Most people are familiar with the nest parasitism – or brood parasitism – that is shown by our cuckoos, such as the Jacobin cuckoo and Diederik Cuckoos, where the birds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species. These other species, the hosts, then feed and rear the young as if they were their own offspring. There are two other groups of birds in our area that are also brood-parasites, the family Viduidae (indigobirds, whydahs, and cuckoo-finch) and the family Indicatoridae (honeyguides). In this article we will focus on the Viduidae, a family that is well represented in the Hoedspruit area including three species each of indigobirds and whydahs.
The Viduidae comprises small, finch-like perching birds birds that are native to Africa. All species in this family are dimorphic, which means that there are significant differences between males and females. In the indigobirds, males have predominantly black or indigo colours in their plumage, while in whydahs breeding males have have long and sometimes ornate tails. In the cuckofinch, males are bright yellow with a black bill in the breeding season. Females of all species are brownish, do not have long tails, are much better camouflaged than the breeding males. Males lose their breeding plumage outside the breeding season, and become much more like females in appearance.
While busy recovering some accidentally deleted pictures, I wanted to share part of a full series capturing this beautiful long-tailed bird’s display and mating behavior. I really enjoy watching how this bird performs—it sometimes flies vertically, resembling a stick in motion.
CANON R1, CANON RF100500mm, 1.4x South Africa update 202501 Finally, I’m back from my South Africa tour! One of the most fascinating “common” birds we encountered was the Pin-tailed Whydah. While it’s not a rare species, its long tail and unique flying style captured our attention more than any other bird. This particular moment happened while we were in the car—yes, shooting handheld through the window! After taking hundreds of photos of the male flying, displaying, and mating, I decided to switch to video. Although I recorded in 4K 60p, I slowed down the second half to highlight the incredible beauty of its dance. 终于从南非之旅回来了！旅途中看到的最迷人的“常见”鸟类之一就是针尾维达雀。虽然它并不罕见，但它那长长的尾巴和独特的飞行姿态比其他任何鸟类都更吸引我们的目光。这段拍摄是在车里完成的——是的，手持相机透过车窗拍摄！拍了几百张照片，记录下雄鸟飞行、炫耀和交配的瞬间后，我决定拍摄视频。虽然我用4K 60帧录制，但在后半部分慢放，展现它舞蹈的惊人美感。
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A male bird with a very long tail, black-and-white plumage, and a striking red beak is hard to miss. While the local guide claimed it was common, we didn’t spot many during our first seven days. However, we were fortunate to see one performing a display for a female, which thrilled everyone. Capturing the moment from the car was quite challenging, but it was an unforgettable experience.
A small whydah with a reddish-orange bill and legs. The breeding male has buffy-orange underparts and neck, a dark cap, and 17-centimeter-long black tail feathers. The female and non-breeding male have streaky upperparts and pale buffy underparts. Breeding males hold territories in dry thorn scrub, but form flocks with other seedeaters after breeding. The species imitates the song of the Violet-eared Waxbill, which it parasitizes. Differs from the similar Pin-tailed Whydah by Shaft-tailed Whydah’s duller pink bill and streakier head in female and non-breeding male plumages, and black-and-buff plumage of the breeding male. [EBird]
What a beautiful little bird with its unique four racket-shaped tail feathers! Unfortunately, I couldn’t manage to capture any great shots of it this time. It’s definitely on my photography bucket list if I get the chance to visit Africa again. Despite the whole day of rain, we were lucky enough to witness some wonderful moments of it in flight.
While busy recovering some accidentally deleted pictures, I wanted to share part of a full series capturing this beautiful long-tailed bird’s display and mating behavior. I really enjoy watching how this bird performs—it sometimes flies vertically, resembling a stick in motion.
CANON R1, CANON RF100500mm, 1.4x South Africa update 202501 Finally, I’m back from my South Africa tour! One of the most fascinating “common” birds we encountered was the Pin-tailed Whydah. While it’s not a rare species, its long tail and unique flying style captured our attention more than any other bird. This particular moment happened while we were in the car—yes, shooting handheld through the window! After taking hundreds of photos of the male flying, displaying, and mating, I decided to switch to video. Although I recorded in 4K 60p, I slowed down the second half to highlight the incredible beauty of its dance.
A male bird with a very long tail, black-and-white plumage, and a striking red beak is hard to miss. While the local guide claimed it was common, we didn’t spot many during our first seven days. However, we were fortunate to see one performing a display for a female, which thrilled everyone. Capturing the moment from the car was quite challenging, but it was an unforgettable experience.
The overall green coloration, accompanied by a low crest and blue body, is a key target for our group. In the first few days, it seemed fairly common, as its calls and presence could be heard and seen by everyone. However, capturing a photograph proved to be quite challenging—much like our Malkoha, it kept moving between the trees and bushes. Fortunately, just before the heavy rain, we were lucky enough to find one that stayed still for a while, allowing us to capture it.
A fairly common coucal found in South Africa, which I’ve seen and photographed multiple times in various locations. However, this was a closer encounter, and I managed to capture a full series of flight shots. The distinctive tail band markings are clearly visible, making it easy to differentiate this species from others.
5. European Roller, 蓝胸佛法僧, 藍胸佛法僧, Coracias garrulus, ニシブッポウソウ
update 20501
In South Africa’s western region, this season is perfect for birdwatching as many common species are abundant. It’s been an enjoyable time spotting various targets, with the bonus of encountering a few truly stunning birds along the way.
A small whydah with a reddish-orange bill and legs. The breeding male has buffy-orange underparts and neck, a dark cap, and 17-centimeter-long black tail feathers. The female and non-breeding male have streaky upperparts and pale buffy underparts. Breeding males hold territories in dry thorn scrub, but form flocks with other seedeaters after breeding. The species imitates the song of the Violet-eared Waxbill, which it parasitizes. Differs from the similar Pin-tailed Whydah by Shaft-tailed Whydah’s duller pink bill and streakier head in female and non-breeding male plumages, and black-and-buff plumage of the breeding male. [EBird]
What a beautiful little bird with its unique four racket-shaped tail feathers! Unfortunately, I couldn’t manage to capture any great shots of it this time. It’s definitely on my photography bucket list if I get the chance to visit Africa again. Despite the whole day of rain, we were lucky enough to witness some wonderful moments of it in flight.
A small, greenish cuckoo. The male has barred flanks, white flecking on the wing, white patches in front of and behind the eye, and a distinctly red eye surrounded by a red eye-ring. The bronzy-green female has a diagnostic white patch in front of the eye, a plain back, and white patches in the wings. This common resident and migrant is not a habitat specialist, but it prefers riverine and wetland areas where its preferred brood-parasite hosts, weavers and bishops, are common. The distinctive call is a loud, rising, high-pitched “deee-deee-deee-deee-dederik”. [EBird]
A very beautiful and common cuckoo, often heard in almost any environment. However, it rarely perches because its calls attract other birds, especially weavers, that chase it away. The best chances to spot it are while it’s in flight, and we were fortunate to see it flying past us many times.
The flamingo was the final bird of our 18-day South Africa bird photography trip. During the morning session, we struggled with either facing the wrong direction or dealing with distance challenges. However, just before heading back, a few of them flew gracefully toward us in perfect light, as if bidding us farewell. We ended the trip with over 356 bird species, 20+ mammals, and several reptiles captured in photographs. It was an incredible journey filled with fun, great company, delicious food, and valuable lessons in patience (especially when waiting for meals).
It was a rainy morning, but even after spotting our target bird, the Black Coucal, we didn’t let the weather stop us from birding. Just before our breakfast break, we were treated to great views of a Palm-nut Vulture and this tiny duck. We were lucky to see it flying around rather than staying hidden!
This bird is incredibly beautiful, and while we may have seen it before in a zoo or bird park, spotting it in the wild and capturing its photo brings an entirely different level of excitement. Though it’s considered a common species, we only managed to see it 3-4 times during our 18 days of birding in South Africa.
During our first few days near Sani Pass, this was one bird that caught our attention every time we saw it. Its bright metallic green plumage and long tail were mesmerizing (we even saw it displaying to attract a female). Among the many sunbirds we encountered, this one truly stood out as exceptionally beautiful.
A large brown francolin with a red face and streaked chest, commonly found in the lowlands of South Africa, particularly in Kruger National Park. It is abundant, tame, and often seen walking around or heard calling.
A very common francolin in Kruger National Park, we encountered it daily inside the park. It was generally very tame. Once, we saw one trying to display to impress a female, but the female seemed uninterested and ran away. After taking countless photos, we decided to capture it flying across the road — with the CANON R1, it was an effortless shot.
This beautiful Bee-eater was only spotted once, staying within the cactus area where its colors blended perfectly. I was amazed at how the camera managed to find and track the bird. I used the full-screen AF on my R1, which allowed it to detect the bird’s location effortlessly.
Here’s another true story of why I prefer using large-capacity memory cards (I’m currently using the Angelbird 1TB CFexpress B). After 18 days of birding, I returned to Malaysia and started editing my photos. That’s when I realized an entire set of pictures was missing—specifically, a series of shots of a bird in flight (it had been flying around us, and I’d managed to capture several sequences).
I checked my SSD, thinking I might have accidentally deleted the folder after downloading, but I couldn’t find anything. As a last resort, I decided to recover the images from the card. Thanks to the large capacity of the card, I had never filled it up completely, which meant the missing files were still recoverable. In the end, I managed to recover the entire series of bird-in-flight shots, as well as some photos of White Rhinos. This experience reinforced the importance of using high-capacity cards!
Fairly common throughout Kruger National Park, this bird is typically seen moving in groups. Its black-and-white plumage and long tail make it unmistakable. I was fortunate to witness a partridge attempting to scare it off and managed to capture a shot of it flying away.
16. Southern Red Bishop, 红寡妇鸟, 紅寡婦鳥, Euplectes orix, オオキンランチョウ
update 202501
One of the most common birds we encountered during our South Africa trip, yet its vibrant bright red plumage made it impossible not to admire. It became the joke of the trip when someone yelled for the car to stop, shouting, “RED Kingfisher!” From then on, everyone jokingly referred to this bird as a Kingfisher for the rest of the journey.
A tall, lanky, black-and-white stork with a unique red, yellow, and black bill. The male has dark-brown eyes, and the female has yellow eyes. In flight, the bird’s massive size, and the dark bands in the center of the white wings are diagnostic. Scarce but conspicuous; mostly resident but can be partially nomadic in parts of the range. Found singly or in pairs at rivers and large undisturbed wetlands, foraging for favorites like catfish, but it will also take frogs, birds, and insects. [Ebird]
It is one of the birds everyone of us dreams of seeing and photographing, with its beak’s vibrant colors being absolutely stunning. We were fortunate to observe it up close, offering great views and excellent photo opportunities.
another bird that I really want to photograph, shame do not have very good opportunity to have good photo but overall good view and good moment for this very special looking Bee-eater.
Before planning this Africa trip, I was really curious about how a starling could have such a vivid violet color (even though we also have the Violet Cuckoo with a similar hue). I really wanted to photograph this bird in good lighting, despite everyone saying it’s common. But in 17 days, we only had two great opportunities. Now, I’m happy with what I got—until the next visit!
Another stunning bird that caught our attention—some had lost their long tails. But this one stayed close for quite a while, giving almost everyone the chance to capture a great shot.
This is our first Turaco sighting, but it stayed hidden in the bushes for a while. After some waiting, the bird suddenly took flight. Luckily, I had the R1 ready—capturing the moment almost instantly as it happened in a split second.
It’s a stunning bird, and each of the three species we encountered on our tour instantly caught our attention. Even during lunch and shopping, the moment someone shouted “Turaco,” everyone scrambled to grab their cameras again. However, it’s not an easy bird to photograph—it moves through the bushes much like our Malkoha. Among the three species we captured, this one is the most common and, in my opinion, the most beautiful.
It was a late lunch, and the “sushi” took nearly two hours to arrive! But luckily, as we walked into the restaurant, I spotted a Hornbill nesting. I managed to get a few flight shots just by sitting at the table while waiting for lunch. Meanwhile, others went straight to the nest, hoping for a better feeding moment. A small but noisy Hornbill!
This species is very common around Cape Town—we easily spotted it along the roadside on our way to the hills and inside the Botanical Garden. It’s incredibly tame, showing no concern for humans. Its feather pattern is simply stunning, making it look truly beautiful.
As usual, this large and conspicuous stork stands out. It is commonly found in both urban areas and forests. Watching it slowly walk across the golf course provided us with a great photo opportunity.
A remarkable bird that resembles a crane or stork with long legs but has more of a raptor-like appearance. It’s one of my main targets—I’ve had a few sightings but haven’t captured great photos yet. However, I’m sure I’ll dedicate more time to this bird on my future trips to Africa.
27. Bank Cormorant, 岸鸬鹚, 堤鸕鷀, Phalacrocorax neglectus, ハナグロウ
update 202502
We only spotted this bird in Cape Town. It appears completely black, though from certain angles, the “white rump” can be seen. It’s a unique species and surprisingly easy to find, but only in that one location.
One of the colorful starlings of South Africa, this bird displays bright metallic colors whether standing or flying. It’s a stunningly beautiful and common species.
南非色彩斑斓的椋鸟之一，这种鸟无论站立还是飞行，都展现出明亮的金属光泽。它是一种美丽而常见的鸟类。
202501,
Kruger National Park, South Africa
31. Green Woodhoopoe, 绿林戴胜, 綠林戴勝, Phoeniculus purpureus, ミドリモリヤツガシラ
The only possible trogon for our South Africa trip, we spotted it just once—and in heavy rain! Despite the downpour, it kept flying around, and we were lucky to see it perch for a while, giving us a great view. Its metallic green and red plumage is truly stunning.
This is another colorful bird we spotted during our South Africa bird photography trip. We had many great sightings, but this was one of the closest and most perfectly angled shots we captured.
1001. South African giraffe, 南非长颈鹿, 南非長頸鹿, Giraffa camelopardalis
update 202501
It’s such an adorable creature! Seeing it in the wild made us pause for a while to capture some photos of this charming animal—even though we were here primarily for the birds. Absolutely delightful!
This bird is generally brown and has a peculiarly shaped head. It’s quite strangely featured, yet surprisingly common, found in both urban and forested environments.
My trip to South Africa ended months ago, but I’m still enjoying the birding experience in Africa—especially meeting this fascinating family. Everyone seemed so excited! At first glance, this species might seem dull (just grey!), but its name makes it impossible to ignore. Every time we spotted one, we couldn’t help but call out, “Go-away bird!”—and honestly, it’s quite a handsome bird!
I never expected to see this adorable creature in South Africa—I thought I’d only encounter it in Madagascar on my next visit. But what a lucky sight! This tiny chameleon was crossing the road so slowly that everyone had to wait for it to make its way before we could continue our journey. define top 5 sight of 2025
– very small wren-babbler no tail that move very fast
– split to different family Pnoepygidae, may make another sharing
– 被分鹩鹛属
update 202409
– one of my favorite birds of Malaysia, it is small, cute, active and lovely bird. It always moving with wing span open. But it almost invisible by naked eye.
– with the new canon Pre-continuous Shooting function, simple when see the bird stay still, half-press shutter .. and when see the wing open or move press the shutter .. than anything happen in before .5s will be record as raw into camera .. make this kind of picture simple
Adorable tiny bird that loosely resembles a minute tailless wren. Warm dark brown above with rufous overtones, and scaled below; pale-morph birds have white edgings to black “scales,” while dark-morph birds have edgings that are coffee-stain tan. Smaller Pygmy Cupwing lacks the tan spots speckling the crown and neck of Scaly-breasted. Scaly-breasted inhabits dark, damp areas in dense forest, often around boulders, streams, and ravines. Song is a jumbled series of high-pitched melodic warbles, notably more complex than the song of Pygmy Cupwing. [Ebird]
On our last day in Baihualing, we spotted two distinctly different tiny, tailless birds. At a distance of about 10-15 meters, I initially assumed they were the same Pygmy Cupwing. However, upon reviewing the captured photos, it was clear they were different species.
Knowing their behavior of spreading their wings when moving, I enabled Continuous Pre-record mode and pressed the shutter the moment the bird moved. Got it!
A typical pitta: plump, short-tailed, long-legged, and primarily terrestrial (sometimes perches up to call). Bright green above with electric blue shoulder patch and rump and black head with conspicuous pale brow. Underside golden-buff with black and bright red on the belly. Juvenile duller, with little blue in wing, an orange-tipped bill, and a pinkish belly. Resident in woodland, forest, scrub, and plantations in the lowlands and hills of the Lesser Sundas, from Lombok east to Alor. Formerly regarded as a subspecies of Elegant Pitta, to which it is very similar; Ornate averages more extensively black on the throat and lower belly, and has a fairly evenly divided rufous-and-white “eyebrow.” Also note Ornate’s whistled two-note call [Ebird]
A special arrangement was made with Ramesh for a relaxing birding trip focused on collecting a few endemic species. As usual, pittas, owls, and woodpeckers were our primary targets. Upon arriving at the airport, we had a ~1.5-hour drive followed by a short walk to the feeding spot. After less than 15 minutes of waiting, the bird showed up beautifully, allowing for this “pre-poo” moment to be captured perfectly.
A small brown owl with feathered ear tufts and yellow eyes, restricted to Lombok. Mostly brown with scattered white and pale markings on wings, sparsely streaked underparts, and a clear “double” facial disk with both blackish and white borders. Found in various forests and plantations in the lowlands and foothills. Distinctive: the only small owl on Lombok, and the only owl there with ear tufts. Gives a single note song, “woot,” ascending slightly at the end [Ebird]
This special, quick, and relaxed trip to Lombok, Indonesia, focused on our second main target. We spotted a few birds, but only one came reasonably close and perched low. It resembled other scops-owls, offering another great sighting enhanced by modern technology.
3. White-tailed Tropicbird, 白尾鹲, 白尾熱帶鳥, Phaethon lepturus, シラオネッタイチョウ, Buntut-sate putih
A medium-sized white seabird with black marks on the wings and a yellow beak. The long white tail streamers are visible from a great distance. Nests on coastal and inland cliffs on the main islands. Often seen flying over canyons and along cliffs. At sea usually flies high above the water. Calls are loud clucks and squawks. Smaller and more graceful in flight than Red-tailed Tropicbird [Ebird]
I just can’t help but share more of this lovely bird… under the hot sun, it’s such a beautiful sight to watch them soaring through the sky.
我忍不住再分享更多这只这么美的鸟… 在炽热的阳光下，看到它们在天空中翱翔真是太美了。
202412, Lombok, Indonesia
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One of the target birds can be found here, making it an incredibly beautiful location to observe this species. The view is breathtaking, and I hope to return again. While waiting for a better sighting of the bird, I was fortunate to also spot a Dugong, Green Turtle, and Spinner Dolphins. Watching this bird gracefully soar through the air is truly mesmerizing.
A small finch with a striking white head and dark body. Rich chestnut brown above, with reddish tail and pale peach-washed underside. Juveniles much duller and browner, but usually show a paler head. Gregarious, found in terrestrial flocks, often with other finches, in open country such as marshes, croplands, grasslands and scrub, in the lowlands. Juvenile has a paler head and a noticeably smaller bill than juvenile Five-colored Munia. Gives weak, high-pitched “weee” and stronger, metallic “wit-wit-wit” notes [Ebird]
This munia is very common in the open areas of Lombok Island and can be spotted almost everywhere. It resembles the White-headed Munia but features a darker back and front.
It is a fairly common species found in Bali, Sumba, and Lombok, but this beautiful fantail is truly captivating. We were searching for the Five-colored Munia, but this bird appeared just before we could get a good look at the munia.
6. Golden-headed Cisticola, 金头扇尾莺, 黃頭扇尾鶯, Cisticola exilis, タイワンセッカ, Cici Merah
Tiny, sandy-colored bird with short tail and dark-streaked back. Breeding adult males have orange-gold crown. Song a thin, high-pitched, drawn-out buzzing. Inhabits grasslands of northern and eastern Australia, where perches prominently. In similar grassland habitats, Tawny Grassbird has much longer tail. Very similar Zitting Cisticola always has a streaked crown and a very different “tick-tick-tick” song but otherwise almost identical. [Ebird]
A small bird with a distinctive sequence of calls, often perched high to observe human activity, seemingly curious about us when we arrive at a new location.
It was a fortunate moment while waiting for our target bird—we spotted a Dugong, a group of Dolphins putting on a show, and a few Green Turtles. Although they were at a bit of a distance, it was a joy to witness their display.
The family Fringillidae encompasses 152 genera and 677 species of finches worldwide. They feed on fruits, seeds, and insects. The genus Passer, commonly referred to as sparrows, consists of small birds that are very similar in size and plumage. Typically, their upper body is mottled with brown and black, which is why they are colloquially known as sparrows. They have 9 primary feathers on their wings, with the pale feather edges on the outer feathers (except the first) slightly expanded at the base and near the tip, forming two faint crossbars, which become particularly prominent during flight. Their beaks are short, stout, and strong, shaped like a cone, with a slightly curved culmen.
We chose this hide specifically for this bird and spotted it early in the morning. Afterward, we decided to move to another hide. The male arrived briefly before leaving, but luck was on our side as we caught the moment.
One of the standout birds at Baihualing, Yunnan, China is often seen as a highlight by both locals and visitors. Whenever someone spots or photographs one, it becomes big news in the village, quickly drawing bird enthusiasts and photographers to the area. This one shows up unexpectedly, as it did this time to take a drink, it captivates everyone around. It is a beautiful bird, with the female being particularly striking.
Stenostiridae, or the fairy flycatchers,[1] are a family of small passerinebirds proposed as a result of recent discoveries in molecular systematics.[2] They are also referred to as stenostirid warblers. [WIki]
An active little bird with a bright yellow belly and a pale-tipped fan-like tail. Most common in foothill and submontane broadleaf forests, where it forages energetically and acrobatically in the middle and lower levels, often with fulvettas, warblers, and other small passerines in mixed-species foraging flocks. Very similar in shape to fantails but much smaller, and actually more closely related to tits. Song is a series of high “tsit” notes interspersed with twitters and trills. Call is often repeated at length, akin to a song, but much simpler, a series of high “tsip” notes. [Ebird]
An active little bird with a bright yellow belly and a pale-tipped fan-like tail. Most common in foothill and submontane broadleaf forests, where it forages energetically and acrobatically in the middle and lower levels, often with fulvettas, warblers, and other small passerines in mixed-species foraging flocks. Very similar in shape to fantails but much smaller, and actually more closely related to tits. Song is a series of high “tsit” notes interspersed with twitters and trills. Call is often repeated at length, akin to a song, but much simpler, a series of high “tsip” notes.
update 202412
One of the most active birds, behaving much like a fantail. While it’s not a lifer for me—I previously recorded it in Northern Thailand—it’s still a challenge to spot here in Yunnan, China. Thankfully, luck was on our side, and we managed to witness it spreading its tail, giving us a few great moments for some good photo opportunities.
Another highlight of 2024—witnessing the bird showcase its fluffy and stunning display. With just two weeks left in the year, here’s to an even better 2025 ahead for all of us! Still, two more tours to wrap up the year—let’s enjoy the journey!
– few days of good rest, spend half day with buddies.. each time here also having some good moment … and today morning manged to have a quick moment for this bird .. finally how’s the name come from
Another shot captured using the CANON R1’s Continuous Pre-record feature, showcasing this tiny, active, and shy Borneo endemic.
使用佳能R1的连续预录功能拍摄的另一张照片，展现了这只小巧、活跃且害羞的婆罗洲特有鸟。
202412, Sabah, Malaysia
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update 202412
The final tour of 2024 began on a high note, featuring eight stunning images of Borneo endemics. Thanks to the new Canon R1’s Continuous Pre-record feature, I seized the opportunity to capture the action at ISO 16000, including remarkable shots of this tiny and lively bird.
– a big montane endemic of Borneo, not rare but not really a easy bird to get close .. beautiful much easier than the Sumatra Treepie very look alike
– 婆罗洲高山特有种，蛮普通。可是也不容易接近。
202409, Gunung Alab, Sabah, Malaysia
3. Dark Hawk-Cuckoo, 婆罗鹰鹃, 婆羅鷹鵑, Hierococcyx bocki, クロジュウイチ, SEWAH-TEKUKUR GUNUNG
update 202410
– a birds that very common heard at both Fraser Hill & KNP .. but it can be very difficult to have good view .. it can be confuse with some Hawk Cuckoo
– when we on the way to Breakfast, sudden saw this bird stand so nice with backlight .. got the bird real close view
It was a quick visit to check on the flowers while meeting a few friends. Within an hour, the bird appeared twice, giving me the perfect chance to capture its flight using the R1 Continuous Pre-record mode. It worked perfectly!
Over the years, by understanding what the bird feeds on, it has gone from being difficult to spot to becoming a fairly common sight today.
This striking “black-faced” blue-and-white flycatcher is a fairly common winter visitor here. However, this year, many individuals have been spotted at Gunung Alab, including males, females, and juveniles. It is noticeably distinct from Zappey’s Flycatcher.
It’s not very common to spot this bird here at Gunung Alab, but we heard its call while waiting for another target. Not that long, we saw it perched nearby! Yet another great sighting.
8. Bornean Barbet, 加里曼丹拟鴷, 加里曼丹擬鴷,Megalaima eximia, ノドグロゴシキドリ, TAKUR TUKANG GUNUNG
update 202503
This is one of Borneo’s small endemic birds, often heard but rarely seen or photographed. However, this time, it perched right in front of us, offering an exceptional view.
9. Mountain Barbet, 山拟鴷, 山擬鴷,Megalaima monticola, ヤマゴシキドリ, TAKUR BUKIT BORNEO
update 202503
It’s a chilly day at 16°C with strong winds. The morning was lovely, though the afternoon turned misty. Fortunately, after the rain and misty period, we were lucky to spot both endemic Barbets up close, including this adorable one.
4. Bornean Bristlehead, 棘毛伯勞, 棘头鵙, Pityriasis gymnocephala, ブタゲモズ, TIUNG-BATU KEPALA MERAH
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1. Black-throated wren-babbler, 黑喉鹪鹛, 黑喉鷦鶥, ノドグロサザイチメドリ, KEKICAU-MURAI BESAR BORNEO
update 202409
– long time never been Tabin Wildlife Reserve, this time come here for quick one and meet up my very first Guide from Danum Valley BRL .. Paul .. We spend 3 mornings and 2 evening for birding .. not really bad overall, got all 3 Wren-Babbler .. this is one active moving around
2. Blyth’s Frogmouth, 星喉蟆口鸱, 星喉蟆口鴟, Batrachostomus affinis, コガマグチヨタカ, CUCUR BIASA
update 202409
– it is excited to see this bird in the day time and so cute ..
– such a long time never at Tabin, this time with special request to be in here trying to record as much I can ..trying for this bird night time but failed but got it on day time ! theory work !
– a bird that usually quite difficult to be photograph at Peninsula Malaysia, seem easier at Borneo. Almost never missed this bird at Danum Valley. But when I am at another famous birding spot Tabin Wildlife Reserve, this bird seem same like Danum Valley. not really shy … easy to get picture too
4. Bornean Bristlehead, 棘毛伯勞, 棘头鵙, Pityriasis gymnocephala, ブタゲモズ, TIUNG-BATU KEPALA MERAH
update 202410
– an exclusive Borneo endemic, always one of the main target to Borneo
– another bird that I keep looking at is this, it is my first time sight it here … excite !!! too bad 3rd times of the trip so not much time spend on this …
– newly update it may not belong to the Laughingthrush family
– rare and shy montane Borneo endemic
update 202409
– one of my best moment of 2029, this bird stay close and one of best view of this bird
– 我的2029最好的一刻，这鸟站这个位置真的最好角度看这鸟。
202407, Trusmadi, Sabah, Malaysia
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– another main target of the short trip, it is close and fast .. all of us saw the bird .. but sad my buddies didn’t got the picture of it feeding on “fruit” (think my first time saw this bird eat fruit) …
– the bird moving fast and inside dark bush, 2 of the Z9 failed to got the bird in focus 🙁 lucky me with new R5markii , if bring mark 1 may be also dont have this best moment of this rare bird
– 与朋友的几天，主要目标之一。这鸟来的蛮近的。可是有入常态，动很快，在暗的地方动。朋友们Z9都没办法对上焦（在这站了好几秒大家都看到）。幸好佳能R5Mark ii 好好表现还是对上了几张。这鸟非常害羞，稀有。非常不容易拍照，还加上第一次看到它吃果子（通常吃昆虫）.
202409, Trusmadi, Sabah, Malaysia
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update 202408
– before archive the folder, make another picture one of best moment of 2024. This bird stand here more than 3 minutes … making call.. looking at us ..such a handsome
– one of my favorite birds of Malaysia, it is not that rare just too active to have good view. But when lucky strike, me and David enjoy few minutes of best moment with this bird .. amazing bird to look at
2. Sunda Owlet, 巽它鸺鹠, 巽它鵂鶹, Taenioptynx sylvaticum, ヒメフクロウ, PUNGGUK-KECIL GELANG SELATAN
update 202407
– a long waiting day, today patient pay off with different prize. Missed the Bulwer’s Pheasant male…. after long wait … before we call it a day, heard this owl far away .. just try ours’ luck after long wait before we decided to walk back to ours’ car I saw this bird flying toward car park. Not long after walk toward car park, after got the Bornean Leaf bird and got this bird stay there for long for us.
3. Mountain Barbet, 山拟鴷, 山擬鴷,Megalaima monticola, ヤマゴシキドリ, TAKUR BUKIT BORNEO
update 202409
– another visit of this lovely forest, good weather…good birds (montane and sub-montane). While we trying to find few of ours target, found this bird busy making some hole .. lovely Borneo endemic
It’s a rainy day, and a few birds are perched on a tree. I quickly enable “pre-continuous shooting” and adjust the settings to the maximum speed possible at ISO 25600 and F7.1—1/1600s. Hoping for the best, I got lucky, and the shot of the bird flying down turned out well.
这是一个下雨天，几只鸟停留在树上。我迅速开启“预连续拍摄”模式，并将设置调整到 ISO 25600、F7.1 下的最高速度——1/1600 秒。抱着一丝希望，幸运的是，拍到了一张鸟儿俯冲的精彩瞬间。
