Birding At Taman Negara

My Birding Trip to Taman Negara - 1st of May till 4th of May

Taman Negara (National Park) is a total protected area of the oldest tropical pristine lowland forest left in Peninsular Malaysia. It area is 4,343 sq km, it encompasses 3 states Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. This would allow visitors to choose their entry point to this 130 million years old tropical forest. There are 2 entries point from Pahang (Kuala Tahan, Merapoh). From Trengganu is Tasik Kenyir. If you want to access from Kelantan you can use Kuala Koh.

Taman Negara is a well known destination for jungle trekking, scale up gunung tahan the highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia (2,187meters), wildlife watching, bird watching, guided nature walks, caving as well as nature photography. There are some looking forward for a challenging water sport can enjoy the white water rafting at certain areas here.

The nearest entry point to this national from Kuala Lumpur is from Kuala Tahan. Is is about 370++ KM from Ampang.

How to go to Kuala Tahan from Kuala Lumpur

Direct land transfer by self-drive. from Ampang use middle ring road (MRR2) pass Zoo Negara, follow the sign to Kuantan/Genting Highland. This would leads you to Gombak Toll and then to the Karak Highway. Use the New Pantai Timur Highway continue and follow the direction to Taman Negara, exit at 819 and head to Jerantut. Need not to turn into Jerantut town unless you need petrol/diesel refill, continue the journey with the signboard to Taman Negara. Look out for the sawmill at the traffic light, turn left beside this traffic light and travel on from this junction for 56km to the end of the road to Kampung Kuala Tahan. This last stretch of the roads be careful of some domestic cows may block the road. The journey from Balakong is about a leisurely drive of 4 hours with one toilet stop.
By Public Bus.
From KL Crowne Plaza Mutiara and Hotel Istana you can book your package NKS Travel (www.taman-negara-nks.com). You can ask for land transfer if you wish not to continue part of your journey by boat.

Part of the Journey by Boat transfer
From Jerantut head to the jetty of Kuala Tembeling transfer to Kuala Tahan. The journey by boat is about 2.5 hrs.
By Rail Train services are available from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The train passes Kuala Tembeling, from Kuala Tembeling, there is a half-hour walk to the jetty.

Choices of Accommodation

http://www.tamannegara.org/pg_tmn/pg1_1_accomondation.php

WEF from March the 2 fan chalet that can each fit 3 pax used to be able to book from Teresek View Motel can only be book from Jefry at 019-9640101/017-9169616.

If staying at Kampung Kuala Tahan to get to Taman Negara you need to take the short boat ride at RM1 per trip. You can negotiate for a to and fro trip for RM1.50. If you have this arrangement then you need to board the boat operate by the same company to and fro.

Park Fees
Regarding Park fees, Malaysia National Park fees is super cheap. The fees are charge for the whole duration of your visit. Every visitor needs to register at the Perhilitan Office (Wildlife Dept) near the Mutiara Resort restaurant. Fees are charge as below, this rates also apply for foreigners and child.

Entry permit - RM 1.00 per person

Camera licence - RM 5.00 per camera

Fishing license - RM 10.00 per fishing rod

Camping Fee - RM 2.00 per person

Canopy Walk -RM 5.00 per person

Do you need to hire guide? Guide is a must to hire if you want to scale up Gunung Tahan. The trails around the national park are well mark, it would be advisable not to stray away from the trails if you did not hire any guide. If you wish to have your trips arrange professionally and being guided by a bird-watching guide that can transfer you from KLIA, International airport up to here, do contact them before hand. There are few of the well-know bird guides in Malaysia.

For more information about Taman Negara, Kuala Tahan click on http://malaysiaupclose.wordpress.com/category/map-taman-negara/

Rules to observe in National Park
Observe all the rules of the National Park. Leave nothing, take nothing except photographs. Do not have any action that would harm any wildlife. Music and guitars are not allow cause this would cause an nuisance to others and the wildlife. Do not feed the wildlife. It is very important to ensure to do not litters anywhere. Dispose rubbish in the proper rubbish bin. Every visitors need to be enviromentally responsible because minor changes could have alter the eco-system. During this time of visit as I spent more times at the camp site I notice a wild boar even pick up a plastic bag to eat... Hei whoever you are this plastic bag that you litter could have unintentionally cause this wildboar to have stomach-ache. Me and few friends did try to stop it from eating that plastic bag but we fail to do so.. :-(

My Trip Reports

Teammates: Rafi, Angela, Aun Tiah, KT Chin, Mary, Mowsum, Mam, Kim

1/5/2008
After having a assumption breakfast at the Royal Selangor Golf Club courtesy by Kim. We started at journey at 8:30am from Ampang. I pack the two ladies (Kim, Mam) into my small kenari. I drive very slow in my small little car. It was a leisure drive that takes us 4 hrs. Most of the road the highest road speed limit is 80/90 KM. I observed this traffic rules as this road speed limit is meant to ensure a safety journey and as well as will ensure that I will not have saman (traffic ticket for breaking laws).

At about 12:30 noon we found our way to Teresek View Motel where I pre-booked our accomodation. Along the way I keep received phone calls reporting to me some problems happen in office that required some assistant/advise from me. It sound like I'm an very important person.. but that is life for being a system and database administrators.

From outside this pink building looks quite decent but personally I found it's room it very small. It looks like we can't complain much cause all the rest of budget accommodation are full during this peak weekends. They offer air-condition (RM90), non air-con room (RM70) inclusive of breakfast. They also offer Dorm RM10 per bed exclude breakfast. Their breakfast menu is 1 egg, 2 pieces of bread, 1 cup of tea/coffee. I share a non-aircon room with Mam and Mary. We order an extra mattress but that extra mattress cannot fit into that room.. Our friend Mam with her brilliant ideas of combining that 2 single 3 1/2 feet wide bed we 3 ladies share that big bed. The non-air con rooms are on the 1st floor. The traffic noise of local boys zooming down to the Internet cafe at night for hang-out is quite a task to bear. Well we able to make do for 3 nights.

This is one type of accommodations at the Mutiara Resort. During this trip I found that if you want a comfortable and luxury holiday and wish not to pay Mutiara resort kind of rates, you can opt to stay at Woodlands or Rainforest Resort. Woodlands are a much more newer accommodation across the river.At about 3:30pm after register ourselves and settle our park and camera fees at the Perhilitan Office. We all opt to start our trip at the most favourable trail by birders - The Swamp Loop. The previous visit I do recall sighted the Crested Partridge. Birding at this most promising low-land forest require patience, less noise and as well as recognise their calls. Rafi packed along collections of our Malaysia birds in a mp3 player. This serve as a additional field guide to confirm the sightings. During April till June is our resident birds entering to their courtship and mating session, our resident birds are more vocal. At this trail we heard and saw Oriental Magpie Robin, Spectacled Bulbul (H), Banded Woodpecker (H), Raffle's Malkoha - female, Crimson Winged Woodpecker, Abbot's Babler, Black-Thighed Falconet, Brown Fulvetta (H), Banded Broadbill(H), Black and Red Broadbill, Grey-Checked Bulbul, Indian Cuckoo (H), Crested Fireback at least of 2 female 1 male and 1 male and 1 female. Yellow Bellied Prinia (H) - (near the green peafowl programme). Our bonus is we heard of the present of the Giant Pitta.

As I have in mind to aim for this trip at least I'm able to take some decent photos of the Crested Fireback, I walked to the camp site before the sunset to wait for them. I was relieved to noticed that there are no campers this would allow us the chances to see this ground birds more.. At about 6:05pm I notice the forest trail have some movements, OOOOh....oooh Kim the "Chicken" have arrived. Lets wait for them to come out cause this species is very hard to see in other patch of low-land forest back home. They need pristine forest for their survival. At about 6:15pm as there are only two of us at this campsite this flocks of Crested Fireback at least about 10 pair, we can safely said that there are about 19 of them came out foraging at the open fields. I was busy try all the mode to capture it's picture... Aaaarh why not clear woh ... Yuck... my camera could not capture the bird's colour.. I tried alot of setting until I finally got them right.. I don't own a flash therefore these are all lucky shots. As the lightings are getting lower I hold up my binoculars to observe them how they feeds and move. Wooow.. they are gorgeous... We notice that this flocks of Crested Fireback with more female then male bird (they are polygnous) seems to opt for some branches at this campsite to roost for the night.

This is the female bird looks like
This is a different Individual, which it's plumage is not as vibrant as the above male which I suspect it is the Harem.
Some Male bird would not be very far from the female bird. ... Hmm...very protective being.
Here me and Kim sighted and heard Chestnut Breasted Malkoha, Oriental Magpie Robin, White Rumped Shama, White Crowned Forktail, Plantive Cuckoo, Black and Yellow Broadbill.

OOOOh...oooh time pass so fast now is 6:30pm already... Kim let's walk back to the jetty as the others may be waiting for us. It was a very satisfactory session as managed to know the presence of the Giant Pitta, based on it's call this bird present is very near to me.. Being a shy bird as we human approached they would be even further away from us. Able to takes some good decent photographs of Crested Fireback, I'm all ready to called it a day.

For dinner we went to Tembeling River View to look for Cik Rosnah. As we drop in as an unexpected customers she is quite reluctant to cook for us.. I keep assure her that we whom she is quite use to her style of cooking we mind not what is being served on the table. A few of us who have been staying at her accomodations before whenever we are at Taman Negara we seems to pay her a visit like meeting a old friend. Her cooking is very much prefer by our groups. After a satisfaction meal we told her that we are coming back again tomorrow night. This meal is so much better than what we have at Teresek View where my plate of fried rice is super salty.

2/5/2008
After breakfast we takes the boat to cross the river to get to Taman Negara. As the lightings in the trail is quite low yet we concentrate at the Campsite. Here we heard and sighted Moustached Babbler, Buff-Vented Bulbul,Streaked Bulbul, Blue Throated Bee Eater, Greated Racket Tailed Drongo, Grey-Cheeked Bulbul,Grey Bellied Bulbul, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Blue-Rumped Hanging Parrot (male , female), Plantive Cuckoo, Rufous Tailed Tailorbird, Dark-Necked Tailorbird, Spectacled Bulbul, Crested Serpent Eagle, Brown Barbet, Black-Headed Bulbul, Tiger Shrike,Hairy-Backed Bulbul, Abbot's Babbler, Banded Pitta (H), a Blue Flycatcher spp (H), Indian Cuckoo (H), Large Billed Crow.



Some of them trek into Lubuk Simpon, a few of them sighted the Great Argus Male. The female bird was being sighted by an UK birders couple an hour later.
I trek into Lubuk Simpon quite late my sightings are only Little Spiderhunter and Black-Capped Babbler.

I received an SMS from Kim that they have found a fruiting trees that attracted alot of birds near the Mutiara Resort's Hostel. There are basically 2 main species that fly in and out to feed on this trees (Bulbul and Barbet).
Here we sighted Blue-Eared Barbet, Red-Throated Barbet, Gold Whiskered Barbet, Red-Crowned Barbet, Yellow-Vented Flowerpecker, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Red Eyed Bulbul, Spectacled Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Yellow Vented Bulbul, Scally Breasted Bulbul, Grey Bellied Bulbul.



OOOH no I'm too hungry I have to take a lunch break. We head off across to the floating restaurant Liana to have a simple meal. After that a few of us head back to the National Park. Me, Mam, KT Chin, Mary and Kim aim for the Swamp Loop. We have Pond Heron, Black Naped Monarch, . At some scrubs near to the board walk I spotted a few Crested Fireback. I told them to freeze and look out.. 3 of us stand there with no noise and less movements. I do recall Mam was very excited to have this spp as her lifers. As this birds stand on the rock near the board walk she keeps whisper and repeating the statement.. JUMP... jump... jump... come on jump up to the board walk.... It comes to materialised...

As the time is approaching 6pm the lighting inside the trail is getting dimmer and dimmer, we went back to the campsite we waited but today the flock of Crested Fireback decided to have another place to roost.. We then called it a day.

Mam whisper to him JUMP.. Jump... come on do it... JUmp...
3/5/2008
Great thanks to Aun Tiah for he sacrificed his half day birding yesterday to help us to booked a boat ride to Yong and Blau hide. The night before it rained heavily. OOOh no leeches are very active. A few of them decided to dashed through run to the nearest hide to avoid leeches. A few of us choose the other way. We heard a lot of birds call rather than able to sight them. Anyway today the weather is not very fine.. it has indication that it would pours again.. Here we heard and saw Chestnut Winged Babbler (nesting), Puff-Throated Bulbul (my lifer), Great Hornbill, Black Magpie, Little Spiderhunter, Ferruginous Babbler, Rufous Tailed Tailorbird, Black Throated Babbler (H), Yellow Bellied Bulbul, Black Hornbill (H), Indian Cuckoo (H), Brown Fulvetta (H), Sooty-Capped Babbler (H), Striped Tit Babbler, Drongo Cuckoo (H), Grey Cheeked Bulbul, Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, Scarlet Rumped Trogon. Today seems to be one of my lucky day cause at 9:40am I, Angela and Mary managed to have a good look at the Male Banded Pitta. As I walked to catch up with the others at about 2++pm at the "T" junction between Blau and Yong Hide, I bump into a ground bird .. I know that ground bird are very shy I quickly hold up my binoculars and scan thru.. I noticed that it's does not have the vibrant colours like the Crested Fireback, this bird have 2 colours on it's face, it's tail is not long, it is not a fat bird to be a partridge, It has some hair sticking in dark blue that my brain quickly match it to a peafowl looking head... I have a feeling that I met a Malayan Peacock Pheasant... Another lifer... Anyway I very lucky so far up to now I yet to photographs anything yet today but I have LIFERs...

As it rain basically quite sometimes the leeches are very active. As I trek out some drop into my neck, my tripod, my camera, my shoes, my arm, my neck, my face. I have a few bites. Hide tide is about to cover all the stairs at the jetty, this indeed worry us. Haiyoh when is this boatmen comming to pick us up? How are we getting into the boat as the sky is about to pours again. Finaly he turn up in the brim of time before it rain, as we all safely get into the boat it rain. Thank you GOD..

As we walked back to our accomodation after a brief meal at Liana Restaurant. We sighted a Greater Coucal, Stork-Billed Kingfisher.
As today we finish off the day quite early, as the sun have not set me and Mam walked to Durian Chalet as I wish to checked out it's accomodation. On the way we sighted Blue Throated Bee Eater, White Breasted Waterhen, Chestnut Winged Babbler, Peaceful Dove, White Rumped Shama, Oriental Magpie Robin.

After dinner from Tembeling River View's kitchen a few of takes a night walk to the Woodlands to check out it's accomodations. I noticed that even it's is a posh hotel at the apposite side of Mutiara Resort. Their rates is much more lower than the mutiara resort.

Later a few of us walk over to Durian Chalet after that and we heard the presence of a Large Tailed Nightjar at Tahan Guest house. I told them that I'm very sure of that cause Large Tailed Nightjar is one of my neighbourhood back home.

4/5/2008
Today is the last day as we know that the trails are quite soggy and the leeches are very active. I decided to collect data on what spp comes to feeds on this fruiting trees.

We have Green Broadbill, Hairy Backed Bulbul, Gold Whiskered Bulbul, Grey Bellied Bulbul, Spectacled Bulbul, Black and Red Broadbill, Ashy Bulbul, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Gold Whiskered Bulbul, Scally Breasted Bulbul, Yellow Vented Bulbul, Red Eyed Bulbul








As we noticed basically are those spp that comes by, we then walked a little further where we noticed a fruiting tree flowering. Here we noticed Grey Breasted Spiderhunter, Orange Bellied Flowerpecker.

As we head back to campsite on the way we notice some Blue Winged Leafbird.

At the camp site we have Straw Headed Bulbul, Black and Red Broadbill, Scally Crowned Babbler, Rufous Crowned Babbler, Banded Woodpecker (male, female), Streaked Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Banded Pitta (H), White Crowned Forktail (fly pass).

At about 11:30pm me, Kim and Mam head back to our accomodation to check out and here we end our Taman Negara Trip. We would be heading to Kim's Nephew to stay a night at his hse to shorten up our journey to Bukit Rengit as we want to show our friend Mam our low-land forest Trogon.



All I can conclude that compare to all of the low-land forest that I have visited the wildlife and birdlife in Taman Negara is indeed more better. It is indeed a must place to visit for low-land forest birding.





Others Wildlife that we encountered in this trip.
Long-Tailed Macque, Giant Squirrel, Wild boar, some small squirrels spp and a Sambar Deer.

Tg Tuan,Port Dickson For Raptors Watch

Bid A Good Farewell to the Migrating Raptors 9/3-11/3, 21/3-23/3

Tanjung Tuan located in the border of melaka and negeri sembilan (10mins away from Port Dickson) . It faces Pulau Rupat, Sumatra both of this land are being separate by the straits of melaka. Straits of melaka is one of the busiest passage way for the ship. Beside this Tanjung Tuan is being charted as one of the Malaysia Important Bird Area for migratory raptors. Beside Raptors here we managed to observed the Bee-eater and the Fork-Tailed Swift also doing their migratory at the same time. During winter migration that is from November -December if you are standing near the light house you would notice thousand of raptors makes a bee lines across Straits of Melaka to Sumatra, Indonesia. For spring migrations that is from Feb till April you can witness thousand of raptors fly pass from Tg Rupat, Sumatra, Indonesia. These Raptors are making their way back to their breeding ground (Korea, Japan, Siberia, India, China) during spring migration. It is indeed an amazing Natural Phenomena to witness. On some days when these magnificent birds soaring low where it allow you to have a good view of all of their markings on their feathers. To minimize the effort and conserve energy this raptors would make use of the thermal to soar. Eagle/Raptor as they soars with it's magnificent wingspan beneath the wings up above the sky is indeed a beautiful sight. The Bible talks alot of them and God always ask us to look at the Eagle/Raptors to learn something from them. I particularly like

Isaiah 40:31 "BUT THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD WILL FIND NEW STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES. THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY. THEY WILL WALK AND NOT FAINT"

To raise awareness of the raptors and their habitat Raptor watch is an event called Raptor Watch is being organised by Malaysian Nature Society in partnership with the Melaka State Government. This event is normally held in the second weekend of march to allow peoples to witness the Spring migration of the Raptors. During Raptor Watch Weekend this fest is normally held at Ilham Resort's ground, there would be something for everyone - the birders, naturalist, photographers well as the city slicker to keep one occupy while waiting to the raptors to fly pass.

Migrating birds on migration patterns are being observe by a lot of birdwatchers and ornithologist by other parts of the world. Raptors counting is one of the way we would able to know it's migration patterns, it's populations and it's fly path. Amateur birders would choose their site and observations would be carry out on how many in numbers breakdown into species, sexes if possible, age of the birds, how many fly pass. Extra data like weather condition , humidity level, wind velocity, visibility level, % of area cover with clouds are being taken on an hourly basis as well at the number of raptors in the hourly interval are being census. This data would then be compile to observe what is the peak time of the day, and date of their migratory, should the weather condition affected them. This data may even be share out with the other raptor bird migratory counting partners of the other part of the world to have a much more comprehensive study. From the compilation of this would enable us know how long it's their flyway, populations of them, should this raptors need conservation eg breeding in captivities to ensure that they would not extinct and disappear completely from earth- eg passage pigeon and dodol bird.

During this raptors counting I managed to met up with Asokawar San. He is from Japan. He has been participant in raptors counting back in his hometown. Due to his job posting at Singapore recently, he makes it an effort to drive all the way from Singapore to Tg Tuan to witness this phenomena. He wish to find out should this raptors have the same migrating patterns like in Japan. This Japanese birder as he observe if chances allow he would takes the opportunities to takes the raptors picture with his DSLR couple with a 800mm lens. Japanese birders are well civil minded in which I noticed- eg he even have a small pouch where he would keep his cigarettes ashes.. He would not allow even the cigarette ashes litter on the ground. This is something that we malaysian nature lovers should learn from them.. Me and a few raptors counter are privilege to have the chance to talks to him and he show us all the raptors migrating books that pack along.. Waaaah... it even have the map of the raptors migrating path ---2 pathway which I recall.. Have request him to talks to the authors to get those book translate in English, cause those books are in Japanese.

While waiting for the raptors to cross by. I spotted this groups of Spectacled Leaf Monkey.

Yeh!!! finally at about noon the raptors start cross the straits of melaka. They looks like war jet plane ? I have fun taking census of them.. one... two... three... four.. .... thirteen... ...and I still clicking on the counter... come one.. fly... fly... pass ok... sixteen... and I still clicking.. Bye.. Bye Good and Safe Journey..

Yup you are mounted high soaring...

Sometime they need to flap

This is one of the individual, WOOOw such a magnificent bird.

This is another individual.

OOPs I notice that you have torn feathers.. Well ok I understand migrating is a hard job..

This is another one..

Notice some individual even open their beak grasp for air to relieve their tiredness.. Below is a juvenile bird.

This is the dark morph... Well even the same name Oriental Honey Buzzard but yet the have different feathers pattern.

OOOH ... poor fellar how you can maneuver cause your tail feather are indeed gone through so much tear and wears.

To find out more on raptor watch click on http://www.raptorwatch.org/about.htm

During this year raptors counting I and a few friends managed to witness 3 Juvenile Frigatebird on flights.

I received this information from the bird group co-ordinator.

The numbers are 35,662 raptors counted this year

32,045 OHB's

2,887 Black Baza

Last year's we census 26,407 raptors with 24,407 OHB's.

We had the following 8 species identified this year

Oriental Honey Buzzard

Black Baza

Chinese Goshawk

Grey-faced Buzzard

Japanese Sparrowhawk

Peregrine Falcon

Greater Spotted Eagle

Osprey

How to go to this site.

Highway from North (Ipoh / Kuala Lumpur) / South (Singapore / Melaka) Take the North-South Highway (PLUS Highway) heading towards Seremban. Exit at Port Dickson toll turn right at the traffic lights after the toll. From here you will pass thru several traffic lights before entering the Port Dickson highway. After the final toll you will come to a T-Junction with traffic lights where you are to go straight till you come to a roundabout with a very tall apartment/hotel block (PD World Marina Resort) behind it. At this roundabout, take the 9 o’clock turn and head down the trunk road. You will pass a Chinese temple on your left and the entrance of PD World Marina Resorts on your right. Keep driving on this trunk road until you see the Gouman Resort entrance and a golf course on your right and a sign for Hutan Simpanan Tanjung Tuan (Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve) sign on your left. · Go slowly (it is the 2nd right turn from Guoman Resort) until you see the sign to Rachardo Army Camp and several hotel signboards on the corner. It is a small road lined with trees. Take the right turn into this smaller road and head straight to the end, past the Federal bungalows and Casa Rachardo. At the end of the road you will come to PNB Ilham Resort and the entrance to the Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve. The event would be at Ilham Resort's field.

See you there next year. Comes and Bid good Journey to this magnificient birds.

Hutan Lipur Sg Perdik - 8/3/2008

8/3/2008 A Short Visit to one of my local patch

Hutan Lipur Sg Perdik should be about 40mins drive from my house at Tmn Bukit Emas, Balakong. This morning due it is our 12th Voting day of Malaysia, there seems to be a lot of heavy flow of cars along Jln Hulu Langat. This long scenic road seems to be very busy with cars and peoples as they head to their voting station. Today we can exercise our rights as an malaysian to vote for who would be majority ruling parties for the next 5 years. As I intend to only drop into my voting station at Tmn Muda, Cheras in the afternoon, therefore I takes this opportunities to visit Hutan Lipur Perdik. I know that today I would be all alone with the birds cause everyone would be busy with "Pilihanraya". I noticed I seems to follow a white kancil with the blue logo of our Police from one part of the journey. I have in mind surely this car would turn off somewhere.. but I seems to follow it all the way even up to my destination. As I parked my car I was greeted by this police in uniform. We exchange some greetings and I told him that I'm having my bird-watching session here all alone today. He told me that he is the officer in charge of this area and Hutan Lipur Perdik is one of his coverage areas. As we carried out the conversation he seems to know some of our the low-land forest birds. I also told him that this place I used to frequent cause it is quite near to my house. He gave me his contact no - 012-2526930, he told me that if in any trouble I can contact him. His name is Haaini.

The 1st bird that I saw was a Maroon-Breasted Philentoma perched very high. The sound of a woodpeckers knocking on a hole keeps echo in the forest, it seems to very near to where I stand. I keeps search from where the sound originate from. OOK.. way up on this particular tree where I stand I saw two Crimson -Winged Woodpecker. The one with submoustachial stripe (Male) keeps hitting very hard on the tree bark, the female bird just hang very near to him. That was 10am that I noticed them. Their position is somewhat like what Uncle Kong found them

http://wondersf.multiply.com/photos/album/159#12

The Male bird keeps knocking his beak occasionally it would calls. Have you wonder how long he is being doing this.? I was shocked at 11am he still knocking on the same hole.. At 12 noon he is still knocking. After 10:30am I seems not to notice the female bird but he keeps continue it's job ritually. At 11:58 he is still working on the same hole, then I realised that at about 12noon, he seems to takes it's flight inside the forest.. At 12:15 he is back on his job and he keeps knocking on the same hole. I left this place at about 1:15pm he is still very knocking on the same hole.. Well woodpecker their brain have a special cushion absorber to protect them to have head-ache.

With the Mr Crimson-Winged accompany me. I keeps walk up and down, hopes to have in mind to be able to see a Green Broadbill and any good quality birds. The Black-Headed Bulbul came in I just raise my binoculars and have a few glimpse on them. As I about to walked back into the forest I saw a red small figure perched... AAAARhhh.. that is what I been waiting for, the last time I saw 2 of this small dwarf size kingfisher at this place is at least 4 yrs ago. This Rufous Backed Kingfisher seems to be have chosen a very secure perched overlooking at the small stream below it. There is only a a very small angle that I can peep at it. Due to today I am the only human being around this bird seems to have a great confidence on me. I have a great wonderful time observing it..

I venture into the 1st bridge inside the forest bearing some hopeful thoughts that I can met up with the rufous-chested flycatcher, rufous piculet or some other good quality birds. As I stand near the wakaf I saw a very big brown bird fly in and perched.. without a pair of binoculars I'm having in mind that would be a sparrowhawk. This bird is in Sparrowhawk size and scan it with binoculars It have the features of a Cuckoo. I took a few insurance shots from where I stand. I try to approached the bird at a much nearer distance to have a better view but unfortunately this bird does not allow me to. As I'm more prone to look at bird thru my pair of binoculars first before taking it's photo, I do recall very vividly that this bird have a white ring arount it's colour and this bird does not permit me to look at it's frontal view therefore I could not determined how it is marking.. Looking at the jiz of the bird .. I have a feeling that this is a Large Hawk Cuckoo.