Seremban Birds Expedition 2019 Joint Collaboration with NEST

Seremban new location for birdwatching (Source: Kosmo)

Volunteers for Seremban Birds expedition from Wild Bird Club Malaysia were

1. Andy Lee - team leader 

2. Aun Tiah, group leader

3. Dato Lee, group leader

4. Kok Hen, group leader

5. Mr Hiew

6. Mrs Hiew

7. Alan koh

8. Ricky yeo

9. Yap Sue chew

10. Chen Seow Kean

Chiang Rai Harrier trip

Just a week after the AGM 2019, a group of 9 WBCM members made a trip to Chiang Rai, Thailand from 12th to 19th January 2019. Main purpose of this trip was to visit the site of Harriers’ roosting site.

This Harrier Haven was situated at Chan Chawa, Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai. We spent 2 evenings at this site.

The owner of the site had built 2 hides, one big and one small.  We occupied the whole big hide before sunset, waiting patiently for huge number of various species of Harriers to glide in for the night. When they arrived, the magnificent view was beyond described. The excitement of the birders then may be comparable with the moment of OHB’s appearance in Tanjong Tuan, except that in Tanjong Tuan, everyone was shouting with joy, some may be running about in order to get a better view, but over the Harrier Haven, there was perfect silent. Only noise could be heard were the clicking sound made by the shutters of the cameras.

Chiang Rai indeed was a good place for birdwatching. Besides the Harrier Haven, we had good time doing birdwatching at Tham Luang Caves, Golden Triangle Park, Doi Tung Mae Fa Luang, Doi Mae Salong, Nong Tao, Nam Kham Nature Reserve, Nong Nam Luang, Nong Bong Khai Non-Hunting Area, Lai Puchana Chai, Wat Pa Mak No & vicinity, and of course, around the Hotel where we stayed.

Full Checklists in eBird entered by Tang Tuck Hong for this trip, together with more pictures can be viewed through the links below:-

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51857328

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51854535

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51854247

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51853776

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51853587

https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S51820102

Text and Photos by Lee Keen Seong

WBCM Birding Trip to Perak

This Trip was held from 5th to 6th Jan 2019 in conjunction with Wild Bird Club Malaysia’s Annual General Meeting 2019.

Birdwatching session was from 8.30am to 12pm at Bidor on the 5th and from 6.30am to 11.00am at Malim Nawar on the 6th. We birded around the ex-mining ponds and the surrounding areas outside the Bidor FRIM Research Station. In Malim Nawar, birding activities were carried out at the aquaculture ponds and their surrounding areas near the MBI sand mines. We were blessed with Sunny weather on both days. There was a total of 31 members who joined this birdwatching trip to Perak. WBCM’s Dinner for Members was at a restaurant in Tapah, Perak, well-known for their smoked chicken dish (see picture below).

Ong Kang Woei presented on Population Density of Malaysian Plover at the East Coast of Johor. His presentation brings back memories of WBCM Trip to Southern Peninsular Malaysia State of Johor in 2017 which you can read about HERE.

Tan Gim Cheong, our member from Singapore gave a talk on Raptors. We were quizzed on raptor identification after his talk, which certainly helped to reinforce what we learned from his earlier slides.

59 species of birds were seen in Bidor and 69 species in Malim Nawar. A total of 90 different species of birds were seen/heard throughout the 2 days trip.

Large-tailed Nightjar (Photo Credit: Ang Teck Hin)

Black Baza (Photo Credit: Ang Teck Hin)

Green-billed Malkoha (Photo Credit: Yap Sue Chew)

Yellow-bellied Prinia (Photo Credit: Yap Sue Chew)

Chestnut-Headed Bee-Eater (Photo Credit: Yap Sue Chew)

Bank Swallow (Photo Credit: Ang Teck Hin)

Tufted Duck (Photo Credit: Ang Teck Hin)

BIDOR, FRIM EBIRD checklist is available HERE.

MALIM NAWAR EBIRD checklist is available HERE.

As January falls in the middle of the migratory season, a third of the bird species identified were
migrants. The highlights were a pair of Tufted Duck seen in Malim Nawar.

Text by Low Kok Hen and YL Yeo.

Pictures by Yap Sue Chew, Ang Teck Hin and Tang Tuck Hong.