Stuif's Adventures

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Trip up North, (13-16)-7-2006
Reports about a Blue-Winged Pitta nesting in Ulu Paip. A newly opened canopy walk in Sg Sedim, from where White-crowned Hornbills had been spotted. Owling in Air Itam Dalam.

Time for the Gang of Four to travel north!
Our usual targets: birdwatching and enjoying the local food.
But at this occasion also to meet several Penang birders, who had offered to guide us around.

After a hearty breakfast in Gopeng, we first had a look at Air Itam Dalam, where a new boardwalk through the mangrove forest has been opened. Not so much bird activity.

Late lunch in Bukit Mertajam and a discussion about where to stay that night. Tan Choo Eng had given us lots of information about suitable accommodation in the region. Finally we decided for the former Rest House in Kulim (now the Kulim Inn). A good choice, affordable price, even a swimming pool.

After a short rest we went back to Air Itam Dalam to meet Dr Neoh and his wife Mei Ling. Armed with strong torch lights, we went owling and spotted several species.

Back in Kulim, we had our dinner in a food stall near to the temple, where a festival was going on with Chinese opera, performed by a group from China. A big crowd and a very pleasant atmosphere.

The next day we went first to Sg Sedim, where recently a canopy walkway has been opened, supposedly the longest one in the world. Beautiful canopy, spiderhunters, leafbirds, but no hornbills.

In the afternoon we did a recce of Ulu Paip, a pleasant recreational forest with a small waterfall. We met a few Penang birders, who told us that the Pitta chicks had fledged already.

Back to Kulim, full of nostalgia for George, who has worked and lived there in the past.

On the Saturday again to Ulu Paip, to meet Tan Choo Eng and Dr Neoh. We had no luck in spotting kingfishers, but we saw the Blue-winged Pitta, so mission accomplished!

Then it was time to start our return trip. Except for me {Jan], because I had been invited by Dr Chan Ah Lak from Taiping to visit an unknown waterfall on Sunday.
In the afternoon he showed me his favourite birding playground, where we saw Pratincoles, Lapwings and Nightjars. The next morning, after breakfast at the Taiping landmark Kakak, we visited with a group of his friends the upper Trong Fall. Beautiful and unspoilt.

A memorable trip.
I expect that the bird photographers of the Gang will add some bird pictures.

Breakfast
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Shop decorations
 

Air Itam Dalam
 

Mangroves
 

Great Egg Fly
 

Lunch in BM
 

Church
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Mangroves, high tide
 

The Gang + Dr Neoh & wife
 

Pasar Malam in Kulim
 

Our food
 

Chinese Opera
 

The actors
 

Breakfast in Kulim
 

The Chinese temple in Kulim
 

Burning incense in the temple
 

Durians
 

For the home base
 

Sg Sedim
 

Leaf with galls (?)
 

Beautiful forest
 

The Canopy Walk entrance
 

Visitor Center
 

The canopy walk
 

And a beautiful canopy it is!
 

Tripod problems
 

Tripod problem solved
 

This does the trick
 

Petai, still out of reach
 

Looking for something?
 

The gang in action
 

Beer!
 

Ulu Paip
 

Meeting Penang birders
 

Bathing fun in Ulu Paip
 

Fruits (?)
 

Dinner in Kulim
 

Ulu Paip revisited
 

Butterfly hunting
 

Birders and their equipment
 

The Pitta nest
 

Lunch in Taiping
 

Meeting Dr Chan Ah Lak
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The car hide
 

Famous Kakak
 

Palm or Fern?
 

Waterfall hunters
 

Forest giant
 

Upper Trong Fall
 

[K] A apair of Laced Woodpecker
 

[K] One took flight - a lone Woody
 

wrote on Jul 30, 2006:
Have you guys counted? How many pictures of you having makan? Ratio of food Vs Birds. Some biridng trip!

wrote on Jul 31, 2006:
If I am not mistaken, our former SGI teacher and scout master, James Saw, was "priesting" there.

lightlingmk2 wrote on Aug 2, 2006:
I was in Tpg from 22nd Jul .. never heard WKong mentioning about you. Which is Dr Chan - ex left or right ? The rest I know. And where is this Kakak restaurent ?

geetee wrote on Aug 3, 2006:
Hi KC...'Kakak' is in Market Road..It is famous for it's "kai see meen". Started long ago as a stall at one of the cross streets near the Kowloon Restaurant (now no more) .

geetee wrote on Oct 31, 2012:
Hi Jan..just revisiting..so glad you have transferred most of your Multiply stuff to this new site.

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