I have two trips lined-up to Sandakan- Sepilok for last quarter of 2018. The first one was in September by invitation from "Menace". This is my first dedicated birding excursion to Sabah for 4 days 3 nites. Sandakan is an ideal Start Point to other birding sites namely the nearest one is Sepilok with RDC and canopy walk. It is also about 2.5 hours out to Kinabatangan Sukau, Danum site etc. I relied on my buddy Den to arrange everything from accommodation to car hire and makan makan in town. Thanks again buddy and also to his friends' hospitality of the locals especially Peter, Ong, Chui and Hou.
Travelling light on AirAsia with one checkin luggage (20kg), haversack and hand-carry tripod
I was good to go. Took the last Bus out to KLIA2 from Sentral reaching the airport terminal at slightly before 1 am. As usually we drop in Plaza Lounge for free food but alas they is no easy couch to take a snooze unlike in KLIA main. Anyway we make a do what they offer. Check in starts at 4am plus and then it was a waiting game.
Our flight out was on schedule for once...6.30am and touching down 10 minutes early before 9.00 am at Sandakan International Airport. We took our pre-booked Axia for 4+3 days to go about town for makan-makan and transit to our birding sites. Our wonderful Mark's Lodge (
www.themarkslodgehotel.com) is just 15 minutes from the airport. It is in the new business district of Sandakan about 15-20 minutes to Sepilok. So plenty of food around and R&R.
The same operator also own the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort which have cheaper hostel bed accommodation for budget contraint birders. It is walking distance (1.5 km) to RDC Sepilok and the Orang Utan Sanctuary. They also have private chalets as shown in their brochure which are priced reasonable for twin sharing 2 pax. SFE Resort have some good trail where you may chance on star birds like the Giant Pitta, Blue-crown Pitta, Black headed Pitta and Chestnut Necklaced Partridge. On out outing we manage to see mousedeer too.
We birders are always on a budget we suggest that they provide free transit to RDC entrance on call as a free perk..... an electrical buggy for 6 seater will come in handy for the 1.5km.
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| Lifer 1 Sabah Partridge aka chestnut-necklaced |
If you are staying in Marks Lodge hotel you can drop by SFE Resort to bird there which we did as they are affiliated. However I suggest you contact the operator so that they have their local bird guide to show you about and to get the latest sightings. Don't forget to tip them. There you can have a good lunch meal served in an open setting which you can bird in the surrounding especially the many sunbirds and endemic dusky munia.
Ashy Tailorbird
Purple-naped Sunbird and Copper-throated Sunbird are easy catch here.
Trogon are aplenty like the Red-naped,Scarlet and Diard's.
Bulbuls like the Puff-throated and Buff-chested were also sighted. We did manage to see the Great Slaty Woodpecker but no photo to show. The pair we saw came down to 10 ft but were skirttish. Too bad...........
A rather worned grey-cheeked bulbul with a rather hooked beak.
The common Chestnut-winged babbler (below)
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| Charlotte's Bulbul aka Buff-vented. I do not consider it a lifer but a subspecies |
Ashy Tailorbird 
Purple-naped Sunbird and Copper-throated Sunbird are easy catch here.
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