with Australia guests , this report only cover up to Kinabatangan river .
for day 1 arrive Danum Valley , arrived Borneo Rainforest Lodge late evening. so we do not have much activity for today .
we join the night drive, managed to see Colugo , flying squirrel and Sambar deer .
Day 2 , we start our morning walk nearby lodge area .. Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker is the first endemic tick … very soon with Dusky Munia follow by both White-crowned Forktail & Chestnut-naped Forktail. Very soon , 4 Bornean Bristlehead spotted far but good and long view with scope so a big relief after got this special endemic
than nearby a Black-headed Pitta calling and very soon everyone got good view of the pitta too .. first Pitta of the tour 😀
a tough walk in the trail with leeches keep track us non stop .. we do heard Blue Banded Pitta, Rail-Babbler etc but too bad bird is slow compare to the leeches. Very soon, we decided to move out from the trail without got any view of those birds . 2 Trogons show us good view : Diard’s Trogon & Scarlet-rumped Trogon
with the afternoon visit fruiting tree, we had fruitful bulbuls … which include black and white bulbul .
while walking for other birds without going into the trail (scare of leeches) , but lucky we managed got another rare endemic .. Bornean Chestnut-necklaced Partridge
at night when we plan for night activity, too bad it start rain ~6pm until 11pm …
1 Chestnut-necklaced Partridge
3 Green Imperial-Pigeon
2 Raffles’s Malkoha
1 Whiskered Treeswift
1 Diard’s Trogon
3 Scarlet-rumped Trogon
1 Helmeted Hornbill — Heard from far
2 Rhinoceros Hornbill
5 Bushy-crested Hornbill
1 Blue-throated Bee-eater
1 Rufous Piculet
1 Gray-capped Woodpecker
1 Green Broadbill — Heard only
2 Banded Broadbill
2 Black-and-yellow Broadbill
2 Black-crowned Pitta
1 Blue-banded Pitta — Heard from far and not come close
2 Giant Pitta — Heard 2 birds loud at 2 location
3 Bornean Bristlehead
2 Spotted Fantail
1 Slender-billed Crow
1 Malaysian Rail-babbler — Heard only but not come close
1 Puff-backed Bulbul
2 Black-and-white Bulbul
2 Gray-bellied Bulbul
1 Cream-vented Bulbul
2 Red-eyed Bulbul
1 Spectacled Bulbul
4 Hairy-backed Bulbul
2 Gray-cheeked Bulbul
3 Yellow-bellied Bulbul
1 Buff-vented Bulbul
1 Streaked Bulbul
1 Chestnut-rumped Babbler
1 Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler
1 Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler
1 Sooty-capped Babbler
2 Bornean Blue-Flycatcher
2 Verditer Flycatcher
1 White-crowned Forktail
2 Chestnut-naped Forktail
1 Rufous-chested Flycatcher
2 Greater Green Leafbird
2 Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker
1 Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
1 Yellow-vented Flowerpecker
1 Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
1 Bornean Spiderhunter
2 Dusky Munia
Day 2
We start our early birding just before light come in , we were lucky to saw 4 Orang Utan and a Straw-Headed Bulbul .. than our Targets look for more Pitta, wren-babblers etc ..
Again, soon we got Blue-Headed Pitta with clear view and picture ~10-20m
very soon , we also spotted Bornean Wren-Babbler and Black-throat Wren Babbler not far from the pitta
before rain hit, we were lucky to had Bornean Banded Kingfisher . too bad the male is way too high to get reasonable good picture ..
…. after dinner, rain stop and we decided to look for minimum one frogmouth or owl for the tour .. within 1km walk and less than 10 seconds wait, the Large Frogmouth stand at the usual perch again for long for us to good view and pictures
3 out of the borneo endemic , whitehead’s trio always main target for birders … we were lucky to photograph all 3 whitehead’s which include Spiderhunter, broadbill & Trogon by 2016 sept.
the beautiful colors of the trio attract attention easily
We had USA guests spend 9 days in Borneo from KNP, RDC, Sukau to Danum Valley … good trip, we managed to records ~250 birds and some highlights
1. Giant Pitta for few rounds
2. Bornean bristlehead
3. all Borneo Hornbills
4. Whitehead broadbills
5. Whitehead Spiderhunter
6. Large Frogmouth
7. Black Headed Pitta
8. Bornean Wren-Babbler
9. Bornean Banded Kingfisher
10. Black-throat Wren-Babbler
etc
we have tired walking and river cruise day and light …. lets start sharing some pictures that I managed to capture . (will be slowly update here due to tired to run through all the pictures )
– when I first found it .. it fly like a raptor !!!! and we found 3 birds keep surrounding us and guests say .. ohhhh may I have other pitta rather than this ? 😀
We receive a request for 3 days (even it is 12-15 but it is half day for start and end date) … special request RAIL-BABBLER is a must !!! and with a limited bird list to add on his 52xx++ bird count with few tour SEA before ..
Immediate from Airport to our first destination KRAU forest, we got our 1st target : Javan Myna !!!! very soon , we arrive KRAU for our target … and we managed to got full open view of Malaysian Rail-Babbler as 2nd bird and TARGET meet 😀
immediate we continue for other birds target and for day 1 we managed to have 8 lifers and main target meet ..
LANCHANG
12 Jun 2016
9:00 AM
Traveling
15.00 km
360 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.2.1 Build 65
We change our plan to Bukit Tinggi instead Taman Negara (original 2nd plan for Rail-Babbler) for more lifers … with very good morning start we managed to got 9 lifers with all good open view of Moutain Peacock Pheasant , Black Laughingthrush , Chestnut-backed Scimitar-Babbler, etc
Bukit Tinggi
13 Jun 2016
7:00 AM
Traveling
5.00 km
180 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.2.1 Build 65
Immediate after Lunch we heading Fraser and we managed to get another 8 lifers which include star bird of Malayan Hill Patridge, Bamboo Woodpecker, Rufous-Bellied Swallow.
Bukit Fraser
13 Jun 2016
1:00 PM
Traveling
10.00 km
420 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.2.1 Build 65
we have another morning for Fraser Hill , and we continue for more challenge birds target. and with the late lunch we managed to got another 10 lifers .. a good start with Malayan Whistling-Thrush which appear after long wait in the cold morning, it just show up on the road . Follow by Javan Cuckooshrike, Silver-Breasted Broadbill with little challenge … with luck we managed to got Marbled Wren-Babbler & Large Scimitar-Babbler with good view and long enough … last bird before late lunch below to lue Nuthatch.
Bukit Fraser
14 Jun 2016
7:00 AM
Traveling
40.00 km
600 Minutes
All birds reported? Yes
Comments: Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.2.1 Build 65
1 Spotted Dove
1 Large-tailed Nightjar
1 House Swift 1 Fire-tufted Barbet
1 Speckled Piculet 1 Silver-breasted Broadbill 2 Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
2 Black-and-crimson Oriole
1 White-throated Fantail
2 Sultan Tit 1 Blue Nuthatch 2 Large Scimitar-Babbler 1 Marbled Wren-Babbler 1 Silver-eared Mesia
1 Asian Fairy-bluebird
1 Verditer Flycatcher 1 Lesser Shortwing 2 Malayan Whistling-Thrush
3 Slaty-backed Forktail 1 White-tailed Robin
Number of Taxa: 20
after the lunch , we have no luck till next day (raining) and we missed our the other easy target 🙁
for the 3 days birding , Dutch guest managed to have 35 lifers and MAIN target meet
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related posts
Birds Watch/Photograph tour feel free to contact me
I was lucky to visit , monitor, study and capture another rare Borneo Endemic , Dulit Frogmouth . A real great tour which need to transit flights, 4 wheel, walking over the bamboo bridge ..
1. Black-thighed falconet, 黑腿小隼, Microhierax fringillarius,モモグロヒメハヤブサ,RAJAWALI-BELALANG MELAYU
– normally stand on top of dry tree
– move fast and prey dragonflies, small insects
update 202402
– it came so close, have a close view and low view for this bird just simply awesome. lovely
– 这鸟下来太低了。在这么好角度看,这鸟太漂亮了。
####
update 202211
– lovely morning with lovely small raptor.
– 美好的每一天。这小猛禽还是很可爱。
update 202206
– months monitor the cute little raptor, finally fledged
– captured with the pre-production camera and lens
– 几个月的观察,这小猛禽终于出巢了。
– 摄于这套富士的工程机。
update 202103
– one of the smallest raptor of the world and it fly real fast
– 世界上最小的猛禽之一。飛的很快。
#
update 202101
- feeding a bird? lucky to see this world's smallest raptor feeding and show some face rection
世界最小猛禽,在吃小鳥?
#
update 2020 Aug
update 2015 Feb 25
2. White-fronted Falconet, 白额小隼,白額小隼, Microhierax latifrons, ボルネオヒメハヤブサ, RAJAWALI-BELALANG DAHI PUTIH
[Bornean Falconet, 婆罗洲小隼, 婆羅洲小隼]
– special to East-North Borneo Endemic
– almost same behavior of black-thighed falconet, small, stand high
###
update 202309
– it is weird this bird seem disappear from all common sites, especially almost not found at Danum Valley BRL, Kinabatangan River and etc… but this family found quite near to KK town ..any how, due to location, not all visit can be make there but for last special targets tour. We special arrange to be there and award with 2 in one frame
– after missed the Crimson-Headed partridge at common spot (after wait of ~1 hour), decided to continue to KNP and found this lovely tiny raptor. only with 500mm so it is a bit heavy crop but love to see it doing good and with lovely butterfly
– it is surprise to see it at this elevation again and this time not that high up at canopy, but backlit with quite a lot of shadow and highlight recovery.
– Found across the globe; considerable plumage variation across subspecies
(ebird)
#
update 202104
– we were actually searching the shorebirds near the beach and all of sudden all birds take off and we found this world’s faster bird dive down and trying to hunt the Lesser Sand Plover but it failed… and again it trying to hunt for another 2x Curlew Sandpiper but it failed again and leave without any success.
– it really dives down and flying all direction fast and make many frames out of focus. It can reach over 320 km/h while diving for hunting.
pitta – a bird normally long leg, short tailed, hopping around on forest floor for food , shy ….
many of the bird photographers just enjoy this bird very much and spend years, months, days, hours .. stay inside hide just to view, photograph this forest gem ..
*** will be keep updating this along my pitta fever *** so please book here 😀
###
八色鸫 – 通常都长脚,短尾,害羞的在森林的地面,到处乱窜乱跳的找食物…
我们观/拍鸟人都很喜爱这种鸟。有些更会用上几年/月/星期/天躲在帐篷里等它的出现 ….
1. giant pitta,大蓝八色鸫
update 2018 Oct 4
update 2018 Aug 24
another good found, birds nearby there for months .. just need patient and luck to see it
update 2016 Oct 1
– one of my favor … saw how it behave different
2. Rusty-naped pitta 栗头八色鸫
update 2016 Oct 1
update 2015 Nov 17
3. Hooded pitta, 绿胸八色鸫 (Borneo)
update 2020 May 19
update 2020 May 18
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4. Mangrove Pitta, 红树八色鸫
update 2020 May 23
update 2020 Jan 16
a missing or shy “Kuala Lumpur Mangrove Pitta” for almost whole year 2019 birding season … it finally return 2020 hope the small left over Mangrove can be protect for it
The Accipitridae, one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes (the others being Pandionidae and Sagittariidae), are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet
*** http://en.wikipedia.org
1. Brahminy Kite, 栗鸢, 栗鳶, Haliastur indus, シロガシラトビ, HELANG-TEMBIKAR MERAH
2. Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle, 马来鹰雕, 馬來鷹雕, Nisaetus alboniger, カオグロクマタカ, HELANG-HINDIK MELAYU
3. Black Baza, 黑冠鹃隼, 黑冠鵑隼, Aviceda leuphotes, クロカッコウハヤブサ, HELANG-GERIGI HITAM
4. Bat Hawk, 食蝠鸢, 食蝠鳶, Macheiramphus alcinus, コウモリダカ, Helang Malam
5. Lesser Fish-Eagle, 鱼雕, Haliaeetus leucogaster, シロハラウミワシ, HELANG-KANGUK KECIL
1. Brahminy Kite, 栗鸢, 栗鳶, Haliastur indus, シロガシラトビ, HELANG-TEMBIKAR MERAH
– very common raptor, from urban, mangrove
update 202011
– adult
– immature bird
#
2. Blyth’s Hawk-Eagle, 马来鹰雕, 馬來鷹雕, Nisaetus alboniger, カオグロクマタカ, HELANG-HINDIK MELAYU
– medium size, very beautiful raptor
– heavily black-streaked white underpart
– normally found near the hill
update 202105
– another lovely bird to be seen, never get bore to see this beautiful raptor.
– one of the most beautiful raptor of Malaysia
– 封城前一天的最後其中一隻鳥。
– 這麼美的猛禽,見多少會都會再看幾眼。
#
3. Black Baza, 黑冠鹃隼, 黑冠鵑隼, Aviceda leuphotes, クロカッコウハヤブサ, HELANG-GERIGI HITAM
– a small bird of prey that migrate from north south , normally in big group
– beautiful bird with crest
update 2020 Aug
update 2014 Dec 5
4. Bat Hawk, 食蝠鸢, 食蝠鳶,Macheiramphus alcinus, コウモリダカ, Helang Malam
– small raptor which normally catches pray at dusk
– It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats.
swift-like raptor with angular wings and a massive gape; capable of snatching prey from the air and devouring it in a flash while still on the wing. Dark with varying amounts of white on the underside; African birds have patchy white throughout the underparts, while white is restricted to the throat and lower belly on New Guinean birds and solely to the throat in Southeast Asian birds. Inactive during the day; hunts at dawn and dusk, and occasionally into the night if light is sufficient. Generally uncommon and localized, most reliably encountered near large bat roosts in forested areas, but can also be seen over open forest, fields, and fringes of habitation. (ebird)
– it is always good to see this weird and beautiful raptor with special flying shape
– 非常喜欢见到这鸟,站,飞都非常好看。也特别,一天就活动几个小时捉蝙蝠。
####
update 202106
– My friend recently share a great picture of this remind me the good moments every time I am there to witness this amazing moment
– if you come to Malaysia-Borneo, for me this is a must-seen “beauty of Nature” how the Bat Hawk starts hunting at dusk when millions of Bats come out from the cave ..
– 最近我的朋友分享一张很棒的照片。在沙巴这个地方,几乎每天都会上演食蝠鸢出来捉蝙蝠精彩的画面。
update 202105
update
5. Lesser Fish-Eagle, 鱼雕,Haliaeetus leucogaster, シロハラウミワシ, HELANG-KANGUK KECIL
– sometime it is confuse with grey Fish-Eagle
– Belum-Temenggor , Malim-Nawar, Kinabatangan river, Taman Negara Kuala Tahan
update 202308
– a last day on the boat after have all target ticked. But happy to see new bird of the trip. This smaller overall and see the tail banded after you flying off.
– large raptor, mostly brown and white upper and bottow
update 202101
- another day testing with X-T4 and 200mmF2
- mainly trying on AF lock speed and tracking for raptors
flying
- and this is an example using AF Zone in Video record 4k,
60p
update 202012
11. Black-winged Kite, 黑翅鸢, 黑翅鳶, Elanus caeruleus, カタグロトビ, HELANG-TIKUS BIASA
– very common widespread small raptor
– white mostly with some black on the wing
update 202105
– 2 birds playing in the sky for a while. rush down handheld with this setup is a nightmare (heavy, weigh not balance etc) but the AF lock-on and tracking work perfect for this not that fast small raptor
14. Changeable Hawk-Eagle, 凤头鹰雕, 鳳頭鷹鵰, Nisaetus cirrhatus, カワリクマタカ, HELANG-HINDIK BIASA
Medium-sized eagle with massive rounded wings. Appears very small-headed in flight. The name is slightly misleading, as there are only really two color morphs, pale and black
– quite a distinct feature, black hood, mask (when flying) and rufous-chestnut underparts and wing coverts contrast with the white on the throat and breast
– exclusive Borneo montane endemic, KNP, and sometimes see it calling and flying around
update 202309
– last day, we almost plan to go back and just stay up Gunung Alab to trying ours luck on this raptor. And not so long waiting, this bird calling from far and it coming toward us !!! BINGO …
– misty day after rain whole night. reach to next destination, saw this raptor sit on fence and allow us take some pictures before flew away.
– definite my best 5 of 202305
– 很大雾的一天。在到达下个鸟点前,尽然见到这么稀有的鹰。还让我们下车看够够才飞走。
– 这一定是我2023 5月最喜欢照片之一。
update 202304
– it is not that often to see this beautiful raptor close, this bird flying low and close after ours guests insist to wait for this amazing raptor after heard its’ call
– 很少机会见到这漂亮的猛禽飞的这么近与地。感谢客人的执着,等了蛮久的。
update 202211
– for year 2022, think this is my bird of the year. Over the years, this bird just high up for reasonable picture. But this year few times, managed to see it really low and close.
– 2022 年度只鸟。在这之前每次都飞的高高的,今年好几次都很低。
update 202209
– always love to see this special montane endemic low
– 这么难的机会,这么低的看这特别的婆罗洲特有种。
update 202208
– one of our long wait target while we heard it calling and we keep waiting in the open area for ~2hours for a best view of this montane endemic
– common small raptors, can found urban, forest edge, sub-montane, montane etc
– Adult has a gray head, brown wings, whitish underparts with thick orange-brown stripes in belly and streaks in breast, and white throat with black borders. Juvenile similar but with brown head, sparingly marked underparts, and very short crest. Appears stockier and relatively shorter-tailed in flight than other accipiters. Flying adults may also show a fluffy white clump of feathers on both sides of the tail. (Ebird)
update 202208
– a very boring morning, where a pair of Rhinoceros Hornbill standing/sleeping on same tree for whole morning. After we lost our patient we come here and lucky to see this bird having it’s breakfast
– medium size of raptor, and it look very similar to Malaysia one except have “high crest”
– 体型中。与马来西亚凤头鹰雕很像除了冠很高。
update 202402
update 202402
– before I forgot, another best moment when we at Sri Lanka.. this good looking raptor give us very good looking it is close and not happy
– 我去忙前,这是2023我最特别的其中一刻。这猛禽,真的很漂亮。站很近,看我们。有点不高兴。
####
– our 2nd try for the Leopard at another entrance of Yala National Park, not very productive afternoon but we saw this raptor standing on ground and walk across the trail and looking at us !
– a rare Borneo Borneo Endemic which prefer feeding on a small stream
update 202404
– another Borneo endemic easier to see but difficult to be photograph but recently getting much easier compare old time. a bird active in dusk and dawn ..
– we arrived KNP evening and it was misty … but we still trying ours best to look for some bird… first session looking for Bulbul failed… but follow by Whitehead’s Broadbill and this amazing endemic. it feed infront of us ~10-15m for quite long until some car passby
– as usual morning session, but lucky today have 1 pair still feeding with quite good available light.
– a shy Borneo montane endemic
– 婆罗洲高山特有种。不很稀有,就是有点害羞。
– 如常,我们一大早就找这鸟。好幸运,遇上一对在还有光线的时候还在。
update 202307
– a bird that always make us wake up early. This special bird come to us dusk, which still have quite good light. CANON R7 with 400mm F2.8 still working perfect for lowlight
– we normal look for this bird dusk/dawn with almost no light situation. A very lucky moment while we walking, got this bird came out for very close for picture (not this) but love this while it standing
– another long plan and excited Borneo Photography with Taiwan group and thanks for the trusted continue book for 2025 … very dramatic tour, cannot arrived to Kota Kinabalu on time due to Volcano eruption at Sulawesi North but finally arrived but 2 days late. But we still catch up most of the plan and got many good birds such as Dusky Eagle Owl day roost, 3 Whitehead’s, Fruit-hunter, Bristlehead, Helmeted Hornbill and etc ..
– we were lucky on this, we got Everett’s Thrush, Whitehead’s Broadbill, Bornean Green-Magpie and follow by this super close and low Fruit-hunter … and still like a dream everything happen within an hour.It came low and chase away many other bird and stay long.
– misty, rain morning. Dec definite not a good month birding here.
– 每天下雨,雾大。12月真的不是来这看鸟好时侯。
update 202210
– a very dramatic day, raining, heavy mist follow by lucky encounter Bornean Green-Magpie, Whitehead’s Trogon than this “rare” endemic and we had 7-8 birds in one tree for long time
– before getting busy, a very special bird got from previous tour. This is a 2nd bird of the trip and lucky to have the male bird close and female slightly higher for photo
A spectacular chestnut-backed thrush with striking white facial patches, black-and-white wings, and bold pied markings below. Juvenile shows buff streaks on crown and back and buff throat. Terrestrial, feeding on the forest floor singly or in pairs within the lowlands and low hills. Unmistakable within its limited range on islands of Sulawesi and Kabaena. Mournful song is a phrase of several high-pitched whistled notes, “deee-der-doo” or “deee-der.” Calls include “chak” notes and a high-pitched “peep” call. [Ebird]
Brown thrush with bold dark spots on the underparts, white spots in the wings, and black facial stripes below the eye. Occurs in pairs or singly, on or near the ground, in forest, forest edge, and gardens, mostly in the Wet Zone, but also locally in the Dry Zone. No other thrush on Sri Lanka shows distinct rows of white spots on the wings, and bold spotting below. Gives very high-pitched “sweeeee” call; song is a highly variable collection of rich, rising and falling, melodious whistles and warbles. [ebird]
update 202312
– another very common endemic, which found most of the lowland urban areas, forest edge, forest