The Best of Tabin Wildlife Reserve 2013

29th July - 2nd August 2013

Spent few nights at Tabin Wildlife Lodge with a good friend of mine, John from Adelaide on a 5 weeks birding holidays and my birding buddy, Eugene to get his last 10 birds of Borneo for Borneo 400 club!

Images were captured with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x and Digiscoping with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 and 18.5mm. Lights in the evening with Fenix TK45 and TK35 torches. ~ All Rights Reserved ©

Eugene photographing the Oriental Darter at one of the small pond on the roadside. Check his website at www.cheahewejin.com

 Oriental Darter aka Snake bird.

The first day started with a fast moving Bold-striped Tit-Babbler plus Crimson Sunbird and Collared Kingfisher on the way to the reserve. Wallace's Hawk Eagle feeding on Rat also added more excitement for both John and Eugene.

 Juvenile Wallace's Hawk Eagle

Upon arrival at the lodge, saw Maroon-breasted Philentoma, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch and the famous Black & Yellow Broadbill including Plain Sunbird feeding at one of the fruiting tree next to the restaurant and Grey & Buff Woodpecker. There were many Bulbuls seen along the walkway between the River and Hill Lodge too. During the Dusk and Nights Drive, saw Leopard Cat, Malay Civet, Wild Boar and Sunda Frogmouth (brown morph). The Reddish Scops Owl were responding to my playback on each night but a bit far to be seen.

Paradise Gliding Snake found by the Housekeeping staffs at Eagle's Nest Lodge.

The pattern on the head quite interesting. It is a mildly venomous snake.

Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Eugene waiting for the Blue-headed Pitta

Pig-tailed Macaque on the lookout...

Oriental Pied Hornbill, the commonest and near human species out of 8 Hornbills found in Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Crested Serpent Eagle sitting proudly without bothering us!

Colugo aka Flying Lemur found by Eugene just in front of the Eagle's Nest Lodge one evening. What a treat!

Barred Eagle Owl, a rare Owl and my best shot so far.

Sunda Frogmouth (brown morph)

I was also lucky to get a lifer on the final evening with the help of Wang Kong and Rafel, both were excellent bird guides based in Tabin Wildlife Lodge

Waited for more than 1 hour to get this secretive Blyth's Frogmouth into a view!

Striped Wren Babbler were very cooperative as usual for pictures and videos.

Driving back to the lodge with John and Rafel

It was dry without rain at the reserve and by mid day, the heat was really affecting everyone as seen on the picture above at Bora access road, resting for a while

Key species seen:

1. Great-billed Heron
2. Storm's Stork
3. Helmeted Hornbill
4. Blue-headed Pitta
5. Black & Crimson Pitta
6. Bornean Banded Pitta
7. Blyth's Frogmouth
8. Sunda Frogmouth
9. Barred Eagle Owl

Tabin is getting better now. From the rooms to the food served for their customers, it has the reputation to become one of the best birding place in Sabah. More birds were found and new trails explored by dedicated guides that works with Tabin Wildlife Lodge. Based on records, you can get more than 60 birds in the morning for few hours. Plus good lights at the reserve also a bonus for wildlife and bird photographers. All I need is to get more clients to visit Tabin for my future birdwatching tours. Good birding!

Eid Ul-Fitr festival is around the corner and I will be away after that for few days at Mt. Kinabalu.

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Gaya Island Trip

4th - 5th July 2013

Spent 2 days at Gaya Island together with participants for the Gaya Island Scientific Expedition organized by Sabah Park, I was assigned to covered from Padang Point to the Tower and Base Camp together with Dr. Maklarin in search for the uncommon Proboscis Monkey.

The walk was good but only very few birds were seen such as Black-naped Monarch, Olive-winged Bulbul with Oriental Pied Hornbill. Then rain started around 5 PM. Planned for Owl, Frogmouth and Nightjar was cancelled because of the rain, so the rest of the evening was filled with watching the Borneo Bird Race 2013 and Big Year videos at the restaurant.

Some of the images capture with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II and Nikon V1 + 18.5mm ~ All Rights Reserved ©

Passing through the mangrove

Dr. Maklarin, one of the expert in Mammals with Sabah Park

Checking the route with Win

My trusted Think Tank Speed Racer waist bag!

Fungus growing on the dead log

The highest point of the island around 400m asl. It took around 4 hours to reached here from Padang Point. Then another hour to get back to the Base Camp.

Watching the Borneo Bird Race with Lance, Eugene and Azami

Lance and Alim

Closing ceremony

Researchers with Sabah Park and other departments

Brown Boobook

White-chested Babbler

Olive-winged Bulbul, numerous at the island

A family of Mangrove Blue Flycatcher near the restaurant taken in the morning.

Other birds seen and heard:

• White-bellied Sea Eagle
• Brahminy Kite
• Crested Serpent Eagle
• Edible Nest Swiftlet
• Black Nest Swiftlet
• Glossy Swiftlet
• Pink-necked Green Pigeon
• Common Iora
• Asian Glossy Starling
• Mangrove Whistler
• White-crowned Shama
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Ramadhan is around the corner and I will be concentrating more on nocturnal birds this year. My next trip would be to Tabin Wildlife Reserve with a good friend of mine from Adelaide.

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Birding With Y Bird Japan Group Part IV

27th June - 1st July 2013



Excellent trip with good weather quality of birds seen at Kinabalu National Park and Tambunan Rafflesia Centre during my trip with Y Bird recently led by Ken Tanaka, a member of Borneo 400 Club.

Key species seen:

• Mountain Serpent Eagle
• Malaysian Sand Plover 
• Rufous Night Heron
• Brush Cuckoo
• Wreathed Hornbill
• Fruithunter
• Bare-headed Laughingthrush
• White-crowned Forktail
• Whitehead's Spiderhunter

Taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x and Swarovski STX 95 + DCB II + Nikon V1 with 18.5mm lens.

 Green Imperial Pigeon feeding at one of the fruiting tree at Prince Philip Park, Tg. Aru Beach yesterday.

 My favorite Little Pied Flycatcher at Mt. Kinabalu.

 Pale-faced Bulbul, an endemic to Borneo found only around the mountains. A cousin to the commonest Yellow-vented Bulbul found on the garden etc.

 They were looking at the Grey-chinned Minivet, Chestnut-crested Yuhina and Black-capped White Eye along the Power Station Road.

A male Fruithunter, rare and endemic species seen yesterday at Tambunan Rafflesia Centre with the female. It provides enough time for good pictures too!

At Lok Kawi Beach, saw 6 Grey-tailed Tattler actively feeding on the crustacean and a bit far, Little Tern. The group saw few Rufous Night Heron at Sembulan area before off to Kg. Nelayan Seafood Restaurant for a sumptuous dinner.

I might be heading to Crocker Range with the gang for a try of the Bornean Frogmouth this weekends. 

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Sunda Scops Owl

23rd June 2013

My lack of Owls, Frogmouths and Nightjars in the list triggered myself to do more night birding with the gang. When I counted my current Bornean list, I need around 32++ birds to get to 500 species. At Kiansom Waterfall, only heard the Brown Boobok but saw one bird at Sugud Forest along the access road.

This Sunda Scops Owl was see on the road one evening with Eugene and the closest I got so far for pictures! First I thought there were some injury etc because it allowed me to get quite near for closer inspection. But after taking few frames, it flew off to the nearby tree and called few times.

Taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II and assisted light from Fenix TK 45 and TK 35 torches

 Mostly found on the forest edge and garden in Sabah but seldom seen...

I will be away with Y Bird to Kinabalu National Park. After that, probably to Sandakan for another round of night birds.

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Sunda Frogmouth

May 2013

After many years searching for this particular family, at last I got my first Frogmouth! I hope to get the Blyth's Frogmouth at Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Gould's Frogmouth at Danum Valley by this year. The Large Frogmouth, was seen recently at Mulu National Park, Sarawak by CK and Roger. For Bornean, Alim Biun saw and heard recently at Mt. Kinabalu, and Dulit Frogmouth, I will try at Crocker Range in the south by end of this year with the gang...

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 assisted with Fenix TK-45 Torches.

 

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

 

1st International Borneo Bird Race 2013

31st May - 6th June 2013

The 1st bird race held in Borneo Island with teams around Asia came for the prestigious Bornean Bristlehead Trophy. The race started in Brunei covering Tasek Merimbun and Ulu Temburong National Park. Then flew to Sabah with Mt. Kinabalu was the next destination and the race ended in Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok, just in time for the 5th Borneo Bird Festival.

The winner for Brunei Leg was the Bird Society Taiwan with 81 birds and for Sabah Leg, the hardworking team from the Wild Bird Club Of The Philippines grab the spot and eventually became the winner for the Bird Race with 148 species altogether.

I managed to get 2 lifers too; White-rumped Shama and Grey-breasted Spiderhunter seen feeding daily at Ulu-Ulu Temburong Resort together with the other Stewards.

Participating countries :

Details and pictures taken during the race is available at Borneo Bird Race official website at http://borneobirdrace.wordpress.com


Swarovski STX 95 + TSL APO + Nikon V1 and Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4IIx
 

White-fronted Falconet, the smallest Raptor found in North Borneo

Oriental Dwarft Kingfisher

Fiery Minivet

Thanks to the Borneo Bird Race committees in Brunei (Brunei Tourism) and Sabah (Sabah Tourism and Borneo Bird Club) for making these race possible. We'll see you next year!

Happy birding!

These post is Supported by Sandakan Foto 

Long Distance Digiscoping

16th May 2013

I was looking for the rare Watercock yesterday after the rain. After waited for nearly an hour without any sign or sound from the bird, I decided to test the sharpness of the Swarovski STX 95 coupled with Nikon V1 on TLS APO adapter that has a 30mm built in lens for Digiscoping.

Scanning for useful object, shimmer heat was obvious while looking through the eyepiece. Then a single Spotted Dove perched about 80 metres++ from where I was standing against lovely background.

So I set the scope and camera without cable release in Continuous Shooting mode at 30x and also at 70x. The results below:

 ISO 800, 1/640s at 30x = 2430mm ~ No sharpening applied. Raw conversion to Jpeg

 

 ISO 800, 1/250s at 70x = 5670mm ~ No sharpening applied. Raw conversion to Jpeg

It is quite impressive considering the distance and other factors. These is my favorite combo now!


Happy birding.


This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Sunset...

14th May 2013

While waiting my brother for dinner, I went to the Waterfront with wife and babies to check the flying Terns and found out it was the Whiskered Tern and some of them were in breeding plumage too. Many visitors also were enjoying the near sunset view between Manukan (right) and Gaya Island (left)

Taken with Nikon V1 + 10-30mm VR
 

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Mountain Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus trivirgatus kinabaluensis)

1st May 2013

There are 2 subspecies of Mountain Leaf Warbler found in Sabah and the photos below is the commonest one you will encountered at Mt. Kinabalu and around Crocker Range. The other P. trivirgatus trivirgatus (more yellow) apparently is rare but I have seen at both places for few times. It could be found in bird waves together with Black-capped White Eye, White-throated Fantail, Yellow-breasted Warbler and few more.

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

 

Very fast moving bird!

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto 

Bornean Whistling Thrush

1st May 2013

The Nikon V1 really impressed me with its high ISO capability coupled with the Swarovski STX 95 scope. The shot below I took at ISO 1600 with shutter speed of 1/15s at 30x magnification = 2430mm in 35mm format. That's the advantage of Digiscoping in slow shutter speed!

Endemic to Borneo and was seen perched and calling under one of the tree at nearby stream yesterday after the rain.

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Common Flameback ~ Female

28th April 2013

I normally see this beauty at Peat swamp and Mangrove forest found in Sabah. But with land conversion and reclamation for commercial purposes causing the loss of habitat for Common Flameback together with the rare Greater Flameback (not seen one yet). 

This one was taken at Klias Peatswamp Field Centre yesterday with CK and Jonathan in search for the rare Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker.

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 400 at 30x = 2430mm

From this side, it could be mistaken as the Olive-backed Woodpecker

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto