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A Sleepless Journey for a Mega Lifer (story time) May 2025 Ever since the appearance of the other extremely elusive bird, the Giant Pitta has been constantly recorded by the research of my friend Razis Nasri started since last November, l’ve never got a good chance to leave the town and go for it by the time it showed up. Until last weekend it showed again (I believe it’s on its 6th loop?) I know it’s time for me to pay a visit before it disappears again. On Monday (5th May) right I finish my gig work late night 12am, I immediately went home to grab the gears and started the 6 hours+ drive from KK to Kinabatangan. Thanks to my sleepless company dad Thenfoh Voowho was also longed for the nature trip We reached Batu Puteh hide, Kinabatangan Tues 7.30am (6th May), ready my camera and started the wait. Around 9am we heard its call afar, when it sounded nearer it stopped for awhile then later you hear its call went far distance again. It had been repeating this for total about 4 times until 12pm+ According to the previous record, the higher chance of seeing it showed up is between the first 3 days, reported by Razis. The day when I arrived was already the 4th day, so I might get few chance of meeting the star. Where I knew some of my nature guide friends Jason James & Apiq Sulaiman already got it couple days before me. Finally at 1pm, it was done with hiding and jumped out from the bush! Kira bagi muka saya la kan! For the first I see it with my own eyes in front of me instead of often seeing the shots taken by others on my FB wall always. I blasted my camera shutter for about good 5 minutes until it ran back into the bushes. A long sigh was made after the session, but rather filled with contentment and satisfaction. I’d like to thank Atteh for the invite even since day one of GP showing up, Muhammadrazali Djali the best bird whisperer (ada rasa kebas ka mulut ko hari tu bro ) and also Fauzi Fauzi. Giant Pitta (Hydrornis caeruleus) Status: Near Threatened 6th May 2025 Nikon D850 Nikkor AF-S 400mm f/2.8G ED VR N Manfrotto fluid head Gitzo Systematic tripod #giantpitta

𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 #April2025 When I was a rookie year back someone told me somewhere had sighting of the Malaysian Rail Babbler. I was like which bird is that? Oh it’s one of the rarest bird to see in the dense forest rarely people have even get to take good picture of it, told by the veteran birder. I learned that if I have the chance I’d like to see it too. Lately this year on March there was this news of MRB coming out at Hulu Langat forest, Selangor and it was quite consistent. My birder buddy Shu Shing (who is literally older more than twice my age) asked if I’m interested to go for it. Without hesitation we instantly booked our flight to Kuala Lumpur and flew there in the next 3 days. Such YOLO! On 1st April after we landed, checked in to hotel then we went straight to the port at Hulu Langat. Waited about 3 hours, it did not appear and later the entire area caught into a heavy downpour. We were force to stop but still carrying the hope that we might be getting it the next day. On day 2 2nd April, it was already raining early morning since 5am. We stood by back at the port again at 6.30am and started the wait. The ground that we stepped had already become muddy and yet we sat still and wait under the drizzle. We even joked it would be very embarrassed to tell our friends since we flew all the way and if we didn’t get to see the bird. Lol After the good 5 hours wait (at 10.45am) it finally showed itself! Wondering around and eating the worm, it just won’t stop moving around. At this precious moment we took our chance to blast the camera shutter to the max (射爆memory card他! Shu Shing講😂). It showed out about 3 times, from 30 sec to a minute each. Then it went in back to the forest and call for the day. That concluded our main purpose of the trip of capturing this one targeted superstar bird and it left us both exciting and satisfying memory that we will never forget. ✨ Malaysian Rail-babbler (Eupetes macrocerus)

Mega lifer of 2024 I’ll never forget waiting for hours just to capture a glimpse of its appearance. How majestic when it walked out in the dense forest. Also never forget a day being in the hide without bringing my FTZ adapter so there was no way for me to use my Z7 😅 Thanks to @cpsongsong for lending me his 12 years old DSLR D610 so that I can mount my lens on. Surprisingly the image quality did not disappoint me. Bulwer’s Pheasant (Lophura bulweri) *Borneo Endemic* Photographed at Trusmadi Forest @nikonasia D610 Nikkor AF-S 400mm f/2.8G ED VR ISO2800 | f/5 | 1/50s | -1.7ev Manfrotto fluid head & Innorel tripod #Dec2024

银腰针尾雨燕 Silver-rumped Spinetail (Rhaphidura leucopygialis) Small, bullet-shaped swift with rather broad-based wings. Dark (glossy blue in optimal light) with extensive silvery rump patch. Named for thin protrusions from the tail, only sometimes visible at close range. Forages aerially over forest and edge habitat, often near water, sometimes in large numbers and among other swift species. Gives a rapid-fire, chattering trill. Nikon D850 AFS 400mm f/2.8G Oct 2025 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #silverrumpedspinetail

黄臀灰胸鹎/ 夏洛特鵯 Charlotte’s Bulbul (Iole charlottae) *Borneo Endemic Status: Near Threatened Dull brown bulbul with a long bill and pale eyes. Endemic to Borneo, where it inhabits lowland forests and forest edges. Fairly adaptable, often occurring in degraded and regenerating wooded habitats. May be easily confused with other plain bulbuls; note this species’ pale eyes, unmarked yellowish-suffused underparts, and clean white throat. Not as social as some other bulbuls, typically moving through the middle and upper levels of forest individually or in pairs. Gives a somewhat hoarse “jeet!” and a nasal “jee-wit!”, and a repetitive series: “wee-jy-jy-jy!” Nikon Z8 500mm PF April 2026 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #charlottesbulbul

黄臀灰胸鹎/ 夏洛特鵯 Charlotte’s Bulbul (Iole charlottae) *Borneo Endemic Status: Near Threatened Dull brown bulbul with a long bill and pale eyes. Endemic to Borneo, where it inhabits lowland forests and forest edges. Fairly adaptable, often occurring in degraded and regenerating wooded habitats. May be easily confused with other plain bulbuls; note this species’ pale eyes, unmarked yellowish-suffused underparts, and clean white throat. Not as social as some other bulbuls, typically moving through the middle and upper levels of forest individually or in pairs. Gives a somewhat hoarse “jeet!” and a nasal “jee-wit!”, and a repetitive series: “wee-jy-jy-jy!” Nikon Z8 500mm PF April 2026 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #charlottesbulbul @nikonmalaysia @nikonasia @sabahtourism

白冠噪鶥 White-crested Laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) Stunningly white peaked crest, combined with a thin dark mask and russet-brown body, makes this laughingthrush an otherworldly beauty. Flocks travel through primary forest, second growth, and gardens, giving loud, querulous, and jabbering calls as they forage. Sometimes bursts into a deafening whooping chorus out of nowhere. Nikon D850 400mm f2.8 May 2025 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #whitecrestedlaughingthrush

橫斑翠鳥 Banded Kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella amabilis) L.p.amabilis is a subspecies of the banded kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella), known as the Northern Banded Kingfisher, primarily found in Southeast Asia. This species is recognized for its striking sexual dimorphism—males have blue crowns and black-and-blue backs, while females are rufous-and-black banded—a large, puffy head, and a heavy crimson bill. #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #bandedkingfisher

泰國火背鷴/戴氏火背鷴 ไก่ฟ้าพญาลอ Siamese Fireback (Lophura diardi) Status: Near Threatened Curious pheasant peaking its head to be a shy model, while the mosquitoes are trying to have their meals over it. Nikon D850 400mm f/2.8 May 2025 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #siamesefireback

泰國火背鷴/戴氏火背鷴 ไก่ฟ้าพญาลอ Siamese Fireback (Lophura diardi) Status: Near Threatened Curious pheasant peaking its head to be a shy model, while the mosquitoes are trying to have their meals over it. Nikon D850 400mm f/2.8 May 2025 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #siamesefireback

眼班孔雀雉 Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron germaini) Status: Vulnerable Endemic to Southern Indochina, mid-southern Vietnam and far-eastern Cambodia Small compact brown pheasant with bright red facial skin and iridescent sapphire spots all over the body, with longer green spots on the tail. Inhabits forests with dense cover from the lowlands up into the foothills and lower montane areas. Generally shy and reclusive and very difficult to see well. Nikon D850 400mm f/2.8 May 2025 #NikonMalaysia #NikonMY_FanFeature #nikonphotography #birdsofinstagram #germainspeacockpheasant

Truly beautiful 💚 Extremely elusive Good job for the team that recently has succeed to able to photograph this bird in the wild from the past 30 years. 👏🏻 I’m lucky to have seen its crest “bloom” 🌸 Trĩ sao 越南冠眼班雉 Vietnamese Crested Argus (Rheinardia ocellata) Status: Critically Endangered A large brown pheasant of humid forests, shy and extremely difficult to see. Most sightings are at dancing grounds, where males have cleaned the leaf litter from a large patch of the forest floor. Male is unmistakable, with a gigantic tail longer than his body and an elegant white line curving down from above the eye. Female is much smaller and shorter-tailed, but her bare bluish facial skin, long slender neck, and turkey-like appearance are diagnostic within the species’ range. Males give long, loud whooping vocalizations during the breeding season.