Saw this pigeon last year but not able to get a picture of it. Finally have some spare time and spent ~2 days waiting to get a open shot for this bird.
it is bit shy, whenever it is open and I try to move myself it will trying to hide from me … not bad for limited angle and time for this
A quick trip to North Peninsular Malaysia (Sedim-Ulu Paip-Air Hitam Dalam-Bukit Merak-Kuala Gula-Malim Nawar-Alor Gajah) and purpose of this quick trip is to verify site for coming few tours for customers.
We didnt spent time for photography as we want to go as many as possible different locations …
1. Sedim Recreational Forest – Ulu Paip – Air Hitam Dalam
– quite slow in the morning and we only managed to have some birds hearing and have White-crowned Forktail near the river
– the activities seem to be warming up after 9am and we have very good view of few rufous-backed kingfishers which only 10-15 feet from us and Diard’s Trogon full view for ~30feet eye level.
– few pairs of Whiskered Treeswift and Gray-rumped Treeswift flying around
– target bird not found at Ulu Paip and we spend 30min near the river but no sighting of any target birds
– Air Hitam Dalam as usual Mangrove Flycatcher welcome us before we start any birding … Brown Hawk Owl also waiting for us and I managed go captured few pictures of the owl
bird list for half a day tour 18 birds
Black-thighed Falconet
Brown Hawk-Owl
Gray-rumped Treeswift
Whiskered Treeswift
Diard’s Trogon
Rufous-backed Kingfisher
Banded Woodpecker
Common Iora
Green Iora
Ashy Minivet
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Arctic Warbler
Black-capped Babbler
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler
Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher
Gray Wagtail
Green-billed Malkoha
White-crowned Forktail
2. Bukit Merak-Kuala Gula
after lunch we move toward Bukit Merak and Kuala Gula for a long lost bird but no sighting for that target bird too. so we decide just driving around for visit some old sites and relax.
but we still able to sight birds below
Lesser Whistling-Duck
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Red-wattled Lapwing
Large-tailed Nightjar
Brown Shrike
than we went out for Owl sightings at night and we managed to have 3 main target that night
–> a pairs of Spotted Wood-Owl close to us for some pictures
–> than Buffy Fish owl also stay still for picture session
–> shy Barn owl is slight difficult to get a picture but finally we have one allow us to have picture of it
– next morning after breakfast , we trying to locate both Indian Roller and Hoopoe reported recently but both seem left Kuala Gula .
– whole family of Milky Stork relax at the village of Kuala Gula
–> birds sights from Kuala Gula
Milky Stork
Striated Heron
Black-shouldered Kite
Brahminy Kite
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Gray-headed Lapwing
Buffy Fish-Owl
Spotted Wood-Owl
Barn Owl
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Dollarbird
Pied Triller
Black-naped Oriole
Pied Fantail
Pacific Swallow
Baya Weaver
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
After Kuala Gula, heading Taiping as promise to buy back “Miku” (special plain pau ? but family like it) …. than heading back South
3. Taiping-Malim Nawar-Alor Gajah
under the hot sun , we arrived Malim Nawar and Alor Gajah .. trying to locate Blue-tailed Bee Eater breeding site .. but sad it had been destroy for sand collection 🙁 … and also Oriental Pratincole breeding ground .
lucky a Chestnut-Headed Bee Eater breeding site still active and one nest seem to be ready too . we also have Black Bittern(flying out) and a close Blue-eared Kingfishers for beautiful picture too.
–> bird sights
Red Junglefowl
Crested Serpent-Eagle
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Oriental Pied-Hornbill
Black Bittern
Gray Heron
Purple Heron
Little Egret
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
White-breasted Waterhen
Eurasian Moorhen
Black-winged Stilt
Asian Koel
Blue-eared Kingfisher
Stork-billed Kingfisher
White-throated Kingfisher
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Chestnut-headed Bee-eater
Lineated Barbet
And before dusk we heading back to Kuala Lumpur … a not back sites checking tour and we have
1. Black Laughingthrush, 黑噪鹛, 黑噪鶥, Garrulax lugubris, クロガビチョウ, KEKICAU-RAYA HITAM BIASA
– difficult bird to get open, noisy bird
– found this ~700mm from sea level
update 202307
– a very lucky morning with this shy and active bird stay so low and long for everyone good view and picture session
– 非常幸运的一个早上。这么活跃与害羞的鸟,尽然站了这么低这么久让我们看+拍够。
update 202305
– while we walking for general birding after long wait for the partridge. All of sudden this bird calling from far, we toward the direction and this bird just stand ~10feet from us .. what a lucky day after Malayan Whistling-Thrush, Bamboo Woodpecker, Malayan Hawk-Cuckoo, Mountain Scops Owl and many good birds today.
I was lucky to visit , monitor, study and capture another rare Borneo Endemic , Dulit Frogmouth . A real great tour which need to transit flights, 4 wheel, walking over the bamboo bridge ..
A bird I dream to get it picture for so long .. and finally I got few good open shots while casual shooting while assist Ahli Chung (http://www.endemicguides.com/) for a bird watching group… with his good experience we actually managed to see this bird open but I was away from the team for short moment and I missed the first chance .. and I was lucky saw it again few hours later and managed to have few minutes with it …
one of the best articles describes the difference from Dave Bakewell https://digdeep1962.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/identification-of-paddyfield-richards-and-blyths-pipits-in-malaysia/
4. Olive-backed Pipit, 树鹨, 樹鷚, Anthus hodgsoni, ビンズイ, APIT-APIT POKOK TIMUR