First Birding of the year 2013

Indigo flycather

Taken with Nikon V1 - 10mm lens attach to Kowa TSN 603/ 20 X eyepiece.

My first decent picture with the Nikon V1 after bought it since last year in October. All the pictures were touch up with Lightroom 4 and crop to 40 percent. However this was not the best days as it was bad lighting due to bad weather as expected at Mt Kinabalu with its ever unpredictable behavior. 

Hope to post more pictures with the Nikon V1 with Kowa TSN 603.

Female Little Pied Flycatcher

Male Little Pied Flycatcher

Happy Birding

Subic Bay / Bataan, Philippine Dec 2012

Female - Blue-rock Thrush (at Subic)

Been planing to visit Subic Bay (a former US base situated at Philippine island) and the Candaba Wetlands for quite some time. Finally made there and it was a nice place and the birds were not disappointing. Here are some pictures that I managed to photograph but it all just a record piece. However my pictures from Candaba was not great due to poor lighting  (because we arrived late). Below list:-

Candaba:- Long-tailed Shrike, Striated Grass Bird, Barred Rail, Common Water-hen,  Bunting ?, Common Sandpiper, Yellow Bittern, Black-winged Stilt, Cattle Egret.

My aim was to see the Coleto, a starling family (which we name one of the streets here). I was fascinated to know more of this creature and on the first day of birding it did not disappoint me. This birds were quite easy to see at Subic well kept forest as they fly in flocks just like its other starlings family. This birding trip was indeed a nice and easy birding and below are the lifers that I managed to take. Wish had a better camera.

Black-naped Oriole

Blue-throated BeeEater

Brown-shrike

Coleto

Red-jungle fowl 

A pair of Philippine Serpent Eagle

Long-tailed Shrike - Nasutus

Tarictic Hornbill - rare 

Whiskered-tree Swift

White-throated Kingfisher

White-throated Kingfisher

The Malaysia Peninsula and Continental Asia White-throated Kingfisher has a larger and longer white spot that runs down almost to the vent area. But in this Philippine sps it has only a small spot right up the neck/throat area. Very interesting observational as the Malaysia  and Continental Asia cousin should be renamed as White-breasted Kingfisher. Reference www.orientalbirdimages.org 

White-bellied Woodpecker

Happy Birding.

White-crown Shama

This bird was once roam Sabah's forest in abundance before they were poached as cage birds. As I could remember their numbers were abundance that you could always hear them singing in the early mornings, calling each other or just plain singing their hearts out be it trying to please the females or just marking their presence.

Happy Birding

Long-tail Shrike

The long-tail shrike - bentet sp. has build its home at the foot of mount Kinabalu at a small township called Kundasang (known to local as the highest mountain market in Borneo). This small town also houses some of the local hotels, lodges and bed & breakfast for travelers all over the world. A destination that should not be missed.  

Happy Birding.

Orange Headed Thrush

Another lifer and what a beauty. Some friends inform us that it was seen feeding at Tambunan Rafflesia Centre but it look very weak. And when I did managed to find it, it was still very weak but doing well. Notice that it like the sun light and stayed long on the open but still very wary of human presence.

Happy Birding

Whiteheads's Trogon

Whitehead's Trogon - Female

Its was a rewarding weekend. This shy creature always eluded birder and photographers alike. I was just lucky to get this picture and hope to capture the male.

Happy Birding.

Pale-face Bulbul

Endemic of Mt Kinabalu - Pale-faced Bulbul (pycnonotus leucops)

This was as near as I can get to capture it with 300mm F/4.(Nikon). Hope to have another encounter.

Happy Birding.

Dusky Broadbill

 Broadbill family - Dusky (corydon sumatranus)

 Borneo has 8 species,

 including 2 endemics (the whitehead's and Hose's) which the later

 is very difficult to spot and much difficult to photograph.

However with the Dusky Broadbill, I was fortunate this time around. It took me more than 3 months to get this opportunity and finally got it. I sighted at least 6 of them mixed with flocks of young and adult. Good to know that they are breeding and hope to see more of them in the near future.

Happy Birding.

Crested Serpent Eagle

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 Finally a better close-up of this beauty.

 Taken at Tabin Wildlife Sanctuary and the Canon 7D was impressive (courtesy of Jais).

Happy Birding

Red-whiskered Bulbul

 An escapee bird, became the main attraction at Kota Kinabalu last month. 

According to the security guard this fellow was seen flying around the car park and calling for attention or maybe looking for its mate or friend.

It's call gave away its position. As this was the only individual, just wondering what does the future hold for him?

Happy Birding.