A yearly event, we have our yearly Hornbill Expedition trip to Belum-Temengor even the Covid-19 lock down but we make it short instead, where we just spend 1.5 days boat ride and 2 morning at Titiwangsa Rest area (which is ~30km from Belum jetty).
This forest believe to be older than 130 million years, due to the lake crossing the main forest make it an open area for hornbill seeing good spot … it is always to better chance to spot all 10 hornbills of Malaysia here within few days of birding trip.
As usual, our main target is Plain-pouched hornbill which believe peak season Aug-Sept every year.. easily spot them in big flocks flying on skyline here.
Plain-pouched Hornbill, 淡喉皱盔犀鸟,淡喉皺盔犀鳥, Rhyticeros subruficollis, ムジシワコブサイチョウ, ENGGANG GUNUNG BELANTARA
Sometime, birding here can be depressing, birds can be far !!!! not even able to ID without photo record as only using binocular ….
But it is always good place to capture some Bird in flight due to open area and with some distance .. (for photographers, we need little bit luck and patient to have birds nearer and flying)
Wreathed Hornbill, 花冠皱盔犀鸟, Rhyticeros undulatus, シワコブサイチョウ, ENGGANG GUNUNG BIASA
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sometime, lucky to have it perch low too.
Great Hornbill, 双角犀鸟, Buceros bicornis, オオサイチョウ,ENGGANG PAPAN
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a very common hornbill but here it can stand 300m at the canopy .. the only option waiting it flying to get some BIF picture
Oriental Pied-Hornbill, 冠斑犀鸟, Anthracoceros albirostris, キタカササギサイチョウ,KELINGKING BIASA
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Black Hornbill should be one of the most common here but this is our last hornbill record for the trip .. during the boat session, we hard quite a lot of this bird but we just didn’t see the bird come close or open
Black Hornbill, 黑斑犀鸟, Anthracoceros malayanus, クロサイチョウ,KELINGKING HITAM
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Another Critically Endangered due to killing this bird for the solid-beautiful ivory like casques.. at here it is not difficult to see one ..
here is the main target for the trip, Plain-pouched hornbill. It look almost identical like Wreathed Hornbill except
lack of grooves on bill
small size
lack of a black patch on the pouch
Plain-pouched Hornbill, 淡喉皱盔犀鸟,淡喉皺盔犀鳥, Rhyticeros subruficollis, ムジシワコブサイチョウ, ENGGANG GUNUNG BELANTARA
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lucky to have this perch quite low
Plain-pouched Hornbill, 淡喉皱盔犀鸟,淡喉皺盔犀鳥, Rhyticeros subruficollis, ムジシワコブサイチョウ, ENGGANG GUNUNG BELANTARA
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There are a group
Bushy-crested Hornbill, 凤头犀鸟 spotted but this happen while Great Hornbill perch low … so we decided give it a missed than we didn’t see it any more for the trip ..
*** picture from previous tour
Bushy-crested Hornbill, 凤头犀鸟,鳳頭犀鳥, Anorrhinus galeritus, ムジサイチョウ, Burung Arau, ENGGANG BULUH
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only 8 hornbills for the 1.5 days boat ride but this is mainly targeting the Plain-pouched Hornbill where we spotted 9 groups and ~377 birds
There are some other birds also captured during the tour on the boat and Titiwangsa Rest area which is ~30km from Belum Jetty ,… as below
Oriental Honey-buzzard, 凤头蜂鹰
at this season , plenty of this raptor can be sight
Oriental Honey-buzzard, 凤头蜂鹰
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2. Lesser Fish-Eagle, 鱼雕
many fish eagle can be easily spot
Lesser Fish-Eagle, 鱼雕
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3. Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, 灰头鱼雕
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4.White-bellied Sea-Eagle, 白腹海雕
wont miss this bird here , plenty of them either flying high or low
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5.Large Green-Pigeon,大绿鸠
– very easy to spot this bird but as usual, standing high up in big flock
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6.Black-thighed falconet, 黑腿小隼
captured at Titiwangsa rest area which is ~30km further from Belum Jetty from Kuala Kangsar direction
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7. Sultan Tit, 冕雀
captured at Titiwangsa rest area which is ~30km further from Belum Jetty from Kuala Kangsar direction
both male and female come near the light area for insect attracted by the light
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8. Scarlet Minivet, 赤红山椒鸟
captured at Titiwangsa rest area which is ~30km further from Belum Jetty from Kuala Kangsar direction
both male and female come near the light area for insect attracted by the light
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9. Large Woodshrike, 鉤嘴林鵙
captured at Titiwangsa rest area which is ~30km further from Belum Jetty from Kuala Kangsar direction
both male and female come near the light area for insect attracted by the light
a 3d2n bird special bird photography tour just target for 2 new bird family recent split – Pygmy Cupwing & Crested Shrikejay. As John & Linda working on collecting bird for each family of the world .
*** all bird list with pictures taken
Day1 – drive ~1.5 hour from KL to Fraser Hill . Foggy and very quick we just wait ~2 minute and got the bird and <10 minutes we are ready to leave …
Day3- we repeat the Shrikejay searching in the morning for better picture quality . and immediate we arrive our site. less than 10 min, we got the bird for ~a hour and with better lighting .
after the Shrikejay left , we spend little bit time in the forest and we got
we had a pair a trogon before lunch time, and we decide leave earlier and if we arrive KL on time we will visit nearby site for Pitta. Whos dont love PITTA 😀
after 4 hour drive, we arrive KL site .Without much wait we got both Hooded Pitta & Blue-winged Pitta
it is not an easy task to photograph this handsome, big nightjar in night here .. always shy to light , human .. make it always not easy to capture picture/video at night so previously we got it at dusk/dawn
Fruithunter , a rare Borneo Endemic. which normal found near fruiting tree .
When with guests walking into trail , a bird just flew in ~5 feet from me …from the quick and fast reaction I thought it is a little cuckoo dove . But when it perch, I am wrong !!! it is a Fruithunter and a pair (male stand little bit away)
saw this pigeon few times in Genting Highland but it is either without camera or backlight to have any picture of video . This time, finally have my light setup with me and it is not that high up but still not full open for better video or picture .
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Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to contact me
– look very similar to Blue Whistling-Thrush but different in small details
– some different from Blue Whistling-Thursh, smaller/thiner bill, shorter neck
update 202507
On day one, this bird was right on the railing—such an exciting moment (at least for me, and I hope for my guests too). It might not be the most eye-catching bird for everyone, but I still tried hard to get a good shot since it was such a great opportunity. Even though I’ve had two close, daytime encounters with it this year and got decent photos, I’m still thrilled every time I see this Peninsular Malaysia endemic.
What a surprise to encounter this bird twice during our stay at Fraser’s Hill! Despite the short trip and bad weather, we saw it once in extremely low light and again at midday, offering a much better view.
