Old "Pump House" Road -
May, 9th 2004 -
In one of our chance
meeting during the morning walk session, Yeoh mentioned of seeing a
regular Sunday birding group in Old Pump House Road. They had being
consistently present. Well, it would be nice to meet up
with new birders.
It was
not that difficult to making slight amendment to our
Sunday outing trip. So Old Pump House Road -the next weekend!.
We left PJ. rather early
- wanting to
start our "Morning Walk" at the Old Pump House Road before 8.00 am.
Good planning and discipline fuelled the program well. We were at
the Seri Malaysia Hotel's Car Park for by 7.45 pm. Every one
were taking stock of the things to bring along -picnic set, NesCafe' and boxes of goodies
for sandwiches. I noticed a lone Plantive Cuckoo on the tree just
beside the car. It was his morning
songs, that alerted me. This elusive "trash" bird, I
needed it. I
have yet to get a good picture of it. One more time, at this time
the tree against the
dark gloomy morning sky, I could only see the silhouette on the LCD
screen. Still I fired away..
That morning we had
a foursome. For the first kilometer, walking up the long slope, the pace was slow.
All the time walking, we were looking forward to meet up with the regular Joggers.
They would be on the
returning leg after completing their round trip. It would be at around 8.45 am.
Another motive for the trip, sort
of fellowship after having not met up with them for almost a year.
Strangely, there were none that morning. {We found out later that they
changed their routine to a walk that start at 9.00 am.}
Earlier at the gate, a family
of Black-crested Bulbuls ushered us through the illegal break at the
fencing. From there on, it was very quiet, up the first slope - a
bend. Then the second slope and another bend.
 Nothing! Everyone could
feel the strain of this long stretch of climb. The very
cool morning ambience did not make up for the frustration of not
seeing birds. We reached the level stretch at last. A
magnificent view down the lifeless valley on both sides. It was a
consolation
that hearing the constant calls of the Chestnut-capped Laughingthrushes
helped us to re-affirmed that one of our aim for the day was birding. We could not see the
birds
either.
After the reservoir,
the road starts the gradual descend. I signaled to the ladies to
proceed at their normal pace while I spent more time in this
favorite haunt of mine. Being alone, I was hoping that the
quietness may influenced the situation. After a while, all I heard was
human voices. True enough this group of 5 enthusiastic birders
caught up with me. We met up and exchanged greetings. It soon confirmed that
they were the group that I am looking forward to in meeting. They
took the opportunity to rattled
out a long list of quality birds that they had spotted so far in
their weekly endeavor. The very good results had motivated them to invest in a
Bausch & Lamb bins each and the reason for their punctual presence.
Our conversation was cut short by the sightings of a Lesser
Racquet-tailed Drongo that came into view some hundred meters away
on a branch in the valley. Continuing, they too , had
something to look forward to that morning. It is nest of the
Silver-breasted broadbill that hung right above the road. We all
move cautiously towards and past the nest. Nothing that morning. In
their last 2 occasions, they saw the bird. First time when the nest was
built. The second occasion, also at around 9.30 am they spotted the owner on the
nest.
The group contended
with their fruitless morning parted company and I continued on
further in the road to join up
with my party whom by now had reached the valley with the Cable Cars
running. We choose a level site for our picnic. With lots of time
and tranquility, we waited and all we saw were a party of Laughingthrushes, who
were running among the trees around us. Joined at some point
by a Green-billed Malkoha.
On the way, coming
close to 10.30 am, I finally met up with the regular joggers. They were
on their way in. A
crowd of 15 strong and among them I was informed that my
acquaintance Birder Chang had just returned from Melbourne. True
enough a
moments later, we met up for a good fellowship. Not bad a morning, I must say
for an outing.
Before we were at the
entrance, another group came. This time it was Kim making her way slowly
toward the interior. Told her to keep a look-out for the Broadbills
and that I did not spot it. [Much later in a subsequent meeting up,
she confirmed that she had a good sightings that day]
It was quite a
disappointment and could only blame the day. One observation though
-the plants along the road were loaded
with young flower buds.I must make another trip here pretty soon
when the flower are in full bloom.
May, 13th 2004 -
I could not stand that
thought the trees in Old Pump House Road were flowering. I must
not loose time to check it out. So this Thursday, Stephen was on leave and we went.
We had our Roti Chanai and Teh tarik at the regular Raub Curry house
in Gohtong Jaya.
With the stomach filled, we were ready for a day's work.
That morning was not as
cooling as the Sunday before. We went past the fencing and up the
slopes. The Bulbuls were still there and like the trip before, the
place was absolutely lifeless on the first 2 slopes. On the level track above the valley, the first bird wave came.
Rather
early too at 8.15 am. There were the Minivets, Flycatchers and this
time a couple Sultan Tits! These days, I am geared for taking
pictures of birds and do not have my bins with me. So will miss
seeing some lifers as well if there are others to be spotted. But
that morning the birds choose to hover around the upper storey, in canopy level and against the skylines. No chance for
photography!
Round the bend and down
the slopes, we proceeded - there were occasional calls but very minimal signs of
bird presence. Perhaps both of us were not that serious about
birding, but rather, were waiting for the birds to jump
out just in front of us. Really! One pair of Verditer Flycatchers did
just that! About 40 feet away and almost eye level, in a lone tree
and beside the road. Stephen had his day complete -a lifer and bird
pictures. The excitement over, we continued to the Broadbill nest. I
kept my distance for Stephen to proceed alone. Found another
favorite spot of mine, sat in "ambush" for an hour
with absolute quietness and tranquility. There was one constant call
from an unfamiliar bird. Then, the tranquility was momentarily
interrupted once, with the intrusion of a Crested Jay. With Camera ready
and pointed - while waiting for a better angle -the opportunity
slipped away -as fast as it appeared.
Walked further on along
the road, to check on
Stephen and the spot where Broadbill's nest was. He had moved past
that spot but I did not see the bird either. Some bends away, he was
detained by a flock of Grey-chinned Minivets moving about the jungle
fringes at the Cable Car track. He did not see the Broadbill. At his
location, the Minivet was only 10 feet
away. No time for more exchanges. Fire away. While getting enough shots taken,
a lone Common Woodshrike was calling from a Tower supporting the
cable ropes. I rushed downhill to get a closer shot. The bird too
dived for foliages of the near-by tree. Got a good shot of the bird but
with clever avoidance with his
head tilted out of view. So near and yet what a miss! The bird and
me parted company before I could salvage more shots.
Time passed quickly and
it was noon. A pair of Laughingthrushes were in the thick bushes
some 30 feet away, doing the personal maintenance. Stephen took the
opportunity and spent 30 minutes for camera practice with this
co-operative pair. Having enough of practices we headed for the Gate
and home. Just as we were about to cross the Turn-pike to our car,
there were this pair of Orange-breasted Flowerpeckers with a single
Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker. There, I had to wait for Stephen to
practice his "Paparazzi" skills. Another co-operative pair, another
30 minutes.
It was a day with little
result but fairly fulfilling day with some photographic results.
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