Birding At Mantanani Island

7th - 9th April 2010

Courtesy from Riverbug company who operates Mari Mari Dive Lodge at Mantanani Islands, spent few nights surveying birds at Mantanani Kecil and Besar for my future birding groups. 3 lifers recorded and total 27 species seen including Mantanani Scops-Owl as the main target which is restricted to several islands in Borneo and Palawan only.

The Lugisan Island in between Mantanani Besar and Kecil is one of the main roosting place for 3 species of Frigatebird in Sabah and on my first evening with the gang, saw approximately thousand over Frigatebird circling on the island.




The journey took about 1 hour from Kuala Abai jetty at Kota Belud district on the Northwest of Kota Kinabalu city. Mari Mari Dive Lodge catered mostly for day trip divers and snorkelers plus it has 4 rooms with common bathrooms for those who planned for an overnight stay with the view of South China Sea.

For more info, kindly check Riverbug's latest offering on their packages at http://www.traversetours.com/mari-mari-dive-lodge-mantanani.php and contact no :+6019 - 8204921

Birds seen :

• Philippine Megapode
• Little Heron
• Pacific Reef-Egret
• Lesser Frigatebird
• Great Frigatebird
• Christmas Frigatebird
• White-bellied Fish-Eagle
• Peregrine Falcon
• Common Sandpiper
• Emerald Dove
• Pied Imperial Pigeon
• Grey Imperial Pigeon
• Glossy Swiftlet
• Germain's Swiftlet
• Brown-backed Needletail
• Collared Kingfisher
• White-breasted Wood-Swallow
• Sand Martin
• Pied Triller
• Pacific Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Glossy Starling
• Chestnut-cheeked Starling
• Blue Rock-Thrush
• Olive-backed Sunbird
• Brown-throated Sunbird
• Eurasian Tree-Sparrow

Taken with Nikon Fieldscope ED82 via FSA-L1 adapter on Nikon D300s, 24-85mm and 18-70mm lens.

Facilities at Mari Mari Dive Lodge

One of the sunset seen from the island

Sunrise seen from Mantanani Besar

Crystal clear sea with lovely corals is a nice place for snorkeling !

View Point from Mantanani Kecil and the only place with cellphone signal




Sunset

Grey Imperial Pigeon

Pacific Reef-Egret

Peregine Falcon (peregrinator)

Female Blue Rock-Thrush

Lesser Frigatebird

Lesser and Christmas Frigatebird

White-bellied Fish-Eagle

Female Olive-backed Sunbird

Grey Wagtail

With Thomas, Osman and John

Happy birding !

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

30th March 2010

Took this shots at Likas Lagoon the day after it rained heavily within few weeks. It is a uncommon winter visitor for North Borneo and easily distinguished between adult and juvenile based on the marking and colour of plumage.

According to CK Leong, this species used to be rare here but slowly the number that arrived every season is accumulating which is a good sign.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope ED82 via FSA-L1 adapter and Nikon D300s.

Black-winged Stilt

Other resident at the lagoon, Yellow-bellied Prinia

Happy birding and I will be off for bird survey at Mantanani Island next week :)

Gunung Lumaku Forest Reserve

17th - 23rd March 201o

A week surveyed for birds and mammals at this lovely forest reserve produced unexpected species seldom seen during my birding trips with groups such Pygmy Ibon, Black-bellied Malkoha, Wreathed Hornbill, Green Broadbill and White-necked Babbler. Plus White-fronted Falconet seen daily on its hunting ground provides opportunity for good photos too !

The forest reserve is about 5180 hectares and lies between Tenom and Sipitang district. Few places was chosen at different altitudes and habitats to get wider perspective of species around the area. By the time when I left, birds recorded was 106 species and the mammals survey team managed to add another 11 species last Thursday on the 25th of March.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope ED82, Fsa-L1 adapter with Nikon D300s

Discussing plans for the next few days with Kenneth, Elmer, Ruddy and Cede

One of the transect site visited daily along Tenom - Sipitang Highway

Breakfast !

Tenom town from Perkasa Hotel

Perkasa Hotel with a backdrop of the forest reserve

Sub-montane forest up to 1200m asl the highest point of the reserve

Green Broadbill

Banded Woodpecker

Juvenile Blyth's Hawk-Eagle on the nest

Rufous-tailed Shama

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha

Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot

View of lowland forest from the train

Violet Cuckoo

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker

Hazy Tenom town in the morning

Ticket from Tenom - Beaufort for a train ride

Padas River as the main source of electricity on the West Coast of Sabah

Dipterocarp forest along Padas River

Cede and Kenneth

Nice carrier replaced the old ones

Happy birding everyone :)

Nikon Photography / Birding Workshop With Sandakan Foto

Venue : Kinabalu National Park, Sabah

Date : 7th - 9th May 2010

Registration Fee : RM 200 and limited to 70 participants only (Open for Public with or without Camera)

* LIMITED SEATS ARE STILL AVAILABLE *


Sandakan Foto is pleased to invite Sandakan Foto's loyal customers who purchased Nikon products to participate in this workshop.

• Registration fee includes meals and workshop.
• Accommodation is not included.

For registration, please contact Irene Chong at 0198137189 or email at ireneccm@gmail.com

And download this form at http://sandakanfoto.bravehost.com/Workshop%20Registration%202010.pdf


Workshop Speakers :

Mr. Cede Prudente - Wildlife Photographers (Sandakan)
Mr. Kelvin Chan - Studio Director / Photographer (Kuala Lumpur)
Mr. John Kong - Commercial Photographer (Kota Kinabalu)
Ms. CS Ling - Nature / Wildlife Photographer (Singapore)
Mr. Jason Bugay Reyes - Bird Guide / Digiscoper (Kota Kinabalu)
Mr. TS Wong - Bird Photographer (Tawau)


NOTES :

• Purchase any Nikon binocular or cameras above RM 1000 and get RM 100 discount from the workshop.
• Purchase Nikon Fieldscope and attend the workshop for FREE !
• Offers valid from 1st March - 20th April 2010.

• Participants are required to arrange their own accommodation and transportation to the venue.
• You may contact Rowena (089-235525) or email at rowena@barefootsukau.com on your choice of the following recommended hotels / resorts:

1. Fairy Garden
2. Kinabalu Rose Cabin
3. D'Villa Rina Ria Lodge

For more info on accommodation, kindly check this website at http://beautifulkk.com/sleeping/kundasang/


Itinerary - Photography / Birding Workshop

Talks at Rafflesia Conference Room, Natural History Gallery on 1st floor.



Exhibition and booth by Sandakan Foto selling Nikon products is from Saturday and Sunday.

ALL SALE OF PICTURES AT THE WORKSHOP WILL BE DONATED TO SABAH CHESHIRE HOME, KOTA KINABALU.

Come and join us !

See you there :)

Kinabalu Friendly Warbler (Bradypterus accentor)

1st - 4th March 2010

Birding with Hans at Kinabalu National Park and Tambunan Rafflesia Centre for couple of days recently and despite the dry weather at this moment, managed to get over 15 endemics and 2 lifers for myself, Ferruginous Flycatcher and Inornate Warbler hehehe plus excellent view of the Kinabalu Friendly Warbler with decent shots !

Key species seen and heard at both places:

• Crimson-headed Partridge
• Red-breasted Partridge
• Mountain Serpent Eagle
• Besra
• Grey Nightjar
• Mt. Barbet
• Bornean Barbet
• Orange-backed Woodpecker
• Long-tailed Broadbill
• Bornean Leafbird
• Scaly-breasted Bulbul
• Kinabalu Friendly Warbler
• Inornate Warbler
• Bare-headed Laughingthrush
• Mt. Blackeye
• Fruithunter
• Everett's Thrush
• Whitehead's Spiderhunter

Capture with Nikon D300s and 24-85mm lens.

Kinabalu Friendly Warbler, restricted to Mt. Kinabalu at the elevation of 200m and above. One of the rarest bird in Borneo.

Hans waiting for the Kinabalu Friendly Warbler

Grey Wagtail, common winter visitor

Together with Osman and Ck waiting for the Grey Nightjar

Happy birding !