Red-throated Barbet

 On the 24th of May'17, I had a most remarkable encounter (and a lifer at that) with a Red-throated Barbet.  Of all the places I could have met the bird, it was at our garden in Kuching.  I was at my study when  I heard an unusual call which sounded like a loud tok, tok, tok, tok in erratic intervals that made me rauh out to the garden with my camera.  I saw it first perching on the Poui branch and afforded me a fair view of it.  Then I waited and luck was on my side when it came perching down to the Eugenia oleina tree branch which was just meters away from where I stood.  Then it was all shoot, shoot and shoot away.  This rare moment comes once in  a life time.  I will not know when will I ever see it again, but this chanced encounter at the Kambatik garden in Kuching is good enough for me to see the beauty of this bird.  Below are some more pictures from the album.

High on the Poui tree branch

Perching on the Eugenia oleina branch.

This sighting makes my day - 24 May,2017.

Three in one encounter

Banded Woodpecker (Picus miniaceus) as seen through the jungles leaves and branches
Location: Licuala Hill, Kambatik Park, Bintulu.

When I heard a piercing short call over the park this morning I kept telling myself that the sound was most unfamiliar. So I started to collect my gear and ready for any encounter. I first rushed up the Cempedak Hill where the call kept pushing me moving uphill but cautiously. I didn't want the bird to see me too soon. The call was repeated again while I was just below the masses of leaves and branches of the Cempedak tree. In between the leaves I glimpsed of a bird somewhat holding on tightly to a branch in an upright position. The moment I held the camera to have a good shot the bird instantly took off. Hard luck. About half an hour later, I heard the call coming from the Licuala Hill area. Quickly I set foot ready for another attempt. Upon reaching Licuala Hill the very piercing call which sounded like a baby cry or a cat's scream was not heard again. So I thought I must have lost the bird and started to look around for other interesting objects. At Licuala Hill I stumbled upon a beautiful jungle tree in flowering. For the record this tree is not as mature as the one at Botanic Island One. But the flowers are the same. For many years now I have not been able to identify this jungle species. While kept busy admiring the yellow jungle flowers, the call broke the silence of the jungle and this time I thought it came from just above me. I moved position and took a few shots through the trees. I then moved slowly out of the jungle into the open in order to have a better view of the bird. There it was perching on one of the tallest dead tree of the neighborhood. I took several aims hoping one or two hit the target. Back on the computer desk I anxiously transferred the pictures and 'Yahoo!!' let the pictures do the talking. Shared below are the results of my Xmas morning birding session. It is a three in one Xmas gift. The Banded Woodpecker at the very top and below a pair of Brown Barbet.

Three in one capture - Banded Woodpecker at the top, and a pair of Brown Barbet below.

Brown Barbet (Calorhamphus fulinginosus)

Male of the species is above with black bill while female is below with pale grey or purple bill.

Banded Woodpecker at the tip of one of the tallest dead tree in the park, making a piercing call over the neighbourhood.

Little Blue-eared Barbet

Little Blue-eared Barbet - Megalaima australis duvauclii
Location : Zone C

This month of June has been rather special in that I have encountered three species of barbet within a week duration.   First came the Brown Barbet, followed by the Many-coloured Barbet and today's sighting has been the Little Blue-eared Barbet.  All seemed to be attracted to the ripe fruits of the  Eugenia oleina tree.  From my observation it is a small bird about 10 -12 cm long.  It has a patch of red below the eye, a pale blue chin and throat, black bill and slightly greenish feet.  Even though it is a common barbet in the lowlands of Sarawak or Borneo, today's sighting is a lifer for me.  It came in as a  pair, unlike the Many-coloured Barbet which came singly.  I noticed its mate seemed to appear from nowhere to join company once its partner makes a call.  The sighting of many barbets this June makes me think that probably June is the breeding season of these birds.

( Note: This is a re-posting from another blog of mine and the link is here.  )

A Many-Coloured Barbet

Red- crowned Barbet or Many-coloured Barbet ( Megalaima rafflesii rafflesii)
Location : Zone C

I felt very fortunate today for having met one of the most colourful birds that visit this park.  This is my first encounter with the Red-crowned Barbet.  The colours around its face resembles an artist palette.  Striking red crown, blue throat, brilliant yellow at the cheek and a soft pastel green for its underparts and jungle green for its upper parts.  It is a darling when I first saw it, a quiet bird that can remain still for a considerable length of time and did not produce any call.  It is a medium-sized bird and came singly.    Just the other day, it was the duller Brown Barbet that came by and got  me overly excited. Both birds seemed to have a liking of the ripe black berries of the Eugenia oleina. Today's sighting caused me overwhelmed with joy, happiness and amazement at nature's beauty.  Truly the park has attracted many unique Borneo birds which previously I could only see in books.  Today's sighting I hope is a prelude to more surprises and amazement in this humble wildlife sanctuary.

(Note:  This is a re-posting from my blog, The Kambatik Park and the link is here. 
For a complete compilation of pictures of the Red-crowned Barbet please follow also this link ....>>>>http://kambatikpark.blogspot.my/p/best-album.html  )

Brown Barbet shows up for the second time

Brown Barbet ( Calorhamphus fuliginosus tertius.) - male of the species with distinctly black bill,chin to throat reddish , breast to vent greyish buff and red feet. Upper parts brown.
Location : Zone C 

Two of the birds of a small party of four

Brown Barbet feeding on the ripe fruits of the Eugenia oleina

It was an extremely lucky day for me.  While photographing the many birds and squirrels that got attracted to the ripe fruits of the Eugenia oleina tree which are fruiting in abundance at the park, my attention was directed at  brown bird among the leaves. It produced a soft high pitched whistle sounding like " zeeet, zeeet, zeeet". The sounds were even more merrier when a small party of four were busily enjoying themselves with the juicy black fruits of the Eugenia oleina.  This is the second time I come across the barbet.  The first time was in 2014 and the story is here.  It is known that these birds are common in the dipterocarp hill forest of Borneo.   The other birds that were attracted to the fruits are the Philippines Glossy Starling and  The Yellow-vented Bulbul, pictures shown below.  There were squirrels too and I managed to get a good shot of one holding the fruit with both hands (see below).

Plantain Squirrel

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Philippines Glossy Starling

Brown Barbet

Brown Barbet
Calorhamphus fuliginosus

By a stroke of good luck I was able to have a glimpse of the Brown Barbet at the Kambatik Park in 2014.  Here's the full story and more pictures ....>>>http://kambatikpark.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-brown-barbet.html