CONSERVING HORNBILLS OF BORNEO in SABAH, MALAYSIA

A workshop conducted by Dr. Pilai, an international well-known hornbill expert, intended to bring together people with an interest in biodiversity conservation in general and in hornbills in particular. Similarly, invited participants discussed the current stage of information about hornbill in Sabah and so as review of what could be done for their long-term conservation.

After the workshop at RDC, she was invited by HUTAN, Borneo Bird Club, and Sabah Society (Sandakan) to give a talk on Hornbill Conservation at the Board Room of Sabah Hotel.

DR. PILAI POONSWAD

Dubbed as “World Authority of Hornbill” and the “Great Mother of the Hornbills”, is currently a Professor of Biology in the Department of Microbiology under the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

She is a founder of the Hornbill Research Foundation and has been conducting pioneering research into the biology and ecology of the birds for over 30years. She started an innovative community initiative to save endangered hornbills and their rapidly shrinking forest habitat.

She is the first Thai Laureate of “The Rolex Awards for Interprise” and the first Thai recipient of “The 52^nd Annual Chevron Conservation Awards” in 2006.

Hornbills

The Hornbills is one of the world’s most striking birds, with a wingspan of alomost 2 metres. Feathered in brilliant colours and crowned with a regal casque on its beak, it is one of the rarest and most mysterious birds in the tropical rainforest of Asia and Africa. Several species of hornbill are also among the most threatened of Asia’s birds. 

NEWS FLASH! 19 March 2012


See full article here:

http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/19/young-hornbills-missing-from-lower-kinabatangan/

Bornean green magpie

Bornean green magpie
(Cissa jefferyi)

ENGLISH VERSION

Bornean Green Magpie
Cissa jefferyi

Short-tailed Green Magpie (Cissa thalassina) has been split into Javan Green Magpie C. thalassina and Bornean Green Magpie C. jefferyi.

The race Cissa jefferyi is endemic to the island of Borneo, found in foothill and true montane forest between 300 to 2,750 metres although rarely below 1,400 m elevation is dark and almost uniform apple-green with yellow wash on the forehead.The eyes are bluish-white to whitish with pale blue orbital ring and narrow red eye-ring. The black mask is broader above the eye than in nominate race, and tapers almost in a point, whereas it is flatter in C.t. thalassina. Its voice is sweet and musical with a series of 4-5 clear notes “swe-swi-swee-swi-swe-sweet” repeated after short pause with some variations. It also utters a penetrating “sweeeii” and a repeated “swe-swe-gurg” or “swe-gurg”.

The Short-tailed Green Magpie feeds mainly on snails, various insects and their larvae, small frogs, lizards, snakes, birds’ eggs and nestlings, some fruits and carrion. This species is often seen alone, in pairs or in family groups according to the season or even amongst a mixed flock of laughing thrushes, drongos and treepies. They forage in the dense undergrowth, on the ground, through shrub layers, clambering between the hanging vegetation, and sometimes reaching the upper canopy. It often feeds near the limit of the tree-line. They cross open areas from thicket to thicket, but it prefers the cover of vegetation.

MALAY VERSION
Short-tailed Green Magpie (Cissa Thalassina) telah dipecahkan kepada Javan Green Magpie C.thalassina dan Bornean Green Magpie C. jefferyi.

Spesis Cissa jefferyi adalah endemik kepada kepulauan Borneo, boleh ditemui di kaki gunung dan hutan gunung di antara 300 ke 2750 meter walaupun jarang di bawah ketinggian 1,400m, warnany adalah gelap dan hampir seragam epal-hijau dengan segelintir kekuningan pada dahi. Matanya seakan putih-kebiruan atau putih dengan orbit biru pucat dan cincin-mata berwarna merah yang nipis. Garisan hitam di atas mata adalah lebih tebal berbanding dengan spesis lain, dan kian hampir di mata, sedangkan ia mendatar dalam Ct Thalassina. Suaranya merdu dan berirama dengan siri 4-5 nota jelas "SWE-swi-Swee-swi-SWE-sweet" berulang selepas jeda pendek dengan beberapa variasi. Ia juga berbunyi "sweeeii" dan berulang-ulangan "SWE-SWE-gurg" atau "SWE-gurg".

Makanan utama Short-tailed Green Magpie adalah siput, serangga dan larvanya, katak kecil, cicak, ular, telur dan anak burung, beberapa buah-buahan dan sisa bangkai. Spesis ini sering dilihat bersendirian, berpasangan atau dalam kumpulan keluarga mengikut musim ataupun di kalangan kawanan spesis laughing thrushes, drongos dan treepies. Ia mencari makanan dalam semak padat, di atas tanah, melalui lapisan renek, antara tumbuh-tumbuhan gantung, dan kadang-kadang mencapai kanopi tinggi. Ia selalunya mencari makan berhampiran had garisan pokok. Mereka melintas kawasan-kawasan yang terbuka dari belukar ke belukar, tetapi ia lebih suka penutup tumbuh-tumbuhan.

Migratory bird watching trip to Penampang padi fields

Borneo Bird Club 

Migratory bird watching trip to Penampang
18 December 2011

The boys and girls in the padi outing..

Sandakan Borneo Bird Club organised a migratory bird watching trip to Penampang paddy fields on 18^th December 2011, more than 20 birding enthusiasts, young and old, beginners  and old -timers, showed up for the event. The old-timers brought with them an array of birding equipment, field scopes and telephoto lenses, participants new to the hobby have an opportunity to experience using them in the field.

Telephoto, telescope and tele-eyes is required when birding here...

Penampang paddy fields are a heaven for wintering  waders and waterbirds in Sabah. These birds fly thousands of kilometer  southwards  every autumn from northeast Asia from August  to early December, thousands pass through our shores in Sabah, some spend their winter here, some continue south all the way to northern Australia after a brief stop for refueling in suitable habitats. This extensive stretch of paddy fields is one of the important areas in Sabah where these birds stopover for refueling and spend their winter.

mixed flock of intermediate, cattle and great egrets, the 'opportunist' one in the fields

Wandering whistling duck (L) and Javan pond heron (juvenile) (R) 

the elusive Buff-banded rail
Denis Degulacion ©

They will return to their breeding grounds next spring in late February to April, by than some of them would have partially  moulted into their attractive spring plumage.

Cinnamon bittern (L) and White-browed crake (R)

Many migratory birds were sighted there on that day, including waders and forest birds, a number of resident birds were also seen.

Flock of Black headed munia (L) and Red avadavat (R) 

Some lucky participants had a glimpse of the newest bird in Borneo, Red-billed Starling (Sturnus sericeus), which was recorded for the first time in Borneo just a couple of days ago in the same vicinity. The importance of the area is also demonstrated by having some birds, like the Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava) and  Black-collared Starling (Gracupica nigricollis), which are hardly found anywhere else in Sabah and Borneo.

Plaintive cuckoo, the 'caterpillar hunter' at the okra fields  (L) and White-browed crake (R)

Other interesting species sighted include the Red Avadavat, a brilliant looking red bird, which was originally from released caged-birds and has now established very well in the area.

Red avadavat
Almost a resident in the area...

A lovely morning with the view of Mt. Kinabalu on the backdrop
The bushes on the left is the hidden 'cove' of many padi n grass birdlife including the White-browed crake. 

A total of 38 bird species recorded during the 3 hours outing:
Recorded by : Carol Angkangon
Reference: Phillipps’ Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo by Quentin & Karen Phillipps

White-breasted Waterhen

Striated Grassbird

Cattle Egret

Little Egret

Intermediate Egret

Great Egret

White-browed Crake

Yellow Bittern

Little Ringed Plover

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Spotted-necked Dove

Common Sandpiper

Red Avadavat

Eurasian Tree-sparrow

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Oriental Reed Warbler

Chestnut Munia

Red-billed Starling

Glossy Swiftlet

Spotted-necked Dove

Brown Shrike

Scaly-breasted Munia

Zebra Dove (Davison: Peaceful Dove)

Brown-throated Sunbird

Dusky Munia

Pied Triller

Crested Myna

European Starling

White-browed Crake

Black-winged Kite

Black-crowned Night Heron ( Common Night Heron)

Cinnamon Bittern

Common Moorhen

Striated Heron

Lesser Coucal

White-breasted Woodswallow

Buff-banded Rail

Plaintive Cuckoo

Thank you to all members and friends for the participation, looking forward to the next outing in February 2012!

Write-up : Wong Tsu Shi

Photo: Cede Prudente Photography © 2012
Compilation: Emelyn Asmawil

Rare bird sightings in Sabah - 4th Quarter 2011

The followings are records of interesting bird sightings;  some rare, some very rare, including one new addition to Bornean list (Red-billed Starling),  in various parts of Sabah compiled from Internet postings,  photo sharing blog and personal communications throughout the 4th quarter of 2011, feel free to email me if I missed out anything,  left out any observer or made any error, so that appropriate amendments could be made.

A big thank you to all observers who have shared their observations.

These information will be very useful if they are centralized in one place instead of scattered all over the internet.I have, therefore, self appointed myself to make a list every month from all information available to me and will post it at my blog, Borneo Bird Club's Blog, and Borneo Bird Images when the appropriate web page is ready. By doing so, I hope these records will be stored permanently and readily available to everyone interested in such info.

All sightings included here are supported by photographs made by the observers.

 October 2011

  

November 2011

 December 2011

Happy birding.

MIGRATORY BIRD WATCHING IN PENAMPANG PADI FIELDS

Borneo Bird Festival 2011 Photo Essay

The Happenings and The Success of


 Borneo Bird Festival 2011!

The Borneo Bird Festival (BBF) 2011 held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) from 14^th to 16^th October was participated by more than 3,000 visitors, both local and international and was packed with challenging and educational activities and globally informative talks. The festival was jointly organized by the Sabah Tourism Board, Borneo Bird Club and Sabah Forestry Department with support from Nikon (Malaysia) and IJM. It was generally aimed to create public awareness of the various magnificent birds of Borneo and the importance of conservation and ecotourism activities. It was also meant to promote birdwatching in Sabah, which is relatively new and potentially essential in generating revenue for the state tourism sector.

Some 25 exhibitors from various government agencies, NGOs, private sector as well as individuals showcased their products and promoted their activities.

Booth activities

The General Manager of the Sabah Tourism Board, Datuk Irene Charuruks toured the exhibiting booths in the late afternoon on 14^th October.

Datuk Irene Charuruks  touring the booths. 

A dinner reception was held at the Keruing Café, RDC. Among the dignitaries was YB Datuk Zakaria Idris, the State Assemblyman for Gum Gum.

Welcome Everyone!

During the reception, BBF 2011 also paid tribute to the late Choo Tse Tsen and Lee Teck Seng who have contributed significantly to the birding activities in Sabah. (We say,“They are happily birding in paradise with its finest forest and featherly delights”.)

The rest of the days were furnished with birding activities such as bird race, guided birdwalk, bird photography, photo exhibition, digiscoping workshop and various displays of birdwatching equipment.

 Ppppiiiiiittttt...let the bird race begin! from Mr. Gary Albert

(left) Under this misty surrounding, these guys looks exactly the same. Spot the difference!
 (right) Mr. Birder 2011?

RDC canopy walk is one of the best locations for bird watching. The VIP's  and the rest of the bird enthusiasts are busy with their cameras. click..click..click.. hear that? 

A children bird camp was also organized for students from various schools in Sandakan to expose them to the birding activities and to learn about the diversity of birds in Borneo. 

"You are young, you should learn". Have you heard that from your elders? You know what kids, they are always right.... never been left..... behind from providing you the best lesson. Today, you learn about Bornean Birds. Let's fly!

Besides that, various other activities were arranged for kids, such as bird colouring and painting contests, creative bird drawing, stone painting, sand art, bird tattooing, face painting as well as batik painting.

Alone or with someone's guidance, kids love learning while playing at the same time.
(left) this two lovely girls are happily and seriously doing sand art. (right) kids being assissted in bird colouring.

This year, the talks held at the RDC’s Kabili Theatre were equally interesting and informative, with speakers from UK, USA, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Philippines and Malaysia.

 (That’s what we mean by Globally Informative Talks. Amazing!)

Venues for the talks - The newly finished Kabili theatre, a world class hall

(left) Mr. Steve Shunk talks about Bird Tourism as a  major sector in Nature Based Tourism in the World  & on Borneo’s Woodpeckers: Anatomy & Adaptation. (right) Mr. Samson Ho talks about IBAs in Hong Kong,  an Experience on Conservation, Education  and Management.

Mr. Quentin Philipps, UK, talks on Successful Swiftlet Farming by Understanding Swiftlet Ecology. The 2nd edition of  his book featuring the spectacled Flowerpecker was published this year and sells it at this BBF.

(left) Mr. Alex Tiongco, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines talks about Philippine Endemic birds Species. (right) Mr. Wong Tsu Shi, Borneo Bird Club talks about Waders Migration to Sabah.  

(left) Datuk Irene Charuruks presents a memento, a book "Birds of Borneo" to Mr. Cede Prudente of Borneo Bird Club, who talks about Birding and Wildlife Photography in Sabah.

The most awaited time was the awarding ceremony not because of the material prize, but the enjoyment and fulfillment it brought. 

BIG THANKS to the untiring support rendered by everyone in making BBF 2011 a resounding SUCCESS!

Thank You Guys....

More Photos of Exhibitors...

Tabin Wildlife Holidays (left), Tribute to 'Chien and Ah seng' (right)

Borneo Nature Tours (left), Imbak Canyon and Maliau Basin Team from Yayasan Sabah (right)

Eco Institute Hongkong (left), Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (right)

Canon Marketing (left), Nikon Malaysia (right)

Borneon Sun Bear Conservation (left),  Jason Reyes(right)

BBF 2011 Committee (left), Borneo Books (right)

Bird Photography Competition 1st  public judging 

serious...Bird Race Judging

See you at Borneo Bird Festival 2012!


Article Contributed by: Dr. Arthur Chung
Photos by : Jollence Lee

Tribute to our Nature 'ambassadors' of Sabah, Malaysia and Borneo