Hide and Seek

Had a nice day yesterday with Karim aka sinooorita and this Chestnut Hooded Laughing Thrush was playing hide and seek. It was challenge trying to photograph it with Kowa TSN 603, adapter FSL for Nikon and D300. Manual focusing and adjusting the AV + and - was really a feat. Anyway I was really happy with this experiment.

Happy Birding.

Baya Weaver - scope with Kowa TSN603 with D300

Baya Weaver - Ploceus philippinus philippinus

It been a slow month for me in terms of birding so decided to check out my hometown, Sandakan (famous for its Orang Utan Centre, Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sukau, Gomantong and Turtle island) but it turn out the weather was not that great. There were some occasional rain showers that I thought would not affect my birding but no luck. It started to rain from 10 am and only stop at 2pm and this was at RDC. Had to abandon RDC and called my brother Neil if there is any place that worthwhile checking out. And he mentioned this Baya Weaver nesting around his housing estate area but not sure if it is still around. Well luck was still smiling for me and took this shoot (not to brag about) and I had only like 5 second window. It was standing there about 50 meters away but could not get near it because of the thick vegetation. My last sighting was in 2009 and missed it last year.

Hoping to go back again maybe next month....

Happy birding

Swift

Swift sps..Collocalia esculenta affinis

I was never good in identifying swift when they are airborne or even clinging on the walls just like this one.
Took this at Kinabalu Park office area and wanted to take more pictures but the rain started to come down and it rain the whole day.

At last, I was advise to ask Mr Alim Buin (birder) and a senior park ranger from Kinabalu Park and he confirmed that most of the swift that is flying around the park office are

Glossy Swiflet Collocalia esculenta affinis. Thank you to those who help me to identify.

Happy Birding