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!

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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!

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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!

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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.


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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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Interesting Behavior Of Watercock

26th April 2013

After the rain stopped, I went to Indai village for another try of the Striated Grassbird. Scanning the recently harvested paddy field produced only the usual species such as Pied Triller, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Black-headed and Scaly-breasted Munia including Black-backed Swamphen with juveniles Cinnamon and Yellow Bittern.

Then from a distance, silhouette in flight against the grey sky (without binocular), I thought it was the rare Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (not supposed to be here at the time of the year). But the obvious frontal shield and by the time it landed on the ground, the striking Watercock in breeding plumage, the height of the crest has increased since last week. It was seen standing above the small scrubs providing opportunity to get a short videos instead of pictures because of the poor light.

Videoscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 58x = 4698mm

2 minutes video and click on Full Screen then HD option for better quality or click watch at YouTube

My 1st time seeing this bird calling for mating. The female was around too but very shy! The audio output from Nikon V1 is great and possible to extract the audio for playback.

Happy birding!

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Baya Weaver

23rd April 2013

On my last visit, there were only 8 nests and few birds flying in and out. Yesterday was different. Counted 21 active nests and 2 were still under construction by the non-stop moving males. 1st recorded in Sandakan few years ago then slowly it expanded to Sipitang, a small town in the South then last year, saw few in Tuaran at my local patch.

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 200 at 30x = 2430mm

The female

The male were busy with nest building ...

 

The distance from my scope to the trees with 21 active nests of the Baya Weaver. Look at the LCD on the camera showing the nest.

I will continue to monitor this place and hope can see juveniles after the breeding season.

Happy birding !

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Yellow-bellied Prinia

20th April 2013

The Nikon V1 has been a good match with the Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO adapter for recording video in Full HD plus the extreme reach it has in documenting birds and wildlife behavior such as the video below :

Videoscoped with Swarovski STX + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 30x = 2430mm !

Yellow-bellied Prinia, common garden birds in my place but quite difficult to get good shots of it because it is a skulker and smaller in size. Click watch in YouTube and HD mode for better view.

This is the advantage when using Nikon V1 with its 2.7x cropped factor for Digiscoping / Videoscoping with our spotting scope. The audio output is excellent too !

Happy birding !

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