Birding & Bird Photography Tours In Sabah, Borneo. Click below.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Digiscoping Images at Nikon Vision Japan Website

30th December 2011



Some of my pictures has been published by Nikon Vision Japan at Nikon EDG microsite : http://www.nikon.com/products/sportoptics/edg/top/index.htm at Digiscoping Gallery. This is one of my best achievement  as a bird guide and photographer. Thanks for the supports from my family, best friends and Tee from Nikon Malaysia with Irene from Sandakan Foto.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s edited with Nikon Capture NX2










I will be testing the new Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 VR soon and hopefully with Nikon V1 mirrorless camera and do not forget to check my upcoming Birding & Digiscoping Workshop for January 2012 at http://horukuru.blogspot.com/2011/12/birding-digiscoping-workshop-2012.html

Happy birding and thanks for everyone who followed and enjoyed my blog for year 2011. See you in 2012 !

Friday, December 23, 2011

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

22nd December 2011



Common winter visitor to Kota Kinabalu city mostly around Tg. Aru water village opposite Sutera Harbour golf course and fish market. The number estimated for this season was 20 and it mixed up together with Whiskered Tern and Great Egret while feeding.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s




With Whiskered Tern



 




Happy birding and merry Xmas to all my readers !

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Birding & Digiscoping Workshop 2012







I will be conducting field trips at Kinabatangan River from January until early April 2012 depending with booking with Minimum of 6 persons and Maximum is 12 persons per trip. The main reason why I chose Kinabatangan River because of the combination between birds and mammals plus great scenery along the river especially at Menanggul tributary.

This workshop is OPEN throughout the year except in December.


Bird guide :

Azahari Reyes @ Jason aka horukuru's profile :

Working as a bird guide based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah since 2006 with clients mostly from UK and Japan. An invited spoke person for Nikon EDG products under Nikon Malaysia and been involved in various bird surveys with Sabah Forestry Department and photography workshops mainly by Nikon Malaysia and Sabah Park.

Pictures has been published in Sepilok Bird Book, Nikon Vision Japan website and promotional materials by Sabah Tourism Board mostly related with bird watching activities. In the process of publishing photographic bird book and coming up with photo exhibitions in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.

Been to Philippines, Indonesia and England as an exhibitor for the bird festivals promoting birding market for Sabah under Sabah Tourism Board at the same time, took the opportunity to know more about birds on those places.

Member of Borneo 400 Club and specialized in Digiscoping ~ Capturing pictures through scope with DSLR and compact camera.

Preferred Nikon equipments for birding and photography and Apple for pictures editing.

References :


Below is the program for 3 Days 2 Nights : EX - SUKAU



DAY 1 :

1200.            : Arrival of participants at Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast for registration and lunch.

1400 - 1530  : Basic Birdwatching covering in identification, sounds, behavior and usage of equipments; Binocular and Fieldscope subjects.

1530 - 1800. : Cruising along Menanggul River for Black Hornbill, Scarlet-rumped Trogon, Blue-eared Kingfisher and many more. Mammals such as Proboscis Monkey, Orang Utan and Long-tailed Macaque provides opportunity for pictures too.

1830 - 1930  : Dinner

1930 - 2100. : Check list of birds and mammals. End of Day 1. (Lunch and Dinner)



DAY 2

0630 - 0900  : Morning cruise for more birds and wildlife. Back to the lodge for breakfast.

1000 - 1200  : Digiscoping and Bird Photograph, Bird Recording and birding / photography ethics on the field.

1230             : Lunch.

1530 - 1800 : Cruising along Menanggul River for Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Lesser Fish Eagle, Black-naped Monarch and many more. Mammals such as Bornean Pygmy Elephant, Silver Leaf Monkey and Monitor Lizard provides opportunity for pictures too.
1830 - 1930  : Dinner

1930 - 2030  : Night cruise for nocturnal animals such as Leopard Cat, Malay Civets and Buffy Fish Owl.

2045 - 2145  : Check list of birds and mammals. End of Day 2. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)



DAY 3

0630 - 0900  : Morning cruise for birds and wildlife. Back to the lodge for breakfast.

0930 - 1030  : Check list of birds and mammals.

1130 - 1230  : Check out and end of workshop. (Breakfast)


Things to bring :

1. Binocular with minimum configuration of 7x42, 8x32, 8x36, 8x42, 10x32 or 10x42 to maximized viewing of birds and wildlife. Compact binocular such as 8x25 and 10x25 can be used but you will get less Field of View and brightness while birding in the rainforest. Binocular for rental during the river cruise is provided for RM 10 per cruise.

2. DSLR and compact camera with zoom or telephoto lens; 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 300mm and above. Compact camera will be use for demo on Digiscoping. If none of the above, just binocular is fine.

3. Flash and torch lights for night cruise. Subject to weather condition.

4. Poncho or raincoat with hat or cap, sun lotion and sunglass for protection while cruising on the boat. Do not forget to bring insect repellent for mosquitos etc.

5. Proper walking shoes and sandal with long shirts and pants.

6. Laptop etc



What is included :

1. 6 private river cruises at Menanggul river with bird guide and maximum of 8 persons for each boat.

2. All meals at Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast with free flow of coffee and tea.

3. Fan room based on Twin Sharing for 2 persons at Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast



What is not included :

1. Travel insurance

2. Items of personal nature

3. Alcohol and soft drinks

4. Transportation from place of origin to Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast and back



For more info about Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast click here


Hope to see you there !

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) In Action !

12th December 2011



A short visit to Ranganan - Timbuk wetland in Tuaran where it hosted the vagrant Pied Avocet 2 weeks ago, I got this shots of fighting Wood Sandpiper. Only few frames were in focus because I was shooting from the car and a bit higher on the ground. Plus their actions was so quick !

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s


 



  

That's really hurt !

Happy birding !

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

8th December 2011



Saw this in Corby, England last year and a vagrant in my place and seen once at Pulau Tiga by Chris Kehoe. It was seen at Penampang paddy field by CK Leong in the morning before I arrived for the Blue-tailed Bee Eater.

Some of my friends were so lucky to see this few times at the same place with perfect pictures hahaha and I managed only a record shot despite searching for it the last few days in rain and shine !

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s



The flight pattern of this bird resembled like a Cuckoo

A the mountain now be back tomorrow afternoon. Will try again for the Starling ...

Happy birding !

Friday, December 9, 2011

Red-billed Starling (Sturnus sericeus)

7th December 2011



Another vagrant appeared at Penampang paddy field after Pied Avocet in Tuaran. It was by coincidence were looking for the Blue-tailed Bee Eater seen by Winston the day before, failed to locate the Bee Eater, this pretty looking juvenile as seen hoping on the ground looking for food at the Lady's Finger Ocra orchard.

Common winter visitor to Hong Kong and similar fate like the Pied Avocet. Check my posting below. 1st record for Sabah and probably Borneo :)

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s




Happy birding !

Monday, December 5, 2011

Pied Avocet (Recurvirosta avosetta)

3rd December 2011



Upon seeing this bird posted at Facebook, I rushed to the site at Mengkabong village, Tuaran and saw single bird busy feeding together with Wood Sandpiper, Wandering Whistling Duck and Common Moorhen.

The next few days, it became a hit among birders and photographers as far as Sandakan plus few visiting birders from Japan and Canada. A first record for Sabah, it was out of its range as the nearest wintering ground for this bird is at Hong Kong.

Thanks to Jiun Loong Lai for finding this mega bird and with the increasing numbers of birders cum digiscopers/photographers, Sabah is getting more and more interesting sighting of rare birds especially during the migratory season from September - April compared with few years ago where it was only a handful of enthusiasts.

The best lifer for this year !

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s






 


Happy birding !