Friday, February 11, 2011

birdwatching in Taman Negara Pahang

Taman Negara, Pahang

successful birdwatching experience in Taman Negara Pahang!

...the absolute highlight at Taman Negara was finding a small fruiting tree (Ficus tree :     http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybukit/3653428795/in/photostream/   ) in a clearing in front of the Bumbun Tabing hide (“bunbun” translates as hide).  From what I could understand, the hide was used only at night to show the guests Barking, Mouse and Samba Deer and of course wild pigs.   When I saw the fruit on the tree, I climbed down the side of the hide (a little tricky with my camera and tripod) onto the forest floor and walked out into the clearing.  I then proceeded to inch closer and closer so as not to frighten the extremely nervous feeding birds.  I did this for 16 hours over 2 days and eventually got within 10 metres of 3 Rhinoceros Hornbills.  I took 200 photos of them and got some wonderfully pleasing results (a few are attached).  I photographed 18 species of birds in this tree, only missing a Scaly-breasted Bulbul which came in to the top of the tree a couple of times. The 18 species I photographed were –

  1. Thick-billed Green-pigeon
  2. Rusty-breasted cuckoo
  3. Rhinoceros Hornbill
  4. Gold-whiskered Barbet
  5. Red-throated Barbet ( I was unsure of my identification and Peter Lansley and Jeff Davies confirmed it when I got home)
  6. Blue-eared Barbet
  7. Green Broadbill (marvellous bird and the only one I saw)
  8. Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike
  9. Greater Green Leafbird
  10. Asian Fairy-bluebird
  11. Grey-bellied Bulbul
  12. Streaked Bulbul
  13. Red-eyed Bulbul
  14. Spectacled Bulbul
  15. Stripe-throated Bulbul
  16. Puff-backed Bulbul
  17. Cream-vented Bulbul (as yet I cannot work out from my photos which ones are of this species)
  18. Buff-vented Bulbul

On our last evening at Taman Negara, the Mutiara shouted us a free evening meal for being long-stay guests.  This was a generous and unexpected gesture.  The average stay is only 1 to 3 nights, which in my view is far too short.  Anyone contemplating a trip to Taman Negara should ensure they stay at the Mutiara Resort.

Guest experience
Guest name : John Barkla
Country : Australia
special thnx to Jinggo- Mtn birding guide

by Sabri






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