In conjunction with eBird Global Big Day 5 May 2018, the Selangor Branch Bird Group organized a birding trip to Sungai Congkak Recreational Forest located at Hulu Langat. The place is well known to local birders, as well as popular with families and nature-lovers looking for a place to enjoy some greenery or a cool splash in the river. The park consisted of primary tropical rainforest either side of a river flowing down the foothills of the Titiwangsa range. Perfect habitat for many species of flora and fauna.
Around 30 of us showed up at the wee hours of the morning excited to score as many species and as many good photographs as possible. After a quick rendezvous at the Batu 14 mosque, we drove to the entrance of the park and split up into 3 groups to cover as much area as possible. The weather was nice and the place not yet crowded.
My group followed the rear entrance and within a few minutes, we saw our first Oriental Magpie-robin. As we walked inside the jungle road, the distinctive call of the Black Magpie was heard. This was followed almost immediately by two beautiful Silver-breasted Broadbills. For the next hour or so, my group was occupied with many birds including a Rufescent Prinia, Fiery Minivets, Velvet-fronted Nuthatches and a Long-billed Spiderhunter. Standouts included a very friendly White-chested Babbler, as well as the resident pair of Rufous-backed Dwarf-kingfishers.
As we walked down the path, more birds were seen, the highlight of which was a Bamboo Woodpecker. This bird was seen quite low down initially before flying to a clump of bamboo where its features can be seen: olive-green body with no markings and a slightly paler head with no red indicating a female bird. Unfortunately it was only visible for a few seconds thus no photos were taken. Nevertheless, it was a cracking find!
For the next hour, an enjoyable stroll along the river yielded more nuthatches, Canary-flycatchers and a Golden-whiskered Barbet. A pair of Checker-throated Woodpeckers decided to forage for food on an exposed trunk, giving all of us good views. A female Rufous-winged Philentoma joined in the fun a few minutes later. Red flashes on the canopy alerted us to a stunning male Scarlet Minivet, larger and possessing an isolated red “spot” on its wing differentiating it from the smaller Fiery Minivets seen earlier. All in all, a decent morning indeed.
Further along, as the sun continued to rise, bird activity slowed down a bit but not our enthusiasm! Birds seen mid-morning include a noisy Horsfield's Babbler, a pair of Whiskered Treeswifts (which was observed mating!) and a Black-naped Monarch constructing a nest. As we headed back towards the entrance, we were entertained by a pair of Black-and-yellow Broadbills which obligingly posed for photographs and good views. These colourful and cute birds are usually heard or seen high up in the canopy, so opportunities like these are uncommon.
The day ended with all of us regrouping back at the main entrance where we had some light refreshments, and tallied up the total bird list. Overall, a total of 50+ species were encountered, which was an excellent result. It showed that despite being a popular place for weekenders, good birds can still be seen here. It helped that the whole area still seems relatively pristine and clean. Certainly a worthwhile place to return to in the future.
Finally, it should be emphasized that the trip wouldn't be as rewarding without the company of such knowledgeable and enthusiastic people. Many thanks to the SBBG committee members as well as every participant for making this trip memorable. Everyone involved went back home happy, already looking forward to the next trip!
