Taman Rimba Ampang, Malaysia

Taman Rimba Ampang or the Ampang Forest Park, a lowland tropical rainforest reserve at the edge of KL city. 'Discovered' only fairly recently by bird-watchers as one of the most accessible areas to see rainforest specialties, in particular the Blue-banded Kingfisher.

I've only been there recently for the first time. It is very popular among the locals living in the vicinity. School boys after classes or perhaps playing truant love to go for a dip in the stream running alongside the main path.

Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds, Purple-naped sunbirds, Scarlet Minivets, Asian Fairy Bluebirds, various jungle babblers, woodpeckers and numerous species of bulbuls can be found there easily. A veritable tropical rainbow. And surprisingly for a place within cooee of the KL Twin Towers I saw White-handed Gibbons and White-thighed Surilis (a kind of long-tailed monkey). However I missed the Blue-banded Kingfisher this time.

Just hope that this special place is kept intact and the contiguous areas of forest are maintained.