About birds, birdwatching and my Johor roots. Including the natural heritage, food, culture and wildlife of Malaysia, particularly Fraser Hill, Southeast Asia, China, Japan and beyond. Everything and anything bird, food, animals, travel-related and my family.
I started birding earlier by 7.45am after driving up from Swiss-Garden Genting Highlands to the mushroom farm restaurant which took around 20 minutes to reach. I could hear the calls of the woodpecker as I rounded one of the bends as I neared the summit of Genting Resorts. Mr Damian Gan Bo Hui's checklist for 14th June 2026 which can be viewed HERE contain avian species, some of which matched the species I saw on 13th June 2026 afternoon including the Himalayan Cutia, which he had managed to capture beautiful pictures of through his camera. He definitely saw more species than me in his party of 3. The Himalayan cutia was THE bird of the year for me which renewed and reignited my interest in birdwatching. Although the cutia did not show up again, the minivets did that morning, together with the Golden-throated Barbet which was feeding on a fruiting fig tree before it flew upwards above and beyond my sight. The mountain leaf warbler, chestnut-crowned warbler, white-browed shrike-babbler, were up and about the forest including the golden babbler, which for the first time, I spotted three of their chicks which were hiding under a thick foliage of leaves. Carefully concealed from predators, these chicks stand a very good chance to fully fledge and carry on bringing joy to birdwatchers like me. My checklist at eBird Malaysia can be viewed HERE. A quick stop at the Chin Swee temple to give thanks to Buddha was a must before I had my late breakfast of Roti Canai and Teh Tarik at Raub Curry Fish Head Restaurant, Goh Tong Jaya. There is a now a charge of RM5 for every vehicle that heads up to Genting Highlands either through the KL-Karak highway or via the Batang Kali, Selangor trunk road. This would apply for those who plan to go shopping at Genting Premium Outlets. A pair of Grey-chinned Minivets appeared next to Buddha, the male and female species, a perfect symbol of YIN and YANG just like how the Dragon and the Phoenix represent the YIN and YANG equilibrium, symbolizing balance, harmony and matrimonial bliss with the Dragon embodying masculine vigor and power, the Phoenix, feminine grace and beauty. The dragon and phoenix symbols remind me of my nieces and nephews, the youngest of which are twins. The new galleria at Chin Swee temple, contained displays of porcelain and ceramic tiles which were carefully dismantled from the temple when it underwent renovations, and included a replica wood carving of the temple. More about this new galleria can be read HERE. I am also reminded of Ajahn Chan's quote below and may I always remember this, whenever I face any challenges in life:-
Anything which is troubling you.
Anything which is irritating you.
THAT is your teacher.
The original picture of the Golden-Throated Barbet which I managed to snap that morning. A heavily cropped picture of it is provided below.
The Golden-throated Barbet flew further higher up from the fruiting tree in which it was feeding on earlier. Such a shy montane barbet species.
The Streaked Spiderhunter - one would always hear its high-pitched calls before seeing it!
Golden Babbler - one of two seen at eye-level. No time to adjust the settings on my camera when it perched and called so close in front of me.
One of the Golden Babblers' chicks cleverly hidden in thick foliage and only visible from a certain angle.
Grey-chinned Minivet, a pair of male and female perched that morning at the Mushroom Farm.
Birds carved in ceramic & porcelain, tiles of which were carefully removed from the temple during renovations. These were on display at the Chin Swee temple Galleria.
Porcelain & ceramics tile representing the Phoenix, a mystical creature which together with the dragon are always featured on the card invitations from Chinese wedding ceremonies.
Colourful lion statues which had silently guarded the entrance to the temple.
Porcelain ceramics tile representing what looks like a Blue Magpie perched on a twig of two fully-bloomed flowers.
A beautiful sunny morning at Chin Swee temple as I completed my birdwatching at Genting Highlands.
Buddha from a distance whom I thanked for allowing me to birdwatch safely.
Grey-Chinned Minivet (female) - one from a flock of 15 at Genting Highlands.
When a Malaysian public holiday fell on a weekday, off I went to Genting Highlands, with my mum and helper. We stayed for 1 night stay at the Swiss-Garden hotel & residence which is located at the foothills, with Goh Tong Jaya being nearest driving distance away. We stopped there earlier at Raub Curry Fish restaurant for afternoon tea since we could only check in by 7pm. After dropping my mum and helper at Chin Swee temple for them to explore the temple grounds, I birdwatch at the road alongside the Mushroom Farm, Genting Highlands. At an elevation of 1,800 m (5,905 feet) above sea-level, if I were to take the Petron gas station location as a comparison, the montane forest here is home to avian species such as the Golden-throated Barbet, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Blue-winged Minla, Silver-eared Mesia, Chestnut-capped Laughingthrush, Long-tailed Sibia, Grey-Chinned Minivet, Streaked Spiderhunter, Streaked Wren-Babbler etc. the species that I would encounter in my trips to Fraser Hill, years ago. A trip down memory lane at Fraser's Hill can be read HERE. Some of the birds which I managed to snap pictures of, are shared in this blog. A checklist of the birds entered through eBird Malaysia can be viewed HERE. For me, the flock of Grey-Chinned Minivets and their whistle-like soft calls brought comfort to my soul, as spots of yellow and red intermingle with the greenery when they are perched on the fern trees. The bird waves made it challenging for me to spot as many species as possible within that short frame of time, with my bins so my camera remain untouched in my tote bag. The Mountain Slender Squirrel also turned up that afternoon. More about this endemic mammal of Peninsular Malaysia can be read HERE. Also seen were beautiful bamboo orchids growing wild and some pitcher plants, most of which looked all shrunken up and shriveled, due to lack of nutrients, I suppose. The Bamboo Orchid is also known as the Bird orchid, Kinta weed, the flowers of which apparently can be fried and when eaten, taste like bitter gourd, according to this article from a Singapore Government agency website HERE. I realized how much I was in need of a proper rest and how much more to work life balance I needed to maintain, when my blood pressure shot up the previous Monday. I had to monitor my blood pressure for that entire week, as advised by my clinic doctor, and I had to take my blood test the following day for further reading by the doctor. Somehow, birdwatching amidst the greenery of montane forest and the cool mountain air helped to calm me.
A Grey-chinned Minivet (male) with an insect which became its afternoon meal.
A Grey-chinned Minivet (female) perched on a branch.
The tarred road with montane forest flanking it on the left and right, leading to a scrap metal yard at the end of the road.
Bamboo orchid flower - beauty in the eye of this beholder.
Mountain Slender Squirrel - endemic to Peninsular Malaysia.
Chestnut-capped laughingthrush - as garrulous as ever that afternoon!
Sea of clouds across this mountain range as viewed from a distance alongside this tarred road.
My mum choosing the fruits and jelly. We could also pick and choose which vegetables we'd like for our dinner - farm-to-table concept:)
The incoming mists shrouding the highlands as we had our dinner at this open-air restaurant.
RM65 for a kilo of this fish - we had 1.3kg fried with their signature butter sauce. All 3 of us (plus the restaurant's cat) finished every bit of the fish, bones and all!
The view of Genting Resort World, Chin Swee temple and Awana resort from the swimming pool deck (Level 40+) of the Swiss-Garden Hotel Genting Highlands.
Ho Ho Farm in Ulu Yam, Selangor was a pleasant discovery. I bought Brazilian spinach and Japan Kailan at RM5 each and the farm helper threw in a gourd (good for soups) for free. I discovered that the farm is listed in the STARFRUIT online farmer's market which can be viewed HERE. I have yet to place an order online for the vegetables, although the 2kg vege box looks good in the website. Some of the pictures taken from the afternoon visit to this farm can be viewed further down this blog post. Unfortunately, Kebun Cafe was closed on the day of my visit. I've read somewhere online that the Cafe only opens on weekends and public holidays. Never got to try their Mango Passion Cake and coffee. Oh well, such is life. There is a cafe inside the World of Phalaenopsis under Walter Biotec. A video of a visit to the Orchid Farm cafe can also be viewed further down this blog post. I've had a cup of Americano coffee at their cafe before and it tasted like a mix a Arabica & Liberica beans. Liberica beans can be readily sourced from within ASEAN region (including Malaysia) compared to the Arabica variety, which comes from Brazil (biggest Arabica beans producer in the world for 150 years & counting). The Arabica beans have recently gone up in price since 2025, and this translates to higher prices for that cup of Joe (if the beans are sourced exclusively from Brazil) for coffee consumers like me. I didn't try the cakes at the orchid farm cafe yet. I might try a slice to share with friends in the near future. I bought pots of orchids before at the World of Phalaenopsis. One was given as a gift to a family friend and the other is still soaking up the sun on my balcony. The final leg of my day trip ended at the Millenium Park at Ampang Pecah, Kuala Kubu Bahru, Selangor. The large football field faced the man-made lake as I stood in front of the lake to soak in the views of the distant hills and the sounds of the red-wattled lapwing. There is a clothing brand from London, UK which features the Tyrwhitt lapwing in their shirts and polos, which can be viewed HERE. A lone red-wattled lapwing was just standing on a patch of grass a few feet away from the waters of the lake at Millenium Park. I have had the privilege of accompanying Peter & Indira Widmann from the Katala Foundation, and being a part of the team that participated in the bird race during the Selangor Bird Fair back in 2018, which can be read HERE. Though I have not birded regularly since then, the sweet memories from 2018 Selangor Bird Fair flooded over me, when I reached Millenium Park. The Katala Foundation is the NGO guardian of the Philippine Cockatoo, which is categorized as Critically Endangered according to eBird HERE.
Distant mountain range of Titiwangsa can be viewed from Ho Ho Farm, Ulu Yam.
I parked my car nearby this durian tree and spotted these two thorny fruits right above me at Ho Ho Farm.
The paved road leading to Kebun cafe and a single-storey shopfront with vegetables for sale to the public at Ho Ho Farm.
This Snakehead species of fish looked like the Striped Snakehead (Haruan) which was lurking in the edges of this pond at World of Phalaenopsis orchid farm at Ulu Yam/Batang Kali when I spotted it that May 2025. More about this snakehead fish species can be read HERE.
Millenium Park, Ampang Pecah - home of the red-wattled lapwings:)
Sweet potato leaves covered this patch of the farm with a small field of corn, at Ho Ho Farm.
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad (BSAS) was opened to the public in February 2026 and was the venue chosen by the Minister of Federal Territories (YB Hannah Yeoh) for the Federal Territories Department's Aidilfitri video which you can read about and view HERE. My friends and I visited the majestic building in which history is re-told in one of the many gallery rooms. Stepping out of Masjid Jamek LRT/MRT station that Sunday morning, I waited at the (shaded) entrance to the Masjid Jamek for a while, observing a small flock of scaly-breasted munias which had nested on the palm trees in front of the mosque. Opposite the road (Jalan Tun Perak) was the OCBC building. The OCBC headquarters in Singapore was home to a pair of Peregrine Falcons which can be read and viewed HERE. Walking towards BSAS brought back nostalgic memories for me when I chambered in Kuala Lumpur back in the late-1990s, chasing after draft and "faired" orders from the courts at Jalan Tun Perak. In 2015, I worked on the second day of the weekend before Malaysia's National Day on 31st August, at an event titled Fiesta Blogshop organized by MYNIC which can be viewed HERE. I think that was the last time I walked past the Masjid Jamek area, in 2015. The galleries at BSAS are explained further HERE. The best gallery for me was the one showcasing the rainforest of Malaysia. The wise old Orangutan (a mechanical life-size version) was the narrator of the stories which included the Mousedeer, the Sun Bear, the Tiger, the Asian elephant, all of which were projected onto the walls of the gallery as the sounds of the forest and that of a gushing waterfall filled the room. We had a healthy lunch at one of the cafes within BSAS with a very mediocre cendol to cool off that hot day. The best cendol would probably be the ones served by the roadside stalls in towns such as Jementah (Johor) which you can read about HERE, Alor Gajah (Malacca) or the authentic nyonya restaurants. Some pictures of the Sunday outing are as below.
A screenshot from the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad website.
View of the BSAS building from the second floor on a hot, sunny day.
A very elaborate artwork painted on a teapot at the Royal Selangor Gallery - reminds me of paintings by Salvador Dali
Wine Ewer made of pewter on display at Royal Selangor Gallery
Scaly-breasted munias were nesting on some of these palm-like trees outside Jamek Mosque. The OCBC building is just across the street (Jalan Tun Perak).
One of the two entrances to YIHO Bakehouse. Walking through this entrance leads one to the pond of koi fishes inside the cafe.
My mum was pottering about the bakehouse to marvel at YIHO's selection of cakes, desserts and buns
YIHO Bakehouse located at No 1, Taman Bunga Raya, Kg. Koh, 32000 Sitiawan, Perak served many different types of patisserie, desserts, cakes and western-style dishes. I stopped by for afternoon tea that Saturday and the place was packed! Their blueberry cream cheese bagel tasted heavenly but their Americano Coffee was just ok despite the price tag of RM10+ for a small cup. Perhaps I am used to Arabica beans which I think they did not use to make that cup of coffee. YIHO did charge extra for service fees since it was the first day of Aidilfitri public holiday hence the higher price tag for the coffee & bagel. Nevertheless, I couldn't stop marveling at their wide varieties of baked products and desserts, one of which I featured in a picture for this post. You can visit YIHO's Facebook page HERE.
Colourful Koi fishes swimming inside a small pond within the cafe, with their vivid hues of red, gold, orange, black
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bagel which I had with a cup of Americano at YIHO. One of the best bagels I've had is surprisingly here at this bakery cafe in Sitiawan.
Different brands of imported flours from Taiwan, Japan and a brand known as Prima Flour Brand weighing up to 25kg being displayed on top of a high shelf
Mr French Loaf on duty at the YIHO bakery cashier. His nametag is written as such and I've seen other nametags of employees written as "Petite Gateau", "Mocha Latte" etc.
One the desserts spotted at YIHO which looked too pretty to eat
Noah Roastery Cafe, named after a biblical character whom God appointed to save mankind from the great floods. This Cafe had both Asian and Western dishes on their menu so I brought my mum and helper there for dinner. The cool interiors of this cafe provided us much needed relief from the blazing heat outside. One just needs to scan the QR code to start ordering. It was interesting to see this cafe publishing their menu through a website URL at https://noah-cafe.web.app/. The food at this particular cafe in Sitiawan was very good judging by the plate of nasi lemak which I ordered for my helper, in which no single grain of rice was left, and the empty bowl of mushroom soup in which my mum swiped the last drop of soup with her toasted baguette. Evan Almighty (a clip from that movie can be viewed below), the Americanized version of Noah would have been pleased to know that this cafe served good food. The green area plus the french-style windows which let natural sun-light into the facade of the cafe, added to the almost biblical experience for my family spending quality time together here. Their Instagram page can be viewed HERE
Noah's Roastery Cafe desserts were beautifully glazed, with this particular one above shaped like green apples. The Cara Damia looked really yummy.
Another one of the fruit-shaped theme desserts of Noah's Roastery was this mango that looked like Harum Manis variety. The heart-shaped dessert looked too pretty to eat.
Strawberries, grapes and blueberries on top of these tarts at Noah's Roastery made my eyes sing with joy
A green space in the middle of the cafe at Noah Roastery in contrast to the koi pond at their competitor's
I agree with the writer of the article [Sitiawan, Malaysia] Kampua noodles and other breakfast options from 𝗦𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗸 that the only community who can do better than the Hainanese in making coffees at the kopitiams, are the Foochow. You can read more about that article HERE. On my way back to KL, I passed by Ulu Dedap on the West Coast Expressway. Ulu Dedap is popularly known among the birdwatching community for their Marsh Harriers. Another birding hotspot is the Chui Chak Paddyfields. According to Google Maps, the paddyfields are around 35 minutes drive from the Teluk Intan Leaning Clock Tower. My inner birdwatcher will just have to contend with viewing birds from behind my laptop currently. The Perak hotspots featuring the species leaders can be viewed HERE in which the iconic birds of Chui Chak Paddyfields (ranked 17th) can be viewed HERE.I do reminisce on the good old days of birdwatching when my friends and I chased for a good sighting of the bank swallows in Malim Nawar which is one of the iconic birds that can be found at that 6th ranked hotspot in Perak. One can view the iconic birds of Malim Nawar's mining pools HERE.
Kampua Mee which I had for dinner at the Food Court near the old Pasar Awam in Sitiawan
One of the many food courts that opened that Saturday night in Sitiawan.
The above is a Studio Ghibli-style of the food court generated via Chatgpt. The satay lady is shown as seated in the Studio Ghibli-style pic above whereas in the actual photo, she is not.
