The unveiling of the Borneo Bird Club logo.The BoBC has just become an officially registered society, so is now well and truly open for business. Kudos to Cede Prudente, the pro tem Chairman, and his band of merry (and hard-working!) men and women for having achieved so much in the club's young life.
The BoBC stand, and some serious Big Boys Toys on show!
The launch of the Bird Race, just before the heavens opened and everyone ran for cover!
Apart from attending the formalities, I had no other responsibilities today, so plenty of time for birding!
Our first good find of the day was a pair of Slow Lorises and a baby, apparently happily feeding at ten in the morning!
Some more bird images from my walks around the Rainforest Discovery Centre today
Banded Woodpecker
A Blue-eared Kingfisher (I didn't see the Ruddy Kingfisher which everyone else photographed by the way!)
I'm not quite sure what this is! If it was in West Malaysia I'd have called it a Crow-billed Drongo without a second thought, but in East Malaysia the Greater Racket-tailed Drongos are heavy-billed, lack much of a crest, and have a deeper tail fork than the West Malaysia birds. I'm not familiar enough with East Malaysian GRTs to feel confident that this is or isn't one. The fact that the bird is in tail moult doesn't help - as it's difficult to be sure what the tail shape would look like in fresh plumage. Compare with this pic of a Greater Racket-tailed I shot in Kubah recently. Any ideas?
A distant White-fronted Falconet, endemic to northern Borneo.
A small party of Rufous-winged Philentomas foraging just above the ground along the Pitta Trail was the highlight.
Perhaps it was a family group - there was one adult male and several female/juvs.
Back at the Nature Resort, the fig festival was still in full swing!
A female Black Hornbill - one of the regular crowd.
And the female of the neighbourhood Rhino family.
Streaked Bulbuls are always good to see.
Puff-backed even more so - a shame that this was such a mangy individual.
When a flock of Asian Glossy Starlings flew in I started looking for some Chestnut-cheeked, and was soon rewarded! This female/juv could easily be overlooked among Purple-backed Starlings if it was in Peninsular Malaysia. Note that it lacks the whitish lower scapulars and pale greater covert tips of Purple-backed, and is generally browner.
Males are easier to spot. This one has more extensive 'chestnut cheeks' than any illustration I've seen!
My second new bird in two days, and both in the same tree!
Interesting Drongo pic, Dave. I think both Greater Racket-tailed and Crowed-billed have been photographed from RDC.
ReplyDeleteI venture to suggest that your bird is Greater Racket-tailed as Crowed-billed should have a deeper notched/deeper forked tail. Greater Racket-tailed's tail notch is usually shallower.
Just my 2 sens.
Thanks Wong
ReplyDeleteThat would be my guess too!
Dave