First Overseas Trip, Birding in Fraser Hill Part 3

 Fraser Hill Part 3

14th June Morning,

This was easily our best day in Fraser Hill. We woke up at 6 am and immediately went down to the entrance to the town center. Before we knew it, our target, The Malayan Whistling Thrush started making its prominent whistle. After a quick burst of playback, it came into the open. However, the lighting was horrible and it was extremely difficult to get a focused shot with handheld. 

Malayan Whistling Thrush

When the light started to come in, the Malaysian Laughingthrush and Streaked Wren Babblers appeared by the roadside. A Black-and Crimson Oriole called nearby, but my photographs were out of focus. Afterward, we went to have breakfast at the same place as yesterday. Although I had a stomachache, we decided to go down to the Gap to obtain a few lowland lifers. 

Streaked Wren-Babbler

Malayan Laughingthrush

On the way down the Gap, along New Gap Road, we stopped at a place with many fruiting trees. The first thing we heard as stepped out of the vehicle was the Blue Eared Barbet which was calling from a very high tree with a Red-Throated Barbet calling in the background. In the fruiting tree, there was a flurry of activity. Little Cuckoo Doves, Black-crested Bulbuls, and Cinereous Bulbuls were foraging. 

                                         

Little Cuckoo Dove

Black-Crested Bulbul

Cinereous Bulbul

In another fruiting tree nearby, a flock of Hume's White Eye, Dark Necked Tailorbirds, Asian Emerald Dove Pin Striped Tit Babblers, and a lucky find of a Long-Billed Spiderhunter. A Hill Blue Flycatcher made a brief appearance. Unfortunately, my photographs were out of focus.

 

Dark Necked Tailorbird

Hume's White Eye

                                

Long-Billed Spiderhunter

The birds then moved over to the opposite side of the road with another fruiting tree! My dad spotted a different-looking bird in the flock of birds feasting on the buffet of fruits. After, squinting at the many birds in the flock, it was revealed that it was a Sooty Barbet! 

Sooty Barbet

A Red-Throated Barbet started calling again, but this time, it was much closer. My mother spotted its striking red throat. Then, a raptor appeared briefly by the roadside, thinking it was my lifer, the Blyth's Hawk Eagle. While scanning the tree line, we found it and confirmed its identity as an Oriental Honey-buzzard. It flew off and started to thermal over the cliff. 

Red-throated Barbet

Oriental Honey Buzzard

We stopped at a spot where we ticked off a Bronzed Drongo and heard a Rusty Breasted Cuckoo. Just as we were about to leave, a bird made a brief appearance which we are still unsure of its identity

 

Unidentified bird

At Fraser Hill landmark, we saw first saw a group of Rufous Bellied Swallows and White Rumped Munias before a Green Billed Malkoha and Blue-Winged Leafbird flew in. A Rufescent Prinia called and pranced about in a bottlebrush bush.

 

Rufous-Bellied Swallow

Green-Billed Malkoha

Rufescent Prinia

 A flock of Black Laughingthrush called from a dense tree and never came into the open and a Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo flew overhead. A raptor's silhouette slowly formed as it soared over the hill. It turned out to be the Blyth's Hawk Eagle! Weng Chun then picked up the call of the Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch.

Black Laughingthrush

Blyth's Hawk Eagle

 At the gap, next to the bamboo patch, we saw a Raffles Malkoha hidden behind many leaves and branches. We also heard a Gold-Whiskered Barbet. At the bamboo patch, it was like a goldmine of avifauna. A Bamboo Woodpecker called as a Pin-tailed Parrotfinch silently darts around the bamboo, foraging on the seeds. 

Pin-Tailed Parrotfinch

Bamboo Woodpecker(male)

The whistle-like call of the Silver Breasted Broadbill resonated through the valley behind the bamboo patch. Trying to find the broadbill, I noticed something in a nearby tree, it was a male Lesser Cuckooshrike. A Large Woodshrike then flew down and gave good views. Unlike the male, the female Lesser Cuckooshrike was more forgiving and gave very good views too. A flock of Ochraceous Bulbul and Yellow-Bellied Warblers also arrived at the bamboo patch. 

                               

Large Cuckooshrike

                                      

Lesser Cuckooshrike

                                                  

Ochraceous Bulbul

We then proceeded down Old Gap Road where we kept on hearing the Red-Bearded Bee-Eater and Orange-Breasted Trogon. While looking for them, my mother spotted a faraway Red-Headed Trogon. In the corner of my eye, a flash of orange caught my attention and I quickly served to get a view. It was both the Orange Breasted Trogon and the Red Bearded Bee Eater perched above it. However, after photographing the Trogon, the Bee-Eater launched itself back into the vegetation. 

Red-headed Trogon

Orange-Breasted Trogon

 After returning from the Gap, we went to the smokehouse to have lunch. Turns out it only opens at 12:30. Therefore, we went birding in the vicinity. We got a few female Black-Throated Sunbirds feeding at a flowering bush and a flock of Ochraceous Bulbul also joined in. 

Black-throated Sunbird

Ochraceous Bulbul

At the car park next to the smokehouse, a Little Pied Flycatcher entertained us and gave good views. An unexpected appearance of a flock of Sultan Tits was a welcome surprise! At the smokehouse, we were able to do some birding in the garden while waiting. Unfortunately, I missed the photographs of the closest encounter I had with the Black-Throated Sunbird and Long-Tailed Sibia. While my mother was using the swing, she spotted a Blyth's Hawk Eagle which was much closer than the one at the Gap. 

Little Pied Flycatcher

Sultan Tit

Blyth's Hawk Eagle

It was raining heavily and dark clouds were sprawled across the sky. We left our accommodation at 3:30 and went to Telecom Loop. Our first lifer was a Collared Owlet which was calling from a great distance. While searching for the owlet, Weng Chun spotted a well-camouflaged juvenile Blyth's? Hawk Eagle sitting on a nice perch. 

Blyth's? Hawk Eagle(juvenile)

It was an especially quiet evening, possibly because of the rain. A Maroon Woodpecker called from the foliage and I failed to get a photograph. Disappointed, we were about to leave when Weng Chun heard a Banded Broadbill. We patiently waited after failing to get a proper view after a few brief glimpses. The bird took pity on us and showed up on an open branch for a few seconds. What a great sighting to end the evening!

Banded Broadbill

We had a delicious curry fish head dinner at the Pines Chinese Restaurant. After dinner, we headed to the whistling thrush site to do some owling but since it was drizzling, we only managed to hear a Mountain Scops Owl. What a great way to end the day!