Short visit at Bambangan village, Sandakan

16th November 2008

Last minute planned and drove for nearly 2 hours to the village where it was visible last time by boat on the way to Sepilok Laut with Cede and John. According from the map given by the Forestry Department, this village has a small patch of heath forest which is the main habitat for Hook-billed Bulbul, but unfortunately did not hear or seen any :(

We walked along the wooden bridges looking for wader and saw only few common species such as Pacific reef Egret, Common Sandpiper and Little Heron. But surprising, counted more than 15 Chinese Egret around the village feeding at the same time nearby during low tide. That a lot !

And from the hill, 11 Brahminy Kite and single White-bellied fish-Eagle were seen gliding and flying around manupulating the heat from the thermal

Other birds seen:

• Brown Shrike
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow
• Asian Glossy Starling
• Yellow-vented Bulbul

The main subject that day hahaha domestic chicken

Some of the bridge not in good condition

John were looking on the hill for the raptors while Cede at the back was doing time lapse with the Fiddler Crab

low tide around 0.02 metres overlooking the Batu Sapi hill

Extensive mudfalt but not many waders that day ...

Back at Kota Kinabalu that evening and i will be back to Sandakan for the Bird Fair, see you there soon :)

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope ED82, SRB-Griturn Mk II adapter and Fujifilm F31d