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
Back from CHINA and too busy for other work .. and now only able to download the pictures and will share more info here later . but let’s share the beautiful view of this place .
– it is a reason why I share this map with extra location as we going to explore further
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
too many sample of my outing … and yesterday we have our Genting Highland sunrise outing . when we reach , it is so misty and the view just change like in 2-3 min …
–>before
–>after 2-3 min
Landscape is a game of luck and waiting … so be patient ……………
Few nearby tourist locations, I didn’t make all to all the spots as my visit is mainly for photography.
A complex national park , I spent few day to understand the only wulinyuAn pArk.
Buses to different location the interlink need walking and by between the busstop the rod is exist . and no idea why they never make it interlink more convenient
Many walking for bus –elevator interchange (200-400m) . and it is not photography friendly , most of the bus start service 8-830m – 6pm only (sunrise 720m) [someone told me it is due to off peak season and I will check peak season or normal season bus operation hour] so if want to shoot sunrise/sunset need special arrange with extra payment
This trip mainly concentrate on wulingyuan which mainly divide by 3 parts YuanJiaJie, (袁家界) Yang JiaJie (杨家界)and TianZhiSan (天子山)
Every session need travel by bus, and each part consist few specify beautiful attractions … and mostly walking distance 10-90min with rock broadwalk (up and down and some could be steep) . again most of the spot with different name which need our imagination to match the view and the “rock” appearance .
After few days inside the park, we visit many different spots and for me it is just still rocky mountains … but for photography with the pattern and light direction (I didn’t have chance to see any snow, misty) .. we have many oppurnity to create some pictures .
Food … amazing nice local food by the homestay owner and KFC and McD (McCafe too) available .
I stay at a homestay which I think strategy location for no special arrangement for sunrise/sunset. As this location walking distance can shoot sunrise/sunset with rocky mountains even it is not really the beautiful formation. This homestay owner is a retire teacher who also drawing, photograph … and it share his experience, view about “art” (not only drawing and photograph) … cook us a wonderful chicken soup dinner with his white wine collection (have a good sleep after that 😀 )
He has similar thought as mine .. he say .. a good artist (for photography/drawing) need 3 main “GOOD” [好]
Good View – 好景
Good food – 好吃
Good Person – 好人
He also share what he mean for landscape view and art view (大景与小景) and why do we need balance between to for his point of art … I learn a lot from he and his friend who spend >10 years on CHINA mainland landscape photography .
Overall a place need luck , skill, arrangement, experience , stamina and ect to get this place photograph …
update 2018 June 28
from 2018 CHINA, HUNAN Photohunters tour
this is a long wait of 1.5 day, finally the moment waiting is come… we actually rush, ran , to this spot but the view keep changing for us another 1 hour ++ think everyone should be have good time here
update 2018 June 24
just got back from 2018 CHINA, HUNAN Photohunters tour
13 photographers with almost all famous brand in the world (absent of LEICA and NIKON) enjoy the boring wait and excitement of sudden misting moment
update 2016 Jan 11
a beautiful moment
update 2015 Dec 21
near YuanJiaJie , I was resting and shooting some bird with 70300 . suddenly I saw clouds building up and I ran back to room and ran for nearer spot for the clouds and sun direction .. and I found this. the shooting spot is very narrow and only one camera allow here
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.
– newly update it may not belong to the Laughingthrush family
– rare and shy montane Borneo endemic
update 202409
– one of my best moment of 2029, this bird stay close and one of best view of this bird
– 我的2029最好的一刻,这鸟站这个位置真的最好角度看这鸟。
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– another main target of the short trip, it is close and fast .. all of us saw the bird .. but sad my buddies didn’t got the picture of it feeding on “fruit” (think my first time saw this bird eat fruit) …
– the bird moving fast and inside dark bush, 2 of the Z9 failed to got the bird in focus 🙁 lucky me with new R5markii , if bring mark 1 may be also dont have this best moment of this rare bird
– 与朋友的几天,主要目标之一。这鸟来的蛮近的。可是有入常态,动很快,在暗的地方动。朋友们Z9都没办法对上焦(在这站了好几秒大家都看到)。幸好佳能R5Mark ii 好好表现还是对上了几张。这鸟非常害羞,稀有。非常不容易拍照,还加上第一次看到它吃果子(通常吃昆虫).
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update 202408
– before archive the folder, make another picture one of best moment of 2024. This bird stand here more than 3 minutes … making call.. looking at us ..such a handsome
– one of my favorite birds of Malaysia, it is not that rare just too active to have good view. But when lucky strike, me and David enjoy few minutes of best moment with this bird .. amazing bird to look at
2015 , we finally make another Photohunter trip to Sichuan, CHINA …we travel ~2200km , 12 days , 4600meter from sea level , cold … fun … and we finally make it completed and now let’s share some pictures here
As usual, I will slowly update some important place we visit here …
1. Yading is one of our target place .. a place full with opportunity for photos …
update 2015 Oct 28
2. 新都桥
– a small town that we pass by few round to our destination and meals.
– we stop by due to beautiful view of the autumn …