Blow Through Panti

[Commander]

Quite intriguing though. In all my years of observing them in Malaysia, I've never come across a male Common Birdwing or any of the related species in the genus Troides puddling. (Maybe I haven't been going to the right places!)

Then John Moore from up north from where you are, goes and shoots several shots of T helena and T aeacus males happily puddling away in the mountain stream banks of Chiangmai.

I wonder if there are geographical behavioural differences amongst the species/subspecies as well.

[Silverstreak]

First male Rajah Brook was sighted barely 100 meters into the trail. Was thinking they puddle, so concentrated my scan on the river banks at 5th , 7th and 9th kilometer mark but no luck on puddlers.

The female Rajah Brook was shot on her second visit to the flowering vine near the 9th KM stream.

For the Common Ringlet, have to shoot him proning on some thick underbush near a stream .... and realised that in the process donated blood to two leaches of Panti a few hours later.

Sighted also are Tree Nymphs that descended to road level and there were multiple Clippers along the track.

Some construction were ongoing on a visitor center 200 meters from the main road with carpark and a lookout tower almost completed . On-going military training in the area, stopped by to chat with some troops and their officers along the way. A number of civilian and commercial vehicles including a Sing one was encountered along the way in my short drive.

Wlll find time to shoot Panti more in future

[Painted Jezebel]

Then John Moore from up north from where you are, goes and shoots several shots of T helena and T aeacus males happily puddling away in the mountain stream banks of Chiangmai.

I wonder if there are geographical behavioural differences amongst the species/subspecies as well.

I've never seen any Troides puddling either, only thoroughly enjoying my neighbours' Ixora bushes, could be altitude related. Whats missing from their diet at altitude? So many questions, so few answers!

Les
231

[Commander]

Some construction were ongoing on a visitor center 200 meters from the main road with carpark and a lookout tower almost completed . On-going military traning in the area, stopped by to chat with some troops and their officers along the way. A number of civilian and commercial vehicles including a Sing one was encountered along the way in my short drive.

Wll find time to shoot Panti more in future

Yes, then you were definitely at Bunker Trail. The construction is expected to complete some time in the middle of the year. After that, access to Bunker Trail is gated and chargeable. MNS is working on the logistics of having paid guides for each group entering Bunker Trail.

It was a good hunting ground for us in the past and we went in quite regularly. The birders are taking advantage of this last "free" period before the construction is completed and fees charged for entry.

Yes, we should go there and shoot more often, but I don't think our guru Simon will ever want to go there again.

[Silverstreak]

Khew ,

I knew that road to Mersing very well, after transversing it numerous time to date Miss Black Marlin at Pulau Aur, so I was certain that it was the Bunker Trial of Panti forest, marked by the two world war II bunkers constructed by the British in their effort to defend the Japanese advance down the Mersing Kota Tinggi Road.The streams at 5th ,7th and 9th Km on the trail was described to me by Ericp, who is very well versed as a birder on that trail,during one of our casual conversation when butt shooting at AHBT.

The stretch of "roller coaster" road has been widen considerably and along with it the forests on the opposite side has been cleared and now planted with oil palm as far as the eyes can see.

Was rather shocked to encountered the RB barely 100 meters into the trail with dust flying in the air from a convoy of military trucks that were exiting the training area. It was in fact beyound my wildest dream of seeing the RB within such a distance from the main road ,whilest people travel half the globe to get a glimsp of it.... I got out of the car awe strucked and was totally captivated by its majestic flight .... my camera was still in the car boot!.

On Chin Fah Shin's site the last pic was of 6 Males puddling, I wonder if the puddling pic was shot at Fraser's Hill.

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/ch...ies/rajah.html

[Commander]

I have been in Bunker Trail over a dozen times, though after the last one on that fateful day on 17 June 2005, I haven't been back since.

Here are two pictures taken at our favourite "Base Camp" at the 7th mile just before the stream. There is an open clearing where we can park our cars and the place is full of butt activity.

Bunker Trail, at milestone 267, is more widely known. There is another track at milestone 270 which is also as interesting. However, as this is an active logging area, the guard sometimes chases people away. Bunker Trail's sand quarries are probably still active but should be shut down soon after the Johor Parks and MNS take control of the nature area.

The RBB is a resident of the forests at Bunker, and only on one outing that I didn't see it flying (cos it was raining! ). They're always there as the host plant vines can be found at various locations.

Fah Shin's shot shows the subspecies albescens which is the more widely known subspecies of Malaysia's Rajah Brooke's Birdwing. In my younger days, when I was collecting, I used to visit the sandbanks near Ulu Gopeng in Perak and picked out the best specimens as they were puddling.

The Bunker Trail's ssp mollumar is a "recent" discovery by the group led by Norman Parker (who was based in Singapore). Read the write up in C&P4 and you will see Parker and his friends' names as the "discoverers" of this subspecies. Interestingly, the males of this subspecies have never been known to puddle.

[Silverstreak]

On the way back wandered into the barricaded track at milestone 270( I think, the track before reaching Bunker Trial from Kota Tinggi) late in the evening , recced till the big staging area for log processing and noted its logging activity has been closed .

Must be a playground for the resident elephants as I noted a number of elephant excreta on the open land. Maybe the famed "Big Foot" of Masai area is in there too!

[Elbowed Pierrot]

khew, you are right... I wouldn't wanna go back there, thinking of it, brings back the goosebumps

[Commander]

khew, you are right... I wouldn't wanna go back there, thinking of it, brings back the goosebumps

That's perfectly understandable. I needed a "cooling" off period too, as the memories of what happened and the rest of that fateful day are still fresh in my mind.

I haven't been back there nor to ER since then.

[Elbowed Pierrot]

But I wouldn't mind if we fly to thailand as long as there is no long car rides