A big roar from Mother Nature at RDC, Sepilok, Sandakan, Sabah!

The annual Borneo Bird Festival is far behind, but we can still record  the excitement of birdwatchers and bird photographers from various Asian countries , as well as from increasing  local community, who joined this great event this year, some touring around and having fun with it! We had important supportive guests,  nature-lovers from all-over the world, food-stalls, souvenir-shops, we had coloring competitions for children, fun-games for all, photo-competitions, main-stream camera- and lens manufacturers showing their latest gear, some seriously interesting lectures of bird-behaviour of those mysterious Pittas and lovely Hornbills among others, and of''course, we had the bird-race!  And everybody is looking forward to next year's event...specially those, who still did not get a photo of that special Borneo- endemic Bornean Bristlehead!

...anyway, back to the rainforest, and what did I discover this time?

An Oriental Pied Hornbill in that tall beautiful tree at the canopy level at RDC...

One cute Black-and-Yellow Broadbill hunting for a meal down the road...

One tiny, tired-looking Brown-throated Sunbird feeding the "giant" Violet Cuckoo baby. Feeling sorry for the host, but the baby is crying and it is very hungry, indeed!

 

 

Another baby crying...A purple-naped Sunbird is feeding it's baby in a secret corner at the mid- canopy level.

 

 

 

A new Babbler residence!  How I love these little active Chestnut-winged Babblers, always busy with something...

 

 

It's a Babbler time...finally got it!

 

It is hard to photograph this fast-moving Black-capped Babbler, when it "roams" on the ground, turning leaves in a search for hiding meal.

 

 

 

Down the Kingfisher trail, a White-crowned Shama is making veird and mysterious moves...

 

 

 

And, nearby, the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo is taking refreshing bath in a cooling stream...

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Paula Camilleri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, what's been happening at RDC lately?

...Just walking down my favourite path...

this tiny, cute Black-and-Yellow Broadbill (15cm) arrives near me, soon followed by my old friend Black-and-Red Broadbill (23cm), both getting busy as usual, looking for food, then afterwards, just relaxing and grooming; their beautiful cousin Banded Broadbill (21cm) hiding somewhere in the rainforest, maybe in homebuilding activities?

 

 

Ah, there they are again!  In just last couple of weeks I have seen this Dollarbird couple (28cm) hanging around in high treetops near the Keruing Cafe, looking around and listening...maybe just curious about what's happening in the rainforest right now, or maybe looking for a suitable new home?

 

 

...when nearby, the Blue-throated Bee-eaters (28cm) are testing teir flying abilities and catching the food in flight.

 

 

 

The Red-bearded Bee-eaters (30 cm) have their new baby trained for the future jungle activities and can relax now in the afternoon sun.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lesser Green Leafbirds (16 cm) are keeping active on the leafy canopy...

 

 

 

and the Black Magpie (38 cm) couple is finally out from the jungles, clearly ready for the new season.

 

 

 

The cute Little Spiderhunter (15 cm), busy as usual in its favourite spot for nectar...

 

 

 

 

and the tiny Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker (9cm) is looking for a friend between the food sourcing activities.

 

 

 

There are now new babies for the Brown Barbets family...all ready for the new adventures!

 

 

 

So, life as usual in the rainforest!

 

See you at the annual Borneo Bird Festival at RDC, Sepilok, Sandakan this weekend!

 

Enjoy,

 

Paula Camilleri

With love from mother nature at RDC...

Those beautiful colorful Kingfishers are in every visitor's and a photographer's "must" list.  They can be loud birds; if you got lucky and found one sitting on a branch  you might notice that it can sit motionless for a very long time in the same spot, though, do not try to approach the bird or you will lose the moment.  This tiny (14 cm) Kingfisher passes my path many times during the day; always fast, like a wild, tiny flame of fire pierching through the forest - clearly busy with catching the daily food, anything from spiders to snails, frogs and dragonflies.

 

 

 

Nearly lost the moment! Luckily my new friends told me that the bird that just crossed my path is a female Rufous-collared Kingfisher( 23cm) and that it actually landed just a few meters away, so, I was lucky to take some photos of this secretive silent and shy bird in spite of the darkness in the rainforest.

...and not to forget, another tiny, beautiful bird, the Blue-eared Kingfisher( 15 cm).  I did not see one for a while, but now it seems to be my "apple of the eye" near the ponds and streams every time I visit RDC.  Just amazing colors of iridescent blue and orange, and such a fierce bird!

 

 The largest Kingfisher here in Sabah , the Stork-billed Kingfisher (35 cm), easier to be seen fishing around the ponds ( and mangroves), truly a beautiful, confident bird!

 

 

 

Collared Kingfisher (24 cm) can be seen around about  everywhere.  It's a very loud and noisy  bird and seems to be the one to alarm the other birds about approaching dangers, such as Eagles

 

 

And last, but not the least, the rare Ruddy Kingfisher (25 cm). A secretive bird.  It feeds on all kinds of insects and earthworms, crabs and geckos and snails. Maybe hardest  Kingfisher to find, but you might just get lucky one day!

Oh no!  No photo of that beautiful Banded Kingfisher or Common Kingfisher either...
Time to pack the bags, cameras, lenses - the rainforest is waiting -

Please, enjoy,

Paula Camilleri
 

Time for new babies...

Yes, it's Spring-time- or, beginning of the dry season, if you like.

Less rain, more sun...everybody is happy and busy!

You can notice the change in the rainforest; air is filled with beautiful songs and spectacular acrobatic shows, partners are found, new homes are built, new babies are born, cared - and fed, the air is full of aroma of the fragrant flowering plants and trees, and the trees are full of fruit...what a wonderful time for...

 

 

Black-and-Red Broadbills

 

 

Buff-necked Woodpeckers...

 

 

                                                                             Blue-eared Barbets...

 

Velvet-fronted Nuthatches...

 

 

                                                                and Mum-and-baby Redbearded Bee-eaters...

                                   
                                                              And this is just a start of a new, exciting season!


                                                             Enjoy,

                                                             Paula Camilleri

Woodpecker stories...

During the rainy season I didn't see many Woodpeckers in the forest but now it looks like they are everywhere and they seem to be having a busy time, I guess, like other birds, there is or will be new babies soon to be fed, so there is no time to waste...yes, the days are sunny now and there is food to eat in the rainforest!

Lately, when taking a stroll on my usual path at RDC, I bumped into this cute, speedy Buff-rumped Woodpecker couple ( 15cm) pecking vigorously into a hollow tree trunk...building a home maybe?

And just half-an hour later a very loud  and large (42 cm) White-bellied Woodpecker female arrived, again, starting vigorously (with stronger but slower movements) pecking into a tree trunk giving me that "mind your own business" look...Ok, just a couple of photos and I'm gone, friend!

 

 

 

As soon as I turned my back to this determined Woodpecker, I could hear a tapping sound -but no big bird around! - just this tiny ( 10 cm), but fierce Rufous Piculet-male pecking into some smaller twigs and vines for insects...such beautiful iridescent colors of green and golden-orange.  It's somehow a mysterious little Woodpecker...apparently,  an Iban omen bird.

 

 

 

 

 

Just maybe a few weeks ago, rainy season nearly gone, this mid-sized (27cm), colorful Checker-throated Woodpecker was busy pecking around all day. Only later afternoon I could see her finally disappear into the home nest for a well-deserved rest.

 

 

 

 

 

Soon, after her disappearance, this little (14cm), active Grey-and-buff Woodpecker made its way for some insects from the tree trunk.

 

 

 

 

 

...and much earlier, same day and nearby, this Rufous Woodpecker (21cm) was having after-breakfast rest in the shade of a lower tree branch keeping an eye on her mate still looking for that extra snack nearby.

 

 

 

 

 

...and as usual, ignoring me totally, the Buff-necked Woodpecker (21cm) was occupied with ants on the tree bark.

 

 

 

 

 

Must be just last week when this Maroon Woodpecker appeared on the roadside making its presence clearly heard for all - an omen call of the Dayaks, they say.  One day this week, actually, I could hear this loud chattering sound in the morning thinking first it must be a sound of a big bird...instead, this mid-sized (23cm) bird appeared in front of me.

 

 

 

Still so many Woodpecker species around...

 

Time to pack my photographing instruments and call the driver; my restless soul yearns back to the rainforest.

 

Enjoy,

 

Paula Camilleri

 

 

" Picking the food..."

Some birds are meat-eaters, some vegetarians - or occasional meat-eaters...just like us.

One pleasantly sunny day in the rainforest at RDC, when just strolling around in the need of some fresh air, like always, carrying my dear camera and tripod "in a case something comes up" I met this little Spiderhunter sipping nectar of a wild banana flower.

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing my walk down the silent road I bumped into my old friend, very hungry and noisy Purple-naped Sunbird feeding on some Ginger pollen, insects and berries for the lunch.  As usual, it seemed to be in a hurry, disappearing into the forest as soon as it had emerged.

The forest was fruiting and the trees were full of birds of different kinds...

This cheerful Bulbul was eating berries, taking time, clearly too much good food to be left behind.

While sitting down on a bench to have my very own, well-earned lunch-break, this fierce Crimson Sunbird male emerged in front of me, apparently, just fallen in love with this beautiful flowering Calliandra tergemina shrub - pretty much of the same crimson color- moving fast, up-and-down and -around and then disappearing into the forest again, leaving me stunned.

Not far away, near the forest edge and close to the entrance of RDC, this iridescent Brown-throated Sunbird male was indulging some flower nectar.  It seemed to be in a hurry as well; maybe there will be rain?

Just when it was time to leave back home, I had to stop to admire this lovely Asian Fairy Bluebird couple enjoying some freshly snatched figs on the road side.  Soon I was accompanied with some other nature-loving visitors.  Time, as always, seems to stop in the rainforest...

Another great day in the rainforest!

Enjoy,

Paula Camilleri






Paula Camilleri