On the nature trail in Johor

Shhh...listen and keep your eyes peeled! Avian and other natural wonders abound in a regenerated forest, just 60 km from Singapore

MOST Singaporeans are still fast asleep at 5.30 am on a Sunday. But at this time every other month, a car-load of nature lovers is on its way to Johor, aiming to reach a jungle trail at first light for an exciting morning of birdwatching.

We sail through the near-deserted checkpoints in the dark, pass old Johor Baru shophouses and head for the sign that says Kota Tinggi.

Traffic is light.

SPOTTED: Always a thrill to come across, the Diard's trogan (centre) is shy. But birdwatchers are soon distracted by a myriad of colurs, including the broadbill (top) and woodpecker.

It is a straight drive to our destination - a place known as Panti. It is on the road that leads to Kuantan, all the way to the north.

Along the way, we stop for a breakfast of roti canai and kopi-o in a roadside coffeeshop.

It is 7 am and we keep our eyes peeled for the start of the barely perceptible trail in a bank of vegetation.

This path is unmarked and easy to miss, probably a secret known only to wildlife enthusiasts, as well as poachers.

Once the car is parked inside the trail, everyone hops out.

Bare legs and arms are sprayed with insect repellent, which also ward off leeches that usually appear after the rain.

As the dawn chorus builds up, we unpack binoculars and telescope.

Yes! The birds are up and about. But where are they? We watch for movement.

Suddenly a blood-red flash cuts through the trees. It is a trogan - one of three species of birds that the area is well-known for.

We check its diagnostic features - the colour of the skin around its eyes, the underside of its tail, among other things - to pinpoint whether it is the Scarlet-rumped, Red-naped or Diard's trogan.

Whichever...the stout, long-tailed trogan with wavy barring on its wings always gets the adrenaline flowing.

A shy but obliging bird, it usually stays long enough for us to 'ooh' and 'aah' softly in admiration.

But a myriad of other flying colours soon distract us - broadbills, woodpeckers, hornbills, malkohas - not to mention the little brown jobs, usually bulbuls, that are always a challenge to identify.

Later in the morning, the 'pee-wheew-wheew' call of the Crested Serpent-Eagle rings through the air.

Casting our eyes upwards, we barely see it through the thick treetops.

A pair of rare Crested Partridges crossed Singapore birdwatcher Lim Kim Seng's path once. Lucky him. Those ahead and behind could only curse and swear that they missed even a glimpse of the handsome and regal ground-dwellers.

On a good day, bagging 50 species is easy for the experienced birdwatcher, who saves the bird calls in his mental database.

For the not-so-experienced, spotting a lifer - a bird seen in the wild for the first time in one's life - is always a thrill and does not require much effort.

Each trip to this regenerated forest is different, filled with its own surprises.

But the forest is not just about avian wonders.

A cream-coloured Giant Squirrel, one of the largest in the world, forages in the canopy.

The piercing wail of gibbons can be heard in the far distance. Male and female pair up for life and stake out their territory each morning by singing. Their duet also serves to strengthen their relationship.

Right before our eyes, a flying lizard glides to land smartly on a tree trunk. He starts to wave his orange throat flag to attract a mate.

Near our feet, multi-hued butterflies flit and feed.

All these sightings, worthy of a National Geographic documentary, take place just 60 km from Singapore - an ever-expanding concrete jungle.

Near noon, the animals retire for a siesta and we leave reluctantly.

Birdwatching is hungry work and we retreat to Kota Tinggi for lunch at the Public Restaurant. It's just outside town, across the Johor River.

The waitress sits at our table to take our orders. There is a homely air.

The blachan kangkong, roast chicken and fried doufu are all tasty. The meal, including drinks, comes up to about RM30 (S$12) for three people. We eat in air-con comfort and the toilet is, thankfully, clean.

For dessert, we head back across the river to the market. At 2 pm, a push-cart manned by an Indian arrives to hawk old-fashioned chendol.

The green strips of flour, nicknamed 'worms', swimming in the gula melaka syrup are pandan-flavoured and lighter in colour than factory-made ones.

A bowl is RM0.50 and we squat by the drain to finish it. Local cars queue up to order takeaways.

When durians are in season, we stop by a roadside stall to haul a few home. They are freshly plucked from the plantation beyond, a steal at RM5 a kg.

The driver of our car wants her vehicle cleaned and filled with petrol. For RM8, it gets a hand-wash and vacuum as well, leaving it spick and span. For this sum, no car in Singapore would get the same royal treatment.

Then, with the petrol gauge needle at F, we are ready to face the Causeway again.

Traffic is heavier now, but moving. We are all home by 4 pm - happy and recharged for the week ahead.

Join the Nature Society (Singapore) to go off the beaten track for wildlife sightings and support conservation. Call 741-2036 for more information.