BIRDWATCHING IN ASIA
James' Big Bird Year

I had been birdwatching for several years before I got really bitten by the twitching bug. From June 2005, I took a year off work just to travel round Asia to bird watch around South East Asia, namely in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia (Sumatra) and Vietnam.

Malaysian Blue FlycatcherThroughout that time, there was never any intention to get a Big Bird Year. My sole aim was to appreciate as many birds as I could, given my resources. Only at the end of my trip, when I sat down to compile the figures and lists, did I realise what I had done.

Besides one session with a friend to Malaysia, all the rest were solo birding trips. 

The privilege of birding across entire continents and countries in the region is that it allows you to appreciate several things. You may :

1. Enjoy the subtile differences of the various subspecies across the region. For example, the Greater Raquet-Tailed Drongos (Adult Rangoonensis) in Vietnam have  a longer tuft of curled hair above their beaks. When I first saw them, it dawned on me where Elvis got the inspiration for his hairdo! The are so different from those found in Singapore or West Malaysia. Even the Sultan's Tits are different. Those in Malaysia and Thailand tend to have a bright yellow crest while those at Bach Ma National Park in Vietnam have a glossy bluish black crest. There are numerous other examples. If you can spare the time and effort, it is a delight to study those subtle differences.

2. Appreciate the geographic range of different species of birds. It is interesting to note how the White Vented Mynah, which was once unheard of in West Malaysia and Singapore, has gradually extended its range 500km northwards from Singapore.

3. Gain a different perspective on life. When exposured to other cultures, belief systems and living conditions, I became much more appreciative of what I have. It prompted me to question many of the assumptions that I had about my life.

Twitching round Asia for long periods sounds easier than it seems. The part that I found most challenging was that I tended to miss home  about 2 weeks after the start of each trip. By the end of my 50 day birding trip across Vietnam, I could not wait to get home. With the advent of budget airlines, it is now easier to do several short trips instead of one long epic one. 

Here is a breakdown of the birds seen by location:

BIRDS SEEN FROM JUNE 2005 -JUNE 2006
S/N Date Days Country Birding Locations Species Lifers Endemic
1 6/5/2005 7 Malaysia
  (West)		 Taman Negara National Park 53 33 0
2 7/2/2005 19 Indonesia
(Sumatra)		 Keresik Tua, Kerinchi Seblat National Park, Letter W Waterfall, Sungei Sangir, Tapan Road, Padang 95 51 5
3 8/17/2005 30 Malaysia
  (East)		 Mount Kinabalu, Poring Hotspring, Sungei Kinabatangan (Uncle Tan's Jungle Camp), Sandakan, Sepilok, Pulau Manukan, Pulau Gaya, Kota Kinabalu Bird Sanctuary 190 107 15
4 10/8/2005 10 Thailand Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao, Hatydai 53 14 0
5 11/7/2005 11 Thailand
(Central)		 Bangkok's Chatuchak Park, Khao Yai National Park, Kok Kham Saltpans near Samut Sakon, Wat Pai Lom, Rangsit Marshes 61 21 0
6 2/20/2006 10 Thailand
 (North)		 Doi Inthanon 105 68 0
7 3/21/2006 4 Malaysia
  (West)		 Taman Ampang Rimba (Kuala Lumpur) 70 13 0
8 3/29/2006 50 Vietnam  Cat Tien National Park, Dalat, Bach Ma National Park, Hue, Cuc Ph'u'ong National Park, Hanoi, Tam Dao, Sapa 232 113 3
9     Singapore Singapore (includes birds seen during 2005 NSS Birdrace) 164 49 0
141 days TOTALS  578* 469 23

* Reflects the actual number of species seen. Duplicate counts were ignored.

It was a blessing to be able to see 578 species of birds in 2005/06.  For me, the journey to admire all 469 Lifers was truly memorable indeed.  
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