Birding in Borneo IX

Day 4  Kinabalu Park - Poring Hot Springs II 


We walked around our lodge before it got dark and learned Osman was right.
The weather was better and we saw different types of birds without much difficulty.

Spectacled Bulbul

Several different species of Bulbuls were seen around the area but all of them were difficult to get a closer shot. (unlike Brown-eared Bulbuls in Chiba!)


Crested Jay

Crested Jays are a small bird, about the size of a blackbird (or a dusky thrush) and they behave like a great tit rather than a jay, very vocal and agile.



Banded Broadbill

I was too slow to focus on him in time! Argh!

There was a football pitch by the Nature Reserve Centre and it was a swallow haven!

Pacific Swallows resting on the goal

 a juvenile Pacifi Swallow

Sighting List: Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Grey-rumped Treeswift, Glossy Swiftlet, Banded Broadbill, Crested Jay, Barn Swallow, Pacific Swallow, Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, Spectacled Bulbul, Black-headed Bulbul, White-crowned Shama, Oriental Magpie-robin, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Tree Sparrow, Dusky Munia
Black and Yellow Broadbill (heard)

Just after we said good-night to Osman and Julius, we noticed birds foraging in a tree right next to our lodge.  One of them was this;

a small bird with a very stripy breast and distinct yellow vent.
We had no idea and had to wait for the next morning for Osman's opinion.
It turned out to be a Yellow-vented Flowerpecker:)


About Poring Hot Spring & Nature Reserve
http://www.sabahtourism.com/destination/poring-hot-spring-phs

Birding in Borneo VIII

Day 4  Kinabalu Park - Poring Hot Springs I 

It was very unfortunate that the day started with heavy showers and thick fog.

The frogs sounded very happy though!

In spite of the rain, we went for our early morning walk and, amazingly, saw quite a few species in-between the showers thanks to our brilliant guide Osman. (no pics though)

Sighting List: Red-breasted Partridge, Little Cuckoo-dove, Glossy Swiftlet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Bornean Whistler, Hair-crested Drongo, Ochraceous Bulbul, Yellow-breasted Warbler, Mountain Wren-babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Sunda Laughingthrush, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, Bare-headed Laughingthrush, Black-capped White-eye, White-browed Shortwing, Bornean Whistling Thrush, Bornean Forktail, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Indigo Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail, Eye-browed Jangle-flycatcher, Bornean (Black-sided) Flowerpecker
Crimson-headed Partridge (heard), Bornean Treepie (heard), Mountain Tailorbird (heard)

Mountain Wren-babblers calling (singing?)


The weather was not promising in the mountain so Osman arranged Plan B for us, in which we'd check out of the accommodation in the Kinabalu Park Headquarters and move to Poring Hot Springs for birds at a lower altitude.


On the way to Poring, we stopped by at a vegetable patch for Long-tailed Shrikes and there they were!

It was not only one but a few of them on the patch hunting and we were lucky to see Tree Sparrows, Barn Swallows, Spotted Doves, a White-breasted Waterhen, Yellow-vented Bulbuls, and a stunning Olive-backed Sunbird as well:)

Birding in Borneo VII

Day 3  Kinabalu Park - II

a stunning view from the entrance of Mt Kinabalu climbing trails

Osman took us to the entrance of the mountain trail to look for the Bornean Swiftlet, which are endemic to Borneo and believed to be only around the northern mountain area. We enjoyed the view but had no luck for the swiftlet.

You have to book in advance to enter the summit trail and be with a licensed guide inside the gate. Due to the big earthquake in June 2015, some parts of the trail are still closed and one of them will reopen in December 2015.



















The bird we hadn't expected to see so closely was resting (or waiting for its prey?) in a tree when we were walking back on the path.

a magnificent Blyth's Hawk-eagle

 I thought it was a wasps' nest or something stuck to the tree;)

 Look at these sharp long talons!!!

He/she was staying there long enough for us to set up our scope and we had a great view of him/her through it. I could have stayed there all day watching him/her!


Only some trees away from the hawk-eagle, a Mountain Imperial Pigeon was sitting in a tree.
The pigeon is rather bulky but it looked tiny compared with the hawk-eagle!

Unfortunately, she didn't turn her head towards us...

After breakfast, it started raining rather heavily so we were stuck in our room for a couple of hours but all wasn't bad as these pretty birds paid a visit to our window:)

Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush

 a very colourful bird with the orange beak, eye-rings and legs and its unmistakeable chestnut head!

They are very social birds, always travelling among the trees with lots of friends:)

When we set out on our birding again later on, I didn't manage to get much of a chance to take photos of birds.
Some beautiful butterflies instead:)

and a Giant Forest Ant (nearly 2cm!)

Sighting List: Crimson -headed Partridge, Blyth's Hawk-eagle, Ruddy Cuckoo-dove, Little Cuckoo-dove, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Glossy Swiftlet, Golden-naped Barbet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Bornean Whistler, Ashy Drongo, Bornean Green Magpie, Bornean Treepie, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Yellow-breasted Warbler, Sunda Bush Warbler, Mountain Wren-babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, Temminsk's Babbler, Sunda Laughingthrush, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, Blyth's Shrike-babbler, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Black-capped White-eye, White-browed Shortwing, Bornean Whistling Thrush, Snowy-browed Flycatcher, Indigo Flycatcher, White-throated Fantail, Bornean (Black-sided) Flowerpecker, Bornean Forktail
Red-breasted Partridge (heard)

Birding in Borneo VI

Day 3  Kinabalu Park - I

During our early morning walk, this little fellow was singing very loudly in the bush by the path.

 Sunda Bush Warbler

It'd have been hard to see him in the thicket but he popped out and sang then went back into the bush.

Glossy Swiftlets' nests

Can you see the nests?
Some of the adults were in and out of the nests but I couldn't get that moment.

A beautiful Ruddy Cuckoo-dove flew into the thicket right in front of us:)

We saw them flying quite a few times but that was the only time we were able to observe him/her very closely.

A Bornean Treepie was sitting in a tree for a moment and flew away calling.

An Indigo Flycatcher was singing on a fence but just as I took my camera, he flew... typical!

Birding in Borneo V

Day 2  Kinabalu Park - II

Dark-sided Flycatcher

This tiny flycatcher was sitting there quietly. How on earth did Osman spot him, I wonder!

When we were moving from one place to another, our driver, Julius spotted something in a tree by the road, which turned out to be a Grey-rumped Treeswift!

We had a good view of him through the scope as he didn't move even an inch while we were watching him.


Mt Kinabalu - awesome mountain!

local vegetable & fruit stores

After we checked in, this handsome fellow visited us in the garden.

Bornean Whistling Thrush

Osman told us the local university students ring birds in Kinabalu Park.

Another visitor to the garden

A squirrel again:)


We saw many interesting birds on that day but unfortunately we only managed to catch a glimpse of many of them, no chance for a photo...

Sighting List: Mountain Serpent Eagle, Little Cuckoo-dove, White-breasted Waterhen, Spotted Dove, Grey-rumped Treeswift, House Swift, Glossy Swiftlet, Mountain Barbet, Bornean Barbet, Gorden-naped Barbet, Whitehead's Broadbill, Ashy Minivet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Ashy Drongo, Bornean Whistler, Black and Crimson Oriole, Bornean Treepie, Barn Swallow, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Cream-vented Bulbul, Red-eyed Bulbul, Ochraceous Bulbul, Cinerous (Ashy) Bulbul, Bornean Bulbul, Mountain Leaf Warbler, Sunda Laughingthrush, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, Blyth's Shrike-babller, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Black-capped White-eye, Mountain Blackeye, Asian Glossy Starling, Bornean Whistling Thrush, Dark-sided Flycatcher, Little Pied Flycatcher, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Flaming Sunbird, Grey Wagtail, Tree Sparrow

I happened to see a flying lizard flying (gliding?) high above our heads!


The accommodation in Kinabalu Park
http://www.amazing-borneo.com/hotels-resorts/kinabalu-park-a-kundasang-page.html

Birding in Borneo IV

Day 2  Kinabalu Park - I


We set off our journey to Kinabalu Park early in the morning and stopped at Crockers Range on the way.

We were welcomed with the view of this magnificent Mountain Serpent Eagle:)

Chestnut-crested Yuhina - endemic to Borneo

They are a bit like tits in Japan or the UK, moving very quickly among the trees in flocks and making lots of noise!

Ashy Drongo

Drongos' behaviour is a bit like flycatchers', perching at one place upright, occasionally flying up to catch its prey and coming back to the same spot. It is difficult to spot them when they are motionless but our super-guide Osman spotted them with no problem, it seemed!

Black and Crimson Oriole

The crimson colour on its breast looked a lot brighter through the binoculars - a very handsome bird indeed!

Bornean Bulbul - endemic to Borneo

I took many photos of them but most of them were blurred...
zannen (disappointed).


In the forest, there were squirrels everywhere!
Giant Squirrels look like monsters as big as cats (about 75cm) and Pygmy Squirrels are smaller than most birds (about 10cm).  I was not able to take photos of either of them but I managed some other species of squirrel.