Hello All,
In June 2008, I had the opportunity with some friends to visit Endau-Rompin
National Park, Johor, Malaysia. We entered the Park via Kahang and stayed in
bungalows at Kampung Peta. Several hour's drive from Kahang. Due to the
condition of the track, one can enter only by using 4WD vehicles, The track
traverses rubber and oil palm plantations before entering the dense jungle
of Kampung Peta. This Kampong is the most remote Orang Asli (aboriginal)
settlement in Johor. The National Park is made up of a lush, pristine
tropical lowland rainforest and is the second largest national park in the
Peninsula after Taman Negara. It is mostly hilly and the watershed of
several rivers. There is considerable variety of endemic flora, and the
endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros, Elephant, Tiger, Tapir, Beaded Pig, Gibbons,
Dusky-Leaf Monkey etc are to be found here as well as many species of
birds - about 260 recorded.
Some of the deepest rainforest jungle of South East Asia is to be found
here. Walking along jungle paths covered by the canopy of towering trees,
many estimated at hundreds of years old, though hot, sticky and battling
leeches, was to experience a habitat increasingly rare in S-E Asia today.
While nearly all the friends I was with were not birdwatchers, and made
birdwatching difficult, I still managed over the two days I was there to see
53 species of birds, some new and fascinating for me. I reckon one would
need three days to really enjoy the birds here. Trips into the Park from
Kahang can be arranged at a reasonable cost via the National Parks people,
who arrange 4WD vehicles, accommodation etc.
Travelling along one of the rivers in a hired canoe and driver, I enjoyed
good sightings of Crested Honey-buzzard, Green Imperial Pigeon, Black
Hornbill, Hill Myna & Blue-throated Bee-eater, flying and roosting among the
trees by the river bank. Over the water Dollarbird, Grey-rumped Treeswift &
Silver-rumped Swift hawked and competed. The Silver-rumped Swifts with their
vivid white rump showing how aptly named they are.
Along the jungle trails and in clearings, Red Junglefowl, Thick-billed
Pigeon, Raffles' Malkoha, Green Iora, Lesser Green Leafbird, Horsfield's
Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Grey-chested & Grey-headed Flycatchers were
some of the bird species I enjoyed seeing.
In a large open area around the bungalows, I was enthralled by a brilliant
gold and black bird, about the size of our Regent Bowerbird. I could not
believe my eyes when an incredibly scarlet and black bird also flew into the
trees to join it. It was my first encounter with a flock of strikingly
contrasting female and male Scarlet Minivet, and with them several Ashy
Minivet. Other notable birds for me in this habitat were Crimson-winged
Woodpecker, Scaly-crowned & Chestnut-winged Babbler and various species of
Bulbul such as Olive-winged, Cream-vented, Red-eyed, Finsch's,
Yellow-bellied and Buff -vented as well as Common & Rufous-tailed
Tailorbird, Golden-bellied Gerygone and Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. Flocks
of Blue-rumped Parrot could be enjoyed flying over and roosting and feeding
in some of the nearby trees. There were some flowering plants near the huts
where great sightings of Little, Spectacled and Grey-breasted Spiderhunter
were to be had, and heart-stopping views of flocks of Sunbirds, Purple-naped
& Purple-throated - living, shimmering jewels. In some grass I had good
sightings of White-rumped and White-bellied Munia.
Other birds seen in the area were Lesser Tree Duck, White-breasted
Waterhen, Spotted Dove, Peaceful Dove, Greater Coucal, White-throated
Kingfisher, Pacific Swallow, Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo, Oriental Magpie
Robin, White-vented Myna, & Eurasian Tree-Sparrow. One night a Reddish
Scops-Owl
was seen.
Chris Coleborn
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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