Birding Trip to Taiping, the Rain Town (March 2020)

Assalamualaikum and a very good day to all.

I had the opportunity to take a short trip to Taiping on Friday evening, 06.03.2020.  Since it was a rainy Friday evening, traffic was horrendous as it took me more than 30min just to reach the Jalan Duta toll from home.  The journey overall took 3hr 30min, after a 30-min break in Tapah R&R for dinner.  It was raining all the way from KL to Tapah.  I safely arrived in Taiping by 10:00pm and retired for the night.

The birding session starts at 8:00am to 2 locations around foot of Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill) and further 2 locations around Taiping Lake Gardens in the afternoon.  By the time I'm done with birding, it was 6:00pm.  I was guided by a friend, En. Sidek, throughout the birding session.  We managed to photograph the elusive Banded kingfisher during this trip, however, failed to shoot the Rufous-collared kingfisher.  Managed to capture 9 lifers during this trip. Alhamdulillah.

I drove back to KL on Sunday 08.03.2020 morning and managed to arrive in KL by noon.  The following are some of the images captured in Taiping.

​Name: Banded kingfisher (male)
Scientific: Lacedo pulchella
Malay: Pekaka Rimba
Family: Alcedinidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G. 

​Name: Siberian blue robin
Scientific: Larvivora cyane
Malay: Murai Biru Siberia
Family: Muscicapidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

​Name: Banded broadbill
Scientific: Eurylaimus javanicus
Malay: Takau Belang / Takau Rimba
Family: Eurylaimidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Near Threatened
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

​Name: Black-and-yellow broadbill
Scientific: Eurylaimus ochromalus
Malay: Takau Hitam Kuning
Family: Eurylaimidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2017): Near Threatened
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

​Name: Green-backed flycatcher (female)
Scientific: Ficedula elisae
Malay: Sambar Belakang-hijau
Family: Muscicapidae
IUCN Red List (Ver3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

​Name: Orange-headed thrush
Scientific: Geokichla citrina
Malay: Murai Belanda / Murai Dada Oren
Family: Turdidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

​Name: Raffles's malkoha
Scientific: Rhinortha chlorophaea
Malay: Cenuk Kecil / Cenuk Kerak
Family: Muscicapidae
IUCN Red List (v.3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

​Name: Blue-winged leafbird
Scientific: Chloropsis cochinchinensis
Malay: Burung Daun Sayap Biru
Family: Chloropseidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1 2019): Endangered
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC.

​Name: Oriental pied hornbill
Scientific: Anthracoceros albirostris
Malay: Enggang Kelingking / Enggang Belulang / Burung Lilin
Family: Bucerotidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G.

​Name: Blue-crowned hanging-parrot
Scientific: Loriculus galgulus
Malay: Bayan Kecil / Bayan Serindit
Family: Psittacidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

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Name: Hooded pitta
Scientific: Pitta sordida
Malay: Burung Pacat Hijau / Berlau Bertudung / Pacat Gembala Pelanduk
Family: Pittidae
​IUCN Red List (v.3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G.

​Name: Pied triller
Scientific: Lalage nigra
Malay: Kuang Kuit / Rembah Kening Putih / Selancang Hitam Putih / Sewah Kapas
Family: Campephagidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

​Name: White-breasted waterhen
Scientific: Amaurornis phoenicurus
Malay: Wak-wak / Ruak-ruak
Family: Rallidae
IUCN Red List (v3.1, 2016): Least Concern
Gear: SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC. 

The gears used during this trip is SONY a7RIV + SEL200600G + SEL14TC, mounted on the Leofoto LS-365 carbion fibre tripod + Leofoto PG-1 tripod gimbal.

Coming up is my main birding trip for 2020, Kinabalu National Park, next week.  Stay tuned.

​#FullFrameLife #MySONYLife #sony #sonymalaysia #a7RIV #SEL200600G #SEL14TC #alpha #AlphaGuru  #NurIsmailPhotography #madebyluminar #skylum #skylummalaysia #luminar #topazlabs