Answering the morning call of the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha

Female Chestnut- breasted Malkoha has red-orange iris and a broader grey band from chin to ear-coverts.
(Note: In the male of the species, the iris is pale blue) 

Pale green bill

 Upon hearing the familiar  call of the Malkoha I decided to hunt for it. About 300 meters away from where we stayed I heard the dull low call of the Malkoha which sounded like 'Oak' repeated at regular intervals.  To get a good picture of Malkoha is extremely difficult because it is a shy bird that moves at the higher tree canopy areas.  I had to wait about 30 minutes to get a better glimpse of the bird from among the branches and leaves.  It is essential to have the bird come out closer to the end branches and leaves so that I can get some good lighting for better pictures.  There was only one bird to be seen and it happened to be a female Chestnut- breasted Malkoha. Here are some images taken during this morning photo shoot session.

Back, wings and tail have  blue-green colours

The Chestnut-breasted Malkoha ( Cenok Birah  - Malay)
Phaenonicophaeus curvirostris
Location : Botanic Island Two, The Kambatik Park, Bintulu.

"Murai Rimba" or White-rumped Shama - a lifer!

White-rumped Shama - Murai Rimba (Malay)
Copsychus malabaricus
Location : Botanic Island Two

"Murai Rimba" perching on oil palm leaf.

 I saw some movement on the leaves of the oil palm tree just outside the Botanic Island Two.  My curiosity was answered when a bird flew down on the open ground.  It was no ordinary bird.  It is a lifer for me.  Fortunately I had the camera in my hand and quickly tried to photograph it.  The bird did not remain long on the ground and in a matter of seconds it flew away.  Lucky me, I have on record the sighting of a White-rumped Shama at the park.  It is my fervent hope that in future the bird will come back again so that I could get better images of it.

View of the jungle from which the White-rumped Shama flew out.
Location : Botanic Island Two.

Red-billed Malkoha

The Red-billed Malkoha is the second rarest malkoha in Borneo, after the Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus)
Location : Botanic Island One

Red-billed Malkoha ( Zanclostomus javanicus) - "Cenok Api" - Malay
Under-tails are bluish grey, interspersed with white tips of graduated inner-tail feather.
Location : Botanic Island One, Zone D

This is a lifer for 2016.  The Red-billed Malkoha was heard uttering some distinctive sounds from Botanic Island One.  The calls sounded like a muted "oak, oak, oak, oak ,oak", repeated many times.  I wasn't sure what bird produces the repetitive calls though my best guess was a malkoha.  But surprise! it was a Red-billed Malkoha.  In 2013 and 2014 the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha have occasioned the park many times. This year it is another malkoha species and is the second rarest malkoha on this big island of Borneo.  What is appealing about the bird is its red bill and its rufous lores, chin, throat and breast.  The orangish colour is in striking contrast with the greenery of the jungle. Its long tail is dark bluish green.  All in all it is a lovely bird and I wish it will come to the park more often.

( Note: This is  re-posting from The Kambatik Park, Bintulu blog, accessed here...>>>http://kambatikpark.blogspot.my/2016/01/red-billed-malkoha-sighted-for-first.html

Bornean Falconet,

Borneon Falconet

In 2016 I managed to get some glimpse of the Bornean Falconet at the Kambatik Park, Bintulu.  For the record the sightings link is http://kambatikpark.blogspot.my/search/label/Bornean%20Falconet

Common birds of Sarawak

Below are some relevant postings on common birds of Sarawak.  The posts are a compilation in my blog on gardening projects from 2014 - 2015.
http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/search/label/Common%20garden%20birds%20of%20Sarawak

For common birds of Sarawak at the Reservoir Park Kuching , follow this link...>>>>http://mybirdingsarawak.blogspot.my/2014/08/common-garden-birds-at-reservoir-park.html