Activities Report 1999 Nov Newsletter
Birding with MNS Selangor Bird Group
(In conjunction with the 52nd AGM 28-31 August 1999)
I had almost decided not to attend this
year's national AGM when I received an email from CK Neoh of MNS Selangor.
He invited me to join the Selangor birders for a camping-cum-birding trip
in Sungei Relau National Park organized in conjunction with the AGM. Immediately,
I decided to participate, notwithstanding the fact that I had never been
there, that I had no inkling of an idea how to get there and that it was
going to be a long journey. I went because I wanted to bird with Neoh and
learn a few tricks from him on how to video birds.
So, on 28 August, I drove to Sg. Relau
after work. Accoding to the map faxed by Aun Tiah, I was to go to KL, Karak
and then towards Kuala Lipis and thence onto to Sg Relau. It was a seven
hours drive, including only a brief stop near Tapah and a quick dinner
somewhere between Kuala Lipis and Sg. Relau. When I reached the Merapoh
Rest House at 8.00 p.m., the place where Aun Tiah was to meet me and lead
me into the park, he was not there yet as I had arrived earlier than expected.
It was already dark and I was in the middle of Pahang alone. Fortunately,
a Mr. Mah from the Selangor branch who was staying in the rest house gave
me direction to the park, which is actually an easy journey from the rest
house. I drove to the park alone, taking half an hour.
When I reached the campsite, naturally
all Selangor birders had already pitched tent and finished their dinner
(they also had a good time birding that evening). Soon after I pitched
my tent, Aun Tiah and Anuar briefed all of us, 31 participants in all,
about the subsequent programme. He had to cut short his briefings as it
soon started raining. Everybody thus had to rush back into the tents. The
rest of the night was memorable! The rain did not stop until about 3 a.m.
and most of the tents, including mine, were leaking! I could hear someone
(perhaps it was Wong KS or CK Neoh) said he enjoyed it as he was sleeping
on a waterbed!
The following morning (29 August), it
was birding in small groups before we had to leave camp and proceeded to
Kuala Lipis for the AGM. It was an 85 km journey, taking about one and
a half hours. There I met Cheaw, Poon, Hon, Christine, Iris and Liew, all
members from Perak.
Immediately after the AGM, four of us
including CK Neoh and I drove back to Sg Relau. We still had time for birding
and videoing before it got dark. Unlike the previous night, the chalets
at the park were available and we all gladly kept our tents in the boot
and stayed in the rooms.
The following morning (30 August), the
rest of the birders came back from Kuala Lipis. Dr Neoh and family, and
another Selangor group including Dr. Yap Yen Piau also came to bird. By
noon, we were told by the park authorities that despite earlier promise,
they could not allow all our cars to go into Sg Jeram (a beautiful and
pristine campsite 13 km from the Sg Relau campsite) as planned. Only 4WD
were allowed inside and that too was with special permission. Some including
me decided to stay put at Sg Relau. So the rest of the day was spent birding
along the main jeep track. That evening, we need not cook our own meals
for once. Five of us drove to Gua Musang for dinner, a 30 km journey. On
reaching back, Neoh took out his portable video light and we went round
the park looking for owls, as the park officer said he often see them at
night. We were out of luck but from the main hall of the park office, we
found a pair of red eyes in a high tree, using Neoh's video light. There
was lots of excitement but we could not identify the thing initially and
most of us thought we had found an owl. After much hassle with binos, scopes
and the addition of my portable spotlight torch, the creature finally flew
(or rather glide) to another tree nearby. We then realized that we had
seen the Giant Red Flying Squirrel, illustrated in a poster just behind
us! Unfortunately, Neoh's portable battery went flat and we could not see
more of the animal.
The next morning, we birded along the
jeep track again. Besides a good variety of sightings, we also saw fresh
elephant droppings. As I had to drive back to Ipoh, I was the first one
to leave the camp, leaving behind Neoh and company to wait for the main
birder entourage from Sg Jeram. This time, I stopped by Fraser Hill (about
3 hours drive from Sg Relau) before returning to Ipoh.
I picked up the following lifers: Great
Slaty Woodpecker, Spotted Fantail, White-bellied Woodpecker, Black Magpie,
Crested Jay. I missed the following which were sighted by others on this
trip: Malayan Rail-babbler (heard its calls), Garnet's Pitta, Scarlet-rumped
Trogon, Orange-breasted Trogon, Black and Red Broadbill
All in all, it was still a wonderful
trip and I hope to visit the place again.
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Created on 11th Nov 1999