22nd June -1st July 2026
Together with Jack, Dr. Sunshine, and Joel, we embarked on a journey to see some of Sabah's specialty birds and other remarkable wildlife. The trip began at Tanjung Aru Beach, where we searched for the Blue-naped Parrots and Long-tailed Parakeets, Mt. Trusmadi for the Bornean Banded Pitta, Mt. Kinabalu for the Mt. Blackeye and Bornean Swiftlet, Telupid for the Bornean Peacock-Pheasant and the endemic Bornean Bristlehead seen through the scope at Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok and concluded at the Kinabatangan River. During our final river cruise, we were rewarded with sightings of the last two hornbill species on our target list—the Bushy-crested Hornbill and the iconic Helmeted Hornbill—as well as the endangered Storm's Stork.
They are now exploring Tabin Wildlife Reserve, where we hope they will be rewarded with sightings of the elusive pittas and the highly sought-after Bornean Ground-Cuckoo!
eBird trip report https://ebird.org/tripreport/545455
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| Misty afternoon at Mt. Alab bird station |
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| Shooting the smallest and endemic raptor; White-fronted Falconet |
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| Mt. Kinabalu |
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| Admiring the smallest Orchid |
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| View from The Pampines Villa |
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| On our way to look for the Whitehead's |
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| View Point and we got the Wreathed Hornbill here |
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| View of Kg. Serusop from Timpohon Gate hehehe |
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| Extra effort were needed for the Whitehead's Trogon (dipped) |
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| On our way to the starting point for the Bornean Peacock-Pheasant hide |
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| Muddy road through the oil palm plantation |
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| New and stable bridge for visitors |
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| A very quiet morning at Sepilok |
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| Dr. Sunshine at the skywalks |
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| At Kinabatangan River with plenty of hopes for the remaining Hornbills |
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| Cruise after the rain |
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| Busy for the Orang Utan |
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| Gomantong Cave for the Mossy and Black-nest Swiftlet |
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| With Incut |
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| Used gearbox to be swap with the current ones as it has a problem for accidentally slipping the 3rd gear into neutral |
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| With a grab driver on my way back home from the workshop |
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| Bornean Banded Pitta |
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| Little Cuckoodove |
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| Bornean Whistler |
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| Sunda Scimitar-Babbler |
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| Grey-hooded Babbler |
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| Probably the migrant Orange-headed Thrush |
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| Wreathed Hornbill |
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| Stork-billed Kingfisher |
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| The light colour plumage of Javan Myna (melanism thanks to Dr. Amar for the identification) |
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| Grey Langur |
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| Black-crowned Night Heron |
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| Green Imperial Pigeon |
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| Rhinoceros Hornbill female |
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| Full moon |
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| Rhinoceros Hornbill male |
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| Black-and-red Broadbill |
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The rarest Straw-headed Bulbul on our final morning at Kinabatangan River!
Happy birding! |
