24 December 2010

GREETINGS AND CLOSING YEAR 2010

**TO ALL READERS AND FRIENDS WISHING ALL OF YOU**
"A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A PEACEFUL / PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR"

Will be back next year

Happy Birding.

19 December 2010

White-bellied Sea Eagle

A new generation? Should we be happy or are we going to see another life that its future is in question. This was taken last April 2011 at a friend car park.
The young fledgling has flown by now and have not return this tree for anything. Maybe it too senses that it should find another sanctuary.

This adult stayed back and was looking out for any threat while the other was out for hunting food.

Male and Female preparing their morning ritual, taking care of their young.

The White-bellied Sea Eagle is the largest of all eagles here in Borneo island. Way back in the early 1970's you can actually see them soaring in numbers around the bay of Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu. But their numbers are declining (I do not have any data to support this) but the numbers are not often seen as in the early days. When the height of the fishing season is in full force the birds will come out in big swarm's and indicating there will be a bountiful harvest, enough to go around.
May they return again.

Happy birding.

13 November 2010

Likas Birds

Olive-backed Sunbird / nectarinia jugularis

Been a slow week and today was my first birding for November after settling down with my new full-time job. My birding spot this time was at Likas Sport Complex, especially the jogging area and the lawn bowling area.
At the entrance there is a Coral Tree and it is flowering. This make the birding easier since the Coral Tree has a lot of nectar and also attracts the insects towards the flowers. So I choose a shaded area and waited. Earlier prior to this, a birder Karim @sinooorita took some picture of a Boobok Owl also known as Brown Hawk-Owl at the back of the jogging pathway.


Female Brown-throated ? maybe...

Brown-throated Sunbird / anthreptes malacensis






Grey-rumped Treeswift / hemiprocne longipennis


Pied Triller / lalage nigra


Happy Birding.

29 October 2010

Shortwings

Male

Female

Shortwings are not that easy to see or find around Kinabalu Park but this time both pairs came out for this picture. Alim Buin one of the senior park ranger told me about this pair one day earlier but it rain so heavy that we could only see the birds hoping in and out from the shrubs.
Both birds were so active that I can only managed an ID picture for now. Will try again next visit.

Happy birding.

Borneo Parrots



Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot
(loriculus galgulus)

Worldwide c.332 species, 5 in Borneo. Tiny green parrot with blue crown-patch and crimson bib.
Usually solitary or in pairs. Fast flying and feeds on seeds, nectar, flowers, buds and fruit.
The dextrous bill and tongue sometime use as third foot and the feet are zygodactylic (the fourth toe is reversible, both these features allowing great agility. All species are cavity nesters.

Happy birding.

Perigrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon / falco peregrinus

This bird apparently was stocking itself for a long journey. Luckily it made so much noise that it gave its position. This was crop heavily to see what was the prey and judging from the feathers falling down from the tree, a very unlucky Pink-necked Pigeon was the menu.

Happy birding.

22 October 2010

RDC- Rainforest Discovery Centre (Sandakan-Borneo Sabah)

Crested Serpent Eagle / spilornis cheela
Friends, its been a great Bird festival this year. Everyone seem to agree. Including the birds.
Here are few pictures to share and enjoy.

Copper-throated Sunbird / leptocoma calcostetha

Juvenile White Crown Shama / copsychus stricklandii

Rufous-collared Kingfisher / actenodies concretus , just patiently waiting to be photograph.


It was a hot day (2nd day of bird festival) Rufous-winged Philentoma / philentoma pyrhoptera having a bath.



Greater Racket-tailed Drongo / dicrurus paradiseus, posing but flew quickly when it was attracting a crowd.
Ruddy Kingfiher / halcyon coromanda

The prize bird this year. Birders with or without digiscope just could not stay away from the site it was perching, hoping to get a glimpse. Even professional and amateur photographer flock to get a picture. It was all worth the waiting.


Crimson Sunbird / aethopyga siparaja
This was photograph outside the visitor building of Sepilok Orang Utan Centre. Its a personal achievement for me because I can never get it with digiscope. Use Nikon D3oo with Sigma 70-300mm APO lens.
Black and Yellow Broadbill / eurylaimus ochromalus

This is a female, both sexes looks similar but can be differentiate with the female does not have complete breast-band.
On a final note, any one who are interested to visit Rainforest Discovery Centre especially birders and photographer. I can be contact as per my contact reference in my blog.

Happy Birding.

12 October 2010

Jan Job Van Vulpen - Tabin Excursion

Diard's Trogon

Jan and wife (both formerly guide groups to South America and Africa)
Now enjoying life and doing what they like most, traveling and enjoying Borneo as much as they can. Jan wanted to see a Pitta or Trogon and their wish came true. I wish they will be able to remember my blog and write me back.


Wild-orang Utan - adult

This White-Crown Horbill was sighted at the back of the Riverlodge. But it was still shy and did not really gave us much time to photograph it.


The Black and Crimson Pitta that finally responded to my call. It was quite a sight especially if there were two of them calling back. But I only managed to photograph one of them.

Vekvet-fronted Nuthatch
Happy Birding

08 October 2010

Dark-sided flycatcher

I am a dire situation here. Got this flycatcher few days ago but could not figure out which this one belong to. Thanks to some friends, it is now known.

Happy birding.

05 October 2010

September 2010 collections

Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike - hemipus picatus

This are few pictures that I managed to document for this month birding. Enjoy.

Mountain-tailorbird - phyllergates cucullatus



A better picture this time - Chestnut-hooded Laughing Thrush (endemic)



One of my favorite flycatchers. Little-pied flycatcher


White-throated Fantail


Grey-throated Babbler - stachyris nigriceps

Happy Birding.

03 September 2010

27 August 2010

Balung Eco-Resort and Tawau Hills Park


This beautiful orchid was blooming at Tawau Hills Park located 24Km from Tawau town.

Puan Rohaya and Cik Roslina with a Tawau Hills Park Ranger showing the album of orchids and other plants and insects found around the area.
Puan Rohaya and Cik Roslina is the price winner of a lucky draw during the Matta Tourism Expo and their win brings them to Sabah - Tawau to Balung Eco-Resort and Tawau Hills Park.


Chestnut breasted Malkoha sighted just outside my accommodation.



This Grey-bellied Spider hunter was so quick that I can only managed to get the lower part of its features.

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker calling for its mate in the early morning hour.

A flock of Chestnut Munia feeding along the road to the Tawau Airport which note the end of my journey with Puan Rohaya and Cik Roslina.

A Black Shoulder Kite (correction) flying alongside is Pacific Swallow, which the former was sighted carrying twigs to build a nest just next to the road side. I initially wrote peregrine falcon..apology to all readers.

Happy Birding.

Temminks Sunbird female

Temminks Sunbird female

Temminks Sunbird

Temminks Sunbird

Indigo flycatcher

Indigo flycatcher

Yellow Breasted Warbler

Yellow Breasted Warbler

Black Collared Starlings

Black Collared Starlings
2 birds , winter from South China

Starlings Video

Little Heron

Little Heron

Grey Tail Tattler

Grey Tail Tattler

Crested Myna

Crested Myna

Chesnut Cheeked Starling-Sturnus phillipines

Chesnut Cheeked Starling-Sturnus phillipines
Second Lifer

Pink Necked Green Pigeon - video

Crested Myna video

Pink Necked Green Pigeon

Pink Necked Green Pigeon
My best ever effort with digiscoping

Cattle Egret!!

Black Collared Starlings

Black Collared Starlings
Lifer of the Day....spot at Penampang-Dongongon roadside

Oriental Pratincole

Oriental Pratincole
At the road side Penampang/Dongongon bypass

Black Headed Munia

Black Headed Munia
Shot at padi field at Penampang

Waders feeding

Waders feeding
digiscope

Ruff - digiscope

Ruff - digiscope
Only bird / Penampang rice field

Black Wing Stilt - digiscope

Black Wing Stilt - digiscope
Taken at Penampang roadside

Wimbrel - digiscope

Wimbrel - digiscope
Sighted at Lok Kawi Mud flat

Pacific Egret - Grey Form

Pacific Egret - Grey Form
digiscope

Snipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHP6RE_IS_k

Sunset

Sunset
Nature

Digiscoping Equipment

Digiscoping Equipment

Equipment use for birding

  • Nikon D300
  • SLIK tripod / Monfrotto ProB tripod with Monfrotto Video Head 701HDV
  • Kowa Universal adapter
  • Canon G9 / Nikon L16 Coolpix
  • TSN603 with 45X wide angle / 20X wide angle
  • Nikon Monarch 10x42

Birding at Tambunan

Birding at Tambunan
Mountain Barbet / Andrew and Karim in action

Birding Time with Good Friends

22 April 08

Late updating, few trips with Jason and CK. We had a good sight of the Whitehead Spider Hunter. They took pictures (digiscoping). Have not seen it yet.

Jason on the scope for Whiteheads broadbill

Jason on the scope for Whiteheads broadbill
Broadbill quest

CK (front carrying his scope) and Jason

CK (front carrying his scope) and Jason

Jason - Tabin restaurant platform

Jason - Tabin restaurant platform

Tabin

Tabin
Jason - bird spotting