The Birds of Tawau Hills Park - part 2

It has been slightly more than 4 years that I posted a summary of the birds of Tawau Hills Park.

Here are the other birds that I managed to photograph after the earlier posting.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), frequents the pond next to the head quarter building.

Jerdon's Baza (Aviceda jerdoni), often seen far away, but can be seen perch near park headquarter if you are lucky.

Rufous-bellied Hawk Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii), another beauty, can be seen in area around the park.

Great Argus (Argusianus argus), can be encountered along trails and can be quite approachable.

Checker-throated Woodpecker (Picus humii), an interesting woodpecker that occurs in both lowland and montane forests.

Crimson-winged Woodpecker (Picus puniceus). 

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus), a bird of the upper canopy in here.

Blue-banded Pitta (Pitta arquata), endemic jewel of the Bornean forests.

Borneo Banded Pitta (Pitta schwaneri), another endemic jewel of the Bornean forests.

Female Blue-headed Pitta (Pitta baudii), yet another endemic jewel of the Bornean forests.

Male Blue-headed Pitta (Pitta baudii), yet another endemic jewel of the Bornean forests.

Male Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella).

Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella).

Yellow-bellied Bulbul (Criniger phaeocephalus)

Grey-cheeked Bulbul (Criniger bres)

Male Rufous-tailed Shama (Trichixos pyrropygus)

Female Rufous-tailed Shama (Trichixos pyrropygus)

White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaulti)

Male Chectnut-naped Forktail (Enicurus ruficapillus)

Female Chectnut-naped Forktail (Enicurus ruficapillus)

Striped Wren-babbler (Kenopia striata)

Rufous-crowned Babbler (Melacopteron magnum)

Crow-billed Drongo (Dicrurus annectans)

Black Magpie (Platysmurus leucopterus)

There are other interesting birds recorded in Tawau Hills Park before, and I still in need of lots and lots luck to see them here. The list includes Bulwer's Pheasant (Lophura bulweri), Cinnamon-rumped Trogon (Harpactes orrophaeus), White-necked Babbler (Stachyris leucotis), Bornean Wren-babbler (Ptilolocichla leucogrammica).

Happy birding.

Photodocument of Wild Birds of Borneo.

Standard References for my blog.

The other birds of Maliau Basin

Further to my earlier post on our trips to see the secretive Bulwer's Pheasant Lophura bulweri, here is a collection of the other birds that I managed to photograph from those expeditions.

A young Short-toed Coucal Centropus rectunguis, this species is primarily a forest dweller and can be seen quite easily there.

A young Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis

Please see this post for a comparison between the coucals of Borneo.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinera foraging on the road side mud.

Male Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata, this species can be regularly seen perch on low twigs at almost eye level

Bristlehead Pityriasis gymnocephala, this group of Bornean endemic is seen here foraging on a road side tree.

Rufous-fronted Babbler Stachyris rufifrons, this pair is seen here constructing a nest.

Silver-rumped Spinetail Raphidura leucopygialis is abundant there. Occasionally they form into group and fly in circles.

Blue-winged Leafbird Chloropsis cochinchinensis, a species that was previously thought to occur only south of Sabah was first photographed here by Khairul Ikhwan Matnin.



Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus, now a very difficult bird to see in the wild, this one was partly hidden and left without coming into clear view.



 Green Iora Aegithina viridissima, feeding on the same tree with the Blue-winged Leafbird.

A young  Rufous-bellied Hawk-eagle Hierraetus kienerii.

Black-and-white Bulbul Pycnonotus melanoleucos, one of the rarer bulbuls of Borneo.

Endemic female Bornean-blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus.

Endemic male Bornean-blue Flycatcher Cyornis superbus.

Roulroul Rollulus rouloul 

 Large Green Pigeon Treron capellei, only found in remote forests in Sabah.

Chestnut-naped Forktail Enicurus ruficapillus foraging along Sungai Agathis near the Agathis Camp.

Bornaparte Nightjar Caprimulgus concretus , a very rare nightjar in Sabah.

 

Happy birding.

Photodocument of Wild Birds of Borneo

Standard References for my blog

Tree Monitor - prelude

Further to my earlier post of the Tree Monitor. My good friend, Mr. K O Ku, generously allow me to share these few shots taken by him when the Changeable Hawk Eagle was trying to secure its dinner.

 Holding the Tree Monitor under its claws.

 Struggling to lift its prey on our approach.

Dropped it and watch out for the human approaching.

 The Tree Monitor seems to have expanded in size and 

the Hawk Eagle must have decided by than to leave as the dinner is too hard to secure.

Happy birding.

Photodocument of Wild Birds of Borneo

Standard References for my blog

Tree Monitor

Monitors are the largest of the living lizards. They are swift and active predators of small mammals, birds, bird eggs,  reptiles, amphibians, as well as invertebrates. The Water Monitor Varanus salvator, growing up to 3 meters in length,  is one of the three largest lizards in the world. I have seen large Water Monitors along the tributaries of Kinabatangan, which easily measures up to 3 meters,

Tree Monitor Varanus rudicollis, on the other hand, only grows to about 1.5 meters, half the size of the Water Monitor.

It is a dark, rough necked monitor, widespread in the lowlands. However, many people might not have seen one as it inhibits the forests.

Water Monitor, on the other hand, is widespread but also inhibits in urban environments like rubbish dumps, urban marginal swamps, sewage drains and moonsoon drains adjacent to motorways, is regularly seen and is the commonest road-kills.

This young Tree Monitor was under the claws of a  Changeable Hawk Eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus, but it was too big and heavy for the bird to lift it up into the air. The bird abandoned it while we were approaching. It was quite exhausted and we managed to take some photos before it disappeared itself into the thick undergrowth.

Tree Monitor

Compare to the following picture of a Water Monitor.

Water Monitor

And the Changeable Hawk Eagle that lost its dinner.

Changeable Hawk Eagle

Happy birding.

Photodocument of Wild Birds of Borneo

Standard References for my blog