SWIFTLET (6/9)- Black-nest Swiftlet (Lifer 575/688)

Shooting from the Canopy walk you can see this Swiftlet year round. I was never good in BIF shots. Even at 1/4000 or 8000 I still get soft shoot like above. Nevertheless a lifer .Narrated as a small dark Aerodramus swiftlet that is nearly impossible to distinguish from closely-related species such as Mossy-nest and White-nest Swiftlets. Dark above and paler gray below; rump varies from dirty white to dark depending on subspecies. Tail averages more squared-off and less prominently forked than White-nest and Germain’s swiftlets, but best identified when on feather-and-saliva nests, which are dark, as the name suggests. Nests in large colonies in caves, often with other species of swiftlet. Chitters at nest, but usually fairly quiet. Need to find their roosting cave to get better pictures lol.

Avian sighting Oct 2023 - Changeable Hawk Eagle- Black morph and White morph Copulation

We sighted a pair of Changeable Hawk Eagle copulating near an incomplete nest in middle of October 2023 at RDC Sepilok (Pitta Trail). It was a distance viewing of about 1000m away. As it will not disturb them I don't mind posting the encounter so that other birders can see and report  the progress of the birds. ID by my sifu Tou.

                                   Photo taken with Fuji X-T5 with 100-400mm XF telephoto lens

 

MAGPIE 4/4 - Bornean Black Magpie (Borneo endemic / Lifer 574)

The Bornean Black Magpie is a Treepie in the family Corvidae.

The Bornean (Platysmurus aterrimus)  is split  from our peninsula Malaysia cousin and can be  differentiated  by having a patchy crest like (parrotlike) and no white barring to its wings. Size wise It is slightly larger at about 43 cm or 1.5ft. Vocal wise they are quite different so if you manage to have its call, chances it will response to it. 

It is almost a sure see in RDC Sepilok  especially at the Pitta Trail. In fact, it is a common bird to see. My MO to get it to come to you is by playing the- call of the other bird which often feed together with it. 

The magpie is a garrulous (always calling) and sociable bird feeding amongst others, often seen in family parties. But my encounter was only a single bird at RDC that 2 days. It has a variety of whistling and chattering calls and is also a vocal mimic. It flies with shallow wing beats that produce a distinctive low throbbing whoo or boobooboo sound.

The magpie is an insectivore and frugivore. It can take to the air catch insects or finding crawlies on foliage and also opportunistically taking small mammals and reptiles.

The magpie is found in the lowlands of Borneo, ranging in altitude up to about 300 m above sea level. It inhabits primary forest, including dipterocarp, kerangas and peat swamp forest, and is also found in secondary forest, overgrown tree plantations and scrub. (Wiki)

As a comparison Racquet-tailed Drongo