Birders Of Sabah Borneo Island

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Birding with Tom and Mary Part II

19th-24th April 2023

On their treninial visit to Sabah, they decided to stayed at Borneo Nature Lodge, Kinabatangan River for the 2nd time and mainly to relaxed while enjoying some of the best wildlife spots on Earth. We got the Helmeted Hornbill and Sabah Partridge with Red Leaf Monkey.

Tom got the Rufous-collared Kingfisher and Helmeted Hornbill. We missed the Bornean Ground-Cuckoo and White-crowned Hornbill. Before we left the lodge, single bull of the Bornean Pygmy Elephant were seen roaming near the Borneo Nature Lodge!

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Black & Red Broadbill

The endemic Bornean Black Magpie

Rufous-collared Kingfisher female

Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler

Black-capped Babbler

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Salt Water Crocodile

Critically endangered Helmeted Hornbill!

Sabah Partridge, split from the Chestnut-necklaced Partridge

Can't get enough of this beauty!

Male Proboscis Monkey

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

At Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok canopy walkway

Checking his pics of the Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Kao Lao Meen, authentic Chinese cuisine in Sandakan

Misty morning at Kinabatangan River

Bornean Pygmy Elephant in the water

Happy birding!

Monday, April 3, 2023

Bornean Peacock-Pheasant

31st March - 2nd April 2023

Another excellent trip with Ming, Ben and Lisa from Singapore with the aim for the rarest Bornean Peacock-Pheasant at Telupid district about 150 km from Kota Kinabalu. We got to the hide around 0745 and the enigmatic bird appeared at 0910! (it was at 1630 the day before) and my 2nd visit here with few set of images as seen below.

After Telupid, stayed for 1 night at Mt. Kinabalu and few lifers in the bag for the trio; Everett's Thrush, Whitehead's Spiderhunter, Bornean Stubtail, Bare-headed Laughingthrush and Pale-faced Bulbul. Next trip to Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Bakalalan, Sarawak.

Entering the rainforest halfway of the 2.2 km walk from the nearby village

Basic hide with comfortable chairs protection from the rain. It is managed by the villagers and to protect the surrounding rainforest from the illegal hunters

Recording the calls of the Bornean Peacock-Pheasant

Interior of the hide

Lookout area for the Pheasant and other birds

Part of the trail were muddy and a bit slippery. Walking sticks are recommended for those with walking difficulties

At Kinabalu Park

Shooting the Bare-headed Laughingthrush

Bornean Peacock-Pheasant

My lifer the Lesser Treeshrew

Pale-faced Bulbul

Bornean Stubtail, tiny bird and walks on the forest floor at Mt. Kinabalu. Sometimes harder to get than those colourful Pitta

The endemic Eyebrowed Jungle Flycatcher

Whitehead's Spiderhunter

Happy birding

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Birding with Peter

17th - 20th March 2023

As this was Peter's first trip to Sabah, we decided to visit Mt. Alab, Mt. Trusmadi, Tambunan and Mt. Kinabalu, Kundasang for some of the montane endemics such as Penan Bulbul, Whitehead's Trogon and Red-breasted Partridge. Weather was good throughout except on the final morning at Mt. Kinabalu, but we took detour to Kota Belud paddy field for more birds and was rewarded with plenty of flying shots of the migrant Oriental Pratincole.

At Mt. Alab hide and you can get the Indigo Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Mountain Leaf-Warbler and few more common montane species

On the way down to another bird hide

Waiting for the Crimson-headed and Red-breasted Partridge

Access road to Mt. Trusmadi

The best bird hide so far with comfy chairs and workstation with free flow of coffee, tea and mineral water with basic cooking facilities. This is the place for the Bulwer's Pheasant!