Birding in the heat with Sandra and Markus

 6-18th July 2024

The journey started at Mt. Kinabalu for the HQ and Poring substation where we got the Whitehead's Trogon and Whitehead's Broadbill including the mostly heard endemics Crimson-headed and Red-breasted Partridge on the main road. Fruithunter were a bit fast but at Timpohon but compensated with the cooperative Rufous-collared Kingfisher for nearly 30 minutes at Rafflesia plot, Poring.

It was a good as usual at Rainforest Discovery Centre with the Diard's Trogon and Sabah Partridge and Rhinoceros Hornbill but a bit quiet at Kinabatangan River on both Abai and Sukau village. Nevertheless, I recorded around 186 birds and they are currently at Danum Valley for a week. 

Bird list at eBird: https://ebird.org/tripreport/261207. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Whitehead's Trogon

Orang Utan on a Durian tree!

Bornean Black-capped Babbler

Oriental Pied Hornbill

Bornean White-chested Babbler

Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

Female Rhinoceros Hornbill

White-crowned Hornbill

Great Egret

One eye Proboscis Monkey

Scarlet-rumped Trogon digiscoped with Swarovski STX95 + VPA2 + smartphone

Silver Langur

Hungry Proboscis Monkey

Male Proboscis Monkey 

Salt water Crocodile

Mountain Blackeye

At Timpohon Gate

Mt. Kinabalu from Kiau View Gap

Morning coffee with CK!

With Ck and Shaun waiting for the Whitehead's Spiderhunter

Shooting the Crimson-headed Partridge 

Waiting for the Bornean Green Magpie

Rufous-collared Kingfisher at Poring

One last photo of the mountain before driving down to Sepilok

Sky walk at Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok

Breakfast with Nasi Lemak!

Taking pictures of the Diard's Trogon

Sim-Sim village, Sandakan for Abai Jungle Lodge

The famous Berhala Island 

Menanggul River

Simud Puteh Platform for the bats exodus

Gomantong Forest Reserve

500 steps to the platform

Watching the Pig-tailed Macaques crosses the ropes between banks

Dessert from the Philippines

Demo of wearing sarongs at Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge

Breakfast at the walkway by Abai Jungle Lodge

Excellent walkway behind the lodge and got the Ruddy Kingfisher, Malaysian Blue Flycatcher and Scarlet-rumped Trogon

See The Unseen...

With Junior at Pitas Lake

Nite walk

Flight home...

Happy birding!

Birding with Kunal and Family

 1-10th June 2024

It was a bit tough getting some of the targets such as Whitehead's Broadbill, Blue-banded Pitta, Bornean Bristlehead and few more as some of the birds are on nesting season now. We did the usual hotspots starting at Mt. Trusmadi for the Bulwer's Pheasant, then 2 nights at Mt. Kinabalu where we got a pair of Whitehead's Trogon and Rainforest Discovery Centre were great as usual with the Black-crowned Pitta, Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Bornean Black Magpie and Sabah Partridge.

They continued to Utan Rainforest Lodge for the Great Argus and Bornean Ground Cuckoo, but on the final 2 days in Tawau for the Bornean Banded Pitta, together with another group led by Gary Albert, we heard only twice the response from the bird hide at TV Hill...

191 birds were recorded during the trip eBird from 1-10th June 2024

Lesser Treeshrew

Bulwer's Pheasant

The funky Crested Partridge

The rare Four-striped Squirrel

Black-capped White-Eye

Whitehead's Trogon

Mountain Barbet

Fiery Minivet

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike

Sabah Partridge

Red-naped Trogon

Black-crowned Pitta

Rufous-backed Kingfisher

Mt. Kinabalu

Having fun with the Whitehead's Trogon

With the Black-crowned Pitta

Gary looks at the Black-faced Kingfisher through the Swarovski Optik ATC56 spotting scope

On my way home...

View of Gaya Island...

Happy birding!