Wader Conservation World Watch 2021 + Sayap Substation

 6-7th November 2021

It was a good trip with the gang at Tempasuk Plain for the WCWW event then spent for a nite at one of my favourite camping spots, Sayap Substation for the Bornean Frogmouth and also Bonaparte Nightjar (dipped again). 14 species of waders were recorded at the plains with a single Asian Dowitcher as the highlight. For the substation, it was raining continuously on the Saturday night and got around 2 hours birding in the morning before it rained again. 

 Bird list:

• Wandering Whistling Duck
• Spotted Dove
• Zebra Dove
• Eurasian Moorhen
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Black-winged Stilt
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Kentish Plover
• Little Ringed Plover
• Black-tailed Godwit
• Ruff
• Curlew Sandpiper
• Common Greenshank
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Wood Sandpiper
• White-winged Tern
• Whiskered Tern
• Oriental Darter
• Cinnamon Bittern
• Grey Heron
• Purple Heron
• Great Egret
• Intermediate Egret
• Little Egret
• Cattle Egret
• Crested Serpent Eagle
  
• Black-winged Kite
• Brahminy Kite
  
• Eastern Marsh Harrier 
• Common Kingfisher
• Little Cuckoo-Dove 
• Gold-whiskered Barbet
• Rufous-piculet
• White-breasted Woodswallow
• Plum-toed Swiftlet
  
• Malaysian Pied Fantail
• Barn Swallow
• Sunda CuckooShrike
• Bornean Whistler
• Black & Crimson Oriole
• Ashy Drongo
• Hair-crested Drongo
  
• Yellow-vented Bulbul
• Black-headed Bulbul
• Cinereous Bulbul
• Penan Bulbul
• Chestnut-crested Yuhina
• Temminck's Babbler
• Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher 
  
• Grey-streaked Flycatcher
• Dark-sided Flycatcher
• Oriental Magpie Robin
• Bornean Forktail
• Asian Glossy Starling
  
• Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
• Black-sided Flowerpecker
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Olive-backed Sunbird
  
• Chestnut Munia
• Dusky Munia
  
• Eastern Yellow Wagtail
• Grey Wagtail

 

Recorded sounds of:

• Asian Dowitcher
• Whiskered Tern
• Crested Serpent Eagle
  
• Cinereous Bulbul
• Black-headed Bulbul

 

Images taken with Swarovski Optik. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

 

With John at Tempasuk Plains, Kota Belud

 

The rain from the mountain...

Both side view of the paddy fields

Got the Curlew Sandpiper here and for longer observation, plus comfy using 2 eyes and wide field of view of the Swarovski Optik BTX 95 spotting scope, nothing beats this setup!

Dark-sided Flycatcher, one of the common winter visitor from North Asia

Ashy Drongo

Access trail leading up to Mt.Minodtuhan

Camping is best done under the shelter because of the constant rain in the evening

John and Adrian, both works as a bird cum tour guides with western plateau of Mt. Kinabalu at the background

So refreshing

Your truly :D

 

The Pale Hedge Blue (thanks to Jamiun for the ID)

 

Wariu River, main source of water for the surrounding villages at Sayap 

Happy birding!

 

 

Frog's mouth galore at Sayap Substation

26-28th June 2020

My 2nd overnight visit to Sayap Substation, Sabah Parks with John, Adrian and Roger for the Bornean Frogmouth, Bonaparte's Nightjar and the elusive Eyebrowed Wren-Babbler. But luck was not on my side again this time. On the first evening, while looking for the Frogmouth and Nightjar, we saw at least five different species of nocturnal frogs in different sizes.

It was a good birding on Saturday morning with Mt Barbet, Whitehead's Broadbill and Hill Blue Flycatcher. Then rain came late in the afternoon continuously until we left on Sunday morning after breakfast that causes flash floods at few districts in Sabah including Kota Belud itself!

By the way, I got the Pin-tailed Parrotfinch as my lifer for Borneo number 514 :D


Birds list for Sayap Substation and Tempasuk Plains:

1. Wandering Whistling Duck
2. Black-crowned Night Heron
3. Cinnamon Bittern
4. Javan Pond Heron
5. Purple Heron
6. Great Egret
7. Little Egret
8. Brahminy Kite
9. Black-shouldered Kite
10. White-browed Crake
11. Buff-banded Rail
12. Watercock
13. Common Moorhen
14. Black-backed Swamphen
15. Black-winged Stilt
16. Common Sandpiper
17. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo
18. Whiskered Treeswift
19. Glossy Swiftlet
20. Edible Nest-Swiftlet
21. Rufous-backed Kingfisher
22. Mountain Barbet (E)
23. Banded Woodpecker
24. Whitehead's Broadbill (E)
25. Bornean Leafbird (E)
26. Scarlet Minivet
27. Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
28. Sunda Cuckoo-Shrike
29. Black & Crimson Oriole
30. Ashy Drongo
31. Bornean Treepie (E)
32. Pacific Swallow
33. Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
34. Ochraceous Bulbul
35. Cinereous Bulbul
36. Bornean Bulbul (E)
37. Yellow-vented Bulbul
38. Yellow-bellied Warbler
39. Grey-throated Babbler
40. Erpornis
41. Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush (E)
42. Oriental Magpie-Robin
43. Bornean Forktail (E)
44. Hill Blue Flycatcher
45. Verditer Flycatcher
46. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher
47. Black-naped Monarch
48. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
49. Bornean Flowerpecker (E)
50. Olive-backed Sunbird
51. Temminck's Sunbird
52. Bornean Spiderhunter (E)
53. Little Spiderhunter
54. Dusky Munia
55. Pin-tailed Parrotfinch
56. Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Images taken with Swarovski Optik and Huawei Mate 10 Pro. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Bailey's bridge is common throughout the state

 

Comfort is essential while camping!

My trusted gear for night birding; Swarovski Optik EL 10x32 Fieldpro and Nitecore P30 torch

Taking pictures of the unID frog

UnID frog

Juvenile Horned Frog

 

Horned Frog

Back view of the Horned Frog

UnID frog

Looking at the Western Plateau of Mt. Kinabalu with Swarovski Optik STX95

Adrian and Roger along the access road

Kg. Sayap is one of the producer for sweet Pineapple in Sabah!

John and Adrian on the ridge while looking for raptors

 

Crested Agamid, seen from the Nikon V1 screen through the Swarovski Optik STX95

Lunch time while waiting for the rain to stopped

 

Top, middle and bottom pictures view of the hill forest around the substation

It was still raining heavily on Sunday morning 

Spot where John spotted the Pin-tailed Parrotfinch on the right side of the road

Great Mormon

Crested Agamid Lizard

Bornean Bulbul seen daily 

 Female Bornean Flowerpecker on the Medinilla fruits 

On rescue mission with KB4WDC 

 

 Tempasuk Plain with Mt. Kinabalu at the background

Happy birding everyone!

Sayap Sub-station, Kinabalu National Park

29-30th May 2016

Short camping trip with friends exploring the northwest side of Mt Kinabalu at Sayap Sub-station in Kota Belud district. It took about 2 hours drive from KK to reached the station at the elevation around 900m asl.

The planned was to look for the Bornean Frogmouth and Bonaparte Nightjar, but without luck and it was compensated by the Orange-breasted Trogon and Long-tailed Broadbill with the super tame Hill Blue Flycatcher!

Video made by Lance at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ7Fv0FAaDw and some of the images taken at the substation below.

Taken with Nikon D3s + 300mm 2.8 VR II. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Probably a Bornean Sunda Tree Mice

Access road to the station with Mt Kinabalu at the background

Camping facilities by Sabah Parks

Lance at work

Bornean Leafbird

 Long-tailed Broadbill

Next camping trip is from the 15-17th July 2016. Happy fasting everyone.




This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto