Such a beautiful bird. I always thought barbets mainly feed on fruit, but we observed this species many times feeding on termites, ants, and other small insects. That likely explains why we often see them foraging on the ground.
Malaysia smallest state located north of Peninsular Malaysia.
1. Great Eared-Nightjar, 毛腿夜鹰, 毛腿夜鷹, Lyncornis macrotis, オオミミヨタカ, TAPTIBAU BESAR
2. Malayan Banded-Pitta, 马来蓝尾八色鸫, 馬來藍尾八色鶇, Hydrornis irena，マラヤシマヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT BELANG MELAYU
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1. Great Eared-Nightjar, 毛腿夜鹰, 毛腿夜鷹, Lyncornis macrotis, オオミミヨタカ, TAPTIBAU BESAR
update 202601
It was a long but rewarding day! We spent the first half at a fantastic Malayan Banded Pitta hide, enjoying views of fresh plumage on the pitta and lots of other great birds that came by. In the evening, we decided to try for this special nightjar—perfect timing to put my favorite lens, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8, to use. Even after sunset in very dim light, the fast F2.8 telephoto and the Canon R6 Mark III tracked almost every frame of the bird in flight, with beautiful dusk light in the background. Really loving how it handled this challenging shot!
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今天是漫长但充实的一天！上半场我们在一个很棒的马来蓝尾八色鸫点度过，看/拍到八色鸫漂亮的新羽毛，还有很多其它好看的鸟。傍晚我们决定尝试拍这只特别的夜鹰，这也正好用上了我最喜欢的镜头 Canon RF 400mm F2.8。即使是在日落后光线很暗的情况下，这支 F2.8 长焦镜头搭配 Canon R6 Mark III 仍然把鸟儿飞翔的画面几乎每一帧都追焦得很好，而且背景还有美丽的暮色光，非常满意这次的表现！
202601, Perlis, Malaysia
2. Malayan Banded-Pitta, 马来蓝尾八色鸫, 馬來藍尾八色鶇, Hydrornis irena，マラヤシマヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT BELANG MELAYU
update 202601
Definitely not a lifer—I’ve photographed this species over 50 times! But this is the first time seeing such vibrant colors and such a confiding individual. The bird hide offered an amazing experience with this lovely bird, and everyone was really happy with the results.
This is a stunning female!
Birding in Kenya is filled with unforgettable stories—I’ll share more once I’m back in Malaysia. For now, every day has been full of excitement. While we’re focused on finding new birds and getting better shots, we never miss out on amazing animals or stunning scenery either.
We’ve seen lions three times already! The most recent sighting was a group of seven, though we didn’t even stop (for a funny reason I’ll share later).
This one was incredible—at first, it looked like a typical sleeping lion, but suddenly it stood up, walked to drink, and came straight toward our vehicle—just 15 meters away!
Four more days to go, and we’ve photographed 390 bird species so far!
One of our group members wished to see this, and what a wish—it made everyone happy!
The world’s fastest animal slowly walked toward us, getting as close as 1–2 meters from me. Before that, it looked like it was about to hunt, pausing about 10 meters away as if ready to sprint… but then it stopped.
Still, what an incredible and beautiful sight!
11. Ivory-backed Woodswallow, 白背燕鵙, 白背燕鵙, Artamus monachus, セレベスモリツバメ, Kekep Sulawesi
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11. Ivory-backed Woodswallow, 白背燕鵙, 白背燕鵙, Artamus monachus, セレベスモリツバメ, Kekep Sulawesi
update 202512
This is one of those birds that often gets overlooked, as it closely resembles the White-breasted Woodswallow. But this time, we were lucky to get a clear, eye-level view. A great Sulawesi endemic!
It’s not a new mammal family, but definitely a new addition to our collection! Spotted this stunning-looking mammal on Waigeo Island. While everyone was enjoying coffee and waiting for fruit-doves, some local kids called us into the forest. We couldn’t really understand what they were saying—but soon enough, this beautiful creature appeared, low and close. What a surprise and such a beautiful moment!
It’s a common and not particularly beautiful bird, but each time it’s spotted, its size and leaf-like appearance still spark excitement.
这是一种常见且不算特别美丽的鸟，但每次看到它时，它的体型和如叶子般的外形仍然让人感到兴奋。
202504, Sungai Relau, Merapoh, Pahang
2. Garnet Pitta, 榴红八色鸫, 榴紅八色鶇, Erythropitta granatina, ムラサキヤイロチョウ,BURUNG-PACAT DELIMA BIASA
Update 202505
It was exciting to spot one moving on the ground without being disturbed by our presence—there were ten of us constantly shifting around for a better angle. We were lucky to encounter this Pitta without a long wait or much effort.
We spent our morning at the canopy, enjoying many great views of different birds. One was especially memorable—at eye level, feeding slowly instead of just flying past. A lovely Malkoha.
4. Malayan Banded-Pitta, 马来蓝尾八色鸫, 馬來藍尾八色鶇, Hydrornis irena，マラヤシマヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT BELANG MELAYU
update 202508
Always a pleasure catching up with one of the best birders/guides I know—Matthew and Hoi Ling! He made a short visit and requested a few lifers, so we left KL at 2:30am and headed to Merapoh. Despite the morning rain, we managed to tick off two lifers soon after arrival. Once the rain stopped, we got lucky again with this special lifer—it showed up twice (I missed the first photo opportunity)! Such a stunning Pitta, and a great moment getting both Garnet and this species away from the usual “stage”.
5. Thick-billed Green-Pigeon, 厚嘴绿鸠, 厚嘴綠鳩, Treron curvirostra, ハシブトアオバト, PUNAI ARA BIASA
update 202508
This is one of the most common green pigeons in the region—medium-sized and easily recognized by its thick, pale green eye-ring.
With a fruiting tree nearby, spotting them wasn’t too hard. Although we hoped for more species, we’re glad our guests got to tick off two of their targets here!
This is one of those birds we often hear or briefly see, but rarely get a good photo opportunity with. However, last month we were lucky to enjoy two amazing encounters—one in Peninsular Malaysia and another in Borneo.
As we were walking out of the forest after getting our main target, we heard its call nearby. Moments later, it appeared almost at eye level, just around 5 meters from us. What a moment!
Had an incredible time birding with a patient group from Canada. After a quiet start at our first stop, we headed deeper into the National Park. Suddenly, I caught a familiar call—I couldn’t help but shout, ‘Jayshrike!’ We got so lucky when it flew out and perched right in front of us. What a spectacular view, absolutely brilliant!
After hitting guest 6,500th species milestone, we decided to keep the momentum going in search of more lifers—aiming to get as close as possible to the 7,000 mark. Upon arriving at the tree top tower, I was incredibly lucky to spot two
Upon arriving at the tower, we were greeted by a beautiful, fast-moving bird circling the structure without pause. I quickly made my way to the top of the observation deck to get an eye-level shot and capture its grace.
Modern camera technology truly makes capturing such fast subjects feel almost effortless.
202602,
Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Pahang, Malaysia
10. Malayan Peacock-Pheasant, 凤冠孔雀雉, 鳳冠孔雀雉,Polyplectron malacense, マレーエボシコクジャク,KUANG-CERMIN MELAYU
update 202602
Last year, right after we spotted the Great Argus, everyone else was busy looking for other rare sightings. That’s when I noticed a smaller bird quietly approaching the feeding spot. It didn’t take long for this little visitor to start showing up regularly, eventually becoming the star attraction of Sg Relau National Park in Merapoh.
We just arrived at the viewing tower and the bird calls are everywhere! We heard three of them right next to us at the canopy level. We were hoping for a glimpse, and soon enough, both the male and female flew right up to eye level. They stayed close enough for us to get some great pictures.
202602, Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Pahang, Malaysia
12. Brown Fulvetta, 褐雀鹛, 褐雀鶥, Alcippe brunneicauda, ムジチメドリ, KEKICAU-SAMPAH MELAYU
update 202603
Even though this bird has a modest appearance, its song is absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad we could successfully find and check this target species off the list for our guest.
虽然这只鸟外表平凡，但它的歌声动听极了。很高兴能为客人顺利找到这个目标鸟种。
202602,
Taman Negara Sungai Relau, Pahang, Malaysia
Another milestone for the trip! We heard them calling and saw them fly off several times, but never got a clear look until last morning. This one was incredibly vocal and perched right in front of us.
A fairly common medium-sized mammal, not too difficult to encounter in the forest, but usually too shy for a photo. However, this time, an adult and a young one gave us a nice view before continuing on their way.
The bird station was full of life, but suddenly all the birds and squirrels disappeared. Then, out of nowhere, this adorable little creature walked right into our frame! It came so close that I only managed a few quick shots, including this walking moment.
I’ve seen this cute animal many times, but this is the first time it came so close — lucky to finally get a few good pictures!
Simplified Chinese Translation:
鸟站原本很热闹，突然间所有的鸟和松鼠都不见了。没过多久，这只可爱的小动物就走进了我们的镜头！它靠得非常近，我只来得及拍下几张照片，包括它走路的一刻。
What a magnificent stork! It was a truly stunning sight to behold.
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1. Hamerkop, 锤头鹳, 錘頭鸛, Scopus umbretta, シュモクドリ
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1. Hamerkop, 锤头鹳, 錘頭鸛, Scopus umbretta, シュモクドリ
A squat, brown, ibis-like bird with a bushy-crested “hammer-head”; often found near wetlands or rivers. In flight, it has distinctively deep wingbeats and may occasionally soar very high, when the long neck separates it from raptors. It struts about in wetlands foraging for frogs, fish, and insects. It needs nearby large trees for building its giant (1.5-m-across) stick nest. Calls include a high-pitched “nyip” in flight and a distinctive, rollicking call ending in a purring rattle “kyik-kyik-kyik-kyik-kyik kyik-keeek-kreeeeek”. [ebird]
This bird is generally brown and has a peculiarly shaped head. It’s quite strangely featured, yet surprisingly common, found in both urban and forested environments.
1. Green Woodhoopoe, 绿林戴胜, 綠林戴勝, Phoeniculus purpureus, ミドリモリヤツガシラ
An elongated, metallic-green-black bird with red feet and a long, decurved, red-orange bill. Juveniles have dark bills but are often in the company of adults. It flies heavily, with the long floppy, white-tipped tail dangling behind. Pairs and groups of up to 14 birds are highly social, occupying savanna, woodland, riverine forest, and gardens, where they nest and roost in natural cavities. Clambers in trees, probing bark and crevices for insects and small vertebrates. They communicate using a strong cackling chatter that sounds maniacal. The almost identical Grant’s and Violet woodhoopoes (with which it sometimes hybridizes) differ from Green Woodhoopoe only by having a coppery-purple (not glossy greenish) metallic sheen. [EBird]
It was raining and nearly the end of the day. Just as we were getting ready to head back, I spotted a group of birds with curved bills feeding in a tree right in front of us. I shouted, “Woodhoopoe!”
Everyone was thrilled to see this stunning species up close!
A bird that’s hard to miss — large in size, moving in small groups, with a long, curved orange bill. Such a strange-looking bird, but I absolutely love seeing it.
1. Bank Cormorant, 岸鸬鹚, 堤鸕鷀, Phalacrocorax neglectus, ハナグロウ
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1. Bank Cormorant, 岸鸬鹚, 堤鸕鷀, Phalacrocorax neglectus, ハナグロウ
A medium-to-large-sized, stocky, marine cormorant that is a specialist in kelp forests of the Benguela Current, where it is scarce resident. Similar to Cape Cormorant but slightly larger and thicker-necked. Adults have a black (not orange) throat patch and honey-brown (not blue) eyes, giving them a plain-looking face. If seen well, the head is flattish with an indistinct crest that more often manifests as a bulbous forehead. In flight, it is difficult to tell from the abundant Cape Cormorant unless the characteristic white back–most prevalent in the breeding season (but absent in some individuals)–is seen. Immatures are duller but retain the adult’s characteristic shape. Best seen at roosts. [Ebird]
We only spotted this bird in Cape Town. It appears completely black, though from certain angles, the “white rump” can be seen. It’s a unique species and surprisingly easy to find, but only in that one location.
