana van der Elst
Photographs by John Steed*
All images are copyright protected by their owners.

*Photo of River Crossing supplied by....

Long Trip: Birding in Endau-Rompin National Park, Johor (7th - 9th June 2008)

2008-06-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

Endau-Rompin National Park, a pristine tropical rain forest covering 49,000 hectares has more than 250 specis of birds to enthrall visitors.
The park also offers visitors captivating views of waterfalls, steep-sided cliffs and the plateau area from where the Sg. Endau, Sg. Jasin and Sg. Selai begin their journey.
Come join Lim Aun-Tiah and Alan Yu for a birding tour.

STATUS: Fully Booked

Standard accomodation: Dormitory.
Thos who opt for chalet (see supplemental charge below).
Cost: RM185.00 per person to cover accommodation, transport KL-Kahang-KL, 4x4 transport Kahang-Park-Kahang, entrance fees / insurance premium and contribution towards Selangor Bird Group conservation fund.
Thos who opt for chalets (3-persons sharing) pay additional RM80.00 per person.
Meals: for own account (self-cater) or can be arranged with caterer inside the park upon arrival.
Closing date: 30th May 2008.
Registration and payment: please contact Lim Aun-Tiah (012-6979075).
A pre-trip meeting will be held on Wednesday 3rd June 2008 at MNS auditorium at 20:00

Day Trip to Bukit Rengit

2008-05-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Beginners Luck…

Bukit Rengit

The day started at 5am with the dull throb of the alarm clock drilling into my brain. Hmmm, birders must be very serious folk to be up this early to just see some birds in some forest, I thought, as I groggily made my way to the car.

I was on the way to Bukit Rengit forest, which is near the Krau elephant sanctuary. The trip was organised by the birding group of the MNS.

It had been quite sometime since I got up this early and on the Karak highway. Nice cool morning with mist drifting across the road as we made our way up the range, car droning as we climbed up to Genting Sempah and down to Karak. From there it was just a 15-20min drive to the Lanchang exit of the East Coast highway for the first regroup.

There were already a group of 10-20 birders there, already having breakfast. Already the bins were out, as directly opposite the rest stop, were a few hornbills perched on a prominent tree. Black Hornbills, I was told. Later, the flock of Black Hornbills took flight over us, and as they drifted over us through the mist, I felt the magic of these flighted creatures as they gracefully glided away.

From the rest stop/toll gate, it was just a short 30min drive to Bukit Rengit. There was a prominent signboard showing the way to the elephant reserve, hmmm…noted with interest.

We parked the cars along the road at the Deer Land park, and the group were efficiently separated into 2 sections, the day-trippers and the follow up for the Beginner’s birding class.

After the 2 groups separated the day-trippers were walking along the road, looking and listening intently. The mist was still in the air, and the sun had not quite shone through the trees yet.

Then pleasantly surprised, I saw that Aun Tiah was in the day-trippers’ group…someone that I recognised from the old days of MNS slide shows and bird talks in the Rimba Ilmu auditorium. I think I was lucky that he was there to show the newbie’s the ropes.

Looking at the group, mostly everyone dressed in drab earth and natural earth colored clothing; and naturally being a guy, I had great interest in their hardware. From bins of small and big sizes, there were all makes and types. More interesting was the scopes, these big heavy scopes with equally heavy tripods!!! Everyone seemed to have an opinion on which was the best…
Walking slowly along the road, everyone seemed relaxed and enjoying the fresh air…

Suddenly, someone pointed into the forest, and said, Sunbird!!! Where?, where?…everyone asked. Bins were out, and soon we were trying to catch a glimpse of the elusive bird.

And there it was. A small tiny bird almost invisible amongst the foliage…some Latin named sunbird, someone said. Errrr, what’s a sunbird??? After we watched the tiny bird flitting in and out the trees…it suddenly became aware of us, and flew away.

So what was the bird doing? Looking for food, defending its territory, feeding its young? So many questions!!! I guess I never really thought about what birds do, how they live and do the things they do…all that nature stuff. Interesting….

Aun Tiah and other more experienced birders were a great help, they took out their field guides and showed us the different birds. The colour plates were a great help in identifying each species. Aun Tiah even tested us, and asked us which bird actually we had seen, amongst all the colour plates in the book!

So that was the pattern of the day, walking, looking and hearing birds, trying to catch a glimpse of the birds and getting to know a great group of people.

Surprisingly, the highlight of the day for me came at the end of the day, when the birding class group rejoined us. Someone had found a small brilliantly coloured bird on the road. Apparently it had been stunned by something, collided with a tree or car…who knows.

Black-naped Monarch being placed into leaf and returned to shelter of a tree

It sat quietly in our hands, and someone said it was a Black-naped Monarch. Brilliantly coloured blue, with black on the beak and nape…it looked quietly at us and didn’t respond at all. I had thought that it would have been freaked out at being handled, this creature of wild nature, but it didn’t!!!

Everyone crowded in for a look, digital and SLR cameras came out for pics, then the creature was placed in a folded dry leaf and set amongst the branches of a small tree next to the road, while we watched for signs that it recovered. Finally after about half an hour, it recovered and sat perched on a branch, posing yet some more for our group.

By now, the sun was high up in the sky and we broke for lunch, officially the trip was over. Then over a lunch of nasi lemak and fried chicken, I managed to talk with other members of the trip entourage. It impressed me how passionate birders can be, the life lists, the favourite birds, their bird calls…what a great pastime.

In the end, it was a fantastic day!!! From looking at birds’ long distance to actually holding one in the hand!!! I think I was very lucky to have experienced both extremes…

Text by Wai Hoe Lock
Photographs by John Steed
All images are copyright protected.
Unauthorised use is prohibited

Day Trip: Bukit Rengit, Pahang - Sunday 25th May 2008

2008-05-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Selangor Branch Bird Group will be making a day-trip to Bukit Rengit, near Lanchang, Pahang.
Bukit Rengit is an excellent birding area for lowland forest birds such as bulbuls, babblers and trogons.

Indoor Talk: Birds East of Wallace's Line - 13th May (Tuesday)

2008-05-13T00:56:00.000-07:00

Wallacea is a scatter of thousands of islands east of Borneo and west of New Guinea and Australia.
Seated at the collision point of Earth's two great biogeographical regions, Australasia and the Orietnal region, it contains a mind-boggling mix of birds from both sides, including hordes of parrots, honeyeaters, pigeons and a generous sprinkle of exotic kingfishers together with big-eyed tarsiers and colugo-like gliders.
Mr Yong Ding Li and fellow enthusiasts were lucky to spend some extended time exploring these regions and its remarkable birdlife in May and July of 2006/2007.
Come and hear Mr Yong as he shares slides on the biogeography, birdlife and birdwatching experiences in Halmahera, Sulawesi, Timor and Flores.

Venue: Auditorium of Schmidt Marketing Sdn. Bhd
5th Floor, Wisma Domain, 18A Jalan 51A/223, Petaling Jaya
Time: 8pm
Attendance is free of charge and all are welcome.

For a map of how to get there, please check in May's issue of Pencinta Alam

Beginners Birdwatching Course 2008

2008-05-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

As a non-birder until the beginner’s course, I would constantly notice the variety of birds outside my window and it would gladden my heart to see the beautiful birds chirping happily and the young in the nest being fed. When it rained, I would wish the babies would not fall off the nest and soon the many birds grew on me as time went by. That was how my interest in birds began.

Thus my journey into the world of birding began one weekend at Fraser’s Hill. It is useful to learn about the basics and good etiquette of birding from the start. What better way to learn these than from experienced and knowledgeable birders, the dedicated committee members of the MNS Selangor Bird Group. The trainers presented well-researched and informative topics on birding equipment, attire, bird topography, ethics, field craft, the environment and conservation efforts. The benefits gained from learning about these subjects directly from the trainers, who had imparted their knowledge with the human touch are immeasurable. It had deepened my appreciation of the birds in a way that no amount of reading on my own could have achieved. Every trainer, who presented a talk on their respective topic, spoke with such passion that the world of birding gradually began to unfold before me. To the trainers’ credit, the statement that had made the most lasting imprint on my mind was “birds come first”. It was not merely that the statement was worn on their T-shirts that had produced this impact on me, but it was the deep sense of commitment to the welfare of the birds that I had observed that had awakened me to the realization that, central to the activity of birding, is to place the welfare of the birds as top priority. Now that we have our priority right, the birders-to-be were ready to embark on the practical aspects of birding.

Out in the field, my lifers’ list expanded very quickly. On my first outing, I spotted a Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush Garrulax mitratus, Long-tailed Sibia Heterophasia picaoides and Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus(female). It was exciting for every few minutes, a lifer would appear…the Little Cuckoo Dove Macropygia ruficeps (male), Little Pied Flycatcher Ficedula westermanni (male and female) and Streaked Spiderhunter. I was thrilled to spot these lifers and with the help of the trainers pointing us to the correct families and prompting us to note certain features, we were able to make positive identification. During the course of the next two days, I had spotted many more lifers, including a rather stunning but elusive Large Niltava Niltava grandis (male), Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassina, Black-and-Crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus(male) and the Common Green Magpie Cissa chinensis. By the end of the course, I had managed to add Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti, Fire-tufted Barbet Psilopogon pyrrolophus, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus and Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus (male) to my list of lifers.

It was rather creative of the trainers to design a game of bird identification in a classroom environment. Slides of birds were shown at short intervals simulating actual birding conditions where we had to learn to make a quick sketch and note distinctive features. The game was stressful yet fun. However, my skills in identifying the families were not adequate to score decent points but somehow I had felt slightly more advanced in the field after the game. Perhaps it was the “experience” of noting so many birds in a short time.

I came away from the Beginner’s Course with invaluable lessons that would equip me for birding properly and responsibly. A dilemma I now face is to reconcile birding with my other hobby, photography. I understand the importance of taking notes and practising “birds come first” and will continue doing so. However I am not yet prepared to trade my existing SLR for a digiscoping system.

It had been a truly rewarding and enriching course. I am very grateful to the trainers for their genuine dedication and effort to show us the way into the world of birding.

text by Pauline Lee (MNS member)

photos by David Lai

Beginners Birdwatching Course: 9-11th May

2008-05-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Where there are birds, there are birdwatchers! Come along to Fraser’s Hill for this 2 day/2 night course, especially designed to get the beginner/novice birder off on the right foot. Starting Friday evening, in a fun classroom-type environment, you will learn basic skills (such as using binoculars, bird topography and identifying birds using field guides) coupled with enjoyable practical fieldwork and much, much more.

Join us and find out why so many people are completely enchanted with the world of these winged wonders.
Cost: RM270 covers course materials, transport, 2 nights accommodation and meals. Registration (at Fraser’s Hill) begins from 4.30 p.m. on 9th May.

For more details and to book, contact Alan Yu at 016-3322991 or alanyu01@gmail. com.
Closing date is 25th April 2008.
There will be a meeting for participants prior to the course.
There will also be a follow-up trip for course participants on 25th May.

Templer’s Park; Selangor Bird Group Outing: 27 April 2008

2008-04-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Templer’s Park is easily accessible from most of the Klang Valley. The signage, unfortunately, is very poor and there were a few stragglers who struggled to find the place! Jasmine’s (your friendly Outings Coordinator) handphone was running hot. However, you know you are close when you see the distinctive shape of the limestone Bukit Takun rising by the highway.

For those who arrived early, the car park provided some lowland forest goodies like a male Grey-and-buff ‘Woody’ Woodpecker with his oversized head and a lovely male Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. Cuckoos were heard all around us and one Plaintive Cuckoo was seen mournfully calling from a high-voltage pylon wire. It’s not called the ‘burung mati anak’ for nothing. Also seen on the wires were groups of Blue-throated bee-eaters and tree-swifts. Some newer birders managed to ‘sapu’ as lifers both the Whiskered and Grey-rumped Tree-Swifts through the ’scopes generously shared.

Whiskered Treeswift (male)

The large group of 26 adults and 8 children were split up into 3 loose groups, each led by a few Selangor Bird Group Committee members. It was heartening to see many young (and young at heart) birders out early for half a day’s birding. One young member spotted a juvenile Changeable Hawk-Eagle sitting on a pylon.

A few fruiting trees and shrubs provided many bulbuls and a pig-tailed macaque with breakfast and birders with good views. Some lucky ones also managed to get great views of the usually skulking Horsfield’s Babbler and a rufous-backed Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher by the ‘swimming hole’.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

A highlight for others was a male Purple-naped Sunbird displaying to a female; quivering its wings and raising its iridescent deep purple nape and back feathers. At another spot, a small group of White-bellied Yuhinas feeding a fledged young high up in the trees gave us all rather sore necks.

Apart from a few overnight campers (woken up by us birders), other members of the public only started to trickle in as we were leaving late that morning. It probably is never really busy and there was no one swimming in the ‘swimming hole’. The early part of the trail is all paved, suitable even for the less agile.

Templer’s Park is past its heyday as the premier picnic spot but can still be a suitable place to bring along non-birding members of the family for a picnic or to swim. I can’t, however, vouch for the cleanliness or otherwise of the swimming hole. Probably no different from any other similar places. Toilet facilities are also available.

All in all almost 50 species were seen or heard for three hours plus of birding. Eight species of bulbuls, 3 species of sunbirds and 2 malkoha species is not bad. Templer’s Park is sure to have many more birding gems to be discovered. An Argus Pheasant has been seen in recent years along the main path by one of our members. And there are many other tracks to explore.

Additionally, this is also the first official Selangor Bird Group outing after the launch of Bird-i-Witness Malaysia (bird sightings database) by MNS recently. For those unsure what this is about, please see: http://www.worldbirds.org/malaysia. The full list of birds recorded for this trip can also be found there.

Text by Smathi Chong
Photos by John Steed (copyright protected)

Day Trip: Birdwatching at Templer’s

2008-04-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Why not join the Selangor Branch Bird Group for a morning of ‘birding’ in the lowland forest of
Templer’s Park, about 25km north of KL?
Meet in Templer’s Park carpark by 7.15am. Wear dull coloured clothes suitable for outdoor activities.
Drinking water and a sunhat are advisable.
How to get there: From KL, take the road (NOT highway) towards Rawang. About 8km from Rawang, watch for houses on left, and a Shell petrol station on right – take the next u-turn available.
Now heading back in direction of KL, take the first left turn into Templer’s Park.
Follow ‘kawasan perkelahan’ sign to carpark.

Introduction to Birdwatching at Lake Gardens, KL - 13th April 2008

2008-04-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

On the morning of the 13th April, 2008, we awoke to the sounds of steady rain at 5am. It had been raining since heading to bed the previous night, so we were unsure as to the number of people who would be willing to learn about watching birds on such a damp morning.
We arrived at the Bukit Aman carpark early to ensure appropriate coordination once the participants started arriving.
Jasmine (Day Trip Coordinator) was receiving phone calls all morning from 05:30 until 07:00 from interested parties enquiring as to the status of the trip.
Regardless of the weather, THE TRIP WOULD GO AHEAD.

(John Steed giving a briefing session to the participants upon arrival - still raining)

53 participants arrived (38 adults, 15 children) which constitutes a great turnout.

(Check out that Coppersmith Barbet!! - rain stopped, now just cloud above)

We were assisted by fellow MNS Selangor Birdgroup Committee members to provide the basics when it comes to watching birds, such as 'how to use binoculars and scopes', and they were also able to provide bird identification to those beginners who would not be in a position to know such things.

(Angie Yong, thrilled to have just seen a Black-thighed Falconet in the heart of the sunny city)

(Bird-call specialist, Carol Ho there to assist the groups)

(Veterans Rafi and Aun-Tiah also came along to share their wealth of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm)

The birdlist for the day reached 29 species, giving the newcomers a chance to see more than sparrows, crows and myna's:

1. Barbet, Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala)
2. Bee-eater, Blue-Tailed (Merops philippinus)
3. Bulbul, Yellow-Vented (Pycnonotus goiavier)
4. Crow, House (Corvus splendens)
5. Dove, Spotted (Streptopelia chinensis)
6. Dove, Zebra (Geopelia striata)
7. Falconet, Black-Thighed (Microhierax fringillarius)
8. Flameback, Common (Dinopium javanense)
9. Flycatcher, Asian Brown (Muscicapa dauurica)
10. Heron, Chinese Pond (Ardeola bacchus)
11. Iora, Common (Aegithina tiphia)
12. Kingﬁsher, White-Throated (Halcyon smyrnensis)
13. Kite, Brahminy (Haliastur indus)
14. Koel, Asian (Eudynamys scolopacea)
15. Leafbird, Golden-Fronted (Chloropsis aurifrons)
16. Myna, Common (Acridotheres tristis)
17. Myna, Javan (Acridotheres javanicus)
18. Oriole, Black-Naped (Oriolus chinensis)
19. Parrot, Blue-Crowned Hanging (Loriculus galgulus)
20. Pigeon, Pink-Necked Green (Treron vernans)
21. Robin, Oriental Magpie (Copsychus saularis)
22. Shrike, Brown (Lanius cristatus)
23. Sparrow, Eurasian-Tree (Passer montanus)
24. Starling, Asian-Glossy (Aplonis panayensis)
25. Stork, Painted (Mycteria leucocephala)
26. Swallow, Paciﬁc (Hirundo tahitica)
27. Tailorbird, Common (Orthotomus sutorius)
28. Woodpecker, Crimson-Winged (Picus puniceus)
29. Woodpecker, Rufous (Celeus brachyurus)

The general feedback indicated that the morning was a great success, with heaps of enthusiasm amongst the new comers having just spent the morning up-close with nature.

Text by John Steed
Photos by PikWun Chin

Introduction to Birdwatching at KL Lake

2008-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Come and have a taste of what “birding” is like. Join us in the popular recreational park, Lake Gardens, in the middle of KL city and be captivated by our feathered friends. This introduction is suitable for everyone, including families and non-members.
(It is advisable to wear a hat and bring along your own drinks.)

Meet at Bukit Aman carpark, Lake Gardens, at 7.15 a.m.

Indoor Talk: The Singapore Hornbill

2008-03-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Singapore Hornbill Project (SHP) is to study the Oriental Pied Hornbills (OPH) in Singapore, especially the breeding details. It has its beginnings in 2005 in Pulau Ubin, with the support of the National Parks Board of Singapore.
It was initiated by Marc Cremades and Ng Soon Chye. Its efforts have been publicized through publications in Asian Geographic (No.35 [Issue 2/2006], p.30-41; No.49 [Issue 10/2007], p.22).

This project has already revealed a new scientific discovery of infanticide- cannibalism in Hornbills, published in the August 2007 issue of Forktail (vol.23: p,170-3, Aug). The SHP has won an international award in Toronto, Canada, in Sep 2007: the International Symposium of Breeding Birds in Captivity (ISBBC) Conservation and Research Award 2007, for integrating conservation studies in the wild and in captivity (with the Jurong Bird Park) of the Oriental Pied Hornbill in Singapore.

This talk, by Ng Soon Chye, the project’s Scientific Co-ordinator, to the MNS is an update of the findings including the successful use of artificial nest boxes in the wild for the Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Venue: Auditorium, MNS HQ, Jalan Kelantan
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Attendance is FOC. All are welcome.

Indoor Talk: An Introduction to Raptors

2008-03-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Raptors are birds of prey and in autumn, migratory raptors undertake a long journey from their breeding grounds in northern Asia to warmer climes in the south.
In spring (northern hemisphere), these same birds will make the return journey. Tanjong Tuan, near Port Dickson, is where the majority of these birds cross the Straits of Malacca on their northbound journey.

Mr Lim Aun Tiah, raptor enthusiast, will talk on the raptor species that you are likely to see at Tanjong Tuan during Raptor Watch 2008 (15th & 16th March).

Venue: Auditorium, MNS HQ, Jalan Kelantan
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Attendance is FOC. All are welcome.

Trip to Bukit Larut, 16th-18th February, 2008 by Selangor Bird Group

2008-02-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Bukit Larut, formerly known as Maxwell Hill, is Malaysia’s second oldest hill station. Standing at 1,389m above sea level, it was established in 1884 by William Edward Maxwell, Assistant British Resident of Perak, as a 'refuge' for colonial officials seeking to escape from the sweltering heat in the lowlands. Today, little has changed and the colonial-day bungalows still stand. This lack of development, however, allows the birds to thrive. As many as 253 species of birds have been recorded here (Birds of Perak by Bird Group, MNS Perak, 2006). It was no wonder then that the response to the trip was overwhelming and the 20 odd places were quickly snapped up.

The group met at the Jeep Station at the foot of the hill on 16th February. At noon, three jeep- loads of birders, with their luggage in tow, wound their way up the hill. After negotiating 93 torturous bends, we finally arrived at the stop by the Speedy (Gunung Hijau) Bungalow. From here, it took us another 10 minutes to trek 400m to The Nest, our accommodation for the trip.

Except for the rain in the wee hours of the second day, the weather was warm and sunny. We were split into two groups – one group took the road leading downhill towards the Cendana Hut and the other, the road leading up to Bukit Cauldfield where the Telekom Tower is located. In the final tally, a total of 79 species of birds were sighted and 8 heard.

Passage migrants such as the Arctic, Eastern-crowned and Inornate Warblers, and the Siberian Thrush were among the birds spotted. Some of the resident species sighted were the Red-headed Trogon, Speckled Piculet, Long-tailed Broadbill, Blyth’s Hawk Eagle, Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler, Pygmy Wren and Streaked Wren Babblers as well as five species of Hornbill.

Bushy-Crested Hornbill

The owls, however, were the stars. A Brown Wood Owl was sighted perched on a tree by the Speedy Bungalow on the first night. News of the sighting brought the rest of the birders, who had stayed back in The Nest, sprinting down the trail in semi-darkness, risking sprained ankles and the cold. In their haste, some came clad in their pajamas! Fortunately, the owl remained perched for some time before it flew off into the dark.

Our encounter with owls continued the following day when a Collared Owlet was sighted perched on a tree off the road leading to the Telekom Tower. It was a 'lifer' for most of us.

Collared Owlet

All too soon it was time to pack up and head for home. In the span of two days and nights, we had collected at least a 'lifer' each, and made several new friends while renewing our acquaintances with the old. We had also added inches to our waistlines from the huge meals served by the Lees and from the Chinese New Year cookies and oranges that some group members had brought along.

Text by Chin Khee Tow
Photos by John Steed
All photos are copyright property of John Steed
No unauthorised use of any kind is permitted.

A Day Trip to Bidor

2008-01-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thirty bleary-eyed birders assembled in Bidor at dawn for a morning’s exploration of disused mining pools and rice fields. Though people continue to abuse the pools with trash and litter, the birds somehow rise above it. On that cool, breezy morning we were rewarded right away with sightings of Little Grebes in breeding plumage, Purple Herons, Treeducks, and a Cinnamon Bittern. A pair of Cotton Pygmy-Geese swam out in the open long enough for everyone to have a good look. I was dazzled by the iridescent and elegantly-named Purple Swamphen.

Our convoy departed for another cluster of pools, its progress interrupted by multiple distractions along the way such as the Wagtail. The next set of pools lay adjacent to a sewage treatment plant in an area shared with water buffalo. The landscape was quite disturbed; nevertheless Red-Wattled Lapwings abounded in the grass for those with the patience to watch carefully from afar.

The route out of the mines area took us past a group of water buffalo wallowing with the attentive assistance of Mynas and Egrets. We spotted several more Purple Swamphens and a Chinese Pond Heron. We stumbled upon a cluster of Weaver nests at the side of the road, though no signs of current activity. And we passed several domestic duck ranches.

Due to cumulative effects of fruitful birding and convoy distractions, we arrived at the rice fields only shortly before noon. By that time the scorching sun rendered it unfit for birders or birds. We decided to find ourselves a shady restaurant and save the rice fields for another day. A group of Black-Shouldered Kites saluted our departure, alternately soaring and resting on branches in plain view from the road.

Thank you Jasmine, Bing, and the rest of the MNS Selangor team for another memorable expedition!

Text by Louise Carlson
Photos by Richard Larrabee

Birding in Bidor, Perak

2008-01-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

Birding Day Trip to Bidor, Perak.

Come and see where the freshwater waders, such as Lapwings, Sandpipers, Plovers, Stints and Snipes, like to hang out. Join us and visit the ex-mining pools of Bidor (Chikus) followed by a trip to the Chui Chak paddyfields where you will get a chance to see Eastern Marsh Harriers, Pied Harriers, Crakes, Rails, Reed-Warblers and more.
We will meet immediately after the toll for Bidor on the North-South highway at 7:00am. For those heading to Bidor from Kuala Lumpur, expect a journey time of 1h30m.
Recommended supplies are: Sunscreen, Hat, Water, Insect Repellant, Food snacks.

The terrain around the birding sites is considered mild off-road, therefore, those intending to drive should consider whether their car is suitable for dirt tracks.
As always, we recommend car pooling. The cost of car-pooling to be shared by the participants in each car.
To register for the trip and to arrange for car-pooling, please contact either Jasmine before 14th January, or Bing (012-2509122 between 5pm and 10pm) from 14th January onwards.

Sunday 9th December '07, Introduction to Birdwatching

2007-12-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

Federal Hill, Kuala Lumpur.
Have you ever wondered what the fascination with birds is?
Are you curious to know what everone's looking at?
Join us and have a look at our beautiful feathered friends. Discover the joys of 'birding' with the Selangor Branch Bird Group's 'Introduction to Birdwatching'.

In addition to watching the birds through binoculars, we are giving you the opportunity of getting a closer look through telescopes. You can also learn about Digiscoping.

Digiscoping is an unusual type of nature photography involving a digital compact camera and a spotting scope. Today anyone can get a hands-on experience on taking photographs of the wonders of nature by putting a digital camera or even a camera phone on any spotting scope. So why bother with digiscoping? Lots of reasons. Firstly, it's fun. Practically anyone can take decent pictures of birds with little training or preparation. You can use them as backgrounds on your computer, send them to friends, or put them on your web site or in a local newsletter. Most of all, you get to enjoy the birds with less disturbance.

So, bring on your digital camera and camera phone to our digiscoping demo corner on 9th December 2007 at the carpark of Galeri Seri Perdana. We have a few spotting scopes for your try-out.

For those existing birdwatchers, this is a great opportunity to bring along friends or family members and introduce them to this activity that is enjoyed all over the World.

Pre-registration is not essential, however, we would greatly appreciate advance notice of your attendance.
We will meet at 7:15am.
If you need help with directions or wish to know more about this event, please contact Jasmine

Birdwatching in different habitats: Sekinchan & environs (Selangor Branch)

2007-11-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Saturday 24th November '07
Birdwatching in different habitats: Sekinchan & environs (Selangor Branch)
Like us, different birds prefer to live in different locations. Starting the morning in the mangroves near Jeram, where the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Mangrove Whistler may be found, we will then proceed to the paddyfields near Sekinchan in the hopes of spotting waders and with some luck, Marsh Harriers.

Please ensure you bring your binoculars, a hat, sunblock and plenty of drinking water. Mosquito repellent may be a good idea too. We also suggest bringing snacks to keep you going throughout the morning. Lunch will be on your own account.

The trip finishes at lunchtime, but you might like to visit Kuala Selangor Nature Park for some more birding before heading home.
The meeting place is at the end of Jalan Pantai Jeram (map can be emailed upon request).
Time: 7.15am.
We encourage you to be environmentally friendly and CARPOOL. If you need a ride, or have space in your car and are willing to carpool, please send your email or SMS Jasmine.

Indoor Talk: Bird flu - A threat to wild bird conservation?

2007-11-22T07:10:00.000-08:00

Thursday 22nd November '07

MNS Auditorium, Jalan Kelantan:
Attendance is Free of Charge.
All are welcome.

Since H5N1 Avian Influenza (AI) started its spread across Asia some five years ago, almost 200 people have died, millions of poultry have been culled and thousands of wild birds affected.

The media often portrays wild birds as the main source of the disease, but this is misleading as it is primarily a disease of poultry and the involvement of wild birds is highly questionable in most cases.
Despite this, there have been instances of wild bird culling in response to bird flu outbreaks. There are many questions about how the disease is transmitted, and what preventive measures can be taken to reduce transmission.
Mr Crawford Prentice, currently the International Technical Advisor for UNEP/GEF project developing flyway networks of protected wetlands for the Siberian Crane and other migratory waterbirds, will provide an overview on wild birds and AI based on international studies and suggest some measures that can be taken to reduce risks of AI transmission at sites of importance for migratory waterbirds.

Mr Prentice has lived and worked in Malaysia on and off since 1986, when he joined MNS and was active in the Selangor Bird Group.

His past work was for the Asian Wetland Bureau (now the Wetlands International - Asia Pacific) on conservation of wetlands and migratory waterbirds. He had also managed a DANCED project for WIAP on the integrated management of Tasek Bera in Pahang, Malaysia's first Ramsar site.

Tuesday November 6th, Indoor Talk: Birding in West Papua

2007-11-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

In September 2007, Mr Lim Aun Tiah visited West Papua (also known as Irian Jaya). He will give a talk on the bio-geography of this still relatively unspoilt province of Indonesia, its people and their culture.
He will also touch on Papua's birding attractions and share with you some of his photographs.

Aun Tiah is a veteran birder who needs little introduction. He has served for many years in the MNS Selangor Bird Group committee (now a committee member and in the past as Coordinator) , he is currently also the Honorary Secretary of the MNS-Bird Conservation Council.

Venue: MNS HQ Auditorium, Jalan Kelantan,
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Attendance is FOC. All are welcome.

Postponed: Tuesday October 30th, Indoor Talk: Video & Talk on The

2007-10-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Note: This event has been postponed until further notice.

Dr Mustaffa Babjee, a veterinarian and naturalist with interests in
the conservation of all forms of wild fauna and flora, will be presenting a video on the life-cycle of the Little Grebe, which he studied for two years in the man-made ponds at Janda Baik, from courtship to a full breeding cycle. The grebe will disappear from the Malaysian scence if we continue to fill up ex-mining ponds for development.
The study showed that it is possible to attract these aquatic birds by creating the right environment.

Venue: Auditorium of Schmidt Marketing S/B, 5th Floor,
Wisma Domain, 18A Jalan 51A/223, Petaling Jaya
Time: 8.00 p.m.
Attendance is FOC. All are welcome.

MNS Bird Group Trip to Belum 5th – 7th October 2007

2007-10-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

I had heard of the Save Belum-Temengor Postcard Campaign but had no idea where Belum-Temengor was. An invitation to join the MNS Bird Group trip to Belum was a great incentive to find out more. The sum of my knowledge was that MNS had successfully motivated the Malaysian public to lobby the government on an issue of environmental conservation. The cessation of logging in Temengor and the gazettement of Royal Belum as a State Park are remarkable achievements and a source of optimism for protection of other threatened ecosystems. I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to explore a tiny part of this 117,500ha Park.

My initial observation was disappointment at the disturbed forest and low quality development at Banding Island. This faded as we took to the water and an MNS flotilla buzzed toward the upper reaches of Temengor Lake. Here I was quickly lulled into the beauty of the landscape characterised by an intact jungle canopy with many tall emergent trees. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling however of floating above a submerged forest. Bleached white tree trunks at the lake margin are eerily photogenic and a nagging reminder of the many more skeletal branches reaching for the underside of our fragile craft.

As the lake narrowed I kept a keen eye out for Belum’s most famous resident, the Malayan Tiger. Apparently not constrained by water, it would be my ideal scenario to meet a wild tiger while it was swimming and I was on a boat with the engine running. For birdwatchers Belum-Temengor has the cachet of being the only place where you can see all ten of Malaysia’s Hornbills, of which the writer recorded a paltry five. I like to think of it as leaving some for next time.

Of those ten species it is the Plain-pouched Hornbill which is most appealing as it cannot be seen anywhere else in Malaysia. This vulnerable Hornbill was until recently considered conspecific with the Wreathed Hornbill. Although visually almost identical, it differs significantly in its habit of gathering in large flocks occasionally over 1000 strong. To add to the mystique, nobody knows where these birds roost and no one has ever found a nesting site. As the Hornbill’s habitat is being lost to deforestation there is urgent need to answer these questions if we are to come up with an effective conservation strategy.

Conserving Belum is a great first step to securing a contiguous area of old-growth forest that might just be large enough to sustain populations of large charismatic mammals and birds. As a conservation model however it is compromised by the fact that it necessitated the destruction (through flooding) of over 15,000ha of forest.

The conundrum is that in the current political climate it is difficult to argue for conservation for its own sake. It also helps to have an economic incentive. In this case conservation of forests in the catchment area will slow down the rate at which Temengor Reservoir will silt up. Another powerful incentive is that the creation of a large man-made lake provides far more recreational opportunities which appeal to a broader spectrum of people than a simple rainforest reserve could on its own.

As a purist birdwatcher I might claim that being stuck on a boat can not compare to sweating it out on steep muddy trails and being torn by rotan. But on the other hand, there is something civilised about watching ospreys whilst sitting amongst friends with your binoculars in one hand and a parasol in the other.

If the convenience of boat travel helps to encourage more people to visit the rainforest, be they bird-watchers, fishermen or day trippers, then on balance it could be a good thing. From a conservation point of view, visitors create more than just an economic incentive. People, especially locals, who come to value nature for recreation and as part of their heritage, are more likely to sign a postcard saying ‘Save Belum-Temengor’.

In all it was a most memorable trip and gives me hope for more Nature Conservation in Malaysia. And while I am being optimistic – I will see a Plain-pouched Hornbill next time.

Written by Ian Hall
Photographs by John Steed

Day Trip - September

2007-09-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday 9th September
Birdwatching at Old Pump House road, Genting Highlands, Pahang

The Old Pumphouse Road provides a mixture of interesting birds of the lowland and montane forest. You will get a chance to see such delights as Hornbills, Leafbirds, Barbets, Woodpeckers, and more.

We will meet at 07:00 at the Roti Canai/Indian Restaurant, next to the Sri Malaysia hotel at Gohtong Jaya.

For those interested in joining this half-day trip, please SMS Jasmine with your name and membership number.
It is recommended to bring your binoculars, drinking water, a light-weight raincoat, a snack, and wear earthy coloured clothing.

Please note that the Old Pumphouse Road is on an incline for some of the way.

To promote "Green Living", we suggest car pooling where possible.

Selangor Branch Awards to 2 special ladies

2007-08-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

Nina and Pik Wun, you both really do deserve this Award.
Your contributions have been recognised by your peers and appreciated by many members of the Society.
Congratulations!!!

[left: Pik Wun Chin, right: Nina Cheung]

Pik Wun Chin, Selangor Branch Birdgroup Secretary

This award goes to a very little lady with a very big heart.
Pik Wun has been invaluable as a graphic designer and artist for both MNS Selangor Branch and MNS HQ. She is a pillar of reliability amongst our face-painting volunteers and works tirelessly (often without food or a break) at events such as Raptor Watch, Island Fest and HQ's Green Fair to infinite lines of children waiting to get her works of art on their faces.
She has been secretary of the Bird Group for the past year, designing their new merchandise, among other things - but her contributions have also reached the marine realm as she single-handedly designed the Marine Group's popular Shark Fin Wedding cards. At the secretariat level she has worked with both the editorial folk and the education departments - either pro bono or for minimal token pay on projects such as Nature by Heart (EE's new Environmental Education textbook), the Environmental Activity Book and Tapir, the KPA newsletter.
She also worked on the complete revamp of the Malaysian Naturalist, which has resulted in a hip and saleable look that guarantees increased interest in the magazine, our membership and in MNS itself.
Above all, it is Pik Wun's positive energy, infallible smile, natural humility and contagious enthusiasm that has endeared her to many who have met her. She is always willing to help and will do whatever she can in spite of her already heavy workload.
She also has great karma... She is truly worthy of this award.
[Prepared by Serena Effendy]

Nina Cheung, Selangor Branch Birdgroup Treasurer

Nina Cheung has been Treasurer of the Bird Group since 2003. Ever since joining the committee, in addition to doing a remarkable job with keeping the accounts, she has been very much involved in almost all of Bird Group’s activities. These main activities include day trips, long trips, indoor talks and beginners birdwatching course.

Together with her husband, David, she has helped numerous beginners along and is always willing to share her knowledge with others. She has also been involved in Asian Waterbird Census on a yearly basis. As one of the core members of the MNS LAMIBA (Local Area Monitoring of Important Bird Areas) programme during 2004-2005, Nina travelled to the several branches of the Society, helping to train the participants. Nina is also a regular at Raptor Watch for the last four years, taking on a more active and responsible role in raptor counting the last 2 years.

Whenever a presentation is needed by Bird Group, Nina will be the one to prepare the computer work. These include not just the Beginners Birdwatching Course and the Intermediate Birdwatching Workshop presentations, but also data input and evaluation of raptor counts and other bird census results.

Since 2004-2005, Nina has taken over the editorial work for Suara Enggang, a bi-monthly publication of the MNS Bird Conservation Council. She has since taken Suara Enggang (together with others on the Editorial Committee) to new heights, with a vast improvement in quality and content. A Bibliography for Suara Enggang has also been published in 2006.

Nina is currently working with MNS on the World Bird Database for Malaysia, due to be launched in 2008. When this important project is completed, the collection and retrieval of data on birds in Malaysia will be made a lot easier and faster.

Although she is officially Bird Group’s Treasurer, one can see that Nina does much, much more than just looking after the money. She has become a very important member of the committee. Her passion for birds and her selfless volunteering spirit continually inspire the rest of us.
[Prepared by Khoo Swee Seng]

Upcoming Trip: Birding in Taman Negara, Kuala Tahan, Pahang

2007-08-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

Fri-Mon 17-20 August

Selangor Bird Group is organising a 4 days/3 nights birding trip to Taman Negara for birders to seek out their "lifer" species of birds in Malaysia's most well-known national park. Please note that this trip is not suitable for digiscoping as we will be in the trails all the time.

Cost is RM190.00 per person. This charge covers car transport from Kuala Lumpur to Taman Negara and return, 3 nights accommodation (dormitory style whereby 4 persons share a room; bathroom facilities are outside), entry permits to TN, daily river crossing and 3 dinners. The cost also includes a 25-minute river trip to Yong and Blau Hides.

Breakfast and lunch are not included. Those who bring their cameras are required to pay RM5.00 for camera permit directly to Perhilitan.

A pre-trip briefing to arrange car pooling, etc will be held for all participants on Tue 14 August at 8.00pm at the MNS auditorium in Jalan Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur .

Trip leaders are Lim Aun Tiah and another experienced birder.

Places are limited. Interested members can contact Bird Group co-ordinator Khoo Swee Seng at 013-3863663 or swekhoo@yahoo.com. Payment can be made at The MNS Shop, JKR 641, Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur or write a cheque payable to Khoo Swee Seng and post it to the aforementioned address.

12th August 2007 Day Trip: Gunung Nuang

2007-08-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

12 Aug 07 Sun
Birdwatching @ Hutan Lipur Gunung Nuang
Hulu Langat District
The site is part of the Main Range and thus an Important Bird Area, where lowland rainforest birds can be found.
It will be a half-day birdwatching trip.
Please bring binoculars, drinking water, a light snack or lunch and insect repellent. Wear dull-coloured clothes to help you blend in with the natural surroundings.
We will meet at Batu 14, Jalan Hulu Langat outside the mosque at 7.00 am sharp.
From there, we will drive another 30 minutes to the birdwatching location.
There is an admission fee of RM1.00.
If you are interested in joining us, please either phone Jasmine or sms your full name and MNS membership number.

Of Beginners, Bins and Birds - by Lillian Danielle Khoo

2007-06-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

It was Friday evening and the excitement of finally going for the much-anticipated Bird-watching Introductory Course clearly over-shadowed the sheer exhaustion of braving Friday city traffic after a hectic week.

Fraser’s Hill was still as quaint and as inviting as I remembered. We arrived at Jelai Resthouse just in time to crash in on Mr. Woo’s talk on binoculars. We were offered Minox and Leica binoculars (‘bins’ in birding lingo) to use and were told not to part with them for the entire course – a very generous offer by Schmidt Marketing since each could cost over RM6,000. Over the next 3 days, each of us had a foreign object permanently attached to us – our borrowed bins.

After a sumptuous al fresco dinner, we assembled back indoors for our first theory session. Little did I know that the anatomy of a bird could be segmented with such detail and precision. A keen interest in ornithology requires much patience and an eye for details. For a great number of species, 2 species might only be told apart by a slight variation in the marking on its plumage, therefore it is a basic building-block of bird-watching skills to know how to note the different physical characteristics of a bird.
All the bird biology left us a little exhausted, and we were ushered back to our rooms for an early slumber.

(Studying hard during the classroom sessions)

6:30am - an insane hour to be waking up on a Saturday morning, but the fresh crisp air and the sound of the melodious birds was a good enough reason to wake up. Armed with my bins and notebook, I was ready for my first practical session at…. the Jelai Resthouse driveway? We were told that the birds at Fraser’s Hill were friendly and co-operative but this lot gave it a new meaning. Within the surrounding greenery of the driveway we were able to spot many feathered friends big and small, colourful and bland - perched close and long enough for us birder-wannabes to note their intricate physical markings.

Practical sessions also meant that we were able to put theory into practice: “on the tall and skinny tree – 2 o’clock” and “chestnut crown and vent, short yellow bill, white orbital skin…” were some of the phrases commonly heard amongst the crowd as we practised our birding lingo. Of course, after years of emceeing for Raptor Watch, it was second nature to shout out “Raptor overhead!” when a majestic Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis) came soaring above us during breakfast.

(John's Field Lesson #1: How NOT to point at the bird)

Bird ogling did wonders for our appetite. After feasting on a hearty breakfast, we were guided by the dedicated and seasoned birders in identifying the birds we had just seen. It was an amazing first session with over 12 species sighted in 2 hours! We knew we were in for an exciting time over the next few practical sessions. We were introduced to various bird-watching spots, which included… the rubbish dumpsite? The coming sessions over the 2 days brought us more ‘lifers’ – a birding term denoting the first time that the bird species is sighted by the birder. Being a newbie, almost every bird I saw was a lifer.

(Identifying birds from the field notes taken during the morning's birding)

Unbeknown to me then, I had actually embarked on a beautiful journey of recording every lifer in my field guide – like a treasure hunter seeking jewels and gems in the wilderness. My life has changed in many subtle ways. Armed with the imparted know-how, I am now inclined to search for winged beings in the trees and in the skies as I go about my daily chores.

The dedicated volunteers of the Bird Group have done an amazing job in educating us in the basics and in sharing their passion and enthusiasm with us. They were also always quick to emphasise the importance of bird and habitat conservation. With over 700 species of birds found in Malaysia (including migratory species), we should take pride and play a more pro-active role in their conservation.

Upcoming Trip: Birding in Bukit Lagong, Selangor

2007-06-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

Sun 29th July, 2007

Bukit Lagong is located at the back end of FRIM. This is a lowland forest area with fruit trees. Birdwatching can be easily done following the tarred road (1-2km) that leads to a small Orang Asli settlement. From the small stream, a laterite road leads up to Bukit Lagong, which takes 3 hours to get to the summit. A youth camp training centre has been built near the pond area.

Birding will be along the tarred road. Don't worry, we are not going anywhere near the summit. It will be a leisurely bird walk. Meet 7.00am sharp at the KIOSK entrance to Bukit Lagong. Please refer to the map provided. Do bring along your own binoculars and wear suitable attire, sun hat and insect repellent. It is suggested you bring your own water and snack in a small backpack.

To register please call or sms your name and MNS membership number to Ms LIM Bing Yee @ 012 2509122 or Khoo Swee Seng @ 013 3863663.

Gems in Gerik by Ng Bee Cheng

2007-05-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

During the Labour Day and Wesak Day holidays, 20 of us birders (birdwatchers) descended upon the small town of Gerik and claimed a piece of it for our own from April 28-May 1.

It was an outing filled with "oohs and ahhs" as we sighted some rare or "difficult to see" gems and not so rare but just as awesome beauties – one can never get enough of them.

We covered the Bersia area where the Gerik Forest Reserve is located, Jalan Sumpitan – near Lenggong, fringing the Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve – and a spot along the new Gerik-Kulim highway.

We were joined by Choo Eng, from Penang, who had very graciously agreed to lead us to the nesting site of a pair of Bat Hawks. An opportunity not to be missed as the pair had chosen to nest high up in a Tualang tree, so it was safe for us to observe them without disturbing them, although the pair, nest and chick were in clear view.

One of the little gems that brought excitement (and personally, my trip's favourite lifer [a birder's first time sighting of a species]) was the little Rufous Piculet (woodpecker family) measuring just about 9cm.

Caroline Ho was the first to spot it. Word soon got round among the jungle green/khaki-clad crew and the whole group was hot on its trail as it flew from bamboo cluster to bamboo cluster at Speedy Gonzales-like pace – tapping as it went along in search of some grub or other. So strong and loud was its tapping, first time "sighters" of the little beauty had to be forgiven for being really surprised at how tiny it was, when it finally decided to reward our persistence with a close-up look – it had bright orange rufous underparts with bright olive green upperparts.

There were also frustrating moments. Personally, I was experiencing hornbill frustrations – they kept appearing or disappearing early in the morning, flying or perching on some branch far, far away in the mist… so even if I could see them, it was just not a good enough look… aaarrgh!

Being nesting season, we were all reminded to be sensitive to the birds as there was always a risk of causing them to abandon their newly/partly built nests or chicks. It is rewarding to see that despite our excitement, most of us – if not all of us, managed to follow our trip leaders' (Khoo Swee Seng's and Lim Bing Yee's) instructions.

Some of the other highlights of the trip were visits by various birds and the magnificently coloured Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (rufous-backed form – first spotted by sharp-eyed Jasmine Steed and which later decided to sit on a branch to pose for us while it did a spot of human watching) along Jalan Sumpitan while we were taking a break at a small clearing. And last but not least – yummy local delicacies like steamed freshwater fish from the local streams and fish farms plus lovely fragrant nasi kerabu and nasi dagang at a roadside warung that came complete with a plasma TV for entertainment.

It is always rewarding to join birding trips like this as one gets to meet other birders, learn from those who are more experienced, hone one's bird identification skills and put to practise (or at least be reminded of) birdwatching ethics – to be considerate to the birds and your fellow birders (by not scaring off the birds or standing in front of birders when they've sighted a bird and etc).

Plus the obvious satisfaction of helping to collect some basic data on species sightings (in an effort to monitor the health of our bird life) and of course the joy of adding more lifers to our personal list of species sighted to date.

For the record, number of bird species sighted this trip – over 125. Number of lifers for me – 27… Yay!

What is Birding?

2007-01-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

What is Bird Watching?

This activity just simply involves watching and observing BIRDS.
The challenge that one faces is to view birds in different localities and identify them as accurately as possible according to various features. You can bird watch anywhere, anytime, by yourself or with a group of Bird enthusiasts. The science of studying birds is called Ornithology.

In general most Bird Watchers are commonly known as Birders and engage in Birding activities.

The Bird Group Committee of the Malaysian Nature Society organizes many activities for it’s members, whether they are novice birders or well seasoned ones. Beginners Courses are held to help get the novice start off on the right foot and regular Day Trips and Overnight trips are presented to members to put into practice what they’ve learnt. High on the priority list is the Conservation of Birds comes into play for the Committee. Conservation Activities such as the Raptor Watch are organised for members and public alike. The more serious birder can also contribute to Asian Raptor Research Conservation Network (ARRCN) via studies and observations. You can be involved too!

To educate members further on aspects of Birds there are indoor talks held and various workshops too.

WHY would anyone want to watch Birds?

There are a lot of birds in Malaysian gardens and forests, which are stunningly beautiful. When viewed through a pair of binoculars or telescope, it is here that the magic begins.

Imagine driving along the highway when you spot a majestic bird soaring with outstretched wings gliding gracefully to a destination unknown to you. You probably have seen your first Brahminy Kite!

Whilst sitting at home and looking out in your garden you can spot a variety of birds where a flash of yellow flying pass could reveal to you the cheeky Black-naped Oriole or the bubbly gurgling of the Yellow-Vented Bulbul with their noted broad white supercilium.

What’s the Challenge?

There are big birds, little birds, colourful and dull birds! The challenge is to identify the bird spotted. Half the fun of Bird Watching is discussing with other birdwatchers about what they’ve seen. But once a bird has been identified the birdwatcher feels a sense of satisfaction. People who bird watch in effect, identify birds, just as others may collect stamps, coins or orchids. In fact it becomes a sort of treasure hunt to spot rare species.

Most birders tend to keep lists, sometimes on paper or just in their heads. The challenge is to add to the lists and especially to find the real treasure: a new bird that they’ve never seen before which is called a ‘Lifer’.

YOU can be a Birder !

If you like any sort of wildlife there is plenty of Birds and other fauna for you to see and study. Visits to local parks, coastal habitats, lowland jungles and montane forests all offer a wide variety of avi-fauna. Favourite haunts of Birders include the Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Fraser’s Hill, the Cameron Highlands and the Lake Gardens in KL to name a few. You can even observe birds in your own garden!

All you need is a pair of suitable binoculars, a field guide, a notebook, pen or pencil and plenty of enthusiasm and you will be richly rewarded.

How do I join ?

If you are interested in Bird Watching and playing a part in the Conservation of Birds in Malaysia why not join up as a Malaysian Nature Society member and play an active role in the Bird Group. At the same time you can also participate in other interest groups within the society such as Caving, Astronomy, Photography, Marine, Pathfinders (trekking) etc.

If you would like to know more about the activities of the Bird Group please send an email to swekhoo@yahoo.com for enquiries.

Intermediate Bird-watching Course @ KSNP

2006-11-30T04:51:00.001-08:00

A DIFFERENT SORT OF WEEKEND!!!

Eighteen willing ‘victims’ descended upon Kuala Selangor Nature Park for what was to prove a weekend of a very different sort!
The first task was ‘FOOD’, so concentration would be at a premium. The classroom session began with Bird Topography. I found it quite a shock to have to discuss the Supercilium and Greater coverts instead of what I would previously have referred to as the ‘bit over the eye’ and the ‘wings’, but after a while it seemed quite normal.
More classroom sessions included Songs and Calls that are made by various birds and how to use different techniques to remember them. Once again, having thought this would never sink in, I was surprised to find that during a field practical I could remember some of them.
Up at six for breakfast, YES-SIX! I thought I would never get through the day...
A great morning and lots of help from all. During the fieldwork, Rafi kept up a running commentary on every bird along the way - I have never seen such an enthusiastic person.
I don’t know why, but it seemed as though there were more birds in the park than usual. Was this something to do with Andrew (Head of Parks), or were our eyes and ears more in tune because of the company we were keeping?
Classroom discussions followed and it soon became clear why we had to be so methodical in note-taking - what you thought you saw was easy to forget if all details had not been noted down.
Then followed lunch, more theory, and fieldwork with scopes. Then dinner and more classroom sessions where people who were not artists or mimics put their skills (?) to the test! This made everyone laugh and did actually teach us how field sketches and notes should be made. By this time the whole day had become an enjoyable blur and all went off to bed with myself dreaming of “Three cheers for one more bottle.”
Up again at the crack of dawn and off with different trainers. An unusual bird was observed by at least five people, but the bird was not in any guide, so what was it? David, who knows all birds, was perplexed.

We finally took our leave, except Margaret, who stayed behind in order to, I am sure, check out the mystery bird.

All in all, a truly fantastic experience and a great weekend that Helen (my wife) and I would not have missed for the world.

I think I speak for the whole group when I say we owe a great deal of thanks to the trainers –Bing, Nina, Julia, Veiven, David, Angela, Rafi and Andrew for all their time, effort and giving up their weekend. The help that I personally was given will be remembered and used to my advantage in future, and I hope the same applies for the rest of the group.
I cannot put into such a few words what I would like to say, except thanks to everyone and … THREE CHEERS FOR US!!!

Vincent Marsland 27th November 2006
Particpant

Bird Watching Trip to Awana, Genting

2006-09-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

After a hearty breakfast a Gohtong Jaya, Genting, an excited group of 30 took off for another birding trip along a narrow roadadjacent to the Awana Golf Course. On a cool, wet morning, we were transported into a different terrain teeming with giant bamboos and ferns jostling in the wind with senduduk bulu, wild gingers, and even tall rattan climbers with their treacherous hooks. The sound of flowing water over boulders provided the background music as we moved forward slowly with our bins and scopes.

It was a very fruitful morning with many sightings of lower montane birds. 3 Bushy –crested hornbills distinguished by their distinct brown square tails with black tips were the first ones to be spotted. Long -tailed Sibias flew by in small groups. Olive-backed punky- haired Mountain Bulbuls caused some excitement. Soon, we came across Chestnut-capped Laughingthrushes and a few different species of barbets. A birdwave got us arguing over a small flock of blue drongos. We finally agreed that they could just be juvenile lesser racquet-tailed drongos yet to grow their long cigar-shaped racquets!

As we slowly moved up the road, we spotted several species of monkeys, namely, the langur, siamang and the dusky leaf-monkey. These sightings amidst the calls of others in the distant, misty hills evoked in me a very humbling feeling. We were the intruders into their habitat!

Before the morning was over, we were able to identify a Little cuckoo-dove, a Buff-rumped Woodpecker, several Grey-chinned Minivets, a Blue-winged Leafbird, a Verditer Flycatcher and a couple of Shrike-babblers. A Black-browed Barbet was seen feeding its babies in a hole high up on a dead tree. The sighting of a Changeable Hawk-eagle, which flew by quite low, rounded up the outing.

After a quick lunch back in the little settlement, a few of us headed back to the same venue, However, as the weather got a bit warmer, besides a Brown Barbet and a Little Pied Flycatcher, very few other birds were seen. A vote of thanks to Julia, Seng and Bing for organizing this interesting adventure. I’m learning to appreciate and enjoy our natural heritage with every trip.

P.Jayaraj
Membership No: O N 06357 B
9Jul2006

A Fiery Lifer for a novice birder in Taman Negara

2006-08-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tired and weary after 2½ days’ trekking through the beautiful jungle trails of Taman Negara, I was glad we were close to the jetty, but happy having sighted many birds that were lifers (a person’s first-time sighting of a bird) – there was the elegant Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, the Dusky Broadbill to name a few.

I was ready to rest my aching legs, have a refreshing shower, a scrumptious dinner cooked by our very able proprietress Rosnah, followed by a good cuppa of teh tarik. The night’s entertainment would include indulging in some enthusiastic chatter
and lively discussions to compare and confirm sightings.

However, as we got close to the jetty, we saw Loh Wan Yeng peering up into the treetops. There were loud chirpings from various birds plus alarmed chatter. Careful not to make too much noise we trained our ‘bins’ in the same direction. Immediately
we saw two squirrels, several very agitated small birds – and what had become the all too familiar drongo – fluttering, chirping and calling out loudly in threat, directing all their efforts at a spot blind to us. We wondered what was spooking them, but it was a rare opportunity to see so many different species of birds in one spot.

It was difficult for a novice like me to identify them all, but I did focus on a pretty, bright orange-bellied little bird, which our leader Lim Aun Tiah guided me into identifying as the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. Another lifer, yay!

We stood there a good 10 minutes, with the more persistent among us trying hard to spot the tell-tale features of the different birds, while a few in our group were beginning to disperse from the spot. Then it happened! I caught a flash of fire in the midst of the foliage. It was bright scarlet – really bright, fiery, chilli red. I started describing it and the moment Aun Tiah said it might be a Trogon, the excitement just overtook me – out the window went the birding rule book – I was pointing and giving reference to its location a bit too loudly. Well, can you blame me? I didn’t want my husband, Alan Yu – who had gone further down the trail, to miss this beauty of a lifer.

Anyway, I regained my composure the moment I heard Aun Tiah softly and gently chiding in my ear: “Ok, you can stop pointing… describe where it is.” It flew off before Alan could spot him. Aun Tiah assured us it would not have flown far, explaining that it is this bird’s habit to fly about 5 to 10 feet each time to a new perch and stop for awhile. Hearing this, I walked down a little in the direction I saw it fly and true enough, just as Aun Tiah had said, there it was about 5 feet away.

This time I resisted pointing and whispered its location. Almost all of us had a good look at it. It was a Scarlet-rumped Trogon!! Wow! It was beautiful. What a lifer! With a big smile on my face I proudly noted the Trogon in my notebook – all weariness forgotten. Needless to say, the Trogon was a highlight of our bird watching trip to Taman Negara, but it certainly wasn’t the only one.

There was the lovely 40 minute trip down Sungai Tahan – where Aun Tiah had requested the boatmen to cut the engine and allowed us to drift slowly back to Sungai Tembeling where our chalets were located. Sungai Tahan was clear, cool and teaming with fish. It was refreshing as we glided down in serenity; and with the gentle breeze lulling me, I could have just closed my eyes and nodded off to sleep but the surrounding beauty demanded that I savour every moment.

There was the adrenalin rush that four of us experienced dashing off track and through the brush and thorns in search of the elusive, ground-dwelling Banded Pitta – one of us caught sight of its bright blue wing but we all heard its “brrrrrr” call. (Yup, it got away, but we’ll be back for a full-on sighting.)

Then there was the impromptu bird call competition between group 1 (represented by Lim Bing Yee) and our group (represented by Julia Mellors), where one reproduced the bird calls heard by their group during the day and the other had to
identify the bird. Don’t remember who won, but there was a lot of laughter and fun.

From what was shared, we all learned something new about birding and gained more skills from each other, especially from Aun Tiah and Bing Yee, that will help us hone our birding skills – like good and effective note taking and learning to focus on
diagnostics to help identify the bird in question correctly. Even the light-hearted bird call competition was a good learning experience, emphasising the importance of taking note of bird calls and learning to reproduce them as a key tool for effective
identification. Hopefully these skills can help us become experienced amateur birders who can contribute to data collected for use in the conservation of these beautiful creatures.

What else can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. This was the first outstation trip with the Bird Group for my husband and me. We’ve not been able to go birding very often due to our work situations but we are certainly looking forward to our next trip.

by Ng Bee Cheng,
August 2006

Bird of the Month (December)

2005-12-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Common Garden Birds: Brown Shrike

It's that time of the year again when we have tourists visiting us from foreign lands. By tourists I mean, migratory birds who are spending the cold winter months in Malaysia.
Among the visitors that we see are the cute but very vocal Brown Shrikes (lanius cristatus). They arrive in great numbers in September and remain here until April, after which they return to their homes in the north i.e. China, Korea and Japan.

They are commonly seen perched erect on exposed twigs, fences, wires while catching insects on the ground. During the first few weeks of their arrival you can hear their harsh chatter every morning as they set up their home territories for the few months here. They are very territorial and would chase away other resident species of birds from established territory.

Key idenfication features:

Adult
Broad black eyeline, whitish supercilium and forehead distinctive. Upperpart colour varies from rufous brown to ash brown depending on subspecies. Underpart colour varies from white to buff.

Juvenile
Upperparts scaled with thin blackish bars with dark scalings on sides of breast and flanks. Eyeline dull blackish brown; supercilium buff and usually does not extend to forehead.

Size
20cm

Voice
Loud harsh crackling , kreech- kreech- kreech… Also high pitched screeching notes. A soft chuckling subsong, usually from the end of February onwards.

Status & Distribution (P.M'sia)
Common winter migrant and visitor at low elevations. Occurs above 900m only during autumn and spring passage.

Habitat
Scrubs, open country, reedbeds, the forest edge, plantations and gardens.

Source & Reference
Jeyarajasingam A. & Pearson A., A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore, Plate 66-590, 1999Davidson G.W.H. & Chew Y.F., A Photographic Guide to Birds of Borneo: Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei & Kalimantan, 2001

Picture courtesy of Andrew Wong

Bird of the Month (November)

2005-11-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Black Naped Oriole

A bright yellow visitor to our gardens is the Black Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis). His melodic song can be heard loud and clear daily as it flits around the garden. Belonging to the family Oriolodae these birds are mainly arboreal (tree dwelling) and frequents tree tops in pairs or but sometimes in small parties. It feeds mainly on insects and fruits and have been known to take morsels of ripe papaya and mango from fruiting trees.

Adult (Male)

Bright yellow plumage with broad black eyeline and nape (diagnostic) with pinkish bill.

Adult (Female)

Like male but duller.

Juvenile

Upperparts dull olive yellow; eyeline and nape duller and less distinct; Throat and breast whitish with streaks on breast; undertail coverts yellow; bill blackish.

Size

27 cm (10.5 in)

Voice

A rich and flurry tu-u-u-liu, the first note shortest and the last highest. Also fluty tu-u-liu on a fallng tone, the last note longest. Also a harsh and rasping kyerr.

Habitat

Resident population frequents gardens, wooded suburbs, the mangrove edge and open country while migratory populations frequent mainly mangroves, forest canopies and forest edge.

Nest & Eggs

Nest: Cradle suspended from forked tree branch.

Eggs: 2 fairly glossy white to pinkish white, sparingly blotched and spotted grey and black or purple brown

Bird of the Month (October)

2005-10-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

To enable bird watching to be a more fruitful experience, we'll be showcasing varieties of birds both common and uncommon on this site. Feel free to share your anecdotes on your encounters with these unique creatures as we feature each one on a monthly basis. Kindly email your experiences to birdsel@yahoo.com and we'll post them as part of the site.

To start off the series, we'll feature birds commonly sighted in our gardens and around our homes.

Common Garden Birds Part 1: Eurasian Tree Sparrow

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is a common sight in our daily lives as these little birds flit about our gardens and homes in search of food, nesting material, general socialising and marking of territories as birds do.

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow lives throughout Europe and Asia, and is also found in North America. Its scientific name comes from the Latin for sparrow (Passer), and montanus (of mountains), though it has adapted to the urban life and its habitation tends to be any nook and cranny it can find around your home.

Sparrows are usually gregarious, which means that they live in flocks or communities and generally feed on seeds, shoots, buds and insects.

Key idenfication features:
Adult (mallaccensis)

Whitish head-sides with isolated blackish patch (key diagnostic feature), crown and nape dull chestnut, small bib blackish

Juvenile

Duller; crown paler with dark markings on forecrown, ear covert patch and bib less defined, pale base to lower mandible

Size

14-14.5 cm

Voice

Song is a repeated series of call notes interspersed with tsooit, tsreet and tswee-ip notes. Calls with harsh chip and chissip, sharp tet and metallic tsooit, tsreet and tswee-ip

Habitat

Urban areas, human habitation up to 1,830m

Nest & Eggs

Pad, in hole in building or tree; 3-6 eggs, fairly glossy, pale bluish white, spotted, flecked and streaked brown and grey-brown (19.2mmx14.2mm)

It breeds all year round.

Source & Reference

Robson, C (2000) A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia, Plate 101: 1185

http://www.vsx.cape.com/~bethelwh/eurtreesparrow.html

Birding at Sg Sedim & Bukit Hijau (20-23 May 05) by Fred Tan

2005-05-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

It was the last morning of the trip. and I had planned to take an early morning walk before breakfast. The cool morning air and misty appearance is a pleasant time to do so. Protected from mosquitoes by wearing long pants and long sleeves,and with a pair of binoculars and a digital camera in a bag, I walked away from the chalets. The sight of water gushing over the rocks as I cross a bridge over a clear stream is refreshing. And the calls of birds were music to my ears. For during the past few days the birds seem to be keeping a distance from us, as if to get away from the weekend crowd.

Several birds were seen in flight. A dark medium-sized bird flew overhead in the characteristic way of a bulbul and a bird flying ahead with a flash of blue about two meters above ground indicated a white-throated kingfisher. And there was a bird perched on the shoot of a palm. From a distance it looked like a woodpecker, but without a crest. But it flew away before I got nearer. Then a bird screeched and a bird flew away from the durian tree that I was walking past, in the way a woodpecker does. So far no bird had been identified. Then from the corner of my eye, I saw something was climbing up a dead branch of the durian tree. I could see that it was a woodpecker! Although it was a specie I had seen before at the KL Lake Gardens, I needed to refer to my field guide to say that it is a common flameback.

Along the way back, I took a picture of the canteen building with the brightening sky as background. And then I saw it. A smaller woodpecker with reddish-brown wings and a yellow crest on a tree close by. A quite check with my field guide showed two possibilities; a banded or a checker-throated. As it was only between 10 and 15 feet away, and climbing up branches before hopping down and climbing up again to search for food, I was able to further observe it. Yes it was a banded woodpecker, and this was the first time that I had seen it this close. I felt good walking back towards the chalets for breakfast, arriving on time at 7.30 am. Getting up earlier from bed was worth the effort.

Beginner Birders at Frasers: One Course, Two Perspectives (II)

2005-05-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

by Andy & Lai Wah

Unashamedly, it was our 2nd Basic Birding Course with the Selangor Bird Group SIG. We have been doing lowland birding for a while and jumped on this golden opportunity to seek out the montane birds with the gurus.
We have been visiting Fraser's Hill all these years for all other reasons except birding. It is strange. It never occurred to us that there were even birds around! We must have been terribly out of sync with the birding hours. One certainly does not expect to see any birds in the late afternoon for the uninitiated. A tranquil hill resort for perfect relaxation, Frase'ís Hill turned out to be a paradise for birding.

Andy & I managed to convince our daughter, Marianne, to come along on the pretext of enjoying the wonderful cool weather up in the hills. In actual fact, we were hoping to rub off some birding interests onto her. Thanks to our very patient auntie Carol and auntie Bing, Marianne had found it enjoyable to spot so many "plump and juicy" colorful birds.

Sat, 30Apr05
There was excitement in the air as the participants checked into the resort in the late afternoon. Not long after, we were nicely tucked into a serious session of how to handle and choose a pair of quality binoculars by our ardent supporter, Mr. Woo from LEICA. Immediately after, we were whisked off for an informal bird watching session around the resort and lake. We did not even have to try very hard to train our eyes on our bins. A string of lifers were waiting to be discovered; White-throated Fantails, Long-tailed Sibias, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Fire-tufted Barbets, Silver-eared Mesias, Streaked Spiderhunters, Mountain Fulvettas, Grey-chinned Minivets, Black and Crimson Orioles and Sunbirds.

After a sumptuous dinner, we were engaged in a session for Bird-watching for Beginners. We learned to communicate via bird talk. You refer to a bird's neck as nape, its eyebrow as supercillium, its moustache as malar stripe, its back as mantle and its rear as rump. The list goes on.

Sun, 1May05
Many of us had envisaged a slow, relaxing workshop. How wrong we were. By 7am we were all assembled at the resort's foyer, not for breakfast, but for a two hour practical session of bird-watching. There were little murmurs of "ooh where's my morning coffee" and "how can I get my engine started without any breakfast?". We were enthralled at the first sight of the green magpie followed by the Malaysian Cuckoo- Shrike, Lesser Racquet Tailed Drongo and many of the beauties we saw yesterday.

After breakfast, we followed a convoy of cars to the Telecom Loop, a highly recommended prime montane forest habitat where we spotted several bird waves (movement of many birds together in mixed species). The spectacular Long-tailed Broadbills building their nest were a sight to behold.
The afternoon found us in class again to discuss our bird sightings and attempt to identify the species. We later adjourned to the "new road" adjacent to the Corona nursery for more lifers. By dusk, we were proud to have filled our bird sighting notebook with memories to last a life time.
The evening was filled with a very informative talk on Bird Conservation by Yeap Chin Aik, our very dedicated LAMIBA Coordinator for MNS. We were pretty pleased that we are actually helping to protect birds and their habitat through regular bird watching and monitoring in local important bird areas in the country. Do you know that birds are increasingly monitored as indicators of the health of our environment? A quote from Bird Life International sums it all.

"The decline of bird population in many parts of the world is of considerable concern, indicating a fundamental flaw in the way that we treat the environment."

Mon, 2May05
On our last morning along the "new road", many of the participants were treated to a special sighting of the Wreathed Hornbills across the scenic highland forest.
The debriefing session was nostalgic. It was evident that many of us had fallen in love with the highland birds. I am sure that this had been an eye opener for many of us. Many thanks to the dedicated Bird Group facilitators who had made this a very successful and rewarding workshop by sharing their passion with us.

As we left Fraser's Hill for home, we found ourselves birding at the "new road" adjacent to the Gap for another hour under the fiery afternoon sun. We added two more prized lifers to our notebook. The Black-crested Bulbul and a pair of Sultan Tits. Gosh! we are nuts over birding!

Beginner Birders at Frasers: One Course, Two Perspectives (I)

2005-05-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

by Diana Sabrina, Form 2 Student at SMK Section 5, Wangsa Maju

The time I spent on the Beginner's Birdwatching Course at Fraser's Hill, from 30th April to 2nd May, was unforgettable. It was amazing to see the jewels of Fraser's Hill and it was frustrating to let go of a few unnamed birds we saw. I have been waiting for the trip and studied some of the birds that I might see there. Before we went up to Fraser's Hill, we stopped by at the Gap and did some birding there. There we saw a pair of Black-crested Bulbuls, a Gold-whiskered Barbet, House Swifts, three Imperial Pigeons flying across the blue sky and a Tiger Shrike. I realized that this is just the beginning of our three-days, two-nights trip.

I had hoped I could see the Silver-eared Mesia immediately when we arrived at Fraser's Hill but we were too late since we went to the Jeriau waterfall and saw the Silver-breasted Broadbill's nest. There I met Auntie Bing, Maffa and Tim. I smiled when I saw the excitement of Uncle David and Aunty Nina when they could just tear up the page of the broadbills family - finally they saw their last Broadbill available in the country!

In the evening we did some birding around the Jelai Resort where we were staying. At night I went for a walk and we managed to see planet Jupiter through the scope. The excitement made it difficult for us to close our eyes or even get into bed!

The next morning was the best part. I saw the Silver-eared Mesia for the first time ever! Lifer, of course. I snapped the pictures of the birds using my digital camera, and I recognized some bird's calls, like the Mesia, Fire-tufted Barbet, Black-browed Barbet, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush and so on. The calls of the birdies made me write some musical notes of the melody of their precious music.

On Sunday night, it was raining. I had no choice but to get into bed, hoping I could wake up early the next morning, to have a last look at my favorite Mesia. I collected some dead butterflies and moths and we had a corner in our room which we called "The Butterflies Corner". Well at least Aunty Carol had the "Junk Food Corner" in her room as well.
The next morning, right after I took my bath, the water supply at the hotel was cut off. At first I didn't know anything about it until Uncle Lim asked me if I have water in my room that morning. I was like "Yahh, of course. I took my shower this morning!"
He laughed and said I stole all the water! Actually I was just lucky I took my bath earlier than everyone else! And I'm lucky too because I finally whistled that morning! I thanked Maffa who is from Portugal and a few birders who gave me support to learn whistling. I even got a Whistling Certificate from Maffa!

We went to the new road at 7.00 am and we did some birding. We got back to Jelai at 9.45 am and I realized my camera was missing. It was very frustrating to lose the recordings and photos I have taken. But then, I kept thinking that it's not a problem. Although I lost the camera, the memories are in my notebook and my mind!
The last meeting was at 11.00 am which was the moment we received our certificate for the course. I felt so embarrassed to be named as a butterfly-biter when I was about to accept my certificate. The feeling of biting some crunchy butterflies is getting more and more!

When I got back home I felt that the trip was just like a dream! The trip really helped me a lot in birding. I practiced doing birding without the field guide at first and tried to write as many notes as possible. I tried to figure out how I am going to write something about how I felt during the trip. And the story goes on again and again. I really hope I'll see the birders again in future trips.

Advanced Bird-watching Course, 2005: By Lu Ping Yan

2005-04-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

The advanced bird-watching course was held in Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara between the 21st to the 25th of April, 2005.

A week earlier, a briefing was conducted at the MNS headquarters to prepare the participants for what was to be expected and what to bring along for the course. There were four instructors and 16 participants. The instructors were Khoo Swee Seng, Carol Ho, Nina Lai and Yang Chong. Telescopes and photography equipment were strictly prohibited as the emphasis of the course was on carefully observing birds, recognizing bird calls and keeping good field notes. These would help us appreciate the importance and utility of recording observations in a systematic manner, help develop keenness of observation and facilitate subsequent identification of the birds seen. At least, that was what the instructors had hoped.

We set out for Kuala Tahan at 6.30 am on the 21st of April, 2005. Our vehicles formed a loose convoy but we kept in close contact using walkie-talkies.

We reached Kuala Tahan at about 11.30 am. Accommodation was in the form of chalets rented from Rosnah, a quiet woman, who was obviously a strong proponent of the minimalist concept. This clearly showed through her lodgings. Four people to a chalet, two double-decker beds per chalet. Bathing and toilet facilities were communal.

The participants were divided into four groups. Each of us was given a "Bird-Sightings" notebook into which we were supposed to meticulously record:

the name of the trail
weather conditions
time of sighting
a description of the site of the bird sighting (on the ground, in a bush, near or away from water, if in a tree ñ whether at low-level, mid-level or in the canopy)
a description of the bird itself (colour of crown, lores, throat, beak, eye ring, iris, orbital skin, breast, belly, vent, mantle, wings, rump, tail, legs; approximate size; single, in pairs or in groups)
identification where possible and,
to note the call of the bird where possible

The groups took turns going to various trails around Kuala Tahan : The Swamp Loop, the Jenut Muda Trail, the Tabing Trail and the Lubok Simpon Trail.

The group leaders managed time strictly in order to maximize the time available for actual bird-watching. There was a short period of rest after arrival. We then registered with the park authorities and went on the first of our field trips into the trails from 2.00 pm until about 7.00 pm. On the 22nd and 23rd, we were bird-watching from 7.30 am till about 7.00 pm. On the last day, we started at 7.30 am and returned to camp at 1.00 pm.

Dinner was provided and the food was really good. After dinner, the participants assembled in their respective groups to discuss the jottings of their bird sightings for the day with the group leader. These discussions were lively and very enjoyable. Various bird guides were consulted and with the help of the group leaders, most if not all the birds sighted were identified. There were also very accurate imitations of bird calls by some of the group leaders. Not only were these imitations of bird calls amusing and entertaining, they were very educational as well. For many of us now, bird calls will no longer merely be an indication that birds are present, we will now know what types of birds they are. Some of us, though by no means experts in bird calls, find ourselves more attentive and sensitive to bird calls and feel particular joy in being able to recognize a particular call. The evening discussions usually ended by 10.00 pm following which we retired for the night.

Most of the trails were not physically demanding except that some participants found the Lubok Simpon - Jenut Muda trail rather tiring. Three cheers for the group leaders who were splendid. Rumour has it that the members of one particular group under an excellent and exacting leader have developed leg, arm and neck muscles like the Hulk's. Moreover, for these particular group of participants, Linnaeus' method of taxonomic classification with Latin generic and specific names have taken on an endearing and enduring significance!
The collective bird-sightings for this trip :

Babblers

Black-capped
Horsefields
Abbott's
Scaly-crowned

Barbets

Gold-whiskered
Red-throated (Heard)
Yellow-crowned (Heard)

Broadbills

Black-and-red
Black-and-yellow
Green (M, F)
Banded (M, F)

Bulbuls

Olive-winged
Black-headed
Striped-throated
Straw-headed
Hairy-backed

Crows

Slender-billed

Cuckoo

Indian (Heard - incessantly)
Plaintive (Heard)

Dollarbird

Drongos

Greater Racket-tailed

Eagles

Lesser Fish-Eagle

Asian Fairy-Bluebird

Crested Fireback (M, F)

Flycatchers

Asian Paradise (Male dark morph, F)

Hornbills

Black
Helmeted (Heard)

Kingfishers

White-throated
Blue-banded

Malayan Rail-Babbler

Malkohas

Black-bellied
Raffles'

Monarchs

Black-naped
Rufous-winged (Male common morph, male blue morph, F)

Parrots

Blue-rumped

Pittas

Hooded
Blue-winged

Scimitar babbler

Chestnut-backed

White-rumped Sharma

Trogons

Red-naped
Diard's

Woodpeckers

Great Slaty
Rufous piculet
Crimson-winged
Banded
Grey-and-buff
White-bellied

The highlights of the trip and everyone's favorite sightings were the Hooded Pitta and the Blue-winged Pitta. For many of us, this was the first time we had ever seen pittas and what a gorgeous sight they were indeed!
At the end of the trip, some of us developed rashes and many of us had aching muscles. I personally found myself very tired and a little sore in the lower limbs and back yet strangely distinctly satisfied and already thinking of joining similar trips in the future. Surely, this must be testimony to how enjoyable and educational this field trip has been to many of us! "THANK YOU" once again to the organizers and group leaders of the "Advanced Bird-Watching Course, 2005"!

Beauty - The Orange-Breasted Trogon (Harpactes oreskio)

2003-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

My wife Im and I spent four days at the Perlis State Park located at the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia near the Thailand border. I can recall this wonderful experience, a close encounter with an Orange-breasted Trogon. The bird has such a magnificent bright orange breast and it stood on a tree branch looking at us for a long time. I was photographing a fence lizard below a tree when my wife whispered to me to look up. I was holding a digital camera attached with a 3X Tele-converter lens. I told myself that this little beauty has come to the right place and I was holding the right camera lens. I felt so excited and it was like winning the jackpot. I took as many shots as possible in many different angles and this picture is the best shot.

Orange-breasted Trogons are seen in hilly forests from 60-1200 metres. I have seen and photographed one in Taman Negara but the picture did not turn up very good. I have seen it at the Gap in Bukit Frasers, Sungei Relau (Merapoh), Kuala Pilah lowland forest, lower forest area of Genting Highlands and other birders have seen it at Bukit Larut. The Trogon in this picture must be a male as the breast is much brighter as compared to a female Trogon, which is paler. The call is a 3-5 rapidly uttered "tiu" note on a level pitch: "tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu-tiu".

Fence lizard

Kim Seng and Im Reference : A field guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Allen Jeyarajasingam and Alan Pearson Posted by Kim Seng, MNS Selangor bird group, 12, January 2003

Bird Watching in the Chikus, Bidor, 12th & 13th October 2002 by Im

2002-10-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of Oriental Pratincoles in Bidor! This is what we heard from the Perak birders. So on 12 October, our group comprising Wong Ming Sun, Linda, their daughter Soon Ying, Siow, Kim Seng and Im went to check this out. We arrived around 8.30am and saw the usual birds like Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Richard's Pipit, Great Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Peaceful Dove, Spotted Dove, Little Heron, Purple Heron, Pacific and Barn Swallows, White-throated Kingfisher, Pacific Golden Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, etc.
Then we spotted a Grey-headed Lapwing. Kim Seng quickly took some pictures of this shy bird. A lifer for me! We moved further in to look at the ponds. The birds spotted here include the Little Grebe, Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilt, Chinese Pond Heron, White-browed Crake etc.
We had lunch at Tapah before checking in at the Tapah Rest House. After a short rest we were ready to go back to Bidor again. However at the Rest House carpark we saw the Coppersmith Barbet and Gold-whiskered Barbet and we spent some time looking at these beautiful birds. Back at Bidor, we were looking at a Brahminy Kite when Soon Ying pointed out a huge flock of birds (around 150) flying very high. At that height the birds looked black. Out came the bird books as we tried to identify them. We argued among ourselves but could not positively identify them. By this time it was getting dark and it was back to Tapah for dinner.
The other guests at the Rest House were still sleeping when we left for Bidor early next morning. I spotted this tiny bird in the field and asked Kim Seng to check it out with the scope. Linda identified it as the Little Ringed Plover. Another lifer for me. While Meng Sang and Kim Seng were photographing the waders, the ladies went into the trails to look for jungle birds. Birds seen include the Stork-billed Kingfisher, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker and Brown-throated Sunbird.
We went to the ponds again. On one of the embankments we saw our first Oriental Pratincole standing besides 2 Pacific Golden Plovers. We thought it was lost or stranded until we saw another 2 Pratincoles nearby. Then we saw a flock of birds flying low overhead. This time we could see the colour and shape well. They are Oriental Pratincoles! About 60 of them! Later we saw another 50-60 Pratincoles in a field and were watching them when they took flight. Going by their flight pattern we have no doubts that what we saw last evening were also Pratincoles.
It has been a very satisfying trip.
A list of the birds seen is given below.

Chikus, Bidor bird list
Great Egret..... (Casmerodius albus)
Cattle Egret..... (Bubulcus ibis)
Purple Heron..... (Ardea purpurea)
White-throated Kingfisher..... (Halcyon smyrnensis)
Yellow Wagtail..... (Motacilla flava)
Richard's Pipit..... (Anthus novaeseelandiae)
Purple Swamphen..... (Porphyrio porphyrio)
Common Sandpiper..... (Actitis hypoleucos)
Pacific Swallow..... (Hirundo tahitica)
Peaceful Dove..... (Geopelia striata)
Pacific Golden Plover..... (Pluvialis fulva)
Cinnamon Bittern..... (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus)
Wood Sandpiper.....(Tringa glareola)
Common Greenshank..... (Tringa nebularia)
Grey-headed Lapwing..... (Vanellus cinereus)
Barn Swallow..... (Hirundo rustica)
Little Egret..... (Egretta garzetta)
Black-bellied Malkoha..... (Phaenicophaeus diardii)
Little Grebe..... (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Red-wattled Lapwing..... (Vanellus indicus)
Large-billed Crow..... (Corvus macrorhynchos)
Black-winged Stilt..... (Himantopus himantopus)
Brown Shrike..... (Lanius cristatus)
Yellow-vented Bulbul..... (Pycnonotus goaivier)
Greater Coucal..... (Centropus sinensis)
Chinese Pond Heron..... (Ardeola bacchus)
White-browed Crake..... (Porzana cinerea)
Little Tern..... (Sterna albifrons)
Yellow Bittern..... (Ixobrychus sinensis)
Oriental Magpie Robin..... (Copsychus saularis)
Pink-necked Pigeon..... (Treron vernans)
Brahminy Kite..... (Haliastur Indus)
White-bellied Sea-Eagle..... (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Blue-tailed Bee-eater..... (Merops philippinus)
White-breasted Waterhen..... (Amaurornis phoenicurus)
Koel..... (Eudynamys scolopacea)
Green-billed Malkoha..... (Phaenicophaeus tristis)
Common Iora..... (Aegithina tiphia)
Ashy Tailorbird..... (Orthotomus sepium)
Artic Warbler..... (Phylloscopus borealis)
Little Ringed Plover..... (Charadrius dubius)
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker..... (Dicaeum cruentatum)
Olive-winged Bulbul..... (Pycnonotus plumosus)
Stork-billed Kingfisher..... (Halcyon capensis)
Brown-throated Sunbird..... (Anthreptes malaccensis)
Spotted Dove..... (Streptopelia chinensis)
Oriental Pratincole..... (Glareola maldivarum)
Javan Myna..... (Acricotheres javanicus)
Crested Honey Buzzard..... (Pernis ptilorhynchus)
Common Moorhen..... (Gallinula chloropus)
Pintail Snipe..... (Gallinago Stenura)
Scaly-breasted Munia..... (Lonchura punctulata)
Lesser Whistling-Duck..... (Dendrocygna javanica)
Little Heron..... (Butorides striatus)
Marsh Sandpiper..... (Tringa stagnatilis
Common Myna..... (Acridotheres tristis)
Yellow-bellied Prinia..... (Prinia flaviventris)
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater..... (Merops leschenaulti)
Black-naped Oriole..... (Oriolus chinensis)

Tapah Rest House, Tapah
Coppersmith Barbet..... (Megalaima haemacephala)
Gold-whiskered Barbet..... (Megalaima chrysopogon)
Eurasian Tree-Sparrow..... (Passer montanus)
Glossy Starling..... (Aplonis panayensis)
Plain Sunbird..... (Anthreptes simplex)

After Bidor Toll
Black Hornbill..... (Anthracoceros malayanus)
OrientialS Pied Hornbill..... (Anthracoceros albirostris)
Peregrine Falcon..... (Falco peregrimus)
Crested Serpent-Eagle..... (Spilornis cheela)

Bird list compiled by Wong Soon Ying and written by Foong Im Gune . Photographs by Wong Kim Seng Posted by Wong Kim Seng 28 October 2002

A Review of 3 Field Guides

2002-09-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Up until about 11 years ago, there was only one field guide to speak of ..."A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia" by King, Woodcock & Dickinson. These days, birders in Malaysia are spoilt for choice with the following available:-

A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (BOT) by Boonsong Lekagul and Philip D. Round; Price RM135.
A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia & Singapore (BWMS) by Allen Jeyarajasingam & Alan Pearson; Price RM140.
A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia (BSEA) by Craig Robson; Price RM140

Consequently, the question that new birders invariably ask is "Which field guide should I get?". The decision is ultimately theirs to make, but I hope perhaps, to be of some help.

Published in 1991, BOT was a much welcomed guide for the Malaysian birding fraternity. Even with the other 2 guides published more recently, it is still a favourite with many birders. Its drawings are very good and the book is also very user-friendly. The illustrations and the text are close to each other, thereby making for easy reference. In addition, the birds are named directly on the illustrations unlike the other 2 publications. The diagnostic features of each individual bird are also highlighted by way of lines pointing to these features.

Drawbacks to BOT include 40 plus Malaysian birds that are not included because they are not found in Thailand. This can be a major source of confusion to new birders. Moreover, the distribution maps and text covers places and habitats in Thailand, not Malaysia. Although generally, a particular species should be found in the same habitat both in Thailand and Malaysia, there are exceptions. One of such is the Great Tit, which in Malaysia, is found principally in mangrove areas of the west coast. In Thailand, in addition to it being found in the mangroves of the Thai Peninsula, the Great Tit also inhabits forests above 800 meters. I would have to say though, the distribution map for each species is very useful (if one were birding in Thailand).

BWMS, published in 1999, is the most comprehensive field guide for birding in Peninsular Malaysia. With 648 bird species described and 643 species illustrated, I recommend this book strongly for its description of each bird, its voice, range, status & distribution, habitat and habits all in the local context. However, it has to be said that the illustrations are not as good as those in BOT. Therefore, do not rely entirely on the illustrations. Read the text on the field marks to help you make a positive id.

BWMS also covers virtually all aspects of birding in West Malaysia and Singapore that a beginner would require to know. One feature that BWMS has that the other 2 field guides do not, is the inclusion of local Malay names for most of the birds. This feature can prove useful from time to time.

For beginners birding in Malaysia, BSEA (first published in 2000) can be very confusing as it covers 1251 species, about half of which are not found in West Malaysia. It is also not very user-friendly as one has to match the number on the colour plate against the name of the bird on the opposite page. Moreover, to read the text on the back pages, one has to then match the species number on the plate pages against the species number on the back pages.

The illustrations in BSEA are generally okay. I do find the information in there to be very helpful, especially the description of the nest and eggs. These 2 features are not found in BOT and BWMS. As a back-up reference, I find this book excellent.

A field guide that incorporates all the useful features of the above 3 field guides will be most ideal. However, if you were buying just one field guide and doing your birding mainly in West Malaysia, I would have to recommend BWMS. If not, buy all 3 field guides as BOT and BSEA will prove to be invaluable sources of reference materials and illustrations.

By Khoo Swee Seng

Bat Hawks of Ulu Langat

2002-06-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

Observers: Lim A. T, Keith J. and Lucy T.
Sat 15th June, 2002:

At 9.50 am. Two adults were seen at a nest, sited 40-50 m above the ground. The smaller of the two was busy breaking twigs and dried branches from nearby tree branches. It flew straight at the branches and using the momentum of speed, snapped off dried branches between 12 to 15 inches long. It carried them, sometimes in its beak and at other times with its talons to the nest. During the observation period of 20mins, this raptor made no less than 7 attempts at twig snapping, only succeeding 3 times. In between flying sessions, the bird perched near its mate to rest and cool down by opening its wings and beak.

Compared to its mate, it was slightly smaller. Presumably, the larger one was the female. When we first arrived at the site, Keith noticed the larger bird attempt to snap off a twig without success. It gave up and the smaller one took over. This suggests that nest building is a shared task.

A juvenile was seen perched about 3 ft above the nest being constructed. It was about the same size as the larger one (female?). It had a pale yellow iris whereas the adult birds had bright yellow irises. It had a dusky plumage compared to the black/brown of the adults and was feeding on the remains of a prey we could not identify because only the remnants could be seen.
We saw another nest, higher on the other side of the same tree. We assumed this is last year's nest.
Lim Aun Tiah 15 June 2002

Posted by Kim Seng, 15 June 2002