Birders Of Sabah Borneo Island

Friday, November 19, 2021

Long-biled Dowitcher

18th November 2021

Single bird feeding among the many Black-winged Stilt and also Black-tailed Godwit. The excitement while watching this vagrant through the excellent Swarovski Optik BTX95 spotting scope was hard to described, and it was my no 516 Borneo birds lifer for 2021 hahaha :D

As per eBird, it was the 2nd record for Sabah on the same area of Tempasuk Plain sighted in 1996 by Craig Robson https://ebird.org/checklist/S30299345. Thanks to Oliver for the great finding!

Video at my Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKtqPp0DW2A

Recorded sounds of feeding frenzy of Pink-necked Green Pigeon https://www.xeno-canto.org/687787

A group of Black-tailed Godwit with Common Greenshank and Marsh Sandpiper

Oliver scanning with the Swarovski Optik BTX95 spotting scope

Shooting some images and videos with the Swarovski Optik STX95 spotting scope

Yours truly

Tempasuk plains, one of my favourite birding spots throughout the year

Happy birding!

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

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

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!

Sunday, October 10, 2021

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.

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.

Sunday, August 22, 2021

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.

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!

Sunday, May 9, 2021

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