Malaysia Birdwatching

North Malaya – Eastern Route

Day 1 – Arrival Day

Itinerary: Pick up from Penang airport and a 90 minute drive to Taiping. Check into hotel. Birding around resort.

Day 2 – Habitat type: Montane forest, Lowland Rainforest

Itinerary:  We start early and travel 45 minutes to Kuala Gula. We spend the day birding along the main bund and later take a boat for more birds along the mangrove river. Overnight Taiping
Target Birds: Common Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper, Milky Stork and Lesser Adjutant, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Chinese Pond-Heron and Little Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-breasted Waterhen, Whiskered Tern, White-winged Tern, Common Tern and Little Tern. The Brown-headed Gull, Eurasian Curlew, Whimbrel, Red-necked Stin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Mangrove Pitta, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, Mangrove Whistler, Great Tit.

Day 3 – Habitat type: Lower Montane fores, Lowland rainforest

Itinerary: We take the first ride up the summit of Maxwell hill and bird  the easy trails down. After lunch we bird a little more and take the last ride down. Overnight Taiping.
Target Birds: Blyth’s Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black-thighed falconet, Red-headed Trogon, Gold-whiskered Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Lineated Barbet, Golden-throated Barbet, Blue-eared barbet, Little Spiderhunter, Spectacled Spiderhunter, Streaked Spiderhunter, Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Cinnamon-headed Pigeon, Long-tailed Broadbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Mountain Tailorbird, Ashy Minivet, Fiery Minivet, Mountain Fluveta, Brown Fluveta.

Day 4 – Habitat type: Canopy walkway, Lowland rainforest

Itinerary:  We check out of taiping resort and travel 2 hours to Sedim . we spend the whole day birding along the many trails here including the longest canopy walkway in the world. That night after dinner we may do some night spoting along the canopy walkway. Overnight Sedim.
Target Birds: Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Drongo Cuckoo, Violet Cuckoo, Raffles Malkoha, Red-billed Malkoha, Whiskered Treeswift, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Diard’s Trogon, Cinnamon-rumped Trogon, Banded Kingfisher, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Maroon Woodpecker, Dusky Broadbill, Black and Yellow Broadbill, Black-winged Flycatcher Shrike, Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike, Ashy Minivet, Scarlet Minivet, Cream-vented Bulbul, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Buff-vented Bulbul

Day 5/6/7 – Habitat type: Lowland Rainforest

Itinerary:  After some early birding at Sedim we checkout of hotel and travel to belum along the way we may stop for more birds and to stretch our legs. We check into hotel and the next days we will birdwatch, search for elephants and visit the orang asli. For certain birds we will have to use a boat around the lake.
Target Birds: Wreathed Hornbill, Plain-pouched hornbill, Wrinkled Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, White-crowned Hornbill, Black Hornbill, Bushy-creasted Hornbill, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Lesser Fish-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Bat Hawk, Blue-banded Kingfisher, Banded Kingfisher, Fire-tufted Barbet, Black-throated Barbet, Blueared Barbet, Greater green Leafbird, Lesser green Leafbird, Green Magpie, Pin-tailed Parrotfinch, Black and Red broadbill, Banded Broadbill, Silver-breasted Broadbill, Asian Paradise Flycatcher,  Yellow- vented Flowerpecker, Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker,

Day 8 – Habitat type: Paddy field and Disturb Forest

Itinerary: This morning after some birding and breakfast we check out and make the journey for Langkawi. We stop at bujang valley to stretch our legs and some birds at the this stop. We take the ferry from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi. We check into hotel and have this evening free.

Day 9/10/11 – Habitat type: Lowland rainforest, mangrove forest, rice paddies, freshwater wetlands, scrub forest.

Itinerary: The next three days will be spent exploring and birding langkawi’s many diffirent habitats for the full range of birds this island has to offer. The birding paced is slower so as to allow you to enjoy the beach and ambience the resort has to offer.
Target Birds:Great hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Jerdon’s Baza, Creasted Goshawk, Ghangeble Hawk-Eagle, Orange-breasted Trogon, Orange-breasted flowerpecker, Scarlet-backed flowerpecker, Crimson sunbird, Ruby-cheeked sunbird, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Forest Wagtail, Great Slaty woodpecker, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Greater Racquet-tailed drongo, Large Green Pigeon, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Thick-billed green Pigeon, Blue Whistling Thrush,    Brown-winged Kingfisher, White-collared Kingfisher, Black-capped kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Red-wattle Lapwing, Chinese Pond Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Heron, Yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Purple Heron, Purple Swamphen, White-browed Crake, Slaty–breasted Rail, Ruddy-breasted Crake, White-breasted Waterhen, Oriental Pratincole, Pacific Golden Plover, Little-ringed Plover, Pintail Snipe, Plain-backed Sparrow, Baya Weaver, White-rumped Munia, Black-headed Munia, Black-naped Oriole, Black –hooded Oriole, Ashy drongo, Black Drongo, oriental Magpie Robin, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Strip-tit babbler, Brown Shrike, Common Flame-backed Woodpecker, Laced Woodpecker, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Greater Coucal, Plaintive Cuckoo, Emerald Dove, Grey-faced Buzzard, Bhraminy Kite, White-bellied Sea eagle.
Departing: 26 February 2008
Duration: 13 nights
Tour leader: Irshad Mobarak & Hymeir Kamaruddin
Departs: Penang
Maximum Group Size: 12
Fitness Level: Average
All Inclusive Packages:
Single room supplement:
Carbon-Clear Voluntary Contribution:
Included in cost: accommodation, all meals, transfers, transport, all excursions and guides.
Not included in cost: Travel insurance, tips, drinks, items of a personal nature.