Category: Malaysia

The big 300 and beyond.

I was back in my hometown for the weekend so it was a chance to do some birding at Kledang Saiong again.

Day 1 was relatively unremarkable. The weather was cloudy and the forest was quiet. There was a family of Red Junglefowl (Domesticated) roaming near the park entrance. I later realized they were waiting for the park staff to come in and feed them.

Anyway, onto the highlights: First was a Buff-necked Woodpecker (lifer)that I spotted up a tall tree. Unfortunately, I could not get a better photo before it climbed higher and was obstructed from view. Regardless, this woodpecker will have the honor of making the 300th species on my lifelist.

A pair of Sooty Barbets were seen entering and leaving a hole on the tree. Unsure if they were foraging or preparing for the breeding season. My guess is the latter.

As I waited around, a pair of foraging Hairy-backed Bulbuls (lifer) came my way. They left as fast as they appeared but I’m happy I managed to get a decent shot.

Day 2 was much more exciting. The weather was bright and clear. As soon as I entered the park, I could hear a pair of Grey-headed Canary Flycatchers (lifer) calling. It didn’t take too long to locate them zipping around some trees. One even obliged for a photo by flying down to eye level.

As I watched the flycatchers, there was a bird wave incoming where mixed species of birds flock and forage together. There were some Plain Sunbirds (lifer) in the mix.

Some Crimson-breasted Flowerpeckers were also in the mix but my camera would not focus so I did not get a good photo. Amidst the chaos, I spotted a Green Iora (lifer) high up one of the trees.

After the wave passed by, I spotted a lone Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker (lifer) foraging in some shrubs. This one was rather relaxed and allowed me to take some photos as long as I kept my distance.

Things were starting to slow down when I heard another unfamiliar call. This time it was the Verditer Flycatcher (lifer). As I was searching for it with my binoculars, it flew directly to a small tree right in front of me. I wish I had this kind of dumb luck every time I went birding.

On the way out of the park, I spotted a pair of Black-and-yellow Broadbills, last seen in January this year. This bird is affectionately dubbed the “Cartoon Bird” in some birding circles due to it’s appearance.

All in all, it was a productive weekend of birding at Kledang Saiong (total of 7 new species sighted). On my next visit, I’m considering to apply for the permit to enter the forest reserve area. But details are sketchy on the price or what to expect inside the area. Anyway, more on that later this year.

eBird checklists:
1. https://ebird.org/checklist/S339789700
2. https://ebird.org/checklist/S340580107

Festive season birding.

I was back in Malaysia for the Chinese New Year holidays and had time to squeeze in one birding session at the Kledang Saiong Forest Eco Park. This was another productive visit with 3 new additions to my life list (White-bellied Erponis, Large Woodshrike, and Whiskered Treeswift).

It was a bright sunny day (after days of heavy rain) and the lighting was beautiful. I could not resist photographing some of the resident birds bathed in the morning sunlight.

Upon entering the park, I immediately spotted a Gray Wagtail foraging on the forest floor. This was a skittish bird who kept it’s distance from me at all times before flying off to forage near the water stream.

Along the water stream, a Chestnut-naped Forktail was darting in and out of the vegetation along the riverbank. I waited for awhile hoping that it would come out for a better photo but it retreated deeper into the forest instead.

It was also my first time observing an Asian Red-eyed Bulbul foraging on the ground. But it did not stay long before flying back up the tree again.

Another bird that was busy foraging on the ground was a lone Common Emerald Dove.

Lastly, an Asian Brown Flycatcher was on a lookout for it’s next prey. I suspect this may be the same bird I’ve seen in January at the same location near the watchtower.

eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S302337452

New year, new blog, new birds.

For two consecutive mornings, I visited the Kledang Saiong Forest Eco Park (Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia) to kickstart my birding journey for 2026. Both sessions proved to be productive adding a respectable 11 new species to my life list.

Entering the park at 8AM sharp, I went straight to walk the river before the crowds of swimmers and picnickers came in. I was hoping to spot some kingfishers alas no luck. What I did spot though was a Chestnut-naped Forktail. The bird came to the river’s edge for a short while before it disappeared into the forest again.

I spent most of the morning around the birdwatching tower (incredibly frustrating that the facility is not opened to the public). A fruiting tree attracted plenty of birds (various Bulbuls, Barbets and Flowerpeckers) to feast on the ripened fruits.

I called it a day by late morning on both visits. As I was making my way out, I continued to scan the trees along the service road to the park entrance. I was pleasantly surprised to spot the Black-and-yellow Broadbill and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.

e-Bird checklists:
1. https://ebird.org/checklist/S291511294
2. https://ebird.org/checklist/S291796455