Tioman Island 30 October - 2 November 2014 Danny Lau and Lau Jia Sheng

Introduction

After reading Dave Bakewell’s blog entry on “Why go to a tropical island during the

monsoon?” (http://digdeep1962.wordpress.com/tag/tioman/), we decided to have a go at

it. In Singapore, we had done some raptor watching, pelagic birding, shorebirds watching

and birding across different habitats. However, we had never experienced a fall-out or

anything close to vagrant hunting. Thus, when an opportunity came, within three days, we

were off to Tioman Island.

Being “southerners” of the Malay Peninsula, vagrants or stray dispersants are harder to

come by. The simplest of reasoning is that the vagrants would need to travel further south

to reach us than to the “northerners” of the Malay Peninsula. As a result, the migrants that

do appear on our shores are largely expected, if not regular winter visitors/passage

migrants. Occasionally, we do get vagrants like the Amur Falcon (2009) and the Small

Pratincole (2012). Yet, for these sightings, the birds still had to pass through the

“northerners”. Their arrivals were just a matter of the extent of getting “lost” – how far

south they are willing to fly before realising that they are “lost”.

Another reason for the limited vagrant hunting opportunities in Singapore is our

geographical location. Nestled in a “giant lagoon” at the south of Johore, Malaysia, we are

very well-protected from the ravaging monsoon in the South China Sea. As a result, we do

not have a lot of opportunities to find migrating birds that are forced south by the bad

weather. In this area, Tioman Island has the advantage. However, there is more to it than

meets the eye.

To fly south from the northern hemisphere where “all” the migrants in our region are

supposed to breed, there are two general routes. One is through the land-bound route

encompassing the Indochina and the Malay Peninsula while the other is through the islands

of Taiwan, Philippines and Borneo. Although “all” the migrants come from the northern

hemisphere, some have discriminative preference for one route over the other. For

example, the majority of the Chestnut-Cheeked Starlings, the Narcissus Flycatchers and the

Grey-Streaked Flycatchers would migrate through Taiwan, Philippines and Borneo. Thus,

these species are vagrants to the Malay Peninsula. To make matters even more interesting

is the possibility of an island bridge across the South China Sea, where Tioman Island is part

of it. This island bridge offers a link between the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, allowing the

few strays from either route to find their way back to the rest of the population. Hence, no

further reason is really needed to justify the suitability of Tioman Island as a vagrant hunting

ground and its potential as a stopover for migrating birds. All one needs is a storm!

Figure 1: "Ignore me, I am just passing through" - Lanceolated Warbler

Logistics

Transportation

From Singapore, we drove to Mersing and parked our car overnight at the designated

tourist parking space. As we did not book our ferry tickets beforehand, we had to arrive

earlier to get them before the undisclosed ferry departure. As we did not know when the

ferry would depart and how long it would take to get the tickets, we planned our arrival at

Mersing to be 8am. In the end, we found out that the ferry would only depart at high tide

and the tickets could be bought in less than a minute with an additional thirty minutes for

settling the pre-departure procedure (payment of the marine park entrance fee and the

collection of the boarding pass to the ferry). As a result, we waited for more than three

hours!

Accommodation

Following Dave Bakewell’s trip report, we stayed at the Cheer Homestay, contactable by

either mobile 019-9769285 or cheersteo@yahoo.com. During the three days before our

arrival, the laptop of the homestay’s owner was spoilt, so our email booking did not reach

them. On hindsight, the mobile phone number would have been more useful.

Generally, the rates were quite reasonable. Before 1st November (rainy season), an air-

conditioned twin-sharing chalet would cost 120RM while a fan-only twin-sharing chalet

would cost 60RM. During the rainy season, there would be a promotion of 20% off the usual

room rates. On top of that, WIFI is free - though only accessible in the reception area. (As a

result, we had to brave the mossies and flies to stay connected. Literally, every online

message was written with some blood..)

Figure 2: Cheery bungalow in the midst of a forest of calling Collared Scops Owl!

To find the accommodation, turn right after crossing the arching bridge that links the ferry

terminal to the main road. Walk for 10min and the accommodation would be on the left.

For dining, consider Liza Restoran. We had affordable and tasty meals there. Their kampong

fried rice is highly recommended!

Figure 3: Kampung Fried Rice with Sambal Sotong, Mixed Vegetables and Beef Stew

Birding Areas Covered

1) Beach located north of the airport, Tekek

Directions: From the jetty, turn left and walk past the airport. After crossing a small

bridge, you should see the beach, lined with casuarina trees and coconuts. The

beach is broken into halves by another jetty.

Birds seen: After the rain clouds from the NW arrived at Tioman on the midnight of

30th, it rained until 11am on 31st. Thereafter, we found an Oriental Pratincole, a

couple of Black Drongoes, a handful of Asian Brown Flycatchers, a Common

Kingfisher and a couple of first winter Yellow Wagtails. For us, the highlights were

the raptors. At midday of the 31st, we flushed a juvenile Japanese Sparrowhawk, saw

a Grey-Faced Buzzard flying in from the NW of the island and lastly, did some raptor

watching when we noted some thermaling above the ridgeline, including a dark-

morphed Common Buzzard, an Oriental Honey Buzzard, a male Japanese

Sparrowhawk and other unidentified raptors. It appears that the timing of our visit

had coincided with the migration along the Malay Peninsula, so we did not see any

vagrants from Borneo.

2) Bushy areas around the main road to Juara

Directions: We reached Juara by hiring a taxi from Tekek and alighting at the

information center. Facing the information center, we turned left and walked about

20m before turning left into a track that leads though a scrubby grassland lined with

coconut groves on the right. The track would reach a three-way junction. The right

path would lead to a village while the left path would lead to the main road. On the

morning of 1st, we explored both paths. However, we found birding along the main

road to be more productive, so the left path is recommended. Once on the main

road, there are even more side trails through tall grasses and bushes. We explored at

least three of them but none had a vagrant. (See map)

Figure 4: Map of Juara with areas covered highlighted in red

Birds seen: At the scrubby grassland, Lanceolated and Oriental Reed Warblers were

very showy at 8am. Also, we flushed several raptors from the coconut groves,

including one Oriental Honey Buzzard, one immature Grey-Faced Buzzard and one

juvenile sparrowhawk. Along the village path, we flushed one unidentified snipe and

nothing else. Along the main road, the side trails yielded more Lanceolated Warblers

and a Tiger Shrike. No vagrant seen.

3) Path leading to the right of Information Center, Juara

Directions: Facing the information center, turn right.

Birds seen: Again, raptors stole the show. We had another immature, paler Grey-

Faced Buzzard, one Adult Blyth’s Hawk Eagle and three migrating Oriental Honey

Buzzards. (all heading eastwards… Borneo?) It may be pure coincidence that the

Common Kingfisher and Black Drongo at Tekek had moved on and one individual of

each species should be seen at Juara… No vagrants seen.

List of Birds seen during the trip

1) Oriental Honey Buzzard

1 seen circling overhead at Tekek on 30th. Another 2 seen thermaling above ridgeline

at Tekek on 31st. On 1st, a high count of 6 birds was seen at Tekek and Juara,

including 2 birds at Juara were seen to be heading eastwards into sea.

^Figure 5: Adult Male Oriental Honey Buzzard flying eastwards at Juara before the sky opens

2) Common Buzzard

1 dark-morphed individual seen thermaling above ridgeline. Sighting was viewed

from Tekek.

3) Grey-Faced Buzzard

1 seen at Tekek to be migrating onto Tioman Island from NW on 31st. 2 immatures

were seen at Juara on 1st, including one with a winged insect prey.

^Figure 6: Immature Grey-Faced Buzzard fleeing with breakfast after being spotted...

^Figure 7: Another individual that was seen at Juara. Note the lesser markings on the right carpal joint.

4) Japanese Sparrowhawk

2 seen on 30th, including 1 adult female that flew into Tekek at dusk together with

the swifts and swallows and 1 adult male that had migrated over earlier. Another 2

seen on 31st, including 1 thermaling above Cheer Homestay and 1 juvenile was

flushed at the beach of Tekek. On 1st, 1 was flushed in Tekek.

5) Changeable Hawk Eagle

2 seen flying above the ridgeline at Tekek on 31st.

6) Blyth’s Hawk Eagle

1 seen thermaling above the ridgeline at Juara on 1st.

^Figure 8: A gorgeous black dot in the dark sky - Blyth's Hawk Eagle!

7) White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

1 adult seen daily and additional 1 immature was seen on 1st.

8) Brahminy Kite

2 adults seen daily.

9) Daurian Starling

1 seen at Tekek on 30th and 31st. A flock of 6 was seen at Juara on 1st.

10) Asian Glossy Starling

Several flocks of 10+ birds were seen daily.

11) Common Myna

Abundant.

12) Hill Myna

More often heard than seen. 1 was finally seen inside the forest on way to Juara on

1st.

Figure 9: Giant Hill Myna!

13) Large-Billed Crow

Abundant. For unknown reasons, they are often seen flying southwards.

14) Black-Naped Oriole

A pair was seen daily at Tekek.

15) Pink-Necked Green Pigeon

1 pair was seen at dusk perched on a bare tree at Tekek on 30th. Several seen in flight

at Tekek on 31st.

16) Pied Imperial Pigeon

5 seen flying to the coastal forest from inland at dusk on 30th. Another 5 seen at

Cheer Homestay at dawn on 1st.

17) Spotted Dove

Abundant.

18) Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker

More often heard than seen. 3 and 1 individuals seen at Tekek on 30th and 31st

respectively. Another 1 bird was seen at Juara on 1st.

19) Plain-Throated Sunbird

Abundant.

20) Olive-Backed Sunbird

Abundant.

21) Common Sandpiper

2 seen along the canal for the water taxi at Tekek on 30th. 2 seen by the coast at

Tekek on 31st.

22) Terek Sandpiper

More than a handful was seen feeding on the exposed mudflat at Mersing on 30th.

23) Kentish Plover

1 seen on the exposed sandbar at Mersing on 30th.

24) Greater Sand Plover

1 confirmed sighting on the exposed sandbar at Mersing on 30th. Identified by yellow

legs and long, pointed bill.

25) Pacific Golden Plover

5 seen hiding at the rocks at Mersing on 30th.

26) Ruddy Turnstone

At least 5 handsome individuals were counted turning stones on the exposed

mudflat at Mersing on 30th.

27) Cattle Egret

More than a few dozen birds were seen daily, flying in flocks over to Pulau Renggis at

dusk.

28) Little Egret

A dozen seen at Mersing on 30th. Several daily sightings at Tekek.

29) Pacific Reef Egret

1 seen in Juara on the 1st.

30) Pond Heron Sp.

2 seen at Tekek on 31st and 1st. Another seen at Juara on 1st.

31) Little Tern

More than hundreds feeding at Mersing on 30th.

32) Bridled Tern

6 seen on the way to Tioman Island from Mersing on 30th.

33) Common Kingfisher

1 seen at Tekek on 31th. 1 seen at Juara on 1st. Possibly the bird is the same

individual.

34) Collared Kingfisher

1 seen at Tekek daily.

35) Pacific Swallow

Abundant.

36) Barn Swallow

Abundant.

37) Asian Palm Swift

1 seen at Tekek on 31st.

38) House Swift

A dozen was seen daily at Tekek.

^Figure 10: One of the many Asian Brown

Flycatchers that arrived after the storm

39) Pacific Swift

1 positively identified at Tekek on 30th.

40) Swiftlet Sp.

41) Dark-Necked Tailorbird

Heard at Tekek.

42) Common Tailorbird

Heard at Juara.

43) Asian Brown Flycatcher

5 seen at the beach of Tekek on 31st.

44) Yellow Wagtail

2 seen at Tekek on 31st and 1st.

45) Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo

On 1st, 2 were seen on the trees behind Cheer Homestay and another 2 were seen

along the main road to Juara.

46) Black Drongo

2 seen migrating onto shore at beach of Tekek on 31st. 1 seen at Juara on 1st.

Figure 11: Another tourist from the Peninsula - Black Drongoes!

47) Magpie Robin

1 seen daily along the canal for the water taxi at Tekek.

48) Lanceolated Warbler

4 seen around the main trail to Juara on 1st.

^Figure 12: One of the many skulking individuals in the bushy area - Lanceolated Warbler

49) Oriental Reed Warbler

2 seen in the scrubby grassland at Juara on 1st.

50) White-Breasted Waterhen

2 seen at Tekek on 31st. Another 2 seen flying into cover at Juara on 1st.

51) Yellow Bittern

1 seen at Juara on 1st.

52) Eurasian Tree Sparrow

10 seen daily at Tekek.

53) Lesser Frigatebird

Out of the several hundreds frigatebirds that gather to roost on P. Renggis. We were

only able to confirm the identity of several individuals to be of this species.

54) Tiger Shrike

1 seen at Juara on 1st.

Figure 13: Tiger Shrike waiting for its next prey

55) Brown Shrike

1 seen at Mersing on 30th. 1 seen at Tekek on 31st.

56) Collared Scops Owl

1 was spotlighted behind Cheer Homestay on 31st.

57) Oriental Pratincole

1 seen at the beach of Tekek on 31st and 1st.

58) Snipe Sp.

1 seen at Juara on 1st.

59) Lesser Coucal

1 seen at Tekek on 31st.

Figure 14: While there's an end to a bird list, there's no end to the beautiful sunset...

For more information on the trip, please feel free to contact Jia Sheng @ l_j_s_1978@yahoo.com.sg.

Figure 15: And lastly, how can we miss the famed residents of Tioman? – The Malayan Flying Fox