Taking a break

Its been a while that I have birded at Kinabalu Park. It was a public holiday on the 8 Dec 08 and managed to take some decent pictures. Some were heard and did not managed to get pictures and the list as follows.
*Trogon - female (not sure what sp) flew across.
*Chestnut headed laughing thrush - 2
*Temminks sunbird - male & female
*Yellow breasted warbler - flocks
*Yuhina - flocks
*Green leaf warbler - 4
*Borneon treepie - 4
*Indigo flycatcher - 4
*Pied flycather - 1
*Ashy drongo - 2

Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus)

Taken along Penampang-Puun Tunoh road.
It was rainging but managed to get a decent picture.
I am adding some video shots for today post.
Enjoy everyone

Mt Kinabalu - Another View

Mt Kinabalu

General

I was down on a flu from the 1st Nov and finally recovered from it yesterday. However made an effort to visit my usual site but weather was not favourable, anyway met Karim @sinooorita and he was already set up to take some pictures.

Nothing much he says, so I decided to drive further up the road to check some new areas but the rain was starting to come down. Eventually decided to go home.

Note: some late pictures posted for viewing purposes.

Chesnut Cheeked Starling-Sturnus phillipines

Today the weather is holding, cool and sunny. Arrived at the same spot at 0715 and park the car. Patience seems to be paying off today, Chesnut Cheeked Starling appeared on the same tree where I digiscope the Pink-Necked Green Pigeon. And Karim @sinooorita inform me that tree was the same place he photograph it two days earlier. So now I have some leads because this tree is fruiting and it seems to enjoying it.

It was moving so fast it was quite difficult to photograph but anyhow I just took some.
Not the best of pictures but managed to get it for identification purpose.

Not long later Jason @horokuru arrived and inform him of the starling and both of us tried to take some picture.

I tried to get in on video but it was just to fast maybe I will try my luck tomorrow.

Today's list: Chesnut Cheeked Starling, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Pink Necked Green Piegeon, Crested Myna, Yellow Vented Bulbul, Straited Grass Bird, Tailor bird (heard only) , Sandpipers, Black Shouldered Kite, Spotted Dove, Lesser Egret, Little ring plover

Trying my skill

Today was fine weather, I was supposed to met CK but I was late, did went to the Black Collared Starling site. Park the car at the same place and only notice that CK van was park ahead at the old site where we tested my scope. I should have inform him that I was park at the back of the road, again my sincere apology to you CK.

I actualy arrived around 0705 and was birding around until I realised CK was gone around 0800. I guess he must be dissapointed that I did not keep my word (should have been there early) again my apologies to Him.

At about 0750/0800 when I was about to move back to my car, Karim @sinooorita was already setting up his scope and we waited and waited for the starling to appear but instead only the norm was seen (leser sand piper, cattel egret, cinnamon bittern, yellow vented bulbul, spotted dove, juvenile green heron and a pair of pink necked green pigeon. Spotted the heron and ask some tips from Karim how to actually get a better focus with digiscoping and with several tries, I finally managed to get a good picture of the pigeon. Thank you Karim.

Waited until the sun was getting hotter, we decided to make it a day and head for breakfast to a mamak shop. When the Nescafe arrvied, Karim received a call from Jason B, told him that Changable Hawk eagle was at the Likas bird sanctuary (road side) pearching on a dead tree. Without hesitation we headed to that direction but the bird had moved to a higher tree and was out of sight. While waiting for the bird to return, we change views and ideas how to improve our birding and photography here in Sabah in general.

At 1130 am, it was time to make our move and we departed our ways. Promised to make another visit tomorrow at Penampang road.