Avian Field Report January 2018 - Krau-Bukit Rengit

The weather has been improving as we approach CNY so I decided to visit Lancang on the second weekend of January.  Alan T a budding birder wanting to tag along with my birding trip was accepted.

After rendervous at the Shell McD station along MRR2 we started our journey at 4.45am. Usually I start out early to seek out the Blyths FM and Reddish Scops or the Malaysian Eared NJ along Deerland which still remain elusive in my past outing  I can hear them but no sighting . I am not a norturnal expert in hunting them out from their calling perch. TK Ang did give me some tips but so far no luck.........

We met Kwai with his 2 chinese guest at the port after the unsuccessful dawn hunt for the target birds.  Lighting was really dim and I was shooting at 1/8 speed at ISO3200.  The surprise bird was the Hooded Pitta. It show up on the log feeding amongst the other birds. It was a bit skittish staying for less that 15-30 seconds each session. All in all it came out  4 times during the morning session

The other regular babblers and bulbuls provide some good showings The Ferruginous was not sighted though. The birds  are now in mating session as  the males were offering the mealworms to it other half.

The male White-rumped Sharma with its perfect coat and long tail was beholding not to shot. It will chase its other half around the port  from time to time.

The female Siberian Blue Robin (the blueish covert and shoulder also may be an immature male)  is still around since last December when I first saw it but the Orange-hooded Thrush was no longer around. Earlier tot it was a juvenile but since its colors never change it must be a female SBR. Those who want the male have to go to BT okay. It is the tiniest of the lot  there and it will only pop out to feed when the others are not around.

Later at noon we drove down to Krau side and  the drizzle started. Alan with his sharp eyes sighted 2 bird of preys in the misty white sky. We approach the bare tree vie the Perhilitan Quarters to have the nearest shot. Still we were about 150-200 ft away. These were my best shots against the white droopy sky. Got to bum up  exposure to +2.5 to get some details of the bird.

Lastly  my hightlight  was the Rufous-collared Kf. It was very obliging to day. It did several sorties to the log to feed until as late as 11am.  It was the first bird to feed at 7.30am. There used to be a pair  here in Deerland but this time it was alone. Wish for the female which have different coat of feathers. These are best pictures I have captured  so far of this beauty.                         

WHISTLER - Bornean Mountain Whistler (Borneo Endemic lifer 490)

Another lifer shot at Kinabalu Park. It is a common bird you can see in Kinabalu Park (600m) I think. It was foraging in a birdwave amongst Laughingthrush, Grey minivets  and Blyth's Shrikebabbler. It stayed  quite awhile for me to snap some good shots whilst responding to my birdcall. When it is perched, it likes to tilt its head this way and that while looking out for insects.

Avian Field Report Jan 2018 - Bukit Tinggi Pahang

I was visiting the hill resort with some relatives in the first week of January. The day was cloudy with intermittent sunshine during the weekend. Lucky me. Took the opportunity to drop by the Japanese Garden post to see any new arrivals. The place is soggy and muddy from the previous weeks of rain but manageable.

 It  was a surprise to see two MPP hatchlings accompanied by their parent  to  feed.  I sure all of us are glad that the birds here are flourishing well. The parents will come out to recce the place first and if it think it is safe it will quickly scuttered back  to the ravine to bring its chicks out.

The Ferruginous Partridge were no where to be seen with their offsprings. I spend about 2 hours or so there. A skittish Orange-headed Thrush was sighted but no photo record here. Hopefully it will settle down and be confident enuf to come out to feed. So for those we have missed the bird in TBSA you may opt to come up here to shot it.

Later a common visitor  to BT - the Siberian Blue Robin also show up too. Its colors is fast maturing to its blue coat within 2-3 weeks. Last December I sighted another juvenile in Bukit Rengit but its feathers yet to turn. I wonder its the same bird ....................

LAUGHINGTHRUSH 4/6 - Chestnut hooded Laughingthrush (Borneo Lifer 489)

The Borneo Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush have a orangy eyering compared to the Peninsula Malaysia Chestnut-capped subspecie (which have a white eyering) Its breast is also streaked whilst its beak is much orangy  Overall they look the same except for the former.  I believe they have separated as another specie. I will chalk it  as a Borneo lifer.

This bird is found in Kinabalu Park and it is a common bird to see even in December.  I spend a short 3 hours birding at the Power Station there before tracking down the road. There was a fruiting tree there as I waited and  hoping for the Bornean Barbet and other endemic birds to dropby but alas in vain.

Avian Field Report nearing new year 2018 - UluKali & Awana

Target bird was the Little Bunting or issit the Chestnut-eared Bunting..... which was sighted at Ulu Kali in the  3rd week of December 2018. It probably in passage further south to the coastal plains of southern  Peninsula or even Singapore. Hope somebody will be diligent to look for  it. 

In the hill top, the birds are active  but skittish. The Black-eared ShrikeBabbler was a first for me in Ulu Kali. It was seen in a birdwave amongst Fantail, Leaf Warbler and Chestnut-tailed Minla at the middle section enroute to the Radar Station. The morning was covered in mist and drizzling the whole morning on the eve of Christmas 2017.

As usual the Minla were plenty and a tough job to get good pictures of them in misty low lighting. Below the female Mugimaki visitor  was sighted at the same post. Usually they remain at a spot they chose as their temporary home when staying in  Malaysia. Another female was sighted at the Radar Station.

 A Grey Wagtail was a surprise sighting up here I was shooting from PakLong's Post whilst chatting on  bird life here.  The Long-tailed Sibia and Mountain Leaf Warbler were busy feeding on the moths at the Radar station.

The little cuckoodove was sighted at Awana and another pair of Mugimaki and a juvenile was recorded there.

BUSH WARBLER - Sunda Bush Warbler ( Borneo Lifer 488)

This is a common bird you can sight along the road to the Entrance to the hiking trail up Mount Kinabalu. I saw a pair near a clearing It was chirping loudly in a lallang reed outcrop. I just recorded its call and playback. It responded and flew out to the open for a while for me to capture it  at a distance of 20 feet. 

It is really not afraid of human as everyday climber and porters ply the road going up mount Kinabalu. It will be calling in the undergrowth beside the road early in the morning. It looks like a Fulvetta dont you think minus the black brow

THRUSH - Eyebrowed Thrush (Lifer 487)

This is a mega lifer for me in the year 2017. This visiting Thrush is hard to find in Peninsula. A pair was sighted at a pocket durian orchard  outskirt of Ranau  I was just sitting in the back yard of my sister in-law house and a silhouete of a slender bird bigger than the Oriental Magpie Robin was sighted on a dead tree trunk at the far hill crop. It was good start to my casual birding itinery on arriving to Ranau. The bird prefers the cooler highland like Frasers or Cameron when visiting Malaysia. 

Later used my bird call of the Dusky Thrush to lure it to nearby tree. Still it was about 50-60 ft away behind branches and foliage.  These were the best shots I managed to get from my XF100-400 & XT2.