Birdwing of Bukit Tinggi in Bentong, Pahang

 

Common birdwing (Troides helena) is certainly one of the most beautiful species of butterfly I have ever seen. The latin name for this butterfly leads me to think whether it is named after "Helen of Troy", the Greek mythical character known for her exquisite beauty and the saying that it was her face that launched a thousand ships i.e. rival king invading Troy in order to (forcibly) win her hands in matrimony. More about this birdwing species can be read HERE. I had spent boxing day afternoon at the Japanese gardens in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang which lies at an altitude of 3,500 feet. I could hear the calls of the Black-browed barbet as I walked upwards towards the gardens. The songs and calls of the black-browed barbet can be heard in Xeno-Canto HERE. The Colmar Tropicale (as pictured below) and the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort, both owned by the Berjaya Hills Resort Berhad, are promoted and marketed internationally (as well as within Malaysia) via Agoda, Booking travel platforms etc. 

View of Titiwangsa range as I exited the Japanese gardens

Ryo Zantei Japanese restaurant at Berjaya Hills

Scenic parking at Berjaya Hills

Brightly-coloured facade of Colmar Tropical

A Bodhi tree at the roundabout leading to the hotel & resort.

I visited the Buddhist temple at Bukit Tinggi, Pahang to pray for a good year ahead in 2026. There is a bodhi tree at the roundabout that leads to the hotel & resort at Berjaya Hills. When the wind blew, the sound of the rustling leaves was music to my ears. More information on the Bodhi tree can be read HERE. Managed to use my binoculars later in the afternoon when I birded outside the Ministry of Housing & Local Government training grounds. The incoming rains ended my unscheduled birdwatching session that late afternoon. My eBird checklists are available at https://ebird.org/checklist/S291789212 and at https://ebird.org/checklist/S291789381