Sabah Park Biodiversity Expo 2012

6th - 9th December 2012

Some of the images taken during the expo held at Tawau Hills Park recently organized by Sabah Park. One of the main program was the Bird Race and Bird Photography Race and saw winners from the previous teams Little Bitter and Maliu Basin that competed at Borneo Bird Festival last October.

Total birds seen and heard was over 100++ recorded by the competing teams and Marshall in charge. One of the highlight was the sighting of Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and caused debate among birdwatcher that day between Large-billed Blue Flycatcher (LBBF)or Mangrove Blue Flycatcher (MBF). The evidence of female MBF and sound checked both by Jollence and Andrew Siani, confirming it was a MBF instead of LBBF !

Seen perched low near the ground ...

Other activities such as daily Traditional Dancing by ethnics from Tawau town, Traditional Games also indoor exhibition by Sabah Park, Wildlife Department, Yayasan Sabah, University Malaysia Sabah and Sandakan Foto.

Sandakan Foto, my favorite shop for camera stuff, binoculars and scopes. The only shop that supports the development of birdwatching and nature related event in Sabah !



Images taken with Nikon D700, D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x and 24-85mm

Booth by Bugis ethnic

Booth by Iban community

Nescafe provided free coffee for visitors

By Murut group

Minority Tidung group only found on the Southwest of Sabah

Bajau community

Coverage by National Radio & Television, Tawau branch throughout the event

Some of the tallest Dipterocarp trees seen from Kinabalu Avian Club & Borneo Bird Club / Sandakan Foto booth where visitors came and tested some of the Sport Optics on display by Nikon Malaysi. The tallest tropical tree in the world is found here ~ 88.32 metres !

Before the photo session of the Bird Race committee together with Irene from Sandakan Foto (right)

From left to right : Alim Biun, Puan Rimy, Gary (Borneo Bird Club President), Hamit, John Bakar, Mirwan, Jollence, Andrew Siani and yours truly (Kinabalu Avian Club President) at BoBC / KAC booth

Presenting my picture of Purple-naped Sunbird to Mr. Ariffin Johari, Park Warden for Tawau Hills Park during the closing ceremony 

I will be on tour with Andrew this coming Sunday to Mt. Kinabalu and Sepilok Forest Reserve and back to Kota Kinabalu on the 20th December. I will be back to Tawau Hills Park with the gang next April for more bird survey. Hope to see the endemic Bornean Bristlehead as seen at the Natural History Gallery !

Happy birding !

Birding In Style With Siewlin

20th - 23rd November 2012

Much laughter and fun searching for endemics at Mt. Kinabalu and Mahua Waterfall recently with the gang and Siewlin with his brother Sian both now live in USA and Ireland spending their retirement with weekends birding and golfing !

During the trip, saw and photographe the rare endemic such as Whitehead's Trogon, Crimson-headed Partridge and Fruithunter. Even Siewlin equipped with Digiscoping also got her shots of those !

Images taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x

 

 Female Whitehead's Trogon, my best shot in the open so far !

 Crimson-headed Partridge were playing hide and seek

 Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher

Temmnick's Sunbird

I will be attending the Sabah Park Biodiversity Expo at Tawau Hills Park from the 6th - 9th December 2012 with Kinabalu Avian Club. Details on top of my blog.

See you all there and happy birding.

Osprey ...

9th - 10th November 2012

Tempasuk paddy field at Kota Belud is considered one of the best place in Sabah to get some of the vagrant from North Asia such as Pacific Black Duck, Asiatic Dowitcher, Black-tailed Godwit, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Mallard. When CK Leong found a pair of Coot recently with his clients, I was hoping to get a better pictures, but unfortunately, the distance was far even with my Digiscoping rig.

The Coot was seen mixing together with lots of Common Moorhen and Black-backed Swamphen. Looking through the scope for a while plus the shimmer heat caused dizziness then I decided to call it a day. Last Saturday with the gang, we didn't get to see the Coot but Osprey was entertaining enough for everyone in a warm morning with excellent blue sky !

Taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x + Blackberry Bold 9900

Mt. Kinabalu

With the gang

A pair of Lesser Adjutant

There were hundreds of Wandering Whistling Duck at the paddy field together with Garganey

My best shot of this Osprey ! I need eye contact next time I hope ...

Happy birding !

Penampang Paddy Field Part II ~ Black-tailed Godwit

22nd October 2012


I was planning to visit Tempasuk at Kota Belud last Saturday after Jonathan and CK saw the Black-tailed Godwit and Asiatic Dowitcher ! But it was raining the whole day and postponed to next week with the gang. But my instinct was telling me to check again the Penampang paddy field for the Northern Lapwing.

But I go this one upon scanning the field for interesting birds than the usual stuff !

Black-tailed Godwit !

I have only seen this once in Tuaran few years ago and considered scare visitor and passage migrant to North Borneo than the Black-tailed Godwit.

Below is the link for video recorded with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 + FSA-L2 + Nikon D300s

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151094598857055&set=vb.688052054&type=2&theater

By the way, Andrew saw again the Black Drongo on the same area with this Black-tailed Godwit this morning. Will try to see if I can get a pics of it tomorrow.

Happy birding !

Penampang Paddy Field Part I ~ Black-winged Stilt

21st October 2012

Spent 2 hours watching birds at one of the hot spot for migratory birds in Penampang paddy field yesterday hoping to see Northern Lapwing ! Despite the rain, from my car, birds were seen feeding as usual. Last year in October, there were Oriental Plover, Ruff and Little Curlew plus Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Tufted Duck and Northern Shoveler ...

The list of visitors seen :

1. 2 Grey Heron among the flocks of Egrets
2. Juvenile Rufous Night Heron
3. Striated Heron
4. Great Egret
5. Intermediate Egret
6. Little Egret
7. Cattle Egret
8. Wood Sandpiper
9. Marsh Sandpiper
10. Common Greenshank
11. Long-toed Stint
12. Black-winged Stilt ~ Mostly juvenile
13. Whiskered Tern
14. Common Kestrel ~ It was attacking the flocks of Black-headed Munia few times with Black-shouldered Kite

 Ready for the next planting

Recently harvested 

Good comparison between Marsh Sandpiper (top) and Common Greenshank (above)

Juvenile Black-winged Stilt, used to be rare in North Borneo according to my friend CK. Now you will see them every year from September - April during the migratory season.

As I mentioned on my last posting about the 4th Borneo Bird Festival, check this posting belong to Jessie http://jessie-kan.blogspot.com/2012/10/borneo-bird-festival-2012-kinabalu-park.html. 

Happy birding !

Birding With The Synders

28th September - 3rd October

Working in Asia provides opportunities for The Synders to visit some of the exotic birding places such as Taiwan and after spending a week in Thailand, Borneo was their next destination. During the trip, it produces some of the finest birds found in my place such as Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Brown-backed Needletail and Whitehead's Trogon.

The Synders both equipped with the latest gadget from Canon !

Weather was good except it was raining heavily on the way back to Sukau Greenview Bed & Breakfast Lodge, Kinabatangan River at one afternoon. All wet ! The trip ended at Mt. Kinabalu.

Images taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II

Black & Red Broadbill

Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Converted to Glow in the Dark with CS5 ~ Purple Heron in flight at the river

With the boat man Asi at the river

Sun rise at Kinabatangan River ...

Indigo Flycatcher, my favorite !

Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher, one of the endemic at Mt. Kinabalu

From left to right; John, myself, Hal and Kirsten at Kinabalu National Park

 My next posting would be the recent 4th Borneo Bird Festival held at Mt. Kinabalu.

Happy birding folks !

Orange-breasted Trogon Mission ...

23rd - 26th August 2012

With the gang recently at Sinua Village that sits on the foot of Mt. Trusmadi, stayed for few nights with Denis Ikon, one of the well known birder with excellent in vocalization of birds and wildlife, with the mission of seeing one of the rarest Trogon in North Borneo, Orange-breasted Trogon !

Key species seen and heard :

• Helmeted Hornbill
• Rhinoceros Hornbill
• Wreathed Hornbill
• Blue-banded Pitta
• Bornean Banded Pitta
• Orange-breasted Trogon
• Pygmy Ibon
• Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker (Seen last year by Dennis)

Images taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x + 28mm 2.8

Road construction expected to be completed in 2014. Means the journey to Sinua Village will take lesser 1 to 2 hours !

A bit chilly after the rain while waiting for the generator set. From left to right, John, myself, Hazel, Ron and Andrew

Climbing up the Summit Trail up to 1000m elevation for the Orange-breasted Trogon and Bornean Banded Pitta

The elusive Orange-breasted Trogon, similar size with Scarlet-rumped Trogon and very shy too. My Trogons for Borneo now completed.

Grey Wagtail, a common winer visitor from North Asia and also used as an indicator for the villagers to start planting their hill rice

Red-billed Malkoha

Borneo Bird Club President, Gary checking his pictures of the Red-billed Malkoha while waiting for the river to subsides

Sinua Village with well maintained landscape etc and majority here is the Dusun tribe.

Happy birding !

Helmeted Hornbill

7th August 2012

The largest Hornbill in the world and rare by its status in Borneo itself besides White-crowned and Wreathed Hornbill. My first sighting at Kinabatangan River in 2003 near Pangi Hill then after many years, heard and it was responding the playback after few minutes. A pair flew near the boat at Oxbow Lake providing excellent pictures with blue sky !

Other notable species seen with Daniel and Arlief during their 6 days trip with me and John Bakar recently was :

• Crimson-headed Partridge
• Red-breasted Partridge
• Wreathed Hornbill
• Fruithunter
• Bornean Pygmy Elephant

Taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II

Female with white throat

Record shot of this elusive Bornean Ground Cuckoo

A very healthy dominant male Orang Utan !

Happy birding !

Rhinoceros Hornbill

23rd July - 2nd August 2012

 

A pair or Rhinoceros Hornbill feeding at one of the Fig tree together with Green Imperial Pigeon, Pink-necked Green Pigeon and many more at Kinabatangan River recently on tour with John Bakar, Linda and John Mckean from US.

Managed to get over 150 birds with pictures for John started from Mt. Kinabalu and ended at Tabin Wildlife Reserve. Dipped on the Bristlehead at Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok but excellent view of the female Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Barred Eagle Owl, Whitehead's Spiderhunter and Helmeted Hornbill with Bornean Pygmy Elephant.

They are currently at Fraser's Hill with Durai for more birds until the 5th August.

Images taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II and TC1.4x for certain pictures

Juvenile Black-sided Flowerpecker enjoying the Medinilla fruits at Mt. Kinabalu

Black-crowned Night Heron

Bornean Pygmy Elephant with their jumbo in the middle

Endemic Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, one of Babbler at the mountain

From left to right; John, John Bakar and Linda looking at the Plaintive Cuckoo, Sepilok

I will be away again from tomorrow until the 9th August. Happy birding !