Day One
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Birdwatching around Hilltop Lodge, Lambir Hills NP
We have always wanted to spend a weekend at this secluded lodge. Being right at the head of Innoue trail was perhaps one reason, the other perhaps is it's "away-ness" from the rest of the other chalets ... makes you feel like a part of the landscape rather than the touristy part of the park.
That aside, we finally managed to get a hold of it last weekend. Since the Lambir NiteWalk with MNS Miri members was taking place over the Saturday nite, we thought it was a good excuse to just hangout at the park until Sunday, maybe do a bit of birdwatching at the trailhead and listen to the birds.
Several visits ago, once during WMBD 2008 with Choo Tse Chien and gang, I remembered there were quite a few birds flitting around the lodge then. We caught glimpses of a fiery red kingfisher dashing back and forth, Asian Fairy Bluebirds flying around and heard a variety of calls thoughout the morning, some we couldn't recognise. Later during a trekking exercise (which got me crawling back after about 20 minutes into the trail) during MNS Miri Branch 2008/2009 AGM, we could hear quite a spectrum of bird calls at the start of the Innoue trail.
We woke up the Sunday morning to a loud call of a Sooty-capped Babbler (Sounds by David Edwards), it was just so melodious, I can't possibly not remember it if I were to hear it again next time. It called from the top of the trees all the way to the bushes at the edge of the lodge. Two simultaneous notes which I swear could not have been more sweeter than that coming from this tiny grey bird. Several chirps, followed (if not simultaneously) by a melodious lengthy portion of the song.
It even came out to an open perch for a perfect photo-op! (I wouldn't belabor the fact that the CF card wasn't in the camera at the time %$£&^!)
The rest of the morning was as eventful. The small fiery kingfisher flew from under the house just as I was leaving the porch! It's either hanging out under there or was extremely good at hiding itself in the bushes nearby.
As lady fortune would have it, the kingfisher flew and perched inside the trees not 10 feet away from where I first spotted it. I got some pictures this time ... a Rufous-backed Kingfisher!
Hilltop Lodge's Rufous-backed Kingfisher at Lambir Hills.
The same with flash!
Throughout the morning, other birds made their way through our frontyard as they have always done so on numerous other occasions. Black-headed Bulbul, Cream-vented Bulbul, Lesser Leafbird, Crimson Sunbird, Dusky Munia, and ... Blue-eared Kingfisher! All these without us having to be out of sight of the front porch of the lodge!!! There's also a tiny hut just by the pond which makes perfect spot to hang out and watch birds fly past.
The most ubiquitous bulbul in the park office area.
Blue-eared Kingfisher, finally on camera albeit a bit too far away even with a 600mm!
Blue-eared Kingfisher in side profile.
The only featherless "flying" creature captured on camera that weekend.
To our family at least, the Hilltop Lodge has just been elevated to the status of "weekend home away from home" which promised more of us spending quality time at Lambir Hills watching birds and listening to their songs. Other favorite spots in the same niche are Nepenthes Villa at Kinabalu Park, and the musty King Edward's Lodge at Mesilau Kinabalu Park.
Nazeri Abghani, Mar 2010
That aside, we finally managed to get a hold of it last weekend. Since the Lambir NiteWalk with MNS Miri members was taking place over the Saturday nite, we thought it was a good excuse to just hangout at the park until Sunday, maybe do a bit of birdwatching at the trailhead and listen to the birds.
Several visits ago, once during WMBD 2008 with Choo Tse Chien and gang, I remembered there were quite a few birds flitting around the lodge then. We caught glimpses of a fiery red kingfisher dashing back and forth, Asian Fairy Bluebirds flying around and heard a variety of calls thoughout the morning, some we couldn't recognise. Later during a trekking exercise (which got me crawling back after about 20 minutes into the trail) during MNS Miri Branch 2008/2009 AGM, we could hear quite a spectrum of bird calls at the start of the Innoue trail.
We woke up the Sunday morning to a loud call of a Sooty-capped Babbler (Sounds by David Edwards), it was just so melodious, I can't possibly not remember it if I were to hear it again next time. It called from the top of the trees all the way to the bushes at the edge of the lodge. Two simultaneous notes which I swear could not have been more sweeter than that coming from this tiny grey bird. Several chirps, followed (if not simultaneously) by a melodious lengthy portion of the song.
It even came out to an open perch for a perfect photo-op! (I wouldn't belabor the fact that the CF card wasn't in the camera at the time %$£&^!)
The rest of the morning was as eventful. The small fiery kingfisher flew from under the house just as I was leaving the porch! It's either hanging out under there or was extremely good at hiding itself in the bushes nearby.
As lady fortune would have it, the kingfisher flew and perched inside the trees not 10 feet away from where I first spotted it. I got some pictures this time ... a Rufous-backed Kingfisher!
Hilltop Lodge's Rufous-backed Kingfisher at Lambir Hills.
The same with flash!
Throughout the morning, other birds made their way through our frontyard as they have always done so on numerous other occasions. Black-headed Bulbul, Cream-vented Bulbul, Lesser Leafbird, Crimson Sunbird, Dusky Munia, and ... Blue-eared Kingfisher! All these without us having to be out of sight of the front porch of the lodge!!! There's also a tiny hut just by the pond which makes perfect spot to hang out and watch birds fly past.
The most ubiquitous bulbul in the park office area.
Blue-eared Kingfisher, finally on camera albeit a bit too far away even with a 600mm!
Blue-eared Kingfisher in side profile.
The only featherless "flying" creature captured on camera that weekend.
To our family at least, the Hilltop Lodge has just been elevated to the status of "weekend home away from home" which promised more of us spending quality time at Lambir Hills watching birds and listening to their songs. Other favorite spots in the same niche are Nepenthes Villa at Kinabalu Park, and the musty King Edward's Lodge at Mesilau Kinabalu Park.
Nazeri Abghani, Mar 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Malaysian Plover breeding in Kuala Baram!
Malaysian Plover hiding under a piece of wood in the hot sun.
Perhaps a first record of a breeding Malaysian Plover inKuala Baram lagoon!
This young MP was spotted trying to hide itself amongst the organic flotsam-jetsam on the sand. It's presence was initially alerted by three adults foraging nearby in the same area. An attempt to track and photograph one of the adults fortunately revealed this hiding spot. One of the adult, possibly the mother made an extra effort of circling around in a wide berth of where the young plover was hiding. The baby stayed in one spot for almost an hour after being spotted, confident perhaps of being well camouflaged.
Dogs as well as other more typical predators are probably less kind to this beautiful baby! Habitat destruction as well as predation are perhaps key to the survival of Malaysian Plovers on our beaches.
Our previous sighting of a baby Malaysian Plover was in Tanjung Payung 26th April 2009. Next on the list is a baby MP on the sandy beaches of Similajau!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
RAPTOR WATCH 13-14th March Tanjong Tuan, PD
Set for them Raptors!
Date: 12th March- 16th march 2010
Reservation no: 41036
Flights:
Mr NAZERI ABGHANI (Adult) E-Ticket No: 2322408269209
Booking Ref (PNR): K7VLY
Transport:
Hawk Rent a Car. Confirmed reservation MY1818412801161 and the confirmation number is: R07398-13
Date: 12th March- 16th march 2010
Reservation no: 41036
Flights:
Mr NAZERI ABGHANI (Adult) E-Ticket No: 2322408269209
Booking Ref (PNR): K7VLY
Transport:
Hawk Rent a Car. Confirmed reservation MY1818412801161 and the confirmation number is: R07398-13
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Rolleiflexes
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX Edition Carl Zeiss Planar 2.8 HFT
Rolleiflex 3.5F Car Zeiss Planar 3.5
Rolleiflex 3.5F Carl Zeiss Planar 3.5
Rolleiflex 3.5E Schneider-Kreuznach Xenotar 3.5
Rolleicord with Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 3.5
Chrome Galore ... German style!
A teaser ... dedicated to those who dig old-skool German engineering.
Rolleiflex 2.8GX 20th Anniversary Edition Planar HFT 2.8
Rolleiflex 3.5F Carl Zeiss Planar 3.5
Rolleiflex 3.5F Carl Zeiss Planar 3.5
Rolleiflex 3.5E Schneider-Kreuznach Xenotar 3.5
Rolleicord Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 3.5
Individual photos to follow ...
Monday, March 1, 2010
A little nook missed at Kpg Masjid Prawn Farm
A Wood Sandpiper being alert, a Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover feeding nearby. Habitat perfect for mysterious 'never seen before' rails.
A little connected body of water with some of it's favorite guests : Marsh Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, White-breasted Waterhen, Common Snipe, Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper among others. Higher up are Oriental Darter, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Osprey, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle and Peregrine Falcon. (Disclaimer : not all on the same day!)
We either took the long way via the log bridge, maneuvering amongst log strewn jammed up river to get to Prawn ponds, or bend over backwards by a large deep ditch under the fence, definitely not meant for the less dainty amongst us, to get across for a glimpse of the ponds.
It took a massive brush fire in the area to reveal a perfectly walkable path opposite the ponds, having burnt to dust the tall grass which concealed it previously. It was there all along, and we could actually comfortably stroll the entire length of the path which is parallel to the ponds with perfectly unobstructed view of the ponds, the grounds around it as well as the natural perches in the area.
Now, isn't that already worth a revisit. Maybe add that the presence of a mysterious dark-chocolate colored rail which always flit around between the grass and the shallow watery ditch just before sunset. It made a quick dash across again yesterday ... definitely dark-chocolate with no patch of white anywhere. I dare say it's days of being mysterious is obviously numbered!
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