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| Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 08.30 AM | |||||
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Home » FeatureStory
Is it the surreal tranquillity? Or is it the thrill of chasing after birds of all sizes and colours? These questions occupied my thoughts as I drove up to Fraser’s Hill on a Friday afternoon. I almost missed by a whisker the scheduled time to go up Fraser’s Hill at the Gap. This was my second attempt at the Fraser’s Hill International Bird Race, yet I could feel the excitement as I pulled up at Shahzan Inn. This iconic “white house with black stripes” is a contemporary variant of the classic Tudor-styled buildings commonly found in hill stations. For the very first time, Pahang Tourist Guides’ Association was organising a course on “Enhancing Your Birdwatching Adventure”. Carell Cheong from the Worldwide Fund for Nature (Malaysia) triggered our interest in birds and imparted some bird-watching tips. Walking tall after the lesson and feeling highly charged, we were raring to take on the International Bird Race 2008 the next day. Dust The Feather People couldn’t help but chuckle at our team name, Feather Duster but we felt it beat last year’s PHTGAA. Our team members remained the same — team leader Pan Gee Wan, armed with his binoculars, Norizan, in charge of records, and I, with my new digital camera fitted with a powerful zoom lens, was the photographer. We made our way to the checkpoint opposite SM Store. “This is a great place to put some birds in our logbook,” said Pan as we spotted the familiar Long-tailed Sibia pecking at breadcrumbs. Another species joined in and Norizan confirmed that it was the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush. There were fewer numbers of this species and we were delighted to see it. As we approached the clock tower, we saw perched on the power lines a pair of Red-rumped Swallow with its distinctive rufous under-parts. “Three in the bag and many more to go!” exclaimed Norizan. Hill Mafia At Shahzan Inn’s birdhouse, we saw the Silver-eared Mesia - the “mafia” of Fraser’s Hill. This beautiful bird thrives in Fraser’s Hill. It’s everywhere and loves to move in small groups. It has shades of yellow, black, red, orange and grey. But it’s the silver patch on the ear that gives it its name. On our way to Bishop’s House, we heard the rustling of leaves. We could hardly make out some little birds skipping from branch to branch. I took some shots and after magnifying the picture several times and checking against the illustrated guide on The Birds Of Fraser’s Hill by Morten Strange, we confirmed that it was the Little Pied Flycatcher. These usually travel in pairs and the colours differ between sexes. Novice birders tend to mistake them for different species. Where’re The Birds? As evening approached, our aching feet cried out for a rest. A quick count showed that we had 16 species — only half of what we’d recorded last year. Other teams were facing the same scenario. “This year, the fig trees are bearing less fruits which may be one of the reasons,” said Durai, a guide and arbitrator of this year’s race. We hoped the next day’s sighting would be more fruitful. The persistent chirping of birds signalled the break of day. Standing on the balcony overlooking the golf course, I could feel the wet from the passing mist as I gazed at the colours of dawn streaming over the rainforest. The feeling was just surreal. This was one of the reasons why I chose to stay at Shahzan Inn. Located at the town square, it was easy to enjoy the facilities in Fraser’s Hill which were only a short stroll away from the hotel. Singing Robin “Team Feather Duster must do better today. This is the last chance. We must bring in the numbers. Let’s move out,” ordered Pan. At the Indian temple, we noticed a flock of birds in a tree. It’s the Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush – a very conspicuous and vocal bird. Pan zoomed in on a pair of birds high up on the tree. Cheong’s earlier lessons came in handy then. “A big bird, size of a pigeon, blue head, dark-grey body, light under-parts,” reported Pan. Wow! The Mountain Imperial Pigeon. We missed it last year. Taking a rest near some brightly coloured flowers, we saw a noisy bird feeding on the nectar. This was none other than the Streaked Spiderhunter with its long narrow beak and heavy black streaks over its yellow feathers. The Oriental Magpie Robin sang to us as we made our way to the playground. On a telephone pole, we saw a Broad-billed Crow flapping its wings in greeting. This was the same species found in abundance in the lowlands. Novices No More We handed over our logbook at Shahzan Inn and waited anxiously for the results. “At least a consolation prize,” I prayed. The moment of truth finally came. We were puzzled that we didn’t win a prize despite recording 29 species while the team that won the first prize in the Novice Category had only 32 species. A check with the Registrar showed that once names were in the Bird Race’s database, the team was automatically assigned to the Advance Category. So, as we had taken part last year, we were automatically placed in the Advance Category. How silly of us to miss this important condition! Though we didn’t win, we found the experience enriching. We had sighted new species and expanded our knowledge of birds and bird-watching. And we’d come more prepared next year. The Event The 21st International Bird Race 2008 was held on June 21-22. There was a drop in both the number of teams and species of birds sighted. A total of 33 teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, UK, Australia, Korea and Japan competed. The Student category was won by the Nyamuk Team. The Montagu Harrier team from Malaysia won the Novice category while the Iora team from Singapore took home the coveted trophy in the Advance category with 74 species. Race Rules Newcomers often wonder how the race is conducted. Many think that the birds are released in a pre-defined route and the bird that comes in first wins. Actually, for the International Bird Race, teams compete to sight and record bird species within a given time. The team that records the most number of species correctly wins. Teams must have three members each and are divided into Student, Novice or Advance categories. The registration fee is RM100 per team. The race starts at 1pm on Saturday and ends at noon on Sunday. Each Log Book must be stamped at all four checkpoints in no particular order. The duly completed Log Book must reach the arbitrators by noon on Sunday. Late submissions are penalised at the rate of one species per minute. Haven for Birds Fraser’s Hill, named after Scottish adventurer Louis James Fraser stands just over 1,200m on the narrowest part of the Main Range, making it an ideal point for migratory birds from the north to cross the mountains. Over 260 species of both resident and migratory birds recorded on Fraser’s Hill make up about 40 per cent of the total number of species found in Malaysia. When To Go For peace and quiet, head for Fraser’s Hill on weekdays. On weekends, school holidays and public holidays, you can expect more visitors. Bird species vary with the times. Migratory birds from the northern hemisphere take refuge here to escape the bitter winter between October and March. Local birds herald the end of the north-east monsoon with breeding activities. They’re most vocal and conspicuous in nesting and feeding their young from April to June. Best Times There are two good times for watching birds at Fraser’s Hill — from dawn till mid-morning (6.30am-10am) and from late afternoon till evening (3pm-6.30pm). Rainy days are bad for birding activities but when the rain stops, there’s a sudden flood of insects which gets the different species of birds in a feeding frenzy. It’s then that flocks of birds create the so-called “bird waves”. What You Need A good pair of binoculars. Birds are generally timid so being able to zoom in from a distance is very rewarding. The Birds of Fraser’s Hill guide by Morten Strange which has colourful photographs arranged according to species help to identify the bird quickly. A good pair of shoes for jungle trekking is a must. It may be advisable to wear a pair of leech socks and bring along some salt. Also carry a pair of gloves and raincoat as well as a torchlight. Get a free map of Fraser’s Hill at the Tourist Information Centre in Puncak Inn. Bird-watching Tips Birds are extremely sensitive to colours, scents, noise and movements. Camouflaging is the key to successful bird watching. Wear clothes that blend with the rainforest. Avoid bright colours. Don’t wear perfume as the birds can smell you a mile away. Be quiet and if you must speak, try whispering. Finally, be all ears and eyes. Where To Stay Visitors can choose from refurbished colonial bungalows to apartments and from budget inn to international class hotel. For easy access to facilities and food, consider the three-star Shahzan Inn. Tel: 09-362 2300 Where To Eat Shahzan Inn offers local and western cuisine. The Chinese restaurant opposite SM Store serves a good curry mee. Due to renovation works, the stalls at Puncak Inn have been relocated to the playground. They serve nasi lemak, roti canai, mixed rice, fried noodles, burgers and fried fritters. The Old Smokehouse offers English meals in a traditional cottage setting. Sightseeing Tours The Fun Bus Ride by Haanusha Travel Tour Agency is a good way to see Fraser’s Hill when travelling in a group of a dozen people. For more information, call Selvam at 012-254 6320. For a guided tour, call K.S. Durai at 013-983 1633. Other Attractions Fraser’s Hill has resisted development over the years and thus preserved its pristine rainforests. There are seven established trails for visitors to enjoy the sights and sounds of Nature. Please inform the Tourist Information Centre before you set out in case of any eventualities. The Paddock offers fun for the whole family. Archery and woodball put your skills to the test. Horse-riding is a must for those who have not tried it before. Teeing off at the nine-hole public golf course is definitely refreshing. Allan’s Water near Jelai Resort offers a leisurely boat ride while the Jeriau Waterfall promises a refreshing dip. How To Get There Fraser’s Hill can be reached via Kuala Kubu Baru in Selangor or Raub in Pahang. For the first route, take the North-South Highway and exit at Rawang Utara toll plaza. Head towards Kuala Kubu Baru and follow direction to Fraser’s Hill. The other route is to get onto the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway and exit at Bentong in Pahang. Then go towards Raub and follow directions to Fraser’s Hill. It’s 102km from Kuala Lumpur. Due to road works on the two-lane road up the hill, all traffic is currently diverted via the one-lane Gap. Please remember that it’s odd hours going up, and even hours going down. There’s no traffic control after 8.40pm. For more information, contact Fraser’s Hill Development Corporation, Tel: 09-517 1623/4, 09-362 2195/2201 or email: pkbf@streamyx.com.my or pkbf@tm.net.my • Pictures by F. K. KOK
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