Of North Borneo Birds and others: Tabin Wildlife Reserve 29th November 2009

The last day at Tabin was greeted by the laud singing of this Rufous-tailed Tailorbird Orthotomus sericeus outside the cabin.

Rufous-tailed Tailorbird

This Black Hornbill Anthracoceros Malayanus was flying over the Resort and perched for a little breather.

Black Hornbill

The fruiting fig near the Resort's reception attracted, among others, Scaly-breasted Bulbul Pycnonotus squamatus and Asian Fairy Blue-bird Irena puella.

Scaly-breasted Bulbul

Asian Fairy Blue Bird Male

Asian Fairy Blue Bird Female

While down on the ground, nature lovers were watching in earnest.

This pair of Oriental Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros albirostris was perched quite a distance away.

Oriental Pied Hornbill

Another pair of much rarer White-crowned Hornbill Aceros comatus was perched not far away. I have found the easiest place to take picture of White-crowned Hornbills is here in Tabin.

White-crowned Hornbill

After breakfast we continued to try our luck along the road to the Core Area and was rewarded with a pair of Red-bearded Bee-eater Nictyornis amictus.

Red-bearded Bee-eater Female

Red-bearded Bee-eater Male

We went back to the location where we found the White-crowned Forktail Enicurus leschenaulti yesterday to try to get better photograph, and was lucky to see this tiny Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca. Taxonomy of this species is still not resolved, whether the three forms, C. erithaca, C. rufidorsa, and C. motleyi, that occur in Borneo are separate species or merely three forms of the same species is still undecided.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

The White-crowned Forktail showed up later but it kept itself in the scrubs and only managed some record shots.

White-crowned Forktail

Went back to the Resort to pack up our things before going back to Tawau. The ensuing heavy rain, typical in the afternoon in the rainforest, slowed our departure for about an hour.