Montane rainforest is generally divided into two sub- areas: lower and upper. Lower montane rainforest begins at 750 metres above sea level rising to 1500 metres while upper montane areas extend from 1500 metres to 4095 metres. Altitudes above 1800 metres are labelled ericaceous cloud forest. In Malaysia these include several small and bigger mountains and ranges like the Crocker, Bintang and Titiwangsa Ranges. Fraser's Hill, Bukit Larut, Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands and Kinabalu National Park are among montane rainforests and have been classified as Important Bird Areas. The favourite among birders is Fraser's Hill which hosts an annual international bird race.
Birdlife in the montane zone is less diverse compared to lowland forest. But montane rainforests have their own attraction in terms of birdlife. The Golden- throated Barbet, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Common Green Magpie, Silvereared Mesia, laughing thrushes and a host of other babblers can be seen in these areas. Some montane birds such as the Mountain Imperial Pigeon also forage for food in the lower altitudes. Birding in montane areas posed a major physical challenge for me because of my back problems. But I persevered with help from my husband.
I have tripped several times along mountain trails. Sometimes I have breathing problems at high altitudes. Nevertheless, my passion helped me overcome these obstacles.
At Fraser's Hill two years ago we abandoned lunch after a snake worked its way onto the bench next to my husband on Bishop Trail. We slowly moved off the bench after being alerted by a hiker.
On another occasion, I fell down a steep slope with my camera while shooting a trogon, escaping with minor scratches.
