Borneo Birds

A winter visitor! This Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius was not at all worried by my presence when I chanced upon it last week. The bird is seen here almost every winter, preferring it seems, our western coastal areas. On all the previous occasions I have seen this bird, I never hear it call or make any kind of sound. This one was no different. Rather it was quite happy to make its presence known by perching on this tree stump. Good hunting!

Ann Marie and Dev took a weekend off their busy schedule in Langkawi and came over to Kota Kinabalu for some birding. We spent time at Kinabalu Park and several areas around Kota Kinabalu. The last bird for the trip was this striking Pied Triller Lalage nigra. In Sabah, this is common in coastal habitat and casuarina trees. Elsewhere it ranges from South Thailand through to Sulawesi and the Philippine islands.

We just have to admit that it is so much easier to see the Black-Shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus now than say 20 years ago. Unfortunately this expansion of both range and number could be due to increased cultivation and turning of forest into scrub and grassland. Whatever it might be, it is always a joy to see this bird hovering and gliding in its search for prey. A friend once told me that these kites have evolved from a previous generation of owls. Comments?

Another of these wonderful forest kingfishers decided to make an appearance on an otherwise slow morning at the Sugud Recreation Forest near Kota Kinabalu. It was after I missed a single male Cinnamon Headed Pigeon which flashed across the path. This male Banded Kingfisher was much more accomodating and perched on a dried branch for all to see. It was just fantastic to watch this king when the head feathers were all puffed out making it looked like something quite different.

The previous afternoon at Sepilok RDC (in Sandakan, Malaysia) we saw a beautiful Black-Backed Kingfisher. This morning as we passed the same area again, I just said 10 points for a kingfisher. Sean took about 3 seconds and came out “I’ve got it”. We turned our binoculars into a dark patch of greenery. Sure enough there was a kingfisher. Out came the scope. That’s not just a kingfisher, that’s a Rufous-Collared Kingfisher! This fantastic forest dweller stayed long enough for this picture. That’s 20 points for you, Sean!