Gunung Brinchang: Part 2

Our decent of Gunung Brinchang took several hours and the walk back to the hotel was nigh on ten miles. I guess it would have been quicker for a non-birder ~ Mrs Birdingsometimes is very patient.

The final species noted from the upper slopes was little pied fycatcher - we encountered a dapper pair in a gully. The male is strikingly plumaged (like all back and white flycatchers), while the female (below) is a surprisingly grey-blue, a feature of the westermanni sub-species found in Malaysia/South Thailand

As we left the moss forest and jungle we entered tea plantation territory - fascinating landscape and a lovely aroma of fresh tea! I know a certain North East birder who would like that - a lot...!

Hard labour working the steep slopes of the tea plantation - I guess it keeps you fit.

In the tea plantation area we added a few more species - glossy swiftlet darted along the ridges, paddyfield pipit worked the tracks between the tea plants and fire-breasted flowerpecker kept to the tree tops. Mountain bulbul continued to be numerous and we bumped into another flock of mountain fulvetta.

While trying to photograph more white-throated fantail a single drab female black-throated sunbird gave close views - how I wish this could have been a bright coloured male! Nonetheless, a good photo opportunity - unlike the fantails which simply teased.

We arrived back at our hotel in the late afternoon, picking up some boiled sweetcorn cobs and fresh strawberries from hawker stands in one of the villages. Tired but satisfied.

A very high flying flock of presumed mountain imperial pigeons flew over and we picked up large billed spiderhunter during the last few hundred meters. 

We had one more day in the Highlands - this was spent on track 4, as previously posted. No photographs that day... not quick enough for the slaty-backed forktail and the blue nuthatches were seen on a shopping trip to collect provisions before our final destination: Pangkor Laut - a small island to the west of Lumat / Pangkor Island - few species but better images to follow.

Gunung Brinchang: Part 1

Our second day in the Cameron Highlands was spend descending Gunung Brinchang, a peak of to the west of our hotel that conveniently permitted taxi access to the top via a windy single track road. We opted to take the road route back as jungle track 1 was steep, muddy and very dark looking.

At the peak there is a radio mast station - a walk around the perimeter was successful with large niltava, a big flycatcher, being picked up immediately. The male (above) is a striking blue bird, while the female (below) is more subtle. Not sure what I'd done camera-wise, but |I messed up big time with exposure for most of these shots - the male image clearly shows a shutter speed too low, as the movement of the bird has not been frozen. No worries, it a record at least.

Another species was prominent at the top - white-throated fantail. A very curious species, dropping in front of us to check us out - after a quick spread of the tail they dart back into the darkness of the jungle cover.

The views from the top were beautiful - the dense jungle forms a green carpet over the peaks - it's a habitat that fascinates me, but also frustrates as the birding, without local knowledge, is daunting. Frequently were heard the passage of bird-wave: mixed flocks working the canopy: for the life of me I could not see anything!

White-tailed robin were also numerous and inquisitive to the human visitors. Flash was again priceless in the dark shade of the roadside. The bird below is a juvenile.

As we descended the habitat changed - jungle / rain forest then moss forest and lower down, tea plantations  - all very pretty. As we neared the tea plantations the species mix change somewhat - most abundant were mountain bulbul - with their vibrant olive toned wings and tail. This was the only mountain bulbul of the trip that I was able to get level with, all the others were up high.

More on the other species at lower elevations, plus some nice tea plantation pictures in the next installment...