The Quarry Road - Malaysian Birding Sites

This is a relatively unknown hill in between Gunong Ulu Kali - where the Genting Resort is located and Gunong Bunga Buah. The original road that runs up to its peak and down again, was part of the old road system that led to Genting Highlands 20 years ago, still exist. A reminder - this is in private property. The land owner has a barricade bar at the entrance. The other exit end is permanently locked. Back at the entrance, a guard house was 150 meters away. The road is adopted as a recreational path for the house owners in the vicinity. It is also the access way to Gunong Bunga Buah, for those intending weekend hikers. While the local residents do not respect the law of private land ownership, but it is good to make a courtesy call at the guard house to signifies your intention before entry.

The whole way is over 4 kilometers long shaded most parts within primary forest. It was easily passable and still was in original paved condition, except for this part in front of the old quarry. The quarry operations had ceased some years back. The hill where the road leads past is not being utilized or having any structures along the way.

That makes the vicinity ideal as it left undisturbed.

A short broken portion of the road in front of the quarry.

Bird life is rife, and good chance of sighting quality species that we do not get to see every day. I had seen Pitta and Broadbill this way. Otherwise for the causal birder, back to the usual method of waiting for bird waves. The wave comparable in size to those encountered in Old Pump House. Led by larger birds, like Malkohas and Laughingthrushes, filled in numbers by Minivets and Leafbirds. Then look for that occasional rare species among its midst.

The various stages of erosion but the road intact

The common resident here were the Lesser Racket tails & Bronzed Drongo and Leafbirds. It is futile to comb the whole 4 kms track. After the few trips, I found that the best stretch was still the region within the first 2 kilometers from the gate. Another point about this site. The side of the road looking down the slope was very frequent obscured by thick undergrowth. Peeping through the thick foliage to catch a glimpse of bird at eye level was almost impossible. Most of the time, at the time when a bird wave passed through, it was usually at canopied level. Looking up for long period was taxing.

The lush green tropical forest on both sides of road

Depending on the time of the year, in Monsoon periods, the place is foggy and dull. Good point was, various birds were forced to make their simultaneous appearances at the break of the poor weather. There was bird life even though the weather may appear uneventful. In the off seasons, the weather was dry, sky clear but cool the whole day. Different birds would be active at any time of the days when the ambience was most conducive to them.

Whole way canopied and on exposed stretches, flowering plants