Of North Borneo Birds and others: Journey to the west. Part 2.

We continued to Rafflesia Centre at 11.00 am after late braskfast. Rafflesia Centre was drizzling when we reached there in the afternoon. Not much bird activity was observed.

Endemic Bornean Barbet Megalaima exima

Endemic Bornean Leafbird Chloropsis kinabaluensis

Little Cuckoo Dove Macropygia ruficeps

Endemic Black-capped White-eye Zosterops atricapilla

Activity was so low that they have to find something to keep them busy.

We left for Crocker Range Park the next morning, a place that we did not visit before, trying our luck, and managed to photograph the following birds after spending the day there, leaving well after 6 p.m. in the evening, enjoying fellowship with fellow bird photography sifus Ng Chee Peng, Alvin Chang and Vun Soo Kiong.

Gray-headed Canary Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis, a not so common bird elsewhere but was feeding in flocks there.

Common endemic Yellow-Rumped Flowerpecker juvenile Prinochilus xanthopygius

Female Bornean Blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus, my lifer bird. It perched in the shadow part of the understory, i had no choice but to use high ISO to get a record shot. The similar looking Hill Blue Flycatcher is ruled out because of the rufous belly, the former would have pale lower breast and belly.

A Rofous Piculet Sasia abnormis with a mishappened upper mandible, at first I wondered how it manage to feed. but it looks active and healthy so it must be able to feed quite well.

Female Rubycheek Chalcoparia singalensis

Endemic Bornean Banded Pitta Pitta schwaneri, split in 2010 by F. E. Rheindt and J. Eaton. My other lifer bird, this male decided to come out at 5.35 pm, in semi darkness under thick jungle shade, I had to use ISO 6400 just to get the record shot.

The final morning of our trip was spent in Rafflesia Centre, it was dominated by thick mist and heavy downpour. The rain finally stopped and allowing us an opportunity to photograph for 2 hours before starting our journey back to Tawau at noon.