Black-browed Reed Warbler

 27th January 2022

Another vagrant spotted by Boris at Tempasuk Plain on the 26th January and upon arrival on the site, waited for an hour until the bird emerged from the tall Elephant Grass that grows along the waterway for the paddy fields. We suspected it came from Vietnam as the case with Black-faced Spoonbill after the double typhoons that hit Taiwan, HK, Vietnam and the Philippines late Dec and early January.

Great view with pictures taken on the reed next to the waterways and it was also singing but quite secretive. Sound at Xeno-Canto https://xeno-canto.org/699515. It was considered the first photographic records in Sabah and considered uncommon migrants in the Philippines too.

My #SabahBigYear2022 current list stand at 186 species. 314 birds to go! Other key migrant species seen on that day:

• Eurasian Bittern
• Northern Shoveler
• Black-faced Spoonbill
• Black Drongo

Images taken with Swarovski Optik. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

What a luck seeing another vagrant (Black-browed Reed Warbler) in January after the Black-faced Spoonbill!

 

Yellow-bellied Prinia

 

Together with Syamimi, Jupri, Ron, Win and Oliver

 

The small patch in front where the Warbler were seen flirting around and in the open

 

 

Sunrise at Tempasuk Plain, Kota Belud...

 

 

With the Swarovski Optik BTX95 spotting scope for the uncommon migrant Northern Shoveler

 

 

At last, Black-faced Spoonbill resting on the paddy field!

Yellow Bittern

Swarovski SLC and EL, the preferred optic brand in Sabah!

Happy birding and Chinese New Year!