Malay Peninsula Aug 03—15, 2005
Posted by David Bishop
David Bishop
David Bishop loves his vocation and cannot imagine anything better than exploring wild and beautiful places in Asia and the Pacific in the company of friends and clients. H...Related Trips
It is always a joy to return to Malaysia. Seeing our group revel in the sophistication and beauty of the country, including its international airport, modern highway infrastructure, and the extraordinary, futuristic, and very attractive architecture of the capital Kuala Lumpur, was refreshing. We hope that more people will come to realize what a wonderful, safe, and delightfully developed place this is.
Following is a brief summary of our daily activities, which conveys only part of the story, and can never really express the wonderful sights and sounds of this vibrant, fascinating land, and its forests, wildlife, and people.
August 6: With batteries fully recharged, we headed off early to the coastal swamps and mangroves of Kuala Selangor where a host of new birds and mammals awaited us, including a very obliging group of dusky leaf-monkeys, in addition to fine looks at several species of woodpecker.
During the afternoon we repaired to the mid-slopes of the Ulu Gombak among magnificent Dipterocarp Hill forest, two pairs of incomparable Helmeted Hornbills, and some great scope studies of the lovely Scaly-breasted Bulbul.
August 7: After a brief but rather quiet couple of hours at the Ulu Gombak, we continued on to that most magnificent of reserves, Taman Negara. The three-hour river trip up the Tembling River was as beautiful as ever with forest accompanying us for most of the journey. Perhaps THE highlight was a good look at two immature Changeable Hawk-Eagles.
August 8-11: We spent four wonderful days in the gigantic Taman Negara National Park which encompasses over 4,300 square kilometers including Peninsula Malaysia's highest mountain, Gunung Tahan. Whilst the mountain requires an arduous ten-day (or more) trek, we concentrated on the rich, biodiverse lowlands, exploring different trails each day and experiencing exciting new birds daily. Needless to say, we were treated to some wonderful wildlife experiences, especially drifting back along the incredibly beautiful Tahan Creek. Highlights that spring to mind include a very obliging Great Argus that walked around us not once, not twice, but three times; superb looks at a male Crested Fireback—the sun glowing off his iridescent lower back; fabulous looks at a pair of breeding Blue-winged Pittas feeding young (they shouldn't be in Taman Negara at this time of the year); an immature Slaty-legged Crake; good looks, for some, at that most elusive of species, Malaysian Rail-babbler; a very rare Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo; and a host of nifty pigeons, Blue-rumped Parrots, trogons and, of course, "Real Birds" (Babblers for the uninitiated!). And then we had to leave…
August 12: I hate leaving Taman Negara; there just always seems to be too much to find and our time there is never enough. We headed back downriver to Kuala Tembeling. Then, after lunch, we made the lovely drive up to Frazer's Hill through gorgeous hill forests.
August 13-14: Birding the forests around Frazer's Hill is always a pleasure. The climate is ideal; there are lots of birds, some neat mammals, and wonderful vistas over the surrounding forested main range. Highlights included a pair of Great Hornbills in flight and perching in the canopy of glorious hill forest; fabulous mixed flocks including several Silver-eared Mesias; an incredibly confiding male Siamang; numerous sightings of the characterful Sultan Tit—amazing to think it was once considered a rarity; a very confiding Lesser Shortwing; and, as if all that weren't enough, a fabulous group of Black Laughingthrushes and Large Scimitar-babblers whooping and hollering, perhaps only outdone by a sumptuous family collection of Long-tailed Broadbills.
August 15: Taking our leave of this little piece of paradise, we gradually worked our way down past The Gap, seemingly with non-stop birds, until it was time to whisk ourselves off to KLIA, Malaysia?s state of the art international airport.
We just cannot wait to go back!