Borneo Birds

Here’s a rather rare sighting for the west coast of Sabah.  The Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus is comparatively easier to find along  the eastern coastline of Borneo, probably on its way to northern Australia and Indonesian islands.  Easily distinguished by its double supercilium and downwards curve at the end of its bill.  Good luck guys.

The Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica holds the record for the longest not-stop flight of any bird on migration.  It is very scarce in Borneo, this particular bird seen last month was only my second sighting.  I can only assume that the bird only stopped here briefly to refuel and would have continued on its way to Australia.  

The Orange-breasted Trogon Harpactes oreskios is scarce bird of the hill and lower montane forest but I have had better luck finding it at the Rafflesia Forest Reserve.  For most of the time when I saw this magnificent bird, it had been quiet, reminding me of the other montane trogon, the Whitehead’s.  Both prefer the mid canopy and both give away their presence while displaying vibrant colors in flight.

Yesterday morning I went to visit Dinawan, a small island off Kota Kinabalu,  and was rewarded with this fantastic bird.  The Narcissus Flycatcher Ficedula narcissina is an uncommon visitor here from the northern winter.  It was quite active, moving among some shorter trees and feeding.  From time to time, it was making that teh teh teh call similar with other flycatchers.  And like other flycatchers it did perched long enough for this photo. 

On November of 2013, I was visiting Maratua Island off East Kalimantan when I first hear about this beautiful bird.  The Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus is a bird of Australia which flies north during the Austral winter towards eastern Indonesian islands.  I had previously seen it on the island of Sulawesi and I was really hoping to see it again.  But I missed the last sighting on Maratua island that year by about one week.  But luck returned to me this July when a group of these wonderful birds were sighted in the Silam Coast Conservation Area near to Lahad Datu on the east coast of Sabah.  It was a first for this species in Sabah and I was very thankful for this opportunity to visit it again.