Bekok 15Apr17

From JS

On 15th Apr, we went to check out the birding site at Bekok. This is the site where photographers had taken images of the Black-and-Red Broadbill nesting, the Rufous Piculet nesting, the friendly Horsfield's Babblers, the impressive Brown Wood Owl and the charismatic Crested Jays and shared extensively on FB. There was favorable feedback from birdwatchers as well. Although we have seen these birds previously, they are still a sight to behold.

After navigating through the towns and oil palm estates at pre-dawn, we arrived at the entrance to Bekok at dawn. We were late, considering that the photographers were already waiting in position with their gears. Since our focus was to check out the site, we decided to start from inside and bird to the entrance.

Unfortunately, we didn't follow the plan. Instead, we stopped where the stream crossed under the tarmac. The first bird that we saw was a flock of Cinerous Bulbuls. It has been a while since our last sighting of them when the species had a mass migration southwards one season ago.

Next, we stopped at a spot where we heard a calling Striped Wren-Babbler. It did not show. Nevertheless, at the same spot, we saw the reunion of a pair of calling Black-Capped Babblers. They were calling persistently before one individual (maybe the female) made the frantic flight across the tarmac road to reach the other. Wow!

As we made our way to the waterfall, we heard a familiar high-pitch whistle. It was from a Rufous-Chested Flycatcher. However, it took a while to show.

During which time, we were entertained by a pair of the charismatic Crested Jays.

Thereafter, we spotted the gorgeous male Rufous-Chested Flycatcher flicking its tail and singing its high-pitch whistle. What a sight!

Since we had such great encounters with some scarce forest denizens, we decided to check out the activities of the photographers. Gathering below the nest, the photographers were waiting for the nearby adult Black-and-Red Broadbills to return to the nest. Yet, on a tree facing the nest, one of the birds watched nervously with twigs in its bill. Honestly, this was not a good sign.

Losing interest on the activities of the photographers, we returned to our plan and bird all the way to the entrance. The distance of 2km was too short in our opinion to have sufficient bird activities to last the whole morning. Nevertheless, we enjoyed sightings of our first Grey-Throated Babbler (a species more commonly associated with mountain slopes) in Johor. The bird was seen at the same spot as where we heard the Striped Wren-Babbler earlier. It gave a call that we could not recognise initially. Thankfully, we managed to mimic a bit of the call and the bird came forward. The white moustachial spot, white brow, streaky crown and grey throat was diagnostic and instantly, we knew what it was - the Grey-Throated Babbler. Very interesting!

Having already seen some good forest birds and a new bird for our Johor list, it seems like our visit was meaningful even if we had more than two hours to noon. We tried to find more birds but the efforts did not reward. I had flushed a big, dark brown, short-tailed bird at the swamp by the entrance. However, the lack of access into the forest meant that we could not spend more time with this unknown bird.

Definitely, the site has some potential given its connectivity to Endau Rompin but with only 2km of tarmac road to bird, it feels like there are more limitations than potential. Regardless, we did see some scarce forest denizens and if they are worthwhile to see, a trip to Bekok would do no harm to the chance of seeing them.

1. Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) h
2. Crested Serpent-Eagle (Spilornis cheela) 1
3. Raffles's Malkoha (Rhinortha chlorophaea) h
4. Violet Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) h
5. Banded Bay Cuckoo (Cacomantis sonneratii) h
6. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) 1
7. Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax) h
8. Brown-backed Needletail (Hirundapus giganteus) 10
9. swiftlet sp. (Collocalia/Aerodramus sp.) 30
10. Grey-rumped Treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis) 5
11. Rufous-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsa) h
12. Banded Kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella) h
13. Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis) 1
14. Crimson-winged Woodpecker (Picus puniceus) 1
15. Maroon Woodpecker (Blythipicus rubiginosus) h
16. Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot (Loriculus galgulus) 1
17. Black-and-red Broadbill (Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos) 2
18. Banded Broadbill (Eurylaimus javanicus) h
19. Blue-winged Pitta (Pitta moluccensis) h
20. Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus hirundinaceus) 2
21. minivet sp. (Pericrocotus sp.) 5
22. Tiger Shrike (Lanius tigrinus) 1
23. White-bellied Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca) 5
24. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) 2
25. Crested Jay (Platylophus galericulatus) 2
26. Black Magpie (Platysmurus leucopterus) h
27. Slender-billed Crow (Corvus enca) h
28. Cream-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus simplex) 1
29. Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus brunneus) 2
30. Grey-cheeked Bulbul (Alophoixus bres) 3
31. Ashy Bulbul (Hemixos flavala) 5
32. Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) 1
33. Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) h
34. Dark-necked Tailorbird (Orthotomus atrogularis) 2
35. Rufous-tailed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sericeus) h
36. Pin-striped Tit-Babbler (Mixornis gularis) h
37. Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (Macronus ptilosus) h
38. Rufous-fronted Babbler (Cyanoderma rufifrons) h
39. Chestnut-rumped Babbler (Stachyris maculata) h
40. Grey-throated Babbler (Stachyris nigriceps) 1
41. Sooty-capped Babbler (Malacopteron affine) 3
42. Scaly-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron cinereum) h
43. Rufous-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron magnum) 1
44. Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum capistratum) 2
45. Short-tailed Babbler (Pellorneum malaccense) h
46. Striped Wren-Babbler (Kenopia striata) h
47. Brown Fulvetta (Alcippe brunneicauda) 2
48. Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) 2
49. White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) h
50. Pale Blue-Flycatcher (Cyornis unicolor) 2
51. Rufous-chested Flycatcher (Ficedula dumetoria) 2
52. Common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa) h
53. Greater Green Leafbird (Chloropsis sonnerati) 2
54. Blue-winged Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) 8
55. Grey-breasted Spiderhunter (Arachnothera modesta) 1
56. spiderhunter sp. (Arachnothera sp.) 4

Taman Negara 07-10Sep07

From Con

The road to Nusa Camp is about 8km long. It took a full hour to drive in, the road was that bad. It has gotten much worse than last year. You were correct to turn around, you would not make it. Heavily rutted and deep channels cut by rain water. Don't really need 4WD, but do need ground clearance. Even the RAV4 was tricky. Better to have the ground clearance of a truck.

We didn't see much. Rino Hornbill, Crow, flowerpeckers, yellow-vented bulbul. I did see one Common Sandpiper!!!, along the sandy banks of the Kuala Tembeling.

This is twice I've been to Nusa Camp and both times it was rather birdless, even though it is got a good reputation from some of the old time birders. By the way, I should add that at Nusa Camp in the tall grasses at the river edge, I got a good sighting of a White-rumped Munia.

I think next time I'll go to Kuala Trenggan. The trick is to notice the River Taxi signs, and the departures and arrivals times. There are regular arrivals and departures and prices. For example, it's only RM20 from Kuala Tahan to Kuala Trenggan. It's only RM10 to the cave.

Grey-cheeked Bulbul

Puff-backed Bulbul

From GC

Spent a few days in Taman Negara Kuala Tahan earlier this month. Saw and heard 80+ species. Those which are of greater interest or lifers for me are highlighted in bold in the list.

Bird of the trip was a male Banded Pitta seen on the last morning.

Other key birds were: Crested Fireback, Bar-Bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Green Broadbill, Diard’s Trogon, Crested Jay, Black-Backed Kingfisher. Also, managed to see the skulking Rufous-crowned Babbler.

Mammals included Lesser Mousedeer, Muntjac, Sambar Deer, Wild Boar, Horse-tailed Squirrel. Reptiles included Malayan Bridled Snake and Brown Kukri Snake.

I think it's worth saying that it is sufficient to stay on the flat areas, next time anyway :->
The only reason to do any climbing is for a better chance of seeing the ARGUS.

Bird List for Taman Negara 7-10 Sep 2007

1 Great Argus, heard
2 Banded Pitta, male
3 Garnet Pitta, heard
4 Crested Fireback, 2 males with a family in tow
5 Common Sandpiper
6 Changeable Hawk-Eagle, heard
7 Buffy Fish-Owl seen from Tahan Hide at night
8 Collared Scops-Owl, heard
9 Malaysian-Eared Nightjar, heard
10 Oriental Pied Hornbill
11 Rhinoceros Hornbill x 5
12 Diard’s Trogon, male
13 Red-Naped Trogon, heard
14 Green Broadbill, 1 pair and another male
15 Dusky Broadbill, x 3
16 Banded Broadbill
17 Black And Yellow Broadbill, heard
18 Gold-Whiskered Barbet, heard
19 Blue-Eared Barbet, heard
20 Great Slaty Woodpecker, heard
21 Orange-Backed Woodpecker
22 Crimson-Winged Woodpecker
23 Maroon Woodpecker
24 Rufous Woodpecker
25 Buff-Necked Woodpecker
26 Rufous Piculet
27 Black-Backed Kingfisher across Tahan river, on trail to Ear Cave
28 Raffles’s Malkoha
29 Chestnut-Breasted Malkoha
30 Black-Bellied Malkoha
31 Little Bronze Cuckoo
32 Greater Coucal, heard
33 Large-billed Crow
34 Crested Jay, x 2
35 Black Magpie, x 2
36 Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo
37 Asian Fairy Bluebird
38 Black-Naped Oriole
39 Emerald Dove
40 White-Crowned Forktail
41 Chestnut-naped Forktail
42 Red-Bearded Bee-Eater, heard
43 Dollarbird
44 Bar-Bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, 1 pair
45 Large Wood-Shrike
46 Tiger Shrike, Juvenile
47 Striped Throated Bulbul
48 Straw-Headed Bulbul
49 Hairy-Backed Bulbul
50 Buff-Vented Bulbul
51 Yellow-Vented Bulbul
52 Olive-Winged Bulbul
53 Grey-Cheeked Bulbul
54 Red-Eyed Bulbul
55 Puff-Backed Bulbul
56 Common Iora
57 Green Iora
58 Rufous-Crowned Babbler
59 Abbott’s Babbler
60 Chestnut-Winged Babbler
61 Horsfield’s Babbler
62 Sooty-Capped Babbler
63 Black-Capped Babbler
64 Moustached Babbler, heard
65 Striped Tit-Babbler
66 White-Rumped Shama
67 Oriental Magpie Robin
68 Rufous-Winged Philentoma, 1 pair
69 Blue-Winged Leafbird
70 White-Bellied Yuhina
71 Grey-Headed Flycatcher
72 Black-Winged Flycatcher-Shrike
73 Common Tailorbird
74 Dark-Necked Tailorbird
75 Rufous-Tailed Tailorbird, heard
76 Ashy Tailorbird
77 Hill Myna
78 Little Spiderhunter
79 Brown-Throated Sunbird
80 Purple-naped Sunbird
81 Yellow-Vented Flowerpecker
82 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
83 Eurasian Tree-Sparrow
84 White-rumped Munia

Encounter with the Banded Pitta

We saw the Banded Pitta at 0937 hrs and it was totally silent and rather unresponsive. It didn't help that there were quite a lot of trekkers coming through. Unfortunately the bird was mostly blocked by vegetation.

Before the Pitta, we added 2 Crested Jays, 2 Black Magpies and an unidentified and silent cuckoo along the trail to tree number 13.

We went back to Park HQ side and saw a Black-backed KF and a Rufous Piculet at the bamboo stand 80m into the trail.

Kuala Trenggan should be quieter and better. I've just been told that the place that we saw the Banded Pitta is a known spot for that bird. So it should be worth trying for the bird on your next trip.

Here's the Crested Jay. In the field, it looks all black. With the pic, the wings turn out to be brown instead.

This birdy gave itself away with it's call. The male's a lot more shy.

Worth the trip across the other river.

Signature bird of Taman Negara.

Other birds:

Saw 6 of these (Common Barking Deer), plus a Sambar Deer on 1 night. The guides reported seeing a Tiger on one night while I was there! This one was seen during the day.

I think I was rather lucky to see the lesser mousedeer on 2 different days at 2 different locations. This one was feeding at the forest edge at the camping site.

Horse-tailed Squirrel

Saw this juvenile Brown Kukri Snake Oligodon purpurascens at the Bukit Teresek Trail, around 150m above sea level on hilly terrain. I think the snake was about 30cm long.

Danny has this to add

An unconfirmed bird was a suspected Gould's  Frogmouth seen twice in flight at night off Tahan Hide. It had relatively long brown tail (nightjars have spade tails and grey/black above), brown above and paler/buffy below (effect of our torchlight). 2nd sighting was response to GC's tapeback.