SABAH & SARAWAK. A report on birds seen from to By Henk Hendriks. Whitehead s Trogon Harpactes whiteheadi Mount Kinabalu

Transcription

1 SABAH & SARAWAK A report on birds seen from to Whitehead s Trogon Harpactes whiteheadi Mount Kinabalu By Henk Hendriks 1

2 INTRODUCTION In 1998 I already birded for 5 weeks in Sabah but as I missed some species and as my brother Frans very much wanted to bird Sabah we decided to plan a 3-week trip to Sabah & Sarawak. After reading the trip report of Jan van der Laan & Arjen Brenkman of their 2016 trip to Sarawak I was even more eager to go as Sarawak gave us the opportunity to observe some mouth-watering species, which were impossible back in Peter Logtmeijer and Tom Visbeek joined us on this trip. Unfortunately Peter had to step out because of medical issues. I will not write a very extensive, detailed report of this trip as there are some excellent trip reports available on Cloudbirders of recent birding trips to these areas. (see section Books & Trip reports) On advice of Jan van der Laan & Arjen Brenkman we decided to contact Yeo Sieck to organise the Sarawak part of the trip. On Sabah we birded independently, though we were helped by local guides at Kinabagantan (Romzi) and Danum (Theo). VISA You do not need a visa for entering Malaysia, Sabah or Sarawak. GETTING THERE FLIGHT We flew with KLM directly from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. We used Malaysian Airlines for our flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu and Air Asia for our flight Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur. For these flights we paid 1050 Euro. GETTING AROUND The Sarawak trip was organised by Yeo and this included transport, accommodation, food, porters for our trekking to Paya Maga and guiding. We booked our flight from Ba kelalan to Sarawak ourselves for around 20 Euro. During our stay in Sabah we decided to hire a spacious car, suitable for 4 persons and our gear. We hired a Proton Van for 17 days for which we paid 900 Euros. This way we were independent and did not have to rely on public transport or taxis. Though we did not use the car at all for several days we still found it a good deal. Petrol is very cheap in Sabah. MONEY The currency used in Malaysia is the Malaysian Ringgit. During our stay the exchange rate was: 100 MR = 21 Euro. ACCOMMODATION Accommodation varied from nice to basic. We had nice hotels in Kota Kinabalu, Lahad Datu and Mount Kinabalu. Rather basic accommodation at the hostals/guesthouses at Long Tuyo, Ba kelalan, Kinabagantan and the cabin at Paya Maga. The bungalow at Deramakot was excellent. The dormitory at Danum Field Centre was basic and after 5 days I was relieved to leave that place. Toilets and washing facilities were basic and not very clean and the lack of a decent AC made it rather unpleasant and difficult to sleep well at night. Because of the presence of many students it was also rather noisy in the evening which was not conducive to our night s rest, especially being birders who want to rise early before dawn. FOOD & DRINKS Food was mostly fine, though a bit more of the same. Rice, vegetables and chicken. When we entered a town with a KFC we went there to it to eat some French Fries for a change. Drinks were widely available but beer is expensive. 2

3 LANGUAGE Most people speak English so it is easy to travel around. HEALTH & SAFETY Though malaria is occurring in Sabah & Sarawak we did not take any precaution against it this time. Apparently the policy has changed as our doctor advised us not to take Malarone on a daily basis but to take 12 pills of Malarone with us to take in case you contracted the disease. We did not have any food-related problems during our trip. Mosquitos were never a nuisance and only after some rain we encountered quite a number of leeches on the trails of Danum. We used Leech socks and also rubber boots which we sprayed with deet. But still we all had 4 or 5 leeches attached at some point to our body. Sabah is safe to travel around but when driving you have to be aware of the poor state of the tarmac at some stretches of the road. WEATHER The weather was generally dry to very dry. One heavy downpour on our first full day at Paya Maga, one rainy afternoon at Danum and a heavy rain shower one late afternoon and night at Mount Kinabalu. It was hot to very hot in the lowlands and also unpleasant and very humid at Danum. Lowland Rainforest is absolutely not my favourite habitat for birding but the thing is that it harbours some very good species. The weather at Paya Maga, Ba kelalan and Mount Kinabalu was nice warm during the day and cool in the night. Even a bit chilly in the early morning, late afternoon at Mount Kinabalu, especially when it was foggy. BIRDING I personally targeted some 30 species on this trip and I saw most of them. Bulwer s Pheasant was recently observed at Danum but is extremely unlikely to be seen on a birding trip. Again I missed Giant Pitta. I visited possible sites at Deramakot and Danum but did not hear let alone see one. An unexpected dip was the failure of finding Greybreasted Babbler at Klias. Unfortunately we did not have time for a repeat visit to this site for another try at the end of our trip. I was hoping to bump into Brown-backed Flowerpecker somewhere (Danum) but no luck in that respect. But in Sarawak we saw megas like Kinabalu Serpent Eagle, Blue-banded Pitta, Barred Eagle-Owl, Bornean Frogmouth, Dulit Frogmouth, Black Oriole, Jambu Fruit-Dove, Hose s Broadbill, Black & White Bulbul, White-necked Babbler, Black-throated Wren-Babbler, Whitehead s Spiderhunter, Pygmy White-eye, Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher and more common species like Mountain Barbet, Bornean Barbet, Bornean Leafbird and Bornean Bulbul. In Sabah we had Hook-billed Bulbul and Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker at Klias, White-fronted Falconet, Bristlehead, Large Green Pigeon, Short-toed Coucal and Black-crowned Pitta at Deramakot, excellent views of a pair of Bornean Ground Cuckoos, Large Frogmouth and Oriental Bay Owl at Kinabagantan, Great Argus, Storm s Stork, Wallace s Hawk-Eagle, Bornean Ground Cuckoo, Bristlehead, 5 species of pitta, Large Green Pigeon, Bornean Wren-Babbler, Chestnut-naped Forktail, Bornean Flycatcher and finally for me Thick-billed Spiderhunter and Redthroated Sunbird at Danum, Whitehead s Trogon, Whitehead s Broadbill, Everett s Thrush, Red-breasted Partridge, Pale-faced Bulbul and Bornean Forktail at Mount Kinabalu. We could have used another full day at Mount Kinabalu as we missed the Fruithunter, which was a lifer for Frans. We also did not connect with Bare-headed Laughingthrush and Mountain Black-eye at Kinabalu but fortunately we had seen both species on earlier trips just as Kinabalu Friendly Warbler. There is lot of (sometimes detailed) site information in trip reports but generally I found that once you know which trail/area is good for certain species, just go out and walk as much trails as you can. For instance a pair of Blue-headed Pitta was located on a 3

4 certain stretch in the grid (seen and heard by us) at Danum and when we returned the next day to the same area we came up empty. It is also very rewarding to spend time at fruiting trees as these attract a wide variety of species. EQUIPMENT As we wanted to travel light we did not bring a scope with us. Yeo had a scope in Sarawak and this was useful in scoping some species in the canopy. Generally we did not feel that we really missed a scope in Sabah as most of the time we birded inside the rain forest but along the entrance road of Danum it could have been useful. As usual we collected a whole set of songs/calls from Xeno Canto. For photography we used Canon 7D Mark ll and 300 mm lenses with 1.4 converters. We brought rubber boots with us and these were VERY useful during the trek up to Paya Maga and we also used them daily in Danum valley. REFERENCES Books Birds of Borneo Philipps Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo Susan Myers Quentin & Karen Philipps Trip Reports Sabah & Sarawak: 31/03 28/04/2018 Sabah Borneo: by Raphaël Lebrun December 2017 January 2018 by Marten Hornsveld & Vivian Jacobs Sabah : January/February 2018 by Alex Berryman Borneo: 05/07 23/07/2017 by Johan Buckens Sabah: 20/08 05/09/2017 by Marcel Velasco Borneo: 28/04 09/05/2016 by Arjen Brenkman & Jan van der Laan. ACKOWLEDGEMENTS First of all my brother Frans who arranged the contacts and accommodation in Sabah, Tom for taking care of booking our rental car, Yeo for organising a great Sarawak trip, our guide Theo in Danum valley and Romzi in the Kinabagantan area. USEFUL CONTACTS & ADRESSES -As we were unable to get in contact with DVFC to arrange accommodation (7 months ahead of our trip!!), we eventually decided to contact Sticky Rice travel agency to arrange this for us. Unfortunately it turned out that all the cabins were already occupied and that we could only stay at the dormitory. So I advise to book as early as possible, especially in the months of July and August. and info@stickyricetravel.com -We used Borneo Adventures to arrange our stay at Deramakot. and info@borneoadventure.com -If you want Yeo Siew Teck to organise your Sarawak trip: yeosiewteck@gmail.com -For our stay in the Kinabagantan area we contacted Romzi. We also stayed at the homestay of his sister, nextdoor: romzieawang988@gmail.com 4

5 DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1: Friday July 6 At we flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with KLM. Day 2: Saturday July 7 We arrived at Kuala Lumpur at pm and at pm we continued from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu where we arrived at We changed some money, picked up our rental car and drove the short distance to our hotel (Eminent Hotel) After checking in we ate something just outside our hotel and we went to sleep. Day 3: Sunday July 8 At we drove from our hotel to the Crocker Range, Rafflesia Centre area where we arrived at am. In the morning we birded along the main road from the Rafflesia Centre to the waterfall area. (this is a stretch of roughly 3 kms). We met a Belgian birder who had just seen a Whitehead s Broadbill right behind the small roadside restaurant at the pass. We also met a birding group near the waterfall who had observed a Whitehead s Spiderhunter, close to the waterfall. We failed to see either species but observed the more common species like Little Cuckoo-Dove, Mountain Barbet (HO), Black & Crimson Oriole, Grey-throated Minivet, Sunda Cuckooshrike, Bornean Treepie, Chestnut-vented Bulbul ( Ochraceous Bulbul), Bornean Bulbul, Greenwinged Bulbul, Everett s White-eye, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush, Bornean Leafbird, Bornean Flowerpecker, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Temminck s Sunbird, a few flocks of Dusky Munias and best of all 3 Pygmy White-eyes. At noon we had lunch at the above mentioned roadside restaurant and drove up a road just opposite the pass. Here we observed several Sunda Bush Warblers. In the afternoon we birded the waterfall area again which added nothing new and at pm we started our drive back to Kota Kinabalu. In the evening we met our guide Yeo in the lobby of our hotel. He would be our guide for our 7-day trip to Sarawak. As the Belgian birder had seen Oriental Bay Owl from the boardwalk at Klias we asked Yeo to start very early next morning to try for the owl. Day 4: Monday July 9 At am we left Kota Kinabalu and at am we arrived at Klias. Yeo had arranged that they opened the gate for us at that early hour. Until dawn we tried for the owl but we dipped. Neither did we hear any Sunda Frogmouth which is sometimes found at this location. Brown Hawk Owl though was heard and briefly seen. After dawn we walked the boardwalk and we took the left fork towards the observation tower at the end of the board walk. We heard Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker twice but no views. Near the observation tower we connected with another one of our targets the Hook-billed Bulbul. We had nice views of at least 2 birds. Then we tried for the Grey-breasted Babbler but we did not even hear the species which was ofcourse disappointing. Other species seen included Thick-billed Green Pigeon, a single Red-crowned Barbet, Blue-eared Barbet, Rufous Piculet, Banded Woodpecker, nice views of a pair of Great Slaty Woodpecker, Bluecrowned Hanging-Parrot, Fiery Minivet, Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Blacknaped Monarch, Ashy Tailorbird, Red-eyed Bulbul, Chestnut-rumped Babbler, Bold-striped Tit-Babbler, Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler, Grey-hooded (Chestnutwinged) Babbler, Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker and Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. In the course of the morning it became soaring hot and at am we left Klias for our drive to Lawas, Sarawak. Crossing the border with Sarawak went smoothly and in Lawas we had our lunch before we boarded our 4x4 vehicle for the drive to Long Tuyo. After 2 hours we arrived at pm at the house of the village headman of Long Tuyo. We stayed at his place and after dropping our gear our plan was to go out birding in the immediate vicinity of the village but we were stopped in our tracks by a very heavy downpour. 5

6 In the evening the rain ceased and we went out to try for Barred Eagle Owl and Large Frogmouth but unfortunately it started to rain again heavily and we had to retreat again. Day 5: Tuesday July 10 At we drove by 4x4 car to the start of the trail to Paya Maga. The weather was nice and sunny. The porters only carried our food and we left most of our luggage at the village and took only the most essential items with us for our 2-night stay at Paya Maga. At am we started our ascent when Yeo suddenly heard the call of a White-necked Babbler, which was a lifer for me. After some playback we had excellent views of this uncommon babbler. Shortly after we started to walk up again we heard a Blue-banded Pitta call and after some strategic positioning we had great views of this beautiful pitta. We slowly birded and walked up the trail. At one time we were overtaken by 2 British birders, who were also on their way up to Paya Maga. About midway we found a fruiting tree and here we were lucky to observe a nice male Black & White Bulbul. Other species seen during our hike up the mountain were Black-bellied Malkoha, Bornean Barbet, Buff-rumped Woodpecker, Black & Yellow Broadbill, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Maroon-breasted Philentoma, Green Iora, Greater Racquettailed Drongo, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Finsch s Bulbul, Charlotte s Bulbul, Greenwinged Bulbul, Streaked Bulbul, Red-eyed Bulbul, Spectacled Bulbul, Chestnutcrested Yuhina, Pygmy White-eye, Brown Fulvetta, Bornean Forktail, Asian Fairy Bluebird and Bornean Leafbird. We also observed several Spiderhunters which I originally assumed were Bornean Spiderhunters but later they were identified as Grey-breasted Spiderhunters. A Brush Cuckoo was heard. At we arrived at the cabin of Paya Maga. We all had matrasses and mosquito nets (not really necessary) and next to the hut were basic toilets and washing facilities. The British birders had already seen Black Oriole, close to the hut. Yeo insisted on not using playback for this species close to the accommodation area, to avoid too much disturbance by visiting birders at this place. From the porch of our cabin we scanned the opposite slope and observed 2 Helmeted Hornbills, Bushy-crested Hornbills and some Wreathed Hornbills in flight. After lunch we walked up the trail above the cabin and it did not take long before we had excellent views of Black Oriole. Higher up, we met the Brits again and they just had an amazing encounter with 3 Rail-Babblers. We continued to this site but could not relocate them. We did hear Hose s Broadbill and twice we had a bird in flight crossing the trail. We also had nice views in the scope of a Mountain Barbet. Bornean Banded Pitta was heard but refused to show itself. On our way back down in the fading light, we suddenly heard the call of a Bornean Frogmouth. After a few tantalising minutes I saw some movement closeby (it was the moving tail of the bird) and we all had excellent and close views of a Bornean Frogmouth. A great finale of a very productive birding day. We slept extremely well that night. Day 6: Wednesday July 11 It rained all morning and so we only birded around our cabin and from the porch. In the afternoon we birded again in the area above the cabin and our main target was Hose s Broadbill. We heard this shy species several times but only glimpsed it when it flew from one tree to another high in the canopy. Then we got lucky as I saw a bird landing on a bare tree, where it stayed for several minutes. It was a female. Frans and I saw the bird very well but Tom unfortunately did not succeed in getting the bird into his bins. We also had good views of the subspecies of Hill Blue Flycatcher which could soon be split as Dayak Blue Flycatcher. A raptor soaring above the clearing was identified as Blyth s Hawk-Eagle and again several Black Orioles were present in the same area. Other species seen today were a single Crested Jay, Rufous Piculet, Bornean Brown Barbet, Bornean Barbet, Scaly-breasted Bulbul, Grey-throated Babbler and Temminck s Babbler. Brush Cuckoo and Rufous-chested Flycatcher were only heard. We were lucky that we did 6

7 not need to go out again in the evening to look for the Bornean Frogmouth as it started to rain heavily after dinner. Day 7: Thursday July 12 After breakfast we birded until am just above our cabin before we started our descent from the mountain. We added a female Black-faced (Banded) Kingfisher, a male Orange-breasted Trogon, a Banded Broadbill and Large Woodshrike to our list. A distant soaring raptor was identified as a Black Eagle. At we met our 4x4 vehicle with driver at the end of the trail and we drove the short distance to Long Tuyo where we had lunch. Then we packed our stuff and at we drove from Long Tuyo to Ba kelalan where we arrived at pm. During a stop at the pass between the 2 places we observed Rhinoceros Hornbill, Crimson-winged Woodpecker, White-throated Fantail and Ashy Tailorbird. At Ba kelalan we walked to our guesthouse where it turned out that most of the rooms were occupied by students. We were given some not so very good rooms in an annex building. After dinner we went out to try for one of our major targets of the area, the almost mythical Dulit Frogmouth. Though we heard the species very well at a known stake-out it refused to fly in and to show itself. As compensation we had great views of a Barred Eagle-Owl. We went to bed, knowing that we had to be back at the same site, very early the next morning. Day 8: Friday July 13 At am we were back and again we heard the bird but no views. We were getting a bit desperate and Yeo asked us to stay on the main track, while he went in to search for the species at its daytime roost. After 30 minutes he returned to us and to our amazement he told us that he had found the bird, roosting low down in the scrub. Slowly and very silently we went to the spot and had excellent views of this huge frogmouth. Mission accomplished. After a late breakfast we birded all day on the Bario Road. Excellent birding along this tranquil and wide road. At higher elevations we did find the endemic Whitehead s Spiderhunter, Bornean Spiderhunter, Mountain Barbet and an immature Jambu Fruit-Dove which gave great views in the scope. Inside the forest we taped in a pair of very responsive Black-breasted Wren-Babblers. But unfortunately Bornean Banded Pitta was only heard. A male Maroon-breasted Philentoma showed nicely, 2 Crested Jays were very cooperative and several Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrushes were observed. A perched Black-tighed Falconet on a bare branch just next to the main road was a nice find. Day 9: Saturday July 14 From dawn to we birded again along the lower stretch of the Bario Road. I was the only one who saw a single Red-tailed Jungle-Flycatcher of the interesting local subspecies. We tried to locate a calling Malyasian Rail-Babbler but failed. We also saw a single Red-throated Bee-eater, high in the canopy. And just as were about to leave for the airport a pair of Kinabalu Serpent Eagles gave a superb show, just above our car. At am we left for our short flight to Lawas. At the departure room we met Dave Blakely and exchanged some gem about birding in Sarawak and Sabah. In Lawas we had lunch and afterwards we drove from Lawas to Kota Kinabalu where we arrived at pm. We chilled a bit the rest of the afternoon at our hotel. We said goodbye to Yeo and hereby ended our very successful Sarawak part of our trip. In the evening our rental car was delivered at our hotel for our next leg of the trip. Day 10: Sunday July 15 At am we drove from Kota Kinabalu to the town of Telupid where we arrived at Here we met Mike of Bornean Adventures, who would be our guide during our stay at Deramakot. Mike showed me pictures of a male Giant Pitta he took last year at Deramakot, which really wets our appetite. We parked our rental car and after lunch we 7

8 drove with a 4x4 vehicle to Deramakot where we arrived after a 2-hour drive at pm. We had a very nice bungalow and after dropping our stuff we birded around the clearing. The next 3 days we would make 2 wildlife drives a day and walks in between. Around the clearing we observed Crested Serpent Eagle, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Bornean Brown Barbet, Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot, Dark-throated Oriole, Olive-backed Sunbird and White-rumped Shama. A soaring raptor was identified as a Rufous-bellied Eagle. Day 11: Monday July 16 At dawn (06.00 am) we walked with Mike to a site where he had seen and photographed Giant Pitta. But not a sniff of the bird. According to Mike the construction of a dirt track through its territory disturbed the species. We did see during our walk Green Imperial Pigeon, Greater Coucal, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Bushy-crested Hornbill, a single Wrinkled Hornbill and Wreathed Hornbill. When we returned to our cabin we found a very obliging Chestnut-breasted Malkoha just next to our cabin and 2 Red-throated Bee-eaters gave exceptional nice views at the edge of the clearing. A Red-throated Barbet was found high in the canopy and 2 Rufous-winged Philentomas and Spotted Fantail were also observed at the clearing. After lunch we made another drive and just along the main track we observed a fine White-fronted Falconet at very close range. We saw a total of 3 birds in the area. Other species seen in the afternoon were Rufous-backed Kingfisher, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Finsch s Bulbul, Charlotte s Bulbul, Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler, Rufoustailed Shama and White-crowned Forktail. Again after dinner we made a drive. After dark we heard Large Frogmouth but despite the fact we came close, we did not succeed in obtaining any views. A Red-chested Owlet was also heard but too far to stand a chance of actually seeing it. Highlight was an observation of a Leopard Cat, trawling unconcerned in full view on the track. Several Buffy Fish Owls were seen, sitting on fences around the main clearing. Day 12: July 17 Before dawn we drove an hour to a site where last year a pair of Bornean Ground Cuckoos regularly were seen. During the drive we were lucky to flush a Coucal from the track which perched briefly on a bush: Shorttoed Coucal. Finally as this species has eluded me during all my trips to Malaysia. It is more often heard than seen. A giant adult male Urang Utan showed itself in full glory in the canopy along the track. When we arrived at the area where last year a pair of Ground-Cuckoos was regularly seen, we thoroughly checked that area but no sign of the Ground-Cuckoo. Black-crowned Pitta was heard and suddenly a Hooded Pitta popped up and showed briefly. Other species encountered in the area were an immature Rufous-bellied Eagle, a few Little Green Pigeons, Blue-rumped Parrot, Black & Yellow Broadbill, Yellow-crowned Barbet (HO), Bronzed Drongo, Black-naped Monarch, Blyth s Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Bulbul, Grey-bellied Bulbul and Long-billed Spiderhunter. After lunch the others took a nap while I birded a small trail (Manager s Trail), close to the clearing. Excellent views of a very vocal Black-crowned Pitta and an adult and juvenile Green Broadbill. I also observed a nice set of babblers like Scaly-crowned Babbler, Rufous-crowned Babbler, Moustached Babbler, Ferruginous Babbler and Black-capped Babbler. Blue-headed Pitta was heard. Late afternoon/early evening we made another drive to the Ground-Cuckoo area. This time we had good views of a female Urang Utan with its young. And suddenly we heard the unmistakable call of Bornean Bristlehead and soon after I saw one bird in flight followed by others. I estimated it was a flock of 8 to 10 birds which we saw in flight and perched. Some great views and this was Frans most wanted species. Brown Boobook was heard and seen. But overall this night drive was rather unsuccessful. 8

9 Day 13: July 18 We birded along the Manager s Trail from to am. Highlight was the excellent observations of some Large Green Pigeons at a fruiting tree. I was especially happy to see that species as I had missed it during several previous trips to Asia. Grey-headed Babbler was also added to our list but Blue-headed Pitta and Blackcrowned Pitta were only heard. At we drove from Deramakot to Telupid, where we picked up our rental car and drove to Lahad Datu where we arrived at pm. Hotel My Inn. Day 14: July 19 After breakfast we drove to the airport of Lahad Datu where we parked our rental car. At we met the representative from Sticky Rice and with a few other tourists we drove in his minivan to Danum Valley Field Centre. On our way in we had excellent and unexpected observations of a pair of Great Argus and even better an immature Storm s Stork at the side of the dirt road. At noon we arrived at the reception of the Field Centre and after dropping our stuff at the dormitory we had lunch. Here we met the Burney brothers. Chris and Curt Burney, American birders and photographers who birded Danum with Jess, an American researcher on Sabah. We also met Theo, the birding guide appointed to us by Sticky Rice. We intended to bird independently but in the end we were very satisfied with the services of Theo, guiding us around at Danum. In the afternoon we birded the short trail just behind the restaurant. We tried to tape in a vocal Black-crowned Pitta but instead Frans and Tom had brief views of a Bornean Banded Pitta. We also observed a single Bornean Black Magpie, Grey-cheeked Bulbul, Yellow-bellied Bulbul, Olive-winged Bulbul and Brown Fulvetta. On the mammal front we had a close encounter with an immature Orang-utan. It came down and tried to impress us by voice and throwing with sticks. On our way back to the main clearing we bumped into 3 Bornean Firebacks, including a nice male. Day 15: July 20 At dawn we started to walk along the Waterfall trail. We spent the whole morning on the Waterfall Trail and the Tongkat Ali Trail. Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher was seen in flight and other species encountered that morning were Green Broadbill, Rufouswinged Philentoma, Chestnut-winged Babbler, Sooty-capped Babbler, Scarletrumped Trogon, Striped Wren-Babbler, Rufous-tailed Shama and Grey-chested Jungle-Flycatcher, but not the really most-wanted species like Giant Pitta, Blueheaded Pitta or Bornean Wren-Babbler. On our way back we had great views in broad daylight of a very cooperative Buffy Fish- Owl. After lunch we walked back to the dormitory where I spent time observing and photographing the flowerpeckers, sunbirds, leafbirds and spiderhunters, visiting some flowering scrub, just next to the dormitory. This was really successful as I scored 2 species long overdue namely Red-throated Sunbird and Thick-billed Spiderhunter. During our stay I observed no less than 6 species of spiderhunters in this small patch of flowering bushes. At we walked over the Segama bridge to the other side and birded in the grid along the main trail to W5. Excellent and close views of a male Blue-headed Pitta in the middle of the trail. A female was also briefly seen in the same general area. Other species seen were a single Black Hornbill near the river and Sunda Blue Flycatcher. After dinner we did a night walk for Owls and frogmouths but this was rather disappointing. Day 16: July 21 From dawn to we walked the Waterfall Trail again. Brief views of a calling Blackcrowned Pitta and finally we heard the distinctive song of Bornean Wren Babbler. It did not take long before we had fantastic views of this endemic babbler. Then suddenly we heard the call of Bornean Ground Cuckoo. Actually we heard 2 different birds calling to each other. We decided to leave the trail and we slowly moved into the 9

10 direction of the calls. But the vegetation in the gully where the calls of one bird came from was extremely dense. We waited a while and then we heard the alarm call and I had read somewhere that the bird uttered this call just before it actually moves in. Incredibly, on the one log visible in the gully we saw movement and there it was hopping on and over the log. I had it in full view but unfortunately the light conditions were such that I could not observe any plumage details of the bird. Some other species recorded that morning were Blue-banded Pitta (HO), Blue-headed Pitta, Dusky Broadbill, Black & Red Broadbill, Green Iora, Olive-winged Bulbul, Rufous-fronted Babbler, White-chested Babbler, Verditer Flycatcher, Bornean Blue Flycatcher, our only Purple-naped Spiderhunter, and Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker. In the afternoon we walked along the entrance road, a broad track with good visibility on both sides. Near the Rhino enclosure we found a single White-fronted Falconet. A fruiting tree held a small flock of 7 Large Green Pigeons. A Bornean Wren-Babbler was heard and a Banded Broadbill showed nicely in the canopy. The entrance road was also reliable for Black-headed Bulbul. In the evening we made a night drive for owls and frogmouths but we did not find anything. Day 17: July 22 From dawn to am we birded in the grid along the main Trail and along the first part of the Rhino Trail. We observed Emerald Dove, Cinnamon-rumped Trogon, Diard s Trogon, we had great views of Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Rufous- Woodpecker, Chestnut-rumped Babbler, Grey-headed Babbler, Short-tailed Babbler, Ferruginous Babbler, White-chested Babbler and Horsfield s Babbler. From to pm we birded on the trails behind the restaurant, mainly the Nature Trail. Best species was a Chestnut-naped Forktail along the stream. From to we made a night drive along the entrance road. Day 18: July 23 I birded from to along the entrance road. At least 6 Large Green Pigeons showed in a fruiting tree. A single White-fronted Falconet was again present near the Rhino enclosure and was seen perched in full view. Cream-vented Bulbul and Blackheaded Bulbul were also seen along this road. From to we birded along the Coffin Trail in the Grid. Highlight was the superb observation of several Bornean Bristleheads. Yellow-crowned Barbet was regularly heard at Danum but this morning we finally had fine views of 2 birds. We also observed several Buff-necked Woodpeckers, Dark-throated Oriole, Short-tailed Babblers, Striped Wren- Babbler (HO), Verditer Flycatcher, Raffle s Malkoha and Chestnut-breasted Malkoha. In the afternoon we birded first along the West Trail and later on I checked the stream behind the compound for Chestnut-naped Forktail, which was successful. Also very good views of a pair of Malaysian Flycatchers near the Segama Bridge. Another short night drive along the entrance road for frogmouths but no luck. Day 19: July 24 Some casual birding around the HQ area and at am we were picked up by our minivan for our drive to Lahad Datu. And again great views of a male Great Argus, crossing the road in front of our vehicle. At we picked up our rental car at the airport parking area of Lahad Datu and drove straight to Sukau. We contacted Romzi and he came to pick us up with his boat. We crossed over to the other side of the river to our basic but nice guesthouse, run by Romzi s sister. Our plan was to go out for night birds but late afternoon it started to rain heavily. Fortunately the rain stopped and we went out for what turned out to be one of my best night bird sessions ever. First we travelled by boat to a nearby guesthouse and as soon as we entered the forest just behind the guesthouse Romzi put the spotlight on a Large Frogmouth, which could be observed for as long as we wanted. Fabulous. 10

11 Then we spent more than an hour along a small waterway looking for owls. Great views of Bornean Brown Wood Owl and Buffy Fish Owl but initially Oriental Bay Owl was only heard. Romzi decided to put the boat ashore, left us behind in the boat and disappeared into the forest. 10 minutes later he returned and asked us to follow him. He lead us straight to an Oriental Bay Owl, perched low down in full view. Wow. Very satisfied we returned to our homestay. Day 20: July 25 After an early breakfast we crossed the main river to the other side where we entered a small side stream (Tenanggol river). After 2 hours we suddenly heard our main target, Bornean Ground Cuckoo. Romzi knew exactly how to handle. He positioned the boat at a certain point where we could look into a small clearing, meanwhile whistling in the Ground Cuckoo. After a few tantalising minutes first one bird hopped into a branch and could be observed while calling constantly but the bird was in the shade so we could not fully enjoy its colours. Then the second bird came walking in and crossed the open area in full view not much later followed by the first bird. Excellent views in full view in good light. I never expected to see that species so well. Later one of the birds flew over the stream and the other bird showed well again at the edge of the stream but decided to turn back into cover. We returned to the homestay for lunch and a break at the hottest time of the day. Late afternoon we made a boat trip along the main river. We were lucky that a pair of White-crowned Hornbills decided to cross over to the other side, just in front of our boat. Hornbills were very well presented as we saw Rhinoceros Hornbill, Bushycrested Hornbill, Black Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill and a single Wrinkled Hornbill as well this afternoon. A male Violet Cuckoo was a nice bonus. Another highlight was a perched Bat Hawk which could be observed at close range and at least 10 Long-tailed Parakeets. We also tried for better looks of Storm s Stork but strangely enough we failed to find one during this afternoon. According to Romzi they regularly perch on bare trees along the river. Other species seen that afternoon were Wallace s Hawk Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Lesser Fish-Eagle, Stork-billed Kingfisher and Bornean Brown Barbet. On our way back we flushed several Purple Herons and observed 5 Lesser Adjutants in flight. In the evening we bought some well-deserved beers at a nearby lodge to celebrate some wonderful birding. Barred Eagle-Owl was heard at night. Day 21: July 26 We spent all morning along the main river and visited a beautiful oxbow lake. On the river we unexpectedly bumped intothe Burney brothers and Jess. Afterwards we heard that during a spotlight session along the river they had fabulous views and photos of a Clouded Leopard!! Again Storm s Stork eluded us but other species observed were White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Lesser Fish-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle and at the edge of the oxbow Lake we found White-chested Babbler and a pair of Blackthroated Babblers. After an extended lunchbreak we crossed the river and by car we drove to the Gomantong Caves. Along the board walk we had astonishing views of a pair of very cooperative Black-crowned Pittas. Also a pair of Black-capped Babblers walked straight up to us and a male Scarlet-rumped Trogon also gave nice views. We entered the main cave where we observed the different Swiftlets and their distinctive nests: Mossy Nest Swiftlet, Edible Nest-Swiftlet and Black Nest-Swiftlet. And also a lot of cockroaches and rats were present inside the cave. We walked back to the main parking and here we waited for the late afternoon spectacle of Bats and swiftlets leaving the main cave. A Sunda Blue Flycatcher was photographed at the parking lot. Soon several Bat Hawks appeared on the scene and we witnessed twice how they caught a bat. Interestingly two Peregrine Falcons also showed up. We then returned to our homestay for our last night along the Kinabagantan River. 11

12 Day 22: July 27 We said goodbye to Romzi and his family and at am we started our uneventful drive to Mount Kinabalu. At noon we had lunch at a KFC along the way. At we arrived at our hotel (Hotel Residence) just outside of the entrance of Kinabalu N.P. After checking in we drove into the park and birded until pm along the main road above the restaurant area. That afternoon we saw our first Bornean Whistler, Bornean Treepie, Bornean Green Magpie, Mountain Warbler, Black-capped White-eye, Chestnut-hooded Laughingthruah, Bornean Whistling-Thrush, Little Pied Flycatcher and Bornean Flowerpecker. We had a nice dinner at this restaurant before we went back to our hotel. Day 23: July 28 Just after dawn we started to bird down the road from the area around the Timpohon gate and the restaurant. Around the gate we had exceptional views of a Golden-naped Barbet and observed Sunda Cuckooshrike, a few Pale-faced Bulbuls, Yellowbreasted Warbler, Chestnut-crested Yuhina, a single Pygmy White-eye and a dayroosting Collared Owlet. At least 2 Bornean Swiftlets were seen around the platform. Walking down we observed one probably two Pygmy Blue-Flycatchers. Late morning we birded along the upper-silau trail and after lunch we birded the upper- Silau trail again and this time we were lucky as we got excellent and close views of a pair of Whitehead s Trogon. Other species recorded along this trail were White-throated Fantail, Bornean Stubtail (HO), Grey-throated Babbler and Eyebrowed Jungle- Flycatcher. In the restaurant area we saw Temminck s Sunbird and a single Scarletbacked Flowerpecker. We spent some time at the viewpoint and identified a single Waterfall Swift from this site. We also walked the first stretch of the Ular Trail. We especially staked out an area which is supposed to hold Everett s Thrush. But because it had been very dry lately this stretch was not as muddy as it is supposed to be to attract the thrush. Best species was a Bornean Shortwing which showed briefly. Again dinner at Liwagu restaurant. Day 24: July 29 At we drove slowly along the main road from the entrance of the Ular trail up the road in an attempt to spotlight an Everett s Thrush, foraging along the edge of the road. When driving down again we rounded the corner just below the entrance of the Ular Trail when we suddenly had an Everett s Thrush in the head lights of the car. Unfortunately the bird flew up into the bushes just next to the car where it was observed for a few seconds before it flew down the slope. We staked out the area for a while, hoping that the bird would reappear on the road, but that did not happen. Also because more and more cars started to drive up the road to the Timpohon Gate. We then birded again from the entrance of the upper-silau Trail/Kiau View Trail down along the main road. At a fruiting I suddenly observed briefly a Whitehead s Broadbill. A little playback did the trick and we had great views of the broadbill for several minutes. Also a large flock of laughingthrushes arrived at the scene and we were hoping to find a Bare-faced Laughingthrush between the Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrushes and Sunda Laughingthrushes. But no such luck. We also observed Indigo (Chestnut-vented) Flycatchers and a small flock of Mountain Wren-Babblers. After lunch we visited the Botanical Gardens where we saw several Bornean Green Magpies (mostly banded birds) and 3 Bloodheads crossing the trail, giving nice views. We also walked part of the Kiau View Trail but this was rather unsuccessful. When having dinner we met Dutch birder Machiel Valkenburg, who led a VENT tour to Borneo. Frans and I had birded with Machiel in Kazaksthan and we had a lot to talk about. 12

13 Day 25: July 30 Again at we drove the same stretch of the road as yesterday to try for better views of the Everett s Thrush but no sign of the bird. Tom and I walked the first stretch of the Ular Trail, while Frans decided to stick around the main road. Tom and I did not find Everett s Thrush again but instead had good views of an Orange-headed Ground- Thrush and a very tame Bloodhead on the trail. Then we visited the Timpohon Gate area where we were lucky to bump into a few very vocal Red-breasted (Bornean) Partridges which gave excellent views from the platform. At the start of the upper-silau Trail we had close views of a very responsive Bornean Stubtail. Other birders had seen Bare-headed Laughingthrushes in this area but we dipped. We walked for the last time the Silau Trail to try again for Fruithunter. Though I heard the species briefly we obtained no views. As Machiel had 2 birds in a fruiting tree near the Rafflesia Centre in the Crocker Range we decided to drive to that site in the afternoon. We had 2 options for our last afternoon: drive all the way to Klias to try again next day for 2 hours to find Grey-breasted Babbler before the drive to the airport or to bird the Crocker Range in the afternoon and drive to Kota Kinabalu afterwards and stay overnight in KK before the flight home the next day. We opted for the second option. We birded for 2 hours along the road between the Waterfall area and the Rafflesia Centre. I really did not like the birding as we encountered a lot of (heavy) traffic along the road that afternoon. We had problems finding the right spot and when we found it, it was already late afternoon. Anyway we did not see the Fruithunter. We heard Whitehead s Spiderhunter several times but as we had seen the species before we did not really attempt to lure it in. Velvet-fronted Nuthatch was a nice find but generally the birding was rather unproductive. Late afternoon we drove to KK (Eminent hotel). At we drove to a jogging area in Bukit Padang in KK. We had info that this is a reliable site for Sunda Frogmouth. We walked the area for more than an hour but only heard the frogmouth briefly in the distance. Large-tailed Nightjars flew around at dusk near the pond. Drove back to our hotel where we had a not so good dinner at one of the eating places, just outside our hotel. Day 26: July 31 After a late breakfast we drove to the airport and at we flew from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia. Just before midnight we flew with KLM from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. Day 27: August am arrival at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Henk Hendriks hhendriks@onsmail.nl 13

14 SHORT ITINERARY 06-07: Evening flight Amsterdam Kuala Lumpur Kota Kinabalu 07-07: Arrival at Kota Konabalu in early evening 08-07: Crocker Range 09-07: Klias Swamp drive to Lawas and Long Tuyo : Hike up to Paya Maga 11-07: Paya Maga area 12-07: Hike down to Paya Maga. Afternoon drive to Ba kelalan 13-07: Ba kelalan area : Ba kelalan Flight to Lawas Drive to Kota Kinabalu 15-07: Drive to Telupid and Deramakot 16-07: Deramakot 17-07: Deramakot 18-07: Drive to Telupid and Lahad Datu 19-07: Drive Lahad Datu to DVFC 20-07: DVFC 21-07: DVFC 22-07: DVFC 23-07: DVFC 24-07: Drive DVFC Lahad Datu Kinabagantan 25-07: Kinabagantan 26-07: Kinabagantan 27-07: Drive Kinabagantan to Mount Kinabalu 28-07: Mount Kinabalu 29-07: Mount Kinabalu 30-07: Mount Kinabalu Crocker Range Kota Kinabalu 31-07: Flight Kota Kinabalu Kuala Lumpur Amsterdam 01-08: Arrival Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam 14

15 SYSTEMATIC LIST OF OBSERVATIONS Species with an asterix are endemic species of Borneo (*) PHASIANIDAE Crested Partridge Rollulus rouloul 12-07: 1 pair seen well above Paya Maga. *Bornean Partridge (Red-breasted Partridge) Arborophila hyperythra Heard on 2 dates along the Ular Trail and near the Timpohon gate, Mount Kinabalu : Great views of a pair in full view just below the platform of the Timpohon Gate. Sabah Partridge (Chestnut Neck-laced Partridge) Arborophila (charltonii) graydoni 13-07: Heard near Ba kelalan. *Bloodhead (Crimson-headed Partridge) Haematortyx sanguiniceps Heard on 3 dates at Mount Kinabalu : 3 crossing the trail at the Botanical Gardens, Mount Kinabalu : 1 on the Ular Trail, Mount Kinabalu. Great Argus Argusianus argus Daily heard at Danum Valley : 1 pair seen well on the main track driving into the park : 1 male crossing the main track while driving out of the park *Bornean Crested Fireback Lophura (ignita) nobilis 19-07: 3 including an adult male close to DVFC. COLUMBIDAE Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis Observed on 5 dates on transit. Little Cuckoo-dove Macropygia ruficeps ssp.nana 08-07: 10 at the Crocker Range. Daily in Sarawak. Daily in the Mount Kinabalu area. Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 01-08: 1 in Kota Kinabalu. Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica 13-07: a single bird near Ba kelalan. Single birds on 3 dates at Danum Valley. Single birds on 2 dates Kinabagantan area. Little Green Pigeon Treron olax 17-07: 5 at Deramakot. Pink-necked Green Pigeon Treron vernans 25-07: 6 at Gomantang cave area. Thick-billed Green Pigeon Treron curvirostra 09-07: 6 at Klias : 1 along the Bario Road. Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei 18-07: 5 along the Manager s Trail, Deramakot. A total of 13 on 2 dates along the entrance road, Danum Valley. Green Imperial Pigeon Ducula aenea A total of 10 on 2 dates at Deramakot. A total of 8 on 2 dates in the Kinabagantan area. Mountain Imperial Pigeon Ducula badia A total of 4 on 2 dates along the Bario Rd., Ba kelalan. A few daily at Mount Kinabalu. Jambu Fruit-Dove Ramphiculus jambu 13-07: Nice scope-views of a female/imm. along the Bario Rd., Ba kelalan. 15

16 CUCULIDAE *Bornean Ground-Cuckoo Carpococcyx radiceus 21-07: 2 heard and 1 briefly seen on a log along the Waterfall Trail, Danum : Mindblowing views of a pair along the Mennanggul stream, Kinabagantan area. Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis 17-07: 1 at Deramakot. Finally! Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis 13-07: heard near Ba kelalan. A total of 5 on 3 dates at Deramakot : 1 along the entrance road, Danum Valley : heard DVFC Heard on 2 dates along the Kinabagantan River. Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis 18-07: 1 found dead along the road just before Lahad Datu : 1 heard near Sukau. Raffles s Malkoha Rhinortha chlorophaea 09-07: 2 Klias : 1 Paya Maga. Single birds on 2 dates at Danum Valley. Red-billed Malkoha Zanclostomus javanicus 13-07: a single bird near Ba kelalan. Black-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus diardi A total of 6 on 3 dates in the Paya Maga area. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha Phaenicophaeus curvirostris 13-07: a single bird near Ba kelalan. A total of 4 on 2 dates at Deramakot : 2 at Danum Valley. Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus 25-07: nice views of a male along the Kinabagantan River. Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii 16-07: Heard at Deramakot. Heard twice at Danum Valley : 1 seen at Danum Valley. Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus Heard at Danum Valley on 2 dates. Brush Cuckoo Cacomantis variolosus 11-07: Heard at Paya Maga. Square-tailed (Asian) Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris ssp.brachyurus 19-07: 1 at DVFC. Sunda Cuckoo Cuculus Lepidus 27-07: Heard at Mount Kinabalu. HEMIPROCNIDAE Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis ssp.harteti Common at Deramakot and Danum Valley. Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comate 10-07: 10 along the trail to Paya Maga. Common at Deramakot and Danum Valley. APODIDAE Silver-rumped Spinetail Rhaphidura leucopygialis Daily a few at Deramakot. Common at Danum valley. *Bornean Swiftlet Collocalia dodgei 28-07: 2 identified near Timpohon Gate, Mount Kinabalu. Plume-toed Swiftlet Collocalia affinis ssp.cyanoptila Observed throughout. 16

17 Waterfall/Giant Swiftlet Hydrochous gigas 28-07: 1 observed at close range from the viewpoint, Mount Kinabalu Black-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus maximus Identified Gomantong Caves. Edible-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus As previous species Mossy-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus salangana As previous species : a few birds nesting at small cave along the Kinabagantan river. Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis 08-07: a few between KK and Crocker Range. PODARGIDAE Large Frogmouth Batrachostomus auritius 16-07: Heard at Deramakot at very close range but unfortunately no views : Astonishing views of a spotlighted bird at Kinabagantan. Another bird was heard that evening. *Dulit Frogmouth Batrachostomus harterti 12/13-07: Heard at a known stake-out near Ba kelelan : Yeo found a bird at a daytime roost, perched low down, giving fine views. *Bornean Frogmouth Batrachostomus mixtus 10-07: Excellent views of a calling bird at dusk, just above Paya Maga. Sunda Frogmouth Batrachostomus 30-07: Briefly heard Bukit Padang, Kota Kinabalu CAPRIMULGIDAE Malay Eared Nightjar Lyncornis temmickii Heard and seen on 2 dates in the Ba kelalan area. Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus ssp.salvadorii 30-07: 2 Bukit Padang, Kota Kinabalu. RALLIDAE White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus 07-07: 1 along the road near KK : 1 near Klias. 12/13-07: 4 near Ba kelalan 15-07: 1 along the road. SCOLOPACIDAE Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos 25-07: a single bird along the Kinabagantan River. PHALACROCORACIDAE Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 14-07: 1 along the road between Lawas and KK. ANHINGIDAE Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster A total of 5 on 3 dates along the Kinabagantan River. CICONIIDAE Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus 14-07: 1 in flight along the road between Lawas and KK : 5 along the Kinabagantan River. Storm s Stork Ciconia stormi 19-07: an immature bird along the entrance road, going into Danum Valley. 17