Orange-breasted Trogon

orange-breasted-trogon by Ck Leong

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.

Narcissus Flycatcher

narcissus-flycatcher by Ck Leong

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. 

Rainbow Bee-eater

rainbow-bee-eater by Ck Leong

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.

Large-tailed Nightjar

Large-tailed Nightjar by Ck Leong

The Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus Macrurus is the commonest nightjar in Borneo.  You will be able to hear its tok tok calls in various kinds of habitat from grassland, secondary forest to cultivated areas and even in urban areas.  Add off-shore habitat as well as I found this particular individual on a small island off Kota Kinabalu.  Always nice to see a nocturnal bird in the day!

Roseate Tern

Roseate Tern by Ck Leong

There are few records of the Roseate Tern breeding along the coast of Borneo.  However since last year, this bird has been observed in breeding plumage on a small rocky outcrop just off the Layang-layangan beach on the west side of Labuan island.  I was able to visit this location in June this year and saw that indeed these birds were breeding here.  There was a small colony of this species together with Bridled and Black-naped Terns.  I had been hoping to see this tern for a long time and it was a wonderful moment.  Thanks to my birding friends from Labuan.