Global Big Day October 2021

 9th October 2021

 

Due to the battery malfunction on my Land Cruiser in the morning, the trip to Sayap substation were diverted to driving around Tuaran and Tamparuli town and it did not disappoint either. Saw and heard 52 species of birds including Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, Bold-striped Tit-Babbler, Black-backed Swamphen, Yellow Bittern and plenty of Brahminy Kite with juveniles at Laya-Laya Wetlands.

The list was compiled under Kondiu Team at ebird and by the time of writing, the team is currently with 85 species of birds recorded around Sabah. Other highlights from Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok by Mirwan was the Rufous-bellied Eagle, Bushy-crested Hornbill, Red-naped Trogon and Copper-throated Sunbird. The team at Mt. Kinabalu saw the endemic Whitehead's Trogon, Bornean Treepie and Bornean Treepie among other montane species.

Images and video capture with Swarovski Optik STX95. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

 

 

Stork-billed Kingfisher, the largest in Borneo 

 

Cinnamon Bittern, quite shy and lucky to capture in the open

 

 

Pied Triller

 

Ponds at the rubber factory and saw many Whiskered and White-winged Black Tern

 

 

One of the natural grassland in Sabah favoured by the Long-tailed Shrike and Red-collared Dove

Small patch of wading pool for the Water Buffalo including the Black-winged Stilt, Wood Sandpiper and Spotted Dove

All green! Swarovski Optik and Goodr

Got the White-browed Crake and Black-backed Swamphen here

Sulaman Wetlands at Kg. Serusup

Yours truly with the 8x30 CL binocular

Mt. Kinabalu from Kg. Indai

Wandering Whistling Duck

Mangrove Blue Flycatcher

Happy birding and stay safe everyone.

 

Sunda Scops Owl (Otus lempiji)

 22nd August 2021

Unexpected visitor landed at the backyard after was informed by my mum. It causes some excitement during this lockdown especially to wife and the kids hahaha because it was their first time seeing a real Owl! The bird was seen sleeping and occasionally awake under the Winter Melon leaves which provided ample protection from the sun.

This particular Owl is considered a common resident on the forest edge as well gardens and gives intermittent pwok (click here for the recorded sound by my friend) sound at night during breeding season. Feeds mainly on large insects, small birds and also mice. 

Images taken with Swarovski Optik. All Rights Reserved 

Sleepy head

Roughly around 20 cm in height

The bird hiding on the red circle under the leaves

The best things with Swarovski Optik STX95, we can records images and videos from the safe distance without causing disturbance to the Owl

Can't wait for the new SOP from the government in regard with the current lockdown. I really need to go out on the field again... Happy birding and stay safe everyone!

8th May 2021 Global Birding

 8th May 2021

Joined the #globalbirding yesterday and started from home around 6 AM and saw around 10 birds such as Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Common Iora, Black-headed Munia before moving to Tempasuk, Kota Belud. At Tempasuk, there were a few migrants left; Black-winged Stilt, Marsh Sandpiper and Oriental Pratincole (passage breeder). Next destination was at Kuala Abai and it didn't disappoint me with a group of Red-necked Stint, Kentish Plover, Greater and Lesser Sand Plover with a single Whiskered Tern.

When I get back home, Grey Heron and Striated Heron added the tally to 68 species in total. Waited for the Large-tailed Nightjar and Sunda Scops Owl, but luck was not on my side. So Submission was done through eBird and Malaysia ranked 2nd after India with 386 species. Sabah sits at 3rd with 135 species after Selangor with 136 and Penang with 325 species of birds within 24 hours!

Link for the counts at eBird under Sabah: https://ebird.org/region/MY-12?yr=BIGDAY_2021a&m=&rank=lrec

Images taken with Swarovski Optik STX95 + TLS APO 30 + Nikon V1. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

Small reclaimed patch with Spotted Dove, White-breasted Waterhen and Plum-toed Swiftlet

My favourite section on the road at Kelawat Hill with mist in the morning en-route to Kota Belud

One of the famous Instagram spots in Kota Belud with Mt. Kinabalu at the background

 

My trusted Toyota Land Cruiser 80 and the Swarovski Optik STX95 spotting scope was pointing on a pair of White-breasted Woodswallow

Lesser Coucal, quite common on the paddy fields especially after the rain

Buff-banded Rail, the first record for Sabah was in 2016 at Tempasuk

Male Watercock, a shy creature but usually calls in the open!

Close up shot of this Scaly-breasted Munia

My digiscoping setup by Swarovski Optik

 Green paddyfields...

At Kuala Abai with the Swarovski Optik BTX95 looking at the group of waders on the small island right in the middle

My EL 10x32 Fieldpro binocular by Swarovski Optik

Happy birding and stay safe everyone!

Little Tern

31st July 2019

There were at least 15 Little Terns flying around the beach of Mimpian Jadi Resort at Tuaran and saw one sitting on its nest with 2 eggs. Other species seen including Lesser Sand Plover, Paddyfield Pipit, Pacific Swallow and Collared Kingfisher. Normally by August or September, these Tern will moved to other places together with its immature.

Images taken with Swarovski Optik STX95 and Nikon V1. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The BTX module, such a joy to used on the field for a longer observation. It uses 2 eyepieces similar with binocular. For more info, please visit Swarovski Optik, Austria website.

Happy birding!

Greater Painted Snipe

30th June 2015

One of rare birds in Sabah, I only see them probably once or twice a year by pure luck at the paddy field. So far no sign of the immature. By the time I took these picture, saw the male sitting next to the female late in the afternoon.

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 30x = 2430mm. All Rights Reserved ©

Sacred Mt Kinabalu from Tuaran district

Female is more prettier than the male

Happy birding!

For birdwatching/bird photography tours, please check my other blog http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Pheasant-tailed Jacana!

10th December 2013

A vagrant with only few records found in Sabah and last seen by Wong in Tawau 2007 here http://www.borneobirdimages.com/bird/pheasant-tailed_jacana/454#navigation. Yesterday at Lok Batik Wetland, while scanning for Ducks, saw these one and instantly my instinct said it was a Jacana!

I took my Swarovski STX 65 and put it on maximum 60x, then I could see the main features for it to be identified as a non breeding Pheasant-tailed Jacana. The excitement were shared with CK Leong and Alven who drove all the way from Kota Kinabalu even though it was downpour that time hahaha!

Images below were taken with Swarovski STX 65 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 60x = 4860mm

My best lifer for these year!

It was still around 100m when the Jacana flew next to the 3 Ponies on the left side as seen on the picture.

At the time of writing, my other birding friends were enjoying the view etc :D


Happy birding!



For birdwatching/bird photography tours, please check my other blog http://birdersofborneo.blogspot.com/


This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto:

 

Bird Count January 2009

3rd January 2008

A bit busy during New Year's Day with family for bird count, so woke up around 7am this morning and left home at 8.30am for my official bird count this year covering few villages in Tuaran district.

My 1st bird was the commonest Yellow-vented Bulbul followed by Spotted Dove and Rock Pigeon. When i arrived at my favorite patch, saw few Wandering Whistling Duck, Common Moorhen and Zebra Dove. No Northern Pintail and Shoveler ...

Then moved on to Dungang village where some of the paddy field plots have been grown with rice and others just started being ploughed by machine. Great, Intermediate, Little and Cattle Egret feeding around the field and suddenly, Cinnamon Bittern flew past and landed at one of plot nearby.

Paddy fields at Dungang village

Sabandar Beach

My last stop was at Sabandar Beach and few picnickers were having fun and what a nice ending of my count when i saw around 33 Lesser Frigate Bird flying low ! Hahaha :p

Total species seen and heard: 49 birds

• Oriental Darter
• Lesser Frigate Bird
• Grey Heron
• Purple Heron
• Cattle Egret
• Great Egret
• Intermediate Egret
• Little Egret
  
• Cinnamon Bittern
• Wandering Whistling Duck
• Brahminy Kite
  
• Black-winged Kite
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Common Moorhen
• Pacific Golden Plover
• Little Ringed Plover
  
• Kentish Plover
• Marsh Sandpiper
• Wood Sandpiper
• Common Sandpiper
• Long-toed Stint
• Black-winged Stilt
• Whiskered Tern
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon
• Rock Pigeon
• Spotted Dove
• Zebra Dover
• Common Kingfisher
• Stork-billed Kingfisher (heard)
  
• Sunda Woodpeker (heard)
• Barn Swallow
• Pacific Swallow
• Pied Triller
• Common Iora
• Yellow-vented Bulbul
• Magpie Robin
• Striated Grassbird
• Ashy Tailorbird (heard)
• Yellow-bellied Prinia
• Pied Fantail
• White-breasted Wood-Swallow
• Yellow Wagtail
• Asian Glossy Starling
• Crested Myna
• Olive-backed Sunbird
• Dusky Munia
• Scaly-breasted Munia
• Black-headed Munia
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Images was digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope ED82, SRB-Griturn Mk II adapter and Fujifim F31d

Little Egret

Scaly-breasted Munia

Wood Sandpiper


Yellow-vented Bulbul

I will be conducting few bird counts with friends for the West Coast of Sabah and Kota Kinabalu was covered by my friend Ck on the 1st January 2009. Members of Borneo Bird Club @ BoBC at different districts will conduct their bird count soon.

Happy birding folks !