The Dollar in sight

Dollar bird perches on a tall dead tree branch at Licuala Hill, Zone I

 Today I'm extremely lucky to have another shot of the Dollar bird, belonging to the Roller family.  From my experience so far, I have only seen this bird coming to town solo.  Its red beak and bluish body is very attractive.  From far, I couldn't specifically recognise this bird because the shot was taken from about 100 meters.  After zooming in on the image then it's confirmed.  This Dollar bird is known to build nest in a hole of the coconut tree.Apparently on this sighting it did not utter any call or sound.

In the background is the Dollar bird, abut 100 meters away. Note the colourful red flushes of a jungle treelet at the foreground.
View from Botanic Island Two, Zone I, looking north.

View of sunset from Licuala Hill

View of the sunset taken from Licuala Hill, 28 July'16

A lovely Tiong pair

A pair of Hill Myna at rest, play and fun
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

 Between 5.30 pm - 6.00 pm, the pair of Hill Myna bird ( 'Tiong' - Malay) would regularly return to their nesting home.  They must have gone far to look for food but would normally return home before night falls. Today, even though they rested on the second favourite perch which is not their nesting tree, I still could get a good view of them as they played and whistled loudly against the evening light.  From my experience they would normally fly in to their nest between 6.30  pm - 7.00 pm.  at an adjacent tree.

Location: Licuala Hill, Zone I

The nesting tree for the Hill Myna birds at a nearby location
Location : Licuala Hill

On, off and away!

The male Black Hornbill is seen leading the flight off the perch to be followed by the female of the species later(  seen at the apex of the tree). Note a pair of  Hill Myna birds sharing the same perch at bottom of picture.
Location : Licuala Hill

Seat taken by Black Magpie

It's the turn of the Black Magpie  to occupy the tall tree at Licuala Hill

 Around 7.30 am I could hear the distinct calls of the Black Magpie from  the very far end of the neighborhood.  The Black Magpie gives out three distinctive calls, a hollow whistle followed by an imitative call of the 'Tiong' or Hill Myna and finally a coarse in drawn growl.  At the very tip of the tall dead tree the Black Magpie was seen perching. It has a peculiar habit of bowing and raising its head while perching and when making calls.  This bird has been visiting the park more frequently lately especially in the early morning hours.  I have yet to come close to the bird to get a fairly clear image of it.  According to the literature, the bird is commonly seen in the lowland areas of Borneo.

The Black Magpie joins the list of large birds that frequent the park.  The tall perch is favourite to another visitor to the park, the 'Tiong' bird (Hill Myna)

Walking the Licuala trail

Licuala ferrugina in front, and in the background is the Pholidocarpus sumatranus palm (partly seen in the center)
Location : Provinsi Rattan

Fan-like leaves of the Licuala
Location :  Licuala Hill

The Licuala trail is what I have been missing for a while.  The trail covers low lying areas, slopes and hills.  A good one hour walk through the jungle will acquaint me with the status of the jungle and the wildlife.  In walking the trail, I took time to clear some of the bushes (mainly bracken ferns), small trees and jungle shrubbery that unnecessarily are in the way of a pleasant walk.  The best aid to do the clearing is our local matchet called the 'parang'.  In some areas the trail is littered with fallen leaves while in others there are plenty of logs and vines that need to be walked over.  All in all, the one hour walk was rewarding as I countered a small party of three Bornean Falconet that kept surveillance over the neighbourhood from the tallest perch above the Licuala Hill.  I noticed too a well-grown fungi species on the trail.

Note the Licuala palm at the left of the picture.

A small party of three - Bornean Falconet resting on the tallest perch at Licuala Hill
Location : Licuala Hill

Licuala ferrugina inside Botanic Island Two.

A fungi species.

Inside Provinsi Licuala

A good bird watching morning

Black Magpie
Location : Licuala Hill

The early morning hours when the birds are out looking for food and prey is a sure bet to catch a glimpse of many birds common to this area.  This morning starting at 7.30 am I chanced upon three species.  The Black Magpie ( Platysmurus leucopterus) was braving itself to come closer to me.  Previously this bird could only be photographed from a distance and even so hidden  among the leaves and branches.  When I heard its voice which is similar to the crow and mixed with imitative sounds of the Hill Myna I climbed the Licuala Hill to find its whereabouts.  I was handsomely rewarded with a vantage view of the bird. It showed its characteristic habit of bowing its head while perching on the branch.  The Black Magpie likes to imitate sounds of other birds.  It is in the list of large-sized birds at the park.  Next in line came one of the tiny birds at the park - the Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris).  They are born here.   Despite its size the bubbling calls emitted are loud and cheerful. It prefers to hunt among the long grasses making it difficult to have a good shot.   Today, however it came out  pleased to offer me a good pose.
Not to disappoint  me,  a threesome of  the smallest raptor in the world  the falconet showed themselves at their favourite perch.  The Bornean Falconet  (Microhierax latifrons) is a regular visitor probably enjoying the abundance of insects here.  They are skillful in catching their prey, grasping them in dashing flight or sorties from the tallest spot in the neighbourhood.  I took extra trouble this morning to come closer to them by moving close to the tree where they perched.  From below I could only see a glimpse of one of the falconet through the maze of leaves and branches.
Overall, it has been a good morning for bird watching.

Yellow-bellied Prinia among the grasses

Three Borneon Falconets taken from a distance of about 100 meters.
Location : Licuala Hill

Closer view of the falconet through the leaves and branches

Bornean Falconet

Tiongs in loving gesture

Tiong (Malay) - Hill Myna
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Loving gesture

 In the distance I could see the Tiongs broadcasting their regular calls  over the neighbourhood.  Their calls would normally alert me to go to Zone I especially to the tall dead tree which is becoming their penthouse. Before the sunset,  I slowly  climbed up the Licuala Hill to catch a better glimpse of the couple.  Once at my hideout I took my camera from the bag and started to aim.  Today it seemed to me they were very loving.  Apparently they did not see me in my hideout and this enabled me to observe their behaviour closely.  They were seen preening  and grooming one another.  They were in playful mood and were eager to return to their nest before the night falls.  It's another happy day for me to see them back at the park.

The Tiong's penthouse - a hole in a tall dead tree
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Falconet on the hunt

Borneon Falconet (Microhierax latifrons)
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

 This morning the weather was a bit cloudy and taking pictures can be problematic especially when taking long ranges.  The Borneon Falconet came early looking for breakfast and was well-rewarded on this trip when I saw it devouring its prey on the branch of the tall dead tree.  I saw it making short sallies down and even circling around a group of trees before making a swoop and then rushing back to the branch to enjoy its catch.  Falconets are the smallest raptors of the world.  It's only this year that I stumbled or 'discovered' its presence at the park.  I guess they love the intact environment of the lowland dipterocarp forest ecology here, tall dead trees, and its forest edges that support a myriad of insects, bees, lizards etc. I hope they visit the park  more often because food is plenty here.

About 100 meters away on a tall dead tree is the falconet.
Location: Licuala Hill
Zone I

Even humans cannot whistle as loud as the Tiong

Hill Myna or Tiong Mas (Malay) having a perfect view of the park and whistling ...
Location : Licuala Hill

Gracula religiosa - Hill Myna

 The Tiong came in before sunset and was calling for its mate.  The mate answered its call from the surrounding hills but did not fly over to join the company.  Unnoticed by it, I took as many pictures as I could get for stock photography.  It appears that this December the Tiongs will continue to stay at the tall 'condominium' in a special hole that faces a northerly direction.  In the meantime while waiting for its mate it produced all sorts of sounds and calls and many a time threw out a whistling sound that even a human cannot compare.  Tiongs are normally liked as pets for its ability to mimic sounds.  They do seem to be able to 'talk'.

It's time to fly away and locate my mate!

The Tiong's  favourite spot in the park.  It prefers the 'penthouse' level.

Hiding from the Tiongs

Perching at one of the tall trees at Licuala Hill area

Closer view of the Tiong

I have to hide among the bushes and ferns to get a closer view of the Tiongs (Hill Myna).  From a distance of about 50 meters from the tall dead tree situated at Licuala Hill, I waited for the birds to show up.  At around 6 pm as if by appointment they flew into frame.  In order not to scare them away I had to hide and remained quiet.  Unaware of my presence  they took time to roost, check out the 'nest' and made calls that rang loud and sharp over the neighbourhood.  After seeing them comfortable perching, I then started to shoot them with my camera. Here are today's shots....

The 'nest' is a hole in the tree.  A Tiong bird perching next to the nest.

View of the tall dead tree from my hideout.

Location : Licuala Hill