Glossy Ibis

13th December 2018

There were 4 or 5 records for Sabah and last year it was found in Papar paddy field and surprisingly, another one was found at Penampang paddy field recently by a group of local birders. This species is a resident in Kalimantan and seeing it again among the white colour Egrets is amazing caused another excitement for those who have missed it last year!

Digiscoping with Swarovski STX95. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Happy birding and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone !


For more info on my birdwatching tours in Sabah, please visit my blog at http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

Tempasuk Plains, Kota Belud

25th November 2018

I was hoping for the vagrant Spot-billed Duck and rare Green Sandpiper which were spotted a few weeks ago, but after several hours scanning the area, luck was not on my side. The best thing is, I have found the strength of the BTX module by Swarovski Optik, which allows for comfortable long usage scanning with two eyes without causing any strains which I do encountered sometimes on the spotting scope.


Default power with the 95mm objective module is at 30x. But if I need more power, the ME 1.7x magnification extender, can gets me to 60x without sacrificing a lot on the sharpness and contrast from the glass itself. The module also comes with adjustable forehead rest too.

 List of birds seen:

• Wandering Whistling-Duck
• Spotted Dove
• Zebra Dove
• Watercock
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Black-bcked Swamphen
• Common Moorhen
• Black-winged Stilt
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Kentish Plover
• Little Ringed Plover
• Common Sandpiper
• Common Greenshank
• Wood Sandpiper
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Red-necked Stint
• Temminck's Stint
• Long-toed Stint
• Curlew Sandpiper
• Common Snipe
• Oriental Pranticole
• Whiskered Tern
• Yellow Bittern
• Cattle Egret
• Eastern Great Egret
• Purple Heron
• Little Egret
• Chinese Pond Heron
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Black-winged Kite
• Eastern Marsh Harrier
• Eurasian Kestrel
• Peregrine Falcon
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• Striated Grassbird
• Oriental Reed Warbler
• Yellow-vented Bulbul
• Pacific Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Olive-backed Sunbird
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

The spot for the Spot-billed Duck, Garganey with Cotton Pygmy-Goose

Elephant's Grass is taller than my Toyota Land Cruiser!

Mt. Kinabalu at the background

 

 

Tempasuk, one of the important wintering ground for bird from North Asia from September-April

Happy birding everyone!

For more info on my birding and wildlife photography tours around Sabah and Sarawak, please visit my blog at http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

My Sound Recordings at Xeno-Canto

20th November 2018

I have uploaded a few bird calls recorded in Sabah during my birding trips with Sennheiser ME66/K6 mic with Tascam DR-44WL. This is the link https://www.xeno-canto.org/contributor/EXRPOCMOXC If you have any questions, feel free to email me at horukuru@gmail.com

Some of the birds with the call below. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (C)

Mountain Serpent Eagle (endemic)  https://www.xeno-canto.org/433836

Barred Eagle-Owl https://www.xeno-canto.org/428457

  

Rufous-collared Kingfisher https://www.xeno-canto.org/430847

Red-bearded Bee-Eater https://www.xeno-canto.org/419742

White-crowned Hornbill https://www.xeno-canto.org/442121

Bornean Bristlehead (endemic) https://www.xeno-canto.org/442281

Hook-billed Bulbul https://www.xeno-canto.org/428458

Mountain Wren-Babbler (endemic) https://www.xeno-canto.org/430845

Striped Wren-Babbler https://www.xeno-canto.org/442124

Happy birding!

For more info on my birding tours in Sabah, please visit my other blog at http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

Danum Valley

22-26th October 2018

Spent a few days with friends from Pontianak at Danum Valley Field Centre. Mainly for wildlife and landscapes. It didn't disappoint everyone with a daily visit to the Global Atmosphere Watch Tower to watched the sunrise and amazing view of the misty rainforest of Sabah, Borneo! We also managed to get a close shots of the North Grey Gibbon, Orang Utan, Red Leaf Monkey, Black and Crimson Pitta and many more.

Images taken with Swarovski Optik STX95 and Nikon. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Orang Utan

Changeable Hawk-Eagle

Morning coffee while enjoying the view of the rainforest

Recording the North Grey Gibbon calls in the morning at the tower with Sennheiser ME66/K6 and Tascam DR-44WL mounted on the Swarovski Optik Professional Tripod Head (PTH)

Undisturbed primary rainforest of Danum Valley is managed by Yayasan Sabah together with Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon

A visit to the tower is a must to for sunrise and sunset

Friendly Whiskered Tern captured at the bridge

For more info on my birding, wildlife and landscape tours, please visit http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

Golden Sunrise at Danum Valley

23rd October 2018

One of the best place in Sabah to watched the sunrise among the misty rainforest at Danum Valley. A visit to Global Atmosphere Watch Tower is a must for visitors staying at Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC). Still on birding tours. Back home this Friday.

Taken with Nikon D3s + 300mm f2.8 VR II. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Happy birding!


For more info on my birding, wildlife and landscape tours, please visit http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

FIlming at Malua and Deramakot Forest Reserve

20-25th August 2018

Short filming trip with crews from NHK Japan regarding the natural salt licks found in those reserves which is favoured by mammals such as Banteng and Orang Utan as recorded by Dr. Hisashi last time. Below is some of the images taken with Huawei and DJI. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Lunch with the gang at Malua

One of the best Koo Loo Meen I have tasted so far at Lahad Datu!

Buying some stuffs for Deramakot

Orang Utan at Malua

Yoktan with Rieko and cameraman Masashi

Along the access road at Deramakot

Magical sunrise with clouds of the tropical rainforest at Deramakot, Telupid

 

Banteng dung at Malua

 Malua substation

Ariel view of Deramakot Forest Reserve

Malua River

Balat substation next to Kinabatangan River at Deramakot

 Dr. Hisashi explaining the skull structure of the old Banteng at Malua substation

Happy filming!

For more info on my birding, wildife and landscape tours, please visit http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

Birds os Sabah

30th July - 10th August 2018

As part of their yearly holidays, Peter and Martina decided to spent birding in Sabah covering the usual hot spots at Mt. Kinabalu, Sepilok, Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Both are keen photographers and managed to capture some of the rare species found here too.

Highlight species:

• Bornean Pygmy Elephant at Tenegang tributary
• North Grey Gibbon, eye level view from the Global Atmosphere Watch Tower 
• Helmeted Hornbill were seen calling from the fruiting tree at Danum Valley
• Giant Pitta showed well at Danum Valley
• Bornean Bristlehead near the Borneo Rhino Centre
• Rufous-collared Kingfisher at Sepilok
• Everett's Thrush with great sound recording too!
• Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker at Mt. Silam near the observation tower

Some of the recording during the trip (click on the link):

• Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker
• Temminck's Babbler
• Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Images taken with Swarovski STX95, DJI Mavic Pro and Huawei. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Ariel view of Sukau Greenview Lodge, Kinabatangan River

Sunrise at Sukau Village, Kinabatangan River

Red-throated Barbet female at Poring Substation, Sabah Parks

Cracking view of this Rufous Woodpecker!

 Together with Bob at the river

Waiting for the Whitehead's Spiderhunter at Kinabalu Park HQ

Martina and Peter watches the quiet Bornean Forktail at Mahua Waterfall Substation, Tambunan

Smallest and endemic to North Borneo, this elusive White-fronted Falconet considered the tiniest Raptors in the world

Sunrise at Kinabatangan River 

Taking pictures of the pretty Blue-eared Kingfisher

Menanggul tributary is well known for its wildlife such as Orang Utan and Proboscis Monkey

The best Sinalau Beef at Kundasang!

Bat Hawk at Batu Tulug, Kinabatangan River

View of the islands at Lahad Datu from Mt. Silam

Observation tower at Menara Kayangan, Mt. Silam, Lahad Datu and it is opens daily

Dean from Sticky Rice Travel taking time lapse pictures of the sunrise in the mist at Danum Valley

Teo and Lister from Sticky Rice Travel keeping an eyes on the tall Menggaris Tree for the Red Giant Flying Squirrel in the late afternoon at Danum Valley

At last it rained at Kinabatangan River!

Together with Belle and Ateh from Sticky Rice Travel at Danum Valley Field Centre, Lahad Datu

For more info on birding/bird and wildlife photography tours in Sabah and Sarawak, please check my other birding blog at http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

Good birding!