Birding In Labuan Island

27th - 30th October 2011

My last visit to this island was in 1999 with friend after high school and I remembered there were not many cars on the road than now. More shops lining up along the waterfront and the best thing is, the island still retain its cleanliness :)

The purpose of my visit was to check interesting migratory birds especially for vagrant species as found by Chris Kehoe recently at Pulau Tiga the Forest Wagtail. I was hoping to get lifers for this trip but unfortunately luck was not on my side, but I did enjoy the beauty of these Duty Free Island with cheap liquors and cigarettes plus mouth-watering chocolates !

Stayed at Global Hotel right in the middle of the town and from my room at 4th Floor, I could see small patch of mudflat from the Patau-Patau water village. Saw Chinese Egret and Greater Sand Plover together with Pacific Golden Plover and Whimbrel.

Then I move to one of the beach near University Malaysia Sabah and got a pair of Malaysian Sand Plover with few Kentish Plover and Common Sandpiper. The beach was nice though for swimming !

Tips from friend who used to work at the island mentioned about the resident Oriental Darter at the Botanical Garden which I saw and digiscoped but it was still far to get good shot across the river bank. Waited for the Stork-billed Kingfisher on its favorite perched, but no luck too.

List of birds seen and heard :

• Rufous Night Heron
• Little Heron
• Purple Heron
• Little Egret
• Intermediate Egret
• Great Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Chinese Egret
• Pacific Reef Egret
• Oriental Darter
• White-bellied Fish Eagle
• Brahminy Kite
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Kentish Plover
• Lesser Sand Plover
• Greater Sand Plover
• Malaysian Plover
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Whimbrel
• Grey-tailed Tattler
• Common Sandpiper
• Whiskered Tern
• Spotted Dove
• Zebra Dove
• Rock Pigeon
  
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon
• Asian Palm Swift
• House Swift
• Glossy Swiftlet
• Blue-eared Kingfisher (Heard)
• Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Heard)
• Barn Swallow
• Pacific Swallow
• Yellow-vented Bulbul
• Glossy Starling
• Oriental Magpie Robin
• Olive-backed Sunbird
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow
• Black-headed Munia

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85, 30x eyepiece with Nikon P7000

Car Ferry at Menumbok Jetty about 2 hours drive south from Kota Kinabalu. Then another 1 hours 30 minutes on the ferry itself to Labuan Island. More info about Labuan Island http://www.labuantourism.gov.my/

Rock Pigeon !

Oriental Darter

Patau-Patau Water Village

Views from the hotel

I will be back in March next year for the Marine Park to check if seabirds and waders is around before the end of the migratory season in April.

Happy birding !