This is spotted wood owl.
I just came back from my assignment for being volunteer myself as the Bird group long trip leader. I brought a small group to Kuala Gula.
Kuala Gula has been established as a bird sanctuary by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhiltan) since 1970. This is situated at about 45km from Taiping, Perak. Due to it's unique ecology of wetlands this place has been provided as a "resting ground" for the migratory waterbirds from the Northern to southern hemisphere. Thousands of birds can be seen in Kuala Gula wetlands during migratory period.
The rare residents waterbirds eg Lesser Adjuntant , Milky Storks. Besides being noted as one of the important grounds for waterbirds they are also the residence raptors eg Brahminy Kites, Black Shouldered Kites, Crested Serpent Eagle. Me and a few birders also noted that Black Baza also do stops at this place too. We witness 13 black baza flying above our head on 19/2/2005about 8:20am, looking at it's altitude I know that they have just started their journey and they are moving towards to the north.
Besides the "day" raptors and waterbirds.. it also a home for the "night" raptors (the owls). Owls are so easy to be sighted here. I seems to makes the statement that during the day time the telephone poles and wires are the resting ground for the bee eater, myna, swallows, stork billed kingfishers, white throated kingfishers, black shouldered kites. At night the scene is being replaces by Barn owl, Spotted wood owl, Buffy fish owls (if lucky).
These seems to be attractions for birders only but for holiday makers and to kill the curiosity one can visit the shrimp products making factory, look at people how to harvest cockles, look at the abundance of fresh sea products once the fisherman came back from their catch of the day..looks at oil palm plantation, looks and admire the mangroves forest ( The natural wall and protection from big waves)