birding never sleeps: 30 years ago: 22-24 January 1982, Kuala Selangor

Sunday, 24 January 1982

30 years ago: 22-24 January 1982, Kuala Selangor

Friday 22nd January 1982: Tana Rata to Kuala Lumpar and Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Left Tana Rata at 08:00 on bus to Tapah (M$2.40). Arrived at 10:00 where very efficiently led through the back of cafe where got tickets to KL (M$7) and fried eggs on toast. Bus arrived at 10:15 and in KL by 13:15. Dave and Colin left to sort out Thai flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu leaving me with gear in bus station. Wrote some postcards. Colin phoned Taman Negara office but out to lunch until 14:45. When finally got through confirmed that could pay with travellers cheques which was just as well as they got to a bank just as it closed. Waited around and at 16:15 decided to get a bus to Selangor. Bus (no 141) arrived at 17:05 and got to Selangor just after 19:30. The bus was very crowded and scenery was boring - endless palm trees (date & coconut) along the road. All hotels quite expensive. Eventually got 3 of us in a double room for M$9.

Birds seen included: Mountain Imperial Pigeon 1, Bronze-winged Jacana 1, White-breasted Waterhen 1, White-bellied Swiftlet 100, White-breasted Kingfisher 6, Blue-tailed Bee-eater 20, Black-naped Oriole 3, Brown Shrike 4, Streaked Spiderhunter 1, Indian House Crow 30, Large-billed Crow 10.

Saturday 23rd January 1982: Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

An excellent start to the day with lots of bright photographable species behaving well. Morning walk on bank adjacent to river but hidden from it by mangroves. Back into Kuala Selangor to bank where changed £80 despite them professing not to do foreign exchange on a Saturday. Visit to Post Office then back on the bank around the mangroves. This time completed a long circuit, returning along the road seeing Red-winged Crested Cuckoo on way. Cloudy but very hot, though good birding despite this. Spent last 90 minutes of light on river bank watching little terns fly by and counting 174 roosting Common Sandpipers on moored boats. Chicken chop with potatoes and peas for tea again - good but expensive. Heat really getting to Colin today, I didn’t find it too bad thanks to the clouds.

Birds seen included: Green Heron 15, Yellow-billed Egret 20, Grey Heron 10, Black Baza 3, Brahminy Kite 15, White-bellied Sea Eagle 2 resting on TV mast, Crested Serpent Eagle 3, White-breasted Waterhen 2, Pacific Golden Plover 9, Terek Sandpiper 5, Common Sandpiper 174, Little Tern 16, Whiskered Tern 1, Zebra Dove 30, *Pink-necked Green Pigeon 2, *Red-winged Crested Cuckoo 1, *Chestnut-bellied Malkoha 1, Greater Coucal 2, Black-nest Swiftlet 1, Asian Palm Swift 5, White-breasted Kingfisher 4, Black-capped Kingfisher 4, White-collared Kingfisher 10, Stork-billed Kingfisher 1, Common Kingfisher 2, Blue-tailed Bee-eater 6, Dollarbird 3, Coppersmith Barbet 1, Common Goldenback 1, Richard’s Pipit 20, *Pied Triller 2 males, Ashy Minivet 2, Common Iora 2, Zitting Cisticola 15, Yellow-bellied Prinia 2, Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler 1, Arctic Warbler 2, Flyeater 1, Oriental Great Reed Warbler 2, *Ashy Tailorbird 30, Pied Fantail 6, *Mangrove Whistler 3, Brown-throated Sunbird 4, Black-naped Oriole 12, Brown Shrike 4, Jungle Myna 2, Pegu Sparrow 4, Chestnut Munia 4, *White-breasted Wood Swallow 3.

Sunday 24th January 1982: Kuala Selangor, departure to KL and Templar Park, Malaysia

Up early in the hope of finding Mangrove Blue Flycatcher. No luck but an excellent Slaty-breasted Rail a good substitute. Had to go back to hotel to clear out room, then up to the lighthouse although loads of locals there as Chinese New Year. Got 14:20 bus back to KL were an efficient change and at Templar Park by 17:30. Wrongly informed in restaurant shack there that closed on 25th so stocked up with 4 hard boiled eggs, 5 pieces of cake and 3 ‘green spots’. Walked up to limestone cliff to watch Bat Hawks fly around from 19:20 onwards [much to our embarrassment it is likely that these were actually dark race Peregrines! The distance, no telescope and previous reports seem poor excuses.]. Slept on site (first night ever in bivy bag). Very hot I almost melted.

Birds seen at Kuala Selangor included: Green Heron 4, Brahminy Kite 10, White-bellied Sea Eagle 2, *Slaty-breasted Rail 1, White-breasted Waterhen 4, Common Sandpiper 75, Pink-necked Green Pigeon 1, Chestnut-bellied Malkoha 2, White-breasted Kingfisher 2, Black-capped Kingfisher 3, White-collared Kingfisher 1, Blue-tailed Bee-eater 5, Coppersmith Barbet 4, Laced Woodpecker 3, Common Goldenback 2, Magpie Robin 11, Eye-browed Thrush 1, Yellow-bellied Prinia 2, Arctic Warbler 3, Ashy Tailorbird 10, Flyeater 1, Mangrove Whistler 3, Pied Fantail 2, Black-naped Oriole 10, Brown Shrike 6, Scaly-breasted Munia 25.

Birds seen at Templar Park included: Lesser Whistling Duck 1, Bat Hawk/Peregrine 2, Red-winged Crested Cuckoo 1, *Malay Bronze Cuckoo 2, Greater Coucal 1, Large-tailed Nightjar 1, *Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike 1, Brown Flycatcher 1, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 1.