Walshaw Dean and Lower Gorple .....

 A beautiful day and the first snow and heavy deep frost.

9 Crossbills in the plantation , 20 Goldfinch , 20 Siskin , 6 Redpoll . 6 Stonechats , 1 Mistle Thrush , 2 x Great Spot , Fieldfare and the odd Mistle Thrush . 

Lower Gorple had a juv Peregrine on show for most of the afternoon , which hassled the Harriers as they came into roost ,3 ringtails , it was bitterly cold as soon as the sun went down and a Merlin was hunting the top moor , Buzzard , Sparrowhawk and Kestrel . The overflow was full of Meadow Pipits but nothing else in with them...30 + Mallards , 60 Jackdaws over to roost , a distant calling Raven and Little Owl back in a regular spot on the way home .

NERF Annual Conference

 An excellent day at the Shay , the talks by Cat Barlow , Sonja Ludwig , Mark Harrison and Jack Ashton Booth were very very good and the rest were very informative ..I must remember to go to this next year...well done SD and TW

Malaysian Moths

 

Malasian Moths

 

Malaysia Moths ..

 

Malaysia Birds 1 .

 Birds of Malaysia October 28^th to November 8^th 2024

MCM Nature Discovery Villa , Fraser’s Hill , Taman Negara and Selangor

Rock Dove Columbia Livra

Common around the airport at KL and suburban areas

Eastern Spotted Dove  Spilopelia chinensis

Common around the palm plantation and at Taman Negara

Barred Cuckoo – Dove  Macropygia unchall

1 at Fraser’s Hill ,Bishops Trail on the 2^nd November

Little Cuckoo –Dove Macropygia ruficeps

A small flock of 3/5 birds at Fraser’s Hill on the 28th

Zebra Dove  Geopelia striata

Common throughout , small flocks at Selangor

Grey capped Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica

1 feeding at the side of the road, near the Fraser’s Hill Hollywood sign.

Pinked Necked Green Pigeon  Treron vernans

Common at Selangor Nature Park

Whiskered Treeswift Hemipocne comata

2 birds showed really well at Hornbill valley on the 8^th November

Silver- backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus

50 + birds at Hornbill Valley on the 8^th November

Western Glossy Swiftlet Collocalia affins

Very common at Fraser’s Hill, with old nests seen in the out buildings.

Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis

Common at Selangor

Red – billed Malakoa Zanclostomus jananicus

 Wow what a stunner seen at Fraser’s Hill on the 5^th 6^th and 7^th  November

Western Koel  Eudynamys scolopaceus

1 by the canal at Selangor on the 7^th November

White – breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus

Common at Selangor

Common Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus

Common at Selangor

Painted Stork  Mycteria leucocephala

1 in a drain in the middle of KL and a couple at Selangor

Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

2 in the small canal next to Selangor

Striated Heron Butorides striata

Common at Selangor

Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus

2 behind the Hotel flying along the river at Selangor

Grey Heron , Purple Heron , Eastern Great Egret , Intermediate Egret and Little Egret

Common at Selangor , all showed very well .

Black –winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus

A family of 7 birds at Selangor showed very well

Black –necked Lapwing Vanellus tectus

1 adult in the small canal next to Selangor

Eurasian Curlew  Numenius arquata

At Selangor there were poor views across the river to some large areas of mudflats , these were covered in waders and although distant Curlews were easy to pick out

Far eastern Curlew  Numenius madagascariensis

In the Eurasian Curlew I picked out 3 far eastern with their massive bills

Common Sandpiper , Wood Sandpiper , Spotted Redshank and Common Redshank

These four species of common waders were all seen in and around Selangor

Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica

A large flock feeding in the canals next to Selangor

Little Tern Stenula albifrons

2 on the river from the Hotel window at Selangor

White Winged black Tern  Chlidonias leucopterus

6 on the river from the Hotel window at Selangor

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus

So glad to see this species which was pretty common and seen very well at Taman Negara, Hornbill Valley and Selangor

Crested Serpent Eagle   Spilornis cheela

Seen at Fraser’s Hill , Hornbill Valley and Taman Negara a common raptor on the peninsular.

Blyth’s Hawk Eagle    Nisaetus alboniger

The commonest bird of prey around Fraser’s Hill

Rufous –bellied Eagle  Lophotriorchis kienerri

1 seen well and photographed at Hornbill Valley

Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis

1 seen at Fraser’s Hill

Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

1 adult at Selangor

Japense Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis

1 hunting swifts at Hornbill Valley

Brahminy Kite   Halliastur indus

Very common around Selangor

Red- headed Trogon  Harpactes erythrocephalus

My bird of the trip, the adult males are stunning and least 5 birds seen at Fraser’s Hill .

Giant Hornbill   Buceros bicornis

5 superb adults over the path at Fraser’s Hill, a bit of display between two of the adults was stunning to see.

Red –bearded Bee-eater  Nyctyornis amictus

1 seen very well at Fraser’s Hill on the 1^st November, I think we were unlucky with this species because it was seen by others frequently .

Blue-throated Bee-eater  Merops viridis

Large numbers at the bottom of Fraser’s Hill and at Taman Negara

Blue –tailed Bee –eater  Merops philippinus

Large numbers at Selangor very common here

Malaysia Birds 2

 

Oriental Dollarbird  Eurystomus orientalis

1 at Selangor showed very well

White –breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

Common at Selangor

Black –capped Kingfisher  Halcyon pileata

2 seen well at Selangor

Collared Kingfisher Todiramphus chloris

A pair at Selangor on the telegraph wires

Brown Barbet  Calorhamphus fuliginosus

1 seen very well in a mixed feeding flock of Barbets on the 30^th October on  Fraser’s Hill

Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus

1 at Selangor

Red-throated Barbet Psilopogon mystacophanos

3 seen in mixed feeding flocks at Fraser’s Hill

Gold-whiskered Barbet Psilopogon chrysopogon

1 seen very well in a mixed feeding flock of Barbets on the 30^th October on  Fraser’s Hill

Black –browed Barbet Psilopogon oorti

Common at Frasers Hill regular in the mixed feeding flocks of birds and calling from the tree tops.

Speckled Piculet Picumnus innominatus

One seen at Fraser’s Hill in a mixed feeding flock on the 29^th October

Greater Yellownape  Chrysophlegma flavinucha

2 sightings,  one male and one female at Fraser’s Hill in the mixed feeding flocks.

Black –thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius

2 present every day at MCM Discovery center and 3 on a couple of days , seen very well catching moths and insects. Also common in general at Fraser’s Hill

Oriental Hobby  Falco severus

One adult hunting over the MCN discovery center on the 31^st October

Peregrine Falcon Falco Peregrinus

One adult probably male,  hunting over the MCM discovery center on the 1^st November.

Black and Crimson Oriole Oriolus consanguineus

1 adult at Fraser’s Hill on our first morning walk and our only sighting.

Eastern Black – naped Oriole  Oriolus diffuses

2 birds seen at Selangor and 1 at the botton of Fraser’s Hill only flight views.

White –bellied Erpornis   Erpornis zantholeuca

One of the tricky ones in the bird waves at Fraser’s Hill seen on the 29^th and 31^st .Small grey bird with erectile crest stands out

Grey –throated Minivet Pericrocotus montanus

The male is bright red and black and the female bright yellow and black both stunning and a common bird in the roaming waves of birds on Fraser’s Hill , seen most day’s with 5 together(3 female and 2 males) on the 5^th November

Blyth’s Shrike Babbler  Pteruthius melanotis

1 adult male seen at Fraser’s Hill on the 31^st November

Large Cuckoo shrike Coracina javensis

Common at MCM Discovery Center, with 2 everyday eating moths.

Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike Hemipus picatus

2 birds at Fraser’s Hill on the 31^st and 1 on the 2^nd November , in the mixed feeding flocks.

Common Iora   Aegithina viridissima

Common at Taman Negara and Selangor

White –throated Fantail Rhipidura albicollis

2 birds showed well on the Bishops trail at Fraser’s Hill

Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus

Another favorite the first time I saw a male with long racquets, I thought it was being chased by a small bird most had lost their racquets but 2 birds with full plumage were stunning. Common in mixed feeding flocks at Fraser’s hill and what a Latin name..LOL

Northern Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus cristatus

A very rare visitor to the UK but common here with the race cristatus  being seen. Common at Selangor and 1 bird at Fraser’s hill.

House Crow   Corvus splendens

Common in KL

Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

Common throughout and seen very well at Fraser’s Hill , what a bill .

Sultan Tit   Melanochlora sultanea

Flocks of noisy Sultans Tits are common around the MCN discovery Villa at Fraser’s Hill .

Common Tailorbird  Orthotomus sutorius

A pairs photographed next the the MCN discovery Villa and small numbers around Frasers Hill

Sand Martin Riparia riparia

Seen along the river at Taman Negara

Asian Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica

Seen along the river at Taman Negara

House Swallow Hirundo javanica

Common around the MCM Discovery Villa

Ochraceous Bulbul Alophoixus ochraceus

1 seen in a mixed feeding flock at Frasers Hill on the 29^th October

Southern Mountain Bulbul Ixos mcclellandii

1 seen very well at the entrance to MCM discovery Villa on the 28^th was our only sighting

Black –crested Bulbul Rubigila flaviventris

One or two seen most days in the mixed feeding flocks on Fraser’s Hill

Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

One at Selangor in a flock of Yellow Vented Bulbul’s

Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

Common at MCM discovery center around the gardens

Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus pseudosimplex

Common at Selangor , abundant

Artic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis

Lots of Phylloscopus Warblers were seen in the mixed feeding flocks at Fraser’s Hill and most were just left at that , but a few were definitely Artic’s .

Hume’s White-eye  Zosterops auriventer

One at MCM discovery villa on the 31^st was the only definite sighting

Streaked Wren Babbler Turdinus brevicaudatus

1 seen in the garden at Frasers Hill , very near the clock tower.

Sunda Scimitar- Babbler Pomatorhinus bornensis

1 male  was seen very well on Fraser’s Hill on the 5^th Novermber

Golden Babbler Cyanoderma chrysaeum

These stand out within the feeding flocks at Frasers Hill bright Yellow /Golden with black eye patch and most flocks contain at least one.

Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis

A common bird in the mixed feeding flocks at Fraser’s Hill , you can walk for half an hour and see nothing , then a wave of birds will be everywhere and may contain 5 – 10 different species.

Chestnut –capped laughing Thrush Garrulax mitratus

1 single flock of about 8 birds and a 3 in a mixed flock at Fraser’s Hill

Velvet –fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis

A common bird in the mixed feeding flocks at Fraser’s Hill

Blue Nuthatch Sitta azurea

1 seen on the Hemmant Trail next to the golf course at Fraser’s Hill

Common Starling Sturnus Vulgaris

A small group at Selangor

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

Common around KL and Selangor

Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus

Common at Selangor

Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus

Common at Selangor

Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis

Small numbers at Selangor

Oriental Magpie –Robin Copsychus saularis

Very common and very vocal throughout our stay at all sites.

Asian Brown Flycatcher   Muscicapa dauurica

1 showed very well at Fraser’s Hill on the 1^st November

Chestnut-naped Forktail  Enicurus schistaceus

1 flew in front of the car as we headed down the hill on the 4^th November. Unfortunately we could not re-locate it.

Orange-bellied Leafbird  Chloropsis hardwickii

2 a male and female at Fraser’s Hill on the 1^st November in a mixed feeding flock.

Blue-winged Leafbird  Chloropsis moluccensis

1 seen in a mixed feeding flock at Fraser’s Hill on the 28^th October and 2 on the 1^st November

White –rumped Munia Lonchura striata

A small flock at Selangor

Fire -breasted Flowerpecker  Dicaeum ignipectus

2 seen at Fraser’s Hill in a mixed feeding flock on the 28^th October

Streaked Spiderhunter Arachnothera magna

A real gem of a bird and common at Fraser’s Hill and easily picked up once you can learn the call

Brown –throated Sunbird Antheptes malacensis

1 in trees at Kuala Than, near the river photographed by AA and identified by Andrew Tilsley , I missed it completely. dohhhhh

Black-throated Sunbird Aethopyga saturata

2 birds a stunning male and a female were present at the MCN discovery center throughout our stay

Grey Wagtail Montacilla cinerea

2 birds present at the MCN discovery center throughout our stay

Baya Weaver Ploceus infortunatus

A small group of 6 + birds at the bottom of Frasers Hill on the 7^th November .

Malaysia , Monkeys , Snakes , Tarantular.

 Malaysian Pit Viper 

Slug Snake

Siamang

White -thighed langurs

Dusky-leaf Monkey

Yellow Throated Marten

Common Palm Civet

Silvered Leaf Monkey

Giant Black Squirell

Long tailed Giant rat

Giant Black forest Sorpion

Malayan Trap Door Spider

Purple femur Tarantula 

Mudskippers

Firefly's

Malaysia Raptor Quiz

A bit of fun while I down load the moth photos..phewww

OMG ...Scarlet Tanager..........

So the Scarlet Tanager showed well this morning up at Shelf , a proper TWITCH even Lee Evans was there.. + most of the Yorkshire listers.40 Pink footed Geese , 2 Whooper Swans , Bullfinch , Chiffchaff , Redpoll and a few Woodpigeons. A nice flock of 23 Meadow Pipit at Northowram.

 Update..

       I had only just got back from Malaysia and had a quick glance at Birdguides , Scarlet Tanager in West Yorkshire , A quick text the Matt B to see where it was , at that point he did not know. A text in the middle of the night saying its in Shelf exactly 1 mile from my house, see you there in the morning..So at 7 .30 I headed off , DJB , HC , JL , MB were a good selection of young and old Halifax Birders...Amazing if it gets accepted... 

Slav Grebe at Lee Dam

Harrier Roost

We are lucky that our local gamekeepers are not like the ones in Nidderdale and North Yorkshire. Its one of our birding highlights in Calderdale to watch these beautiful moorland birds in winter. The last few weeks has been busy with at least 7 birds being seen . An adult male a thrird winter male ,a 2cy MAle , 2 Juv ringtails , an adult female and a tatty 2cy female. A cream Crown Marsh , Sparrowhawks , Buzzards , Kestrel , Barn Owl and Peregrines....(I missed the Hobby !!!!)

Woodpigeon and PINKS...

Woodpigeon x 11 789 ss/w Stock Dove x 3 s/w Jay x 1 south Raven , 2 (1 + 1) west Great Spotted Woodpecker x 2 south Meadow Pipit x 30 sw Chaffinch x 25 s/w Siskin x 4 s/w Redwing x 200 + s/w Starling 43 west Skylark x 1 Pinks aprox 600 west 260 east

Caspian Gulls and TWITE...!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 Twite at Fly flatts were the first  I've seen for a while away from the feeing stations , great little birds  , 4 Stonechats , 1 Sparrowhawk , 2 Kestrel and 2 Barn Owls.

GULLS.....

   There are at least 2500 gulls coming into roost at Fly Flats at the moment and probably many more as they are still coming in when its well past dusk.

Aprox 70% are Lesser Black backed Gulls a good mix of Adults , 2CY birds and 1st winters but there are a few still in juvenile plumage only managed 1 intermedius type so far.

27 % are Argenteus British Herring Gulls with a few big Argentatus mixed in .

 The rest are a mixture of Common and Black headed  Gulls  mainly in winter plumage , there were 3 juvenile Common Gulls which looked very odd really dark birds with white collars..!!!

We also found 2  Adult Yellow - legged Gulls and 3 1st winter Caspian Gulls,,well worth a look if you like your Gulls , but its cold on that exposed west bank and it takes 30 minutes to walk there through mud and standing water,,,,,,,NCD and AC,,,,,

Pic DJS thanks

Walshaw Dean Area..

                                     Thanks to Gary W and Matt B for pics
 An excellent couple of visits to Walshaw , ---

Crossbill x 4 (2 red males ), 1 Brambling (f) ,200 Goldfinch ,, 40 Redpoll , 30 Siskin , 15 Chaffinch , 3 Linnet , (6 finches in same field of view) 1 Chiffchaff , 200 Redwing , 60 + Mistle Thrush ,  3 Stonechat , 2 Barn Owl , 1 Marsh Harrier , 5 Hen Harrier (1 male , 2 Juvs , 1 2cy Male and 1 2cy Female ) , 2 Sparrowhawk  , Buzzards , Kestrels, 2 Ravens, 2 juv Peregrine Falcons and 1 Moorland Hawker

Barn Owls....!!!!!

 On the 5th March 2006 , I looked out of my front window and saw a Barn Owl a beautiful sighting hunting low over the grass , it was the first sighting in Calderdale for many years and at least 20 years since I'd seen one. It stayed for a few nights and then was not seen again . A few twitched it...!!!

The next year 2007 the first pair raised 2 young and again this was the first breeding for 20 + years. Since then they have become the commonest Owl in Calderdale and its not uncommon to see many birds (10+)   in an evening up on the moors edge. 

 Last night I looked out the window and there was a Barn Owl hunting the field in front of the house  , to say I was made up was an underestimation , it was the first one since March 2006 ...funny old game this birding lark........

Roe Deer