Pheasants and Partridges of Sabah

 16th-21st March 2024

4th trip to Sabah and these time for the rarest birds such as Bornean Peacock-Pheasant, Bulwer's Pheasant, Crested Partridge, Red-breasted Partridge, Crimson-headed Partridge, Bornean Crested Fireback, Everett's Thrush and Hook-billed Bulbul and we got it all at Mt. Trusmadi, Mt. Alab, Mt. Kinabalu, Telupid and Klias Forest Reserve.

The hardest was the Hook-billed Bulbul at Klias and had a decent view on our 2nd attempt at the 2 KM long boardwalk. Good birding...

At Mt. Trusmadi bird hide for the Bulwer's Pheasant

Newly completed road for easy birding along the road up to the gate at Mt. Trusmadi FMU 10

Parking lot for the hide

See the Crimson-headed Partridge by the arrow

Testing again the Hoka Speedgoat 5 running shoes

Birding at Mt. Trusmadi

Entrance fees RM 20 per person

Part of the 21 KM loop road inside the gate

Crocker Range...

Watching the Bornean Barbet through the Swarovski Optik ATC56 scope

Misty morning at Mt. Kinabalu

Getting ready on the Toyota Land Cruiser 75 truck for the Bornean Peacock-Pheasant bird hide inTelupid

Climbing up to the hide for 1.2 KM

Morning breakfast at Kota Belud - Ranau Bypass road

3 KM loop boardwalk at Klias Peatswamp Forest, Beaufort for the Hook-billed Bulbul

Using joss stick for the mossy

At last a pair of Hook-billed Bulbul!!!

Orange-headed Thrush

Low's Squirrel

Temminck's Babbler

Siberian Blue Robin

Red-breasted Partridge

Sunda Laughingthrush

Crimson-headed Partridge

Bornean Peacock-Pheasant frame grab from smartphone taken with Swarovski ATC56 scope + VPA 2 adapter

Happy birding!

Kulamba Field Centre and Tabin Rainforest Lodge

25th Feb - 2nd March 2024

Bird survey were conducted on both sites as part of the new birding routes for Sabah with collaborations between Sabah Foresty, Sabah Tourism and Sabah Birdwatchers Association. The 8 days expedition were led by Ron and Andrew and during the trip, we found some of the interesting and extremely rare birds at both places such as Large Frogmouth, Bornean Ground-Cuckoo, Oriental Bay Owl, Sunda Blue Flycatcher and Ruddy Kingfisher.

Around 100++ species of birds were recorded and some of the images taken  with Swarovski Optik during the surveys below: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Location of Kulamba Field Centre from the Sabah Map

Handheld the new Swarovski Optik ATC56 scope

Ariel view of the Kulamba Forest Reserve

The gang before the night walk

Allen with the Swarovski Optik 10x32 NL Pure

With Fikri and Mor from Sabah Forest department

Samson at the nature trail behind the Centre

Fresh salted fish from the village

Sepak Takraw!

On our way up to the hill

Nipah forest are the dominant type vegetation at Kulamba

Andrew with the Swarovski Optik 12x42 NL Pure

Swarovski Optik VPA 2 smartphone adapter for spotting scope

Looking at the Olive-winged Bulbul from the verandah of the Centre

Nothing beats Swarovski Optik!

Samson with the Swarovski Optik BTX95 looking at the Long-tailed Parakeet

Adrian with the Swarovski Optik EL SV 10x32

Enjoying the view through the BTX95

Calling the Ruddy Kingfisher

One of the pond plenty with salt and saw few foot prints belongs to the Sunda Clouded Leopard

Kulamba Field Centre about 1 hour 45 minutes from Sukau village

Interior of the new Tabin Rainforest Lodge

Birding road

Bornean Ground-Cuckoo hide

Zoom lens would be better here up to 600mm

Henry testing the ATC56 scope

Ron and Henry with the Swarovski Optik

Tripod and gimbal head made by Swarovski Optik

Inside the bird hide waiting for the extremely rare Bornean Ground-Cuckoo

Vehicle for night drive

Sabah Partridge bird hide

Taking pictures from the ATC56 scope

River cruise on the Sulu Sea for the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins and other mammals.

Great Crested Tern, common migrant to Sabah

Large Frogmouth digiscoped with ATC56 scope

We likes the Swarovski Optik in Sabah!

Trails at Tabin Rainforest Lodge

Bornean Ground-Cuckoo

Bornean Crested Fireback

Sabah Partridge

Bornean Crested Fireback

Bornean Ground-Cuckoo

Female of Bornean Crested Fireback 

Happy birding!