Fraser's Hill 21-23May17

From Con

Just back from a few days in Fraser's Hill. This Red-headed Trogon (male) was very confiding, but he asked me not to reveal his location.

Here is a shot of a Rufous-browed Flycatcher. I can never resist these cuties. This fellow was down in a ravine singing his heart out. The light was very dim, I could barely see the bird, but the autofocus had no trouble picking him up.

Fraser's Hill 15-18Apr10

From KH

Once again, it's time for our annual migration to Fraser's Hill. 93 species were seen/heard this time, with a number of lifers. Sighting highlights are:

1) Streaked and Pygmy Wren-babblers, and Lesser Shortwings: didn't know they are roadside birds!
2) Male Hill Blue FC at Old Gap while leaving for home!
3) Grey-capped Woodpecker at Old Gap
4) Striated Swallows at Silver Park.
5) Dark Hawk-cuckoo at Silver Park and Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo at Old Gap
6) Raptors: Black Eagle, BHE, CHE and a Japanese Sparrowhawk.
7) Malayan Whistling Thrush heard behind guardhouse. Didn't know they call late in the afternoon too! Waited in the morning, heard but no show.
8) White-hooded Babbler, female Red-throated FC and Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler only seen by JS.
9) Juvenile Crake, possible Slaty-legged as the legs were not red.
10) An Otter jumped out of the undergrowth while we were engrossing with the Pygmy Wren-babbler. There was a stream in the undergrowth.

Male Red-headed Trogon

Black Eagle under harsh lighting, resulting in a "Rainbow Eagle"!

Impressed Tortoise. There's a crack in its shell, but it's well and alive.

From JS

Here's the list of birds seen/heard at Fraser's Hill (including Highway 55) from 15-18/4/10.

1. Hairy-backed Bulbul (2)
2. Red-eyed Bulbul (2)
3. Mountain Bulbul
4. Yellow-vented Bulbul (>5)
5. Ochraceous Bulbul (3)
6. Black-crested Bulbul
7. Malaysian Hawk-cuckoo (h)
8. Dark Hawk-cuckoo (1)
9. Drongo Cuckoo (1)
10. Indian Cuckoo (h)
11. Collared Owlet (h)
12. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo (1 nest located)
13. Bronzed Drongo (1 nest located)
14. Orange-bellied Leafbird
15. Blyth's Hawk-eagle (4)
16. Crested Serpent-eagle (2)
17. Black Eagle (2)
18. Japanese Sparrowhawk (1)
19. Large-billed Crow
20. Common Myna (1)
21. Javan Myna
22. House Swift
23. Glossy Swiftlet
24. Swiftlet
25. Silver-rumped Spinetail (2)
26. Pacific Swallow
27. Striated Swallow, badia (>15 seen at Silverpark Resort)
28. White-bellied Yuhina
29. Yellow-bellied Warbler
30. Rufous-crowned Babbler (h)
31. Grey-throated Babbler
32. White-hooded Babbler (1)
33. Golden Babbler
34. Buff-breasted Babbler (>5)
35. Black-browed Barbet (>5)
36. Streaked Wren-babbler (>7, 1 juvenile confirmed)
37. Pygmy Wren-babbler (2)
38. Eye-browed Wren-babbler (h)
39. Fire-tufted Barbet
40. Red-throated Barbet (1)
41. Brown Shrike (>3 Breeding)
42. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker
43. Black-eared Shrike-babbler
44. White-browed Shrike-babbler (>5)
45. White-throated Fantail
46. Large Scimitar-babbler (h)
47. Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler (1)
48. Mountain Tailorbird
49. Dark-necked Tailorbird (2)
50. Mountain Fulvetta
51. Black-throated Sunbird
52. Lesser Yellownape
53. Greater Yellownape
54. Lesser Shortwing (5, 2 wrayi male)
55. Long-tailed Sibia, wrayi
56. Little Cuckoo-dove, malayana
57. Emerald Dove (1)
58. Mountain Imperial-pigeon (>2)
59. Rufous-browed Flycatcher, malayana
60. Pale Blue Flycatcher, harterti? (1)
61. Verditer Flycatcher, thallasoides? (>3)
62. Red-throated Flycatcher (1 non-breeding/female)
63. Little Pied Flycatcher (>3)
64. Hill Blue Flycatcher (1 male)
65. Asian Paradise-flycatcher (3, 1 white morph  male)
66. Speckled Piculet (>4)
67. Spectacled Laughingthrush
68. Malayan Laughingthrush (>3)
69. Grey-breasted Spiderhunter (1)
70. Little Spiderhunter (1)
71. Streaked Spiderhunter
72. Magpie Robin
73. Javan Cuckooshrike (>9)
74. Lesser Cuckooshrike (1 male)
75. Black-and-crimson Oriole (>5)
76. Silver-eared Mesia
77. Crake (1), possibly Slaty-legged
78. Red-bearded Bee-eater (h)
79. Blue-throated Bee-eater (>25)
80. Grey-chinned Minivet
81. Blue Nuthatch (>7)
82. Large Niltava (4, 1 juvenile male seen)
83. Rusty-naped Pitta (h/s?)
84. Common Green Magpie (>3)
85. Red-headed Trogon (>4)
86. Long-tailed Broadbill (>3)
87. Sultan Tit (>6)
88. Everett White-eye (>10)
89. Blue-winged Minla (>3)
90. Ferruginous Partridge (h)
91. Slaty-backed Forktail (2)
92. Malayan Whistling-thrush (h)
93. White-tailed Robin (h)

Adult Streaked Wren-babblers. During this trip, we first encountered these birds along the road outside Bishop Trail and there was a family of 4-6 of them. We saw another few along Jalan Lady Guillemard. And then another two birds at Telecom Loop, again along the roadside.

Juvenile Streaked Wren-babbler - one of the family members outside Bishop Trail.

Another Wren-babbler, a Pygmy Wren-babbler. When KH first sighted it, he thought an egg was rolling on the road!

Male Lesser Shortwing. It makes a very musical tune and responds well to playback. However, it always remain in the undergrowth, making clear shots tough.

A family of three Speckled Piculets were found at the Old Gap. The juvenile is shown on the left, while the right shows an adult feeding the youngster.

Adult Dark Hawk-cuckoo. The photos below were taken on our first day right outside SilverPark. It made this distinctive ascending call that made it easy to identify. However, it still took some sharp eyes to locate it.

Now we have photographic confirmation of the existence of these hypothetical birds. This juvenile Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo was seen at the Old Gap. While the photo shows the front view, we had a good view of the back, showing the prominent white tertials.

The Japanese Sparrowhawk was seen at SilverPark, while we were shooting the Striated Swallows. It was flying very high up. Only sharp-eyed JS could've spotted it!

This bird is not even on the hypothetical list! It's a immature/female Red-throated Flycatcher. JS saw it flicking its tail.

This Black Eagle was sighted close to the Jeriau Waterfall carpark.

A House Swift in flight.

A female White-browed Shrike-babbler.

From Danny

Refer to the Striated Swallow below, notice the streaked throat, rufous rump and deep folk tail - only found at SilverPark ?

Mountain Imperial Pigeon at Telecom Loop. It perched there all the time until we lost interest.

Regarding the Crake:

After checking out on the possible crakes from Internet, I have ruled out the 1st winter banded-bellied, as the underpart bars are confined to the belly behind the legs, the bird we saw had extensive thick black bars. I tested out yellow lights (like my car headlights) on different color surfaces in the dark, red came out clearly but grey/blue/black tended to appear yellowish. The crake we seen had plain headsides and wings, no red on legs, ruling out red-legged crake. I am for 1st winter slaty-legged crake.

Fraser's Hill 11-13Jul08

From GC

Spent last weekend at Frasers. No Mountain Peacock Pheasant for me :-( There were other birders and one of them saw it on the Pine Tree Trail as he rounded a bend.

Only lifer was the family of Brown Wood Owls (2 chicks) at the army camp

and Bat Hawk at the Waterfall Car Park.

Hypothetical species in Morten Strange's Birds of Fraser's Hill - Red Junglefowl confirmed! A family seen. In the book, there are 2 checklists, one for species recorded there and one for species caught by mist netting only plus unconfirmed sightings. Red Junglefowl is in the hypothetical list. A family of them was seen on 13 July 08, around 7.30am, on the road near the rubbish dump. Being Junglefowls, they are unmistakeable, and they had grey legs. Driving down, rounding a bend, i saw 4 of them - a male, a female and 2 almost fully grown chicks, which looked somewhat like the female. The male went up bank into the forest on the left and the 3 others continued down the road. I stopped to get my camera ready and when i drove on slowly, they were not seen again.

Good views of a female White-browed Shrike-Babbler in the lower storey!

Good views of a female Red-headed Trogon. A pair seen on Bishop's Trail. Managed to get a pic of the female. This time, the female less shy than the male!

Good views of MWT.

Good views of Buff-breasted Babblers in a mist net! (University Malaya conducting mist netting).

Turned out to be a vertebrates trip!
1. Yellow-throated Marten - 2 cute furry fellas bounding about at the rubbish dump on 120708 around 1850h. Went to get camera and I just knew it, they were gone!
2. River Toad - on the road just up from Jeriau Waterfall car park on 110708 1950h.
3. Low's Squirrel - common i think.
4. Himalayan Striped Squirrel - common
5. Wild Boar - 3 seen on the road just below Jelai Resort 130708 pre-dawn.
6. White-thighed Surili - common
7. Butler's Wolf Snake caught by caretaker's husband at Richmond Bungalow. He released it into the forest. 110708 1442h.
8. Impressed Tortoise on the road leading up to Methodist House, 110708 1459h.
9. Twin-spotted (?) Tree Frog - pre dawn on 120708.
10. 2 small frogs seen separately, jumping on the last 1km of the waterfall road at night, but didn't stop to take photos.

A young Malayan Banded Wolf Snake (Lycodon subcinctus).

Another one from Fraser's Hill - Impressed Tortoise (Manouria impressa). This one was right on the road! I think it's a montane specialist. The ID features are the flattened carapace and pink nose.

A River Toad (Bufo asper) encountered at night, on the road near Jeriau Waterfalls.

I think this is a Low's Squirrel (Sundasciurus lowii), seems different from the Slender Squirrel.

Fraser's Hill 14-17Jun08

From Con

Danny and I went to Fraser's Hill from June 14-17th. Leaving at 5am on Saturday morning, we reached in time to catch the 11am window up the Old Road, had lunch across from the Police Station, checked into Jelai and were out birding by 12:30pm!

First went to Hemmant Trail to check out the partridge and others. No partridge, but did see a nice Lesser Yellownape.

Next to Jln Air Terjun to check out the broadbill, nest didn't look active. Back to Jln Mager, which was quite productive. Spent much time trying to lure out a Lesser Shortwing and Pygmy Wren Babbler, saw both but no photo. Saw Blue Nuthatch and a bunch of Grey-chinned Minivets. Dinner across from the Police Station and early to sleep as it was a long day.

Sunday awoke early skipping Jelai breakfast and stationed ourselves at the Malayan Whistling Thrush site, to be joined shortly by CT Tan & his wife Cindy. Saw a dark shadow fly quickly across the road at about 6:45am. Danny saw the fellow near the flower pots!

Next to Bishop Trail for the partridge & scimitar babbler. Went down about 200 meters and sat in chair hide for about an hour. Heard what must have been the Malaysian Partridge (Arborophila campbelli), but no sound on Scharringa or http://www.birdinginmalaysia.com/ to confirm. On OBI this is called Campbell's Hill Partridge. Danny saw the back side of a Large Scimitar Babbler.

Next to Pine Tree trail hiking in about 500 meters looking for Mtn Peacock Pheasant, sat in chair hide for 30 minutes, saw nothing, left. Back to Hemmant, ran into Mr. Tee who showed us a Mtn Fulvetta nest. CT Tan turned up and was going down the New Road until the landslide area. We followed. Saw two Blyth's Hawk Eagles flying together, one larger, perhaps male / female or adult / juvenile pair. Saw flocks of White-rumped Munia & Everett's White-eye. Saw the landslide worksite, a really huge landslide and very big project to repair, at least another year. Back to town for lunch at the temporary site for Malay stalls as the town centre is being upgraded.

After lunch went to check out Jln Mager, Jln Richmond and the road to Methodist bungalow. Usual birds, including Rufous-browed Flycatcher.

Later went to Telecom Loop. Large flock of Golden Babblers, perhaps more than 10 birds, first time seen such a large group! Came across a figging tree opposite Buena Vista that was raided by 10-20 barbets, mainly Black-browed and Fire-tufted. Never seen so many barbets in one place before!

Circled Telecom Loop and back to stay for the White-bellied Swiftlet roosting. Finally all swiftlets came to roost by 7:45pm, quite a phenomenon of nature. After dinner then to see the Brown Wood Owl at Jelai, but a no-show.

Monday morning, another cup of noodles, and early to the Malayan Whistling Thrush site. This time saw and photographed (poorly) the fellow near the flower pots. Heard it's call clearly. Next over to Bishop Trail, zero, no call, no significant sightings. Back to Hemmant Trail, saw the Mtn Fulvetta nesting.

Next the first Trogon of a hat trick on Trogon day. I think this one is a juvenile female, as the eye hasn't turned dull reddish yet, still brownish. And, the feather coloration seems not yet adult.

Next drove down Jln Air Terjun, saw a magnificent Orange-breasted Trogon (male) who was quite obliging.

And couple of forktails on the way back up. Back to the Malay stalls for lunch and a rain break. Afterwards to Telecom Loop, and saw two Red-headed Trogons, both males, fighting! Here's one of them.

Back to the figging tree and some more views of the barbets. After dinner to the Brown Wood Owl site, saw two owls around 9:30pm, but no photos.

Tuesday morning, cup-of-noodles. Malayian Whistling Thrush site, great views, still poor pictures. Hemmant Trail, zero. Telecom Loop, saw a Magpie Robin beating a poor worm to death! Onto High Pines, and the Pine Tree trail for me. Flushed two birds about 1km in on the Pine Tree trail, which by there size and coloration should be the Malaysian Partridge. I took photos of the moss covered fallen trees. Danny saw a nesting Pied Flycatcher.

Back to Jelai to shower & checkout. Down the Old Road just after 12noon, going slowly, saw a female Red-headed Trogon and forktails. Reached the Gap followed closely by the "chase car" at 12:55pm. Went via Raub and saw the landslide that came all the way down from the New Road, causing extensive damage to the road still under repair but open. Drove back to Singapore reaching home by 8:00pm.

1 Black Eagle
2 Blyth's Hawk Eagle
3 Malayan Partridge
4 Mtn Imperial Pigeon (heard only)
5 Little Cuckoo Dove
6 Green-billed Malkoha
7 Brown Wood Owl
8 White-bellied Swiftlet
9 House Swift
10 Orange-breasted Trogon
11 Red-headed Trogon
12 Fire-tufted Barbet
13 Black Browed Barbet
14 Greater Yellownape
15 Lesser Yellownape
16 Long-tailed Broadbill
17 Pacific Swallow
18 Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike
19 Malayan Cuckoo Shrike
20 Grey-chined Minivet
21 Orange-bellied Leafbird
22 Mtn. Bulbul
23 Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo
24 Black-and-crimson Oriole
25 Large billed Crow (heard only)
26 Sultan Tit
27 Blue Nuthatch
28 Large Scimitar Babbler
29 Pygmy Wren Babbler
30 Golden Babbler
31 Grey-throated Babbler
32 Stripted Tit Babbler
33 Chesnut-capped Laughingthrush
34 Chesnut-crowned Laughingthrush
35 Silver eared Mesia
36 Blue-winged Minla
37 Mtn. Fulveta
38 Long-tailed Sibia
39 Lesser Shortwing
40 Oriental Magpie Robin
41 Slaty-backed Forktail
42 Malayan Whistling Thrush
43 Yellow-bellied Warbler
44 Mtn. Tailorbird
45 Verditer Flycatcher
46 Rufous-browed Flycatcher
47 Little Pied Flycatcher
48 Large Niltava
49 Grey-headed Flycatcher
50 White-throated Fantail
51 Black throated Sunbird
52 Streaked Spiderhunter
53 Buff-bellied Flowerpecker
54 Everett's White-eye
55 White-rumped Munia
56 Black-crested Bulbul

Photos from Danny

Attached Barbets' pics taken during the trip. The FT Barbet is a beautiful bird, unfortunately couldn't get a clear shot.

Black-browed Barbet

Fire-tufted Barbet

Attached is a pic of the Little Pied Flycatcher. The nest was part of the typical dangling debris from a Causaurina look alike tree in the compund of the Pines Bungalow. Due to its height (about 30 ft hi) could only manage an angled shot of the female in the nest with the male within close vicinity. There was a chick inside with the shorter, smaller tail visible in the pic and the frequent feeding trips by the female. The male did take a peek but not involved in feeding.

The Mountain Fulvetta nest is pretty low, about 4 ft above ground in the midst of a low road side bush. Manage to take on overview of the nest and the 2 chicks. Adult flew in while my camera was over the nest, unbelievably it didn't care of my camera and continue to feed the chicks.

As Con put it, very obliging Orange-breasted Trogon - NPS should give it an award.

Here's a Malayan Whistling Thrush taken previously by GC.