Petai Trail, Thomson Nature Park 05Mar22

From KH

It's back to Petai Trail with Danny, but still no pale-legged. Got Lesser Mousedeer!

Saw this Southeast Asian Softshell Turtle at the same spot again.

Male Crimson Sunbird caught an insect? spider?

Definitely not this Malayan Five Ring or this Telephone Sylvan.

Nor this handsome fungus beetle larva or this male Two-striped Telamonia.

Heard there was an Oriental Scops-Owl at Thomson Nature Park, so that was where we went next.

The mulberry fruits were attracting frugivores, such as this Olive-winged Bulbul and this female Orange-bellied Flowerpecker.

Mulberry is a term used for various species of trees which do not even belong to the same family. This one is Pipturus argenteus, sometimes called White Mulberry, confusing with Morus alba. It is sometimes called Australian Mulberry, confusing with Hedycarya angustifolia. I love the name False Stinger, as it's unique and the species doesn't sting despite being in the Nettle family (Family Urticaceae).

Thailand 15-21Feb13

From Con

One of the more interesting nature moments on my trip. I would like to share a snake encounter with you:

http://confoley.com/mousedeer-and-snake-encounter

Keeled Rat Snake

Here is my haul of new bird photos on the trip from Kaeng Krachan and Mae Wong. Some photos not too good but at least proof I saw the species. Got staggering views of the Tesia but bad photos.

Giant Barbet
Collared Babbler
White fronted Scops Owl
Great Iora
Slaty legged Crake
Streak breasted Woodpecker
Chinese Blue Flycatcher
Grey Peacock Pheasant
Rufous necked Partridge
White necked Laughingthrush
Rusty naped Pitta
Eye browed Wren Babbler
Slaty bellied Tesia

Lower Peirce 23-28Feb09

From GC on 23Feb09

Talked to a regular park goer and he said this bird (juvenile Black-backed Kingfisher) has been around Lower Peirce for 6 months already. He noticed that this bird is different from the usual blue ones and instead has black and red colours. He has been pointing out the bird to other regular park goers and they have been enjoying the company of this bird for 6 months.

The bird caught and ate 3 spiders - 1 fat, 1 medium and 1 small.

In time to come, these 'pins' would open and this juvenile would get its pretty cap.

This Malayan Brown Snake was seen at Lower Pierce this morning at 0827H.

From Danny on 26Feb09

Went to L. Peirce boardwalk this evening, the mousedeer was right at the Y junction behind the signboard, ten feet away from me for 5 min. before a jogger flushed it. The triangular brown breast patch with 2 white stripes on the 2 angular sides were distinct for Lesser Mousedeer!

Anyway, no sign of the SLC, birds seen were bathing 1 male Siberian Blue Robin, Chinese Flycatcher (back again, last seen more than a week ago), Short-tailed Babblers, GHFE (seen 1, heard 2 calling) and BBKF. When I left at 7.30 pm, the BBKF was perched right in the middle of the shallow valley on a small tree with lengthy palm like branches for at least 15 min, possibly roosting for the night.

Incidentally, both Mr & Mrs Alfred Chia were there before me followed later by Mark Chua

From Con on 28Feb09

Lesser Mouse Deer portraits from today, definitely not Greater Mouse Deer.

http://www.pbase.com/con_foley/image/109664753
http://www.pbase.com/con_foley/image/109664754

MacRitchie, Lower Peirce, Springleaf, CCK Cemeteries, Mandai 21Feb09

From KH

I went with Danny to MacRitchie hoping to catch the Bat Hawk before dawn, but the bird did not show. On the boardwalk, we saw a Grey Nightjar sallying for insects. It would fly off and then come back to the same branch for a few times before it finally decided to disappear for good. I read somewhere that Grey Nightjar likes to perch parallel to the branch.

A Brown Boobook as calling but did not show. Also calling but not showing were Abbott's Babblers and Short-tailed Babblers. Other noteworthy birds here were a female Siberian Blue Robin in the undergrowth and a Grey-rumped Treeswift flying high.

Tinfoil Barbs are native freshwater fish and they are abundant in the reservoir.

Then, it was time for breakfast. After that, we dropped by the Yellow Saraca at Lower Peirce for the Purple-throated Sunbird. Several photographers were waiting around the tree, but the birds were few and far between. While walking to the tree, I spotted a Common Snakehead in the reservoir. This is the most common species of snakehead you'll encounter in Singapore.

We went to the Lower Peirce boardwalk from 0930-1045 for the famous Lesser Mousedeer and got more than I bargained for. When we reached the stream, two photographers were already there and a stench was in the air. Not that the photogs stank though! They pointed out the two softshell turtles lying motionless at the edge of the reservoir. One of them was very dead and bloated, while the other although still alive did not look very well.

Asian Softshell Turtle (Amyda cartilaginea)

Another photog pointed out that there was another dead turtle behind and a Water Monitor was feeding on it.

Soon, another monitor appeared and we all thought it was going for the first dead turtle. However, to our surprise, it crawled pass the first two turtles and headed straight for the one behind! Was it trying to save the trouble of ripping open a 'fresh' carcass? And as you can see from the photo below, the turtle that is alive did not even attempt to hide its head. Something must apparently be wrong with the water condition here...

Back to the monitors. The first monitor was larger and it managed to chase the scheming opponent away. The photo below shows the first monitor strolling pass the two turtles back to its bounty.

Then I spotted the Lesser Mousedeer I came here for. It was interesting observing it moving stealthily in the undergrowth. It would take a few steps, stay still for a short while, and then repeat the sequence. Soon, all the photogs in the vicinity where congregating at the spot. Time to exit to a less crowded place. Our lovely mammal has a distinctive scar on it. Can you see it?

There was also an Orange-headed Thrush, an Arctic Warbler, a Japanese Sparrowhawk and a dark morph Changeable Hawk-eagle in the vicinity.

Recently, there was a Jerdon's Baza sighting at Springleaf, so we were off to the location. We did not see the Baza, but got this common bird - Pacific Swallow.

The next spot that the Jerdon's Baza had been encountered was Choa Chu Kang Cemeteries. We did not see the rare baza again, but we got the common one - Black Baza.

There were also the resident White-bellied Sea-eagles and Brahminy Kites.

A pair of Red-wattled Lapwings had took residence on an open grass patch. They allowed us to get close as long as we stayed in the car.

Here are some of the other birds seen at the cemeteries (clockwise from top left): Brown Shrike, Coppersmith Barbet, Paddyfield Pipit, male Little Bronze Cuckoo.

At about 1430, rain started to pour in the West and it was time to stop birding. On my way home, I passed by Orchidville and there was no rain here. So I decided to continue. To my surprise, a Forest Wagtail was perching on the railing right outside Orchidville.

Further down the road, two birds were making a lot of noise. It was a Black-naped Oriole whacking a male Asian Koel and the oriole actually took a feather off the koel! In the photo below, the black piece is the koel feather.

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.