First Overseas Trip, Birding in Fraser Hill Part 2

Fraser Hill Part 2

13th June morning,

     We woke up early and headed down to a food court near Hillview where they served fried rice, chicken nuggets, nasi lemak and other foods. After a good breakfast, it was 7am. We proceeded to the junction near Bishop Trail and just as we stepped out of the car, Weng Chun spotted a vibrant Red-Headed Trogon slowly hunting and moving up the trail. Unfortunately we were unable to find the Slaty-backed Forktail

                    

                    

Red Headed Trogon(male)

                                                    

        At the junction we heard a calling Sunda Cuckoo but failed to locate it. My parents spotted two spotted Lesser Racket Tailed Drongos. A pair of Mountain Bulbuls made an appearance high up in a tree while a Buff Breasted Babbler called. Soon after, the female trogon made its appearance!

                                  

Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongo

                                 

Mountain Bulbul

Red-Headed Trogon(female)

         We then headed to the exit of Bishop trail where we saw aa brief appearance of Gray Throated Babblers which unfortunately was our only encounter. Overlooking the aftermath of a landslide, a Common Green Magpie gave obscured views while calling and a flock of fulvettas passed by.  A flock of 4 Mountain Imperial Pigeon also made a quick fly-by. Surprisingly, our only encounter with this supposedly common species. 

Common Green Magpie

Mountain Fulvetta

    Next we went up the junction where it was quite dry, so we walked up directly across from the trail where we met a few bird photographers who found a Little Cuckoo Dove, It stayed high mostly but eventually came down to forage. It gave good views before rocketing off back into the foliage

Little Cuckoo Dove

     When we returned to the junction, it was buzzing with activity. A flock of Mountain Bulbuls were flying about and having a buffet in a fruiting tree A Niltava caught an insect and a Fire-Tufted Barbet happily feasted on fruits. Out of the blue, an Ochraceous Bulbul flew past making a distinct flight call.

Subadult Large Niltava

Fire-Tufted Barbet

Mountain Bulbul(juvenile)

Mountain Bulbul

      We then returned back to the exit of Bishop Trail and walked down the road. We immediately got a Lesser Yellownape which was busy drumming away. Following it was a huge bird wave with Chestnut Crowned Warbler, White Bellied-Erponis, Laughingthrush, Mountain Tailorbirds, White Throated Fantails, Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongoes and Black-Eared Shrike babblers. Walking back to the car, Weng Chun spotted a White Tailed Robin pair and a Red Headed Trogon

                              

                     

Lesser Yellownape

Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongo

Black-Eared Shrike Babbler

Chestnut Crowned Warbler

White Throated Fantail

Red Headed Trogon(female)

Next, we made our way down to Alan's Water Experience where we encountered a striking Blyth's Shrike Babbler pair, a flock of Hume's White Eye, Fire Breasted Flowerpecker and a Black-and-Crimson Oriole which once again only briefly made an appearance. The lake had a few domesticated ducks and swallows were gathering mud from the banks. 

Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker(male)

Blyth's Shrike Babbler

Blyth's Shrike Babbler(male)

     Walking back from the lake towards the food court, A Dark Hawk Cuckoo made an appearance. It was making a strange call which turned out to be its begging call! A Chestnut-Capped Laughingthrush dropped in to feed the cuckoo. A Black-Browed Barbet dropped down right next to us and a flock of White-Thighed Surili gave good views. 

We identified the Hawk Cuckoo as such due to the white nape, barring that reaches the chin, rufous notches on primaries and white notches on secondary to rule out other Hawk cuckoos. The tail pattern rules out Sunda Cuckoo. This is the second record of this behavior hence I am overjoyed to not only get this target bird but to also make this discovery.  This was easily the highlight of the trip.

Here is the xeno-canto link for the begging call: Dark Hawk Cuckoo begging call

                                    

Brood Parasitism in action

           

Dark Hawk Cuckoo

Black-Browed Barbet

White Thighed Surili 

   We then went to the Jalan Valley to the Laughingthrush site, on the way to the site, we managed to hear and track down a ravishing Large Niltava. At the site, a Buff-Breasted Babbler came to entertain us before the Malayan Laughingthrush arrived. Both have such melodious songs!

Large Niltava

                                    

Buff Breasted Babbler

Malaysian Laughingthrush 

 We next went to Jalan Mager to find the Lesser Shortwing. Although it was calling non-stop, it refused to appear. Soon a bird wave appeared with Fulvettas, Chestnut-Capped Laughingthrush, Silver Eared Mesias and Blue Nuthatches. Finally, a Large Cuckooshrike started calling and Weng Chun managed to spot it. Although it was high up and far, I am still glad to get this lifer!

Large Cuckooshrike

Blue Nuthatch

       |We then proceeded to walk down the area where Weng Chun found a Pygmy Cupwing making its distinct two note call. Afterwards we went to Hillview to have lunch and the Chinese food was fantastic! 

Pygmy Cupwing

After a break and waiting for the rain to cease, we went to the glasshouse where we had delicious confectioneries and cakes!  It then started to pour. However we managed to spot a few Black Throated Sunbirds, Spiderhunters and Laughingthrush. Afterwards we made our way to the water treatment plant where we briefly saw a Hill Blue Flycatcher. A pair of Yellow-Bellied Warblers gave good views and my mother spotted a nicely perched Crested Serpent Eagle. To top it all off, Weng Chun spotted a Sultan Tit and Black-and-Crimson Oriole, albeit only getting record shots. 

Yellow-Bellied Warbler

Crested Serpent Eagle

Sultan Tit

Black-and-Crimson Oriole

 As it started to drizzle again, we went to a shelter along Jalan High Pines, where we encountered a bird wave of Orange Bellied Leafbirds, Minivets, Mesias, Stripe Throated and Mountain Bulbuls, Spiderhunters and one of my target birds, the Barred-Winged Flycatcher Shrike!

Streaked Spiderhunter

                                                                         

Orange Bellied Leafbird

Grey Chinned Minivet

                                

Bar-Winged Flycatcher-Shrike

It started to get dark so we headed back to the Pines to have our dinner. It was an amazing and scrumptious steamboat, although the portions were quite small. The noodles were mouth-watering too! What a great day in Fraser Hill! 

Ebird checklists:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S112905577 , https://ebird.org/checklist/S112838433