Birding With Keith & Maureen

11th - 27th March 2011

Had an enjoyable trip with Keith and Maureen searching for endemic species around Sabah recently plus managed to see wild Orang Utan, the rare Bornean Ground Cuckoo and a pair of very confiding Whitehead's Trogon with pictures !

Total species seen : 280 over and key species :

• Bornean Ground Cuckoo - A pair seen well for more than a minute !
• Dark Hawk Cuckoo - Enjoying the morning sun at Kinabalu National Park
• Mt. Serpent Eagle - Seen soaring from Mempening Trail
• Crimson-headed and Red-breasted Partridge
• Blue-headed and Black & Crimson Pitta - At Borneo Rainforest Lodge
• 8 species of Hornbills
• Whitehead's Broadbill
• Black-throated Wren-Babbler
• Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher - A pair seen at Poring Hot Spring
• Thick-billed Flowerpecker
• Whitehead's Spiderhunter - Usual place at Tambunan :)

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s

Paul with Keith and Maureen waiting for the Black & Crimson Pitta

Morning cruise on misty Kinabatangan River

Whitehead's Trogon

Black-sided Flowerpecker

Pale-faced Bulbul

Long-tailed Shrike

Dark Hawk Cuckoo

Indigo Flycatcher

Little Cuckoo Dove

Rufous-winged Philentoma

Common Kingfisher

Thick-billed Flowerpecker

Fiery Minivet

Ruddy Kingfisher

Red-bearded Bee Eater

Bornean Ground Cuckoo

Malaysian Blue Flycatcher

Bornean Crested Fireback

Blue-headed Pitta

Striped Wren Babbler

Happy birding !

Birding With Erik's Group

20th Feb - 5th March 2011

Total species seen : 269 at Tambunan Rafflesia Centre, Kinabalu National Park, Kota Belud and Manukan Island, Sepilok, Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Dipped on Whitehead's Trogon and Whitehead's Broadbill with Bornean Ground Cuckoo plus the Blue-banded Pitta but had a good view of Mountain Serpent Eagle, Whitehead's Spiderhunter and Everett's Thrush.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s and 80-400mm VR lens.

Waiting for the Orang Utan and eventually after more than 1 hour, it came out from its hiding and seen feeding along the roadside

Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Chestnut-naped Forktail

Eastern Marsh Harrier, uncommon winter visitor from North Asia

Oriental Pratincole, breeder visitor mostly seen at paddy fields

Malaysian Blue Flycatcher

Resident Ruddy Kingfisher has brownish plumage and these one was seen feeding on termite nest at Kinabatangan River

Wrinkled Hornbill, one of the 8 species in North Borneo

Western Tarsier

Proboscis Monkey, endemic to Borneo Island together with its baby

I will be away from the 11th - 29th March with another couple for birding tour. Hope this time I can get the Blue-banded Pitta's pictures !

Happy birding folks :)

Bulbuls Frenzy !

15th - 18th February 2011

On my recent trip at Tambunan Rafflesia Centre and Kinabalu National Park with Rob, saw few fruiting and flowering trees that attracted many birds and one particular tree at Poring Hot Spring Sub-station, lots of Bulbuls such as Black-headed, Streaked, Puff-backed and Cream-vented Bulbul plus other species; Asian Fairy Bluebird, Whitehead's Spiderhunter (picture above) etc

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s and 80-400mm VR lens.

Streaked Bulbul

Black-headed Bulbul

Cinereus Bulbul

Scaly-breasted Bulbul




My lifer, Black & White Bulbul !

Happy birding !

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae)

12th February 2011

A day visit at Tambunan Rafflesia Centre with Joe and Sis produced few interesting birds with pictures especially the Long-tailed Broadbill as seen here with Whitehead's Spiderhunter and my lifer the sub-adult Rusty-breasted Cuckoo :)

These pair was seen feeding nearby and then flew into their nest just above my head on the same tree with the elusive Whitehead's Spiderhunter feeding nectars on the reddish colour flowers.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s

500mm ~ Cropped with Nikon Capture NX2

Sometimes birders referred this bird as wearing helmet !

Feeding the female

Happy birding folks and I will be away on birding tours until the end of March. Will update my blog while on the move :)

Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata)

7th February 2011

One of the uncommon visitor to Sabah, North Borneo seen recently at Kinarut paddy field about 30 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu city.

Taken with Nikon D300s on 80-400mm VR

Happy birding !

Mission Completed - Hook-billed Bulbul !

22nd - 23rd January 2011

At last !

2nd achievement by finding these elusive Hook-billed Bulbul with the gang from BBC @ Keting2 :)

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo adapter on Nikon D3s

Taken at ISO 12800

Happy birding !

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

13th January 2011

Common winter visitor from September - April in my place and some of the shots taken yesterday while waiting for the Eurasian Teal for some action shot.

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s

It caught 2 Damselfly !

Happy shooting !

White-breasted Wood Swallow (Artamus leucorynchus)

One of my favorite bird in North Borneo and can be seen easily around the paddy field hawking for insects and bees. Territorial bird and lives in pair, sometimes formed a big flocks up to 20 birds. I have seen it attacking bird of prey especially Brahminy Kite and Osprey !

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s

Happy shooting !

Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)

9th January 2011

Series of images captured at Tuaran district after being informed by friend the present of a pair of Eurasian Teal nearby the Chinese Temple. Considered vagrant visitor to North Borneo and making up total 6 species of Ducks has been recorded in Tuaran district.

• Eurasian Teal
• Garganey
• Tufted Duck
• Northern Pintail
• Northern Shoveler
• Wandering Whistling Duck

My new lifer for 2011 together with the gang yesterday observing and trying to get some good images of this elusive duck but unfortunately, it spent most of its time sleeping the whole day !

Digiscoped with Nikon Fieldscope EDG85 via Nikon FSA-L2 DSLR Photo Adapter on Nikon D300s and edited with Nikon Capture NX2

The female on the right showed more rufous on the underparts ? Anyone idea ?

Happy birding !