Sunset viewing is soul satisfying

( Note: All views are taken from Sunset point at Licuala Hill)

View from sunset point

View of sunset on 9 Jan'15
Zone I

The Tiong nesting couple is back

The two Tiongs are back at their favourite perch
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)

 It has been quite a while since the Tiong birds dropped by at the park.  Today a pair of the Hill Myna bird or 'Tiong' in Malay checked in at their favourite 5 star hotel at the Licuala Hill.  It was about 6 pm when I made the climb to catch a better glimpse of them.  With an unexpected perfect lighting conditions I was able to obtain a clearer shot of them.  In order to get close to them I had to walk slowly and discreetly among the shrubs while on the way up the hill.  I was bent on having a good shot of them this time around.  Below are more shots of the Tiongs and the sunset during the photography session.

The Bintulu sunset as seen from Licuala Hill.
Zone I

The talking birds of the park

The Tiongs (Hill Myna bird) at their 'temporary home' against the December clouds
View from Sunset Point, Zone I

Grackle or Hill Myna
Gracula religiosa

Despite the dark clouds of December, the two Tiongs were seen together at their favourite perch playing and preening.  They knew I was a cimbing up the tall Licuala Hill, where their nest - a hole in the tree was located.  I imitated their calls loudly and they reacted by flying to and fro from the nest to a nearby tree in many rounds but always ending up at their nest.  They were playful today.    Over the years many pairs of Tiongs have shared the hole and I am indeed blessed to have them as temporary residents of the park.  This bird is one of the most sought after pet bird in Sarawak because it can be 'taught' to speak, sing melodious tunes or chuckle in hard rock style, thus the English name 'Grackle'. More pictures taken today....

Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)
Location : Zone I

A lifer - Lesser Cuckoo-shrike

Lesser Cuckoo-shrike
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

 Three days ago something amazing happened.  I saw a new bird.  Unfortunately the heightened interest gradually evaporated and finally diminished because of the very poor internet reception at the park.  For the last three days I tried to upload pictures but to no avail.  Tonight there appears to be a window of opportunity as the internet by fluke was able to carry some pictures.  So I am able to tell the story that excited me three days ago tonite.  The story happened when I was birding at Sunset point located at Licuala Hill (Zone I).  While my attention was directed at the Tiongs or Hill Myna birds, I heard an unfamiliar call and tried to search among the tall trees the source of the call.  By a stroke of good luck my eyes were caught by an unfamiliar looking bird perching on a branch some 15 meters away.  I zoomed my camera lens  towards the bird and caught a glimpse of it.  It gave me less than five minutes after which it flew away.  Upon closing in the image I discovered that the bird was a Lesser Cuckoo-shrike, a female of the species for its extensively barred dark grey underparts.  Another identifying feature was the white-tipped feathers  on its dark grey under-tails.  This sighting is  a lifer for me.

Lesser Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina fimbriata)

Come closer to me...

Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)

 It is such an adorable bird. The Hill Myna or Tiong (Malay) was around yesterday.  She was dressed completely in black, with pretty orange legs and feet.  Her strong bill was reddish orange with a yellow tip.  She gave me a rare opportunity to come closer to her for a photoshoot session.  Close enough for me to notice her face in details.  Her eyes were black.  Below her eyes hangs a yellow bare skin patch.  A bigger patch runs around her nape to which two roundish lappets are attached.  I saw her preening herself on one of the perches at the Licuala Hill.  She whistled loudly and could be heard over the neighbourhood.  She's has been  a real sport .  Here are the photoshoots taken at a distance of about 15 meters...

Note the white wing-patch on the primary wings

Preening herself before retiring to sleep.  Note the two yellow roundish lappets at the nape.

New sighting - Stork-billed Kingfisher

Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
Location : Paya Point, Zone B

 It was on the 3rd of October'14 that I heard the familiar call of a kingfisher around the park.  I went around to search for the bird and sighted it first at the Paya Point among the branches.  It flew away and I followed it to the hilly region of Sunset Point and managed to get a clearer picture of the bird on a tall perch where the Tiong or Hill Myna birds normally rest.  It was the Stork-billed Kingfisher, the first sighting at the park.  The Stork-billed Kingfisher is the largest of kingfishers on Borneo island or Sarawak for that matter.  Even though the picture is not so clear, it serves well as a record.

Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis)
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Beautiful sunset from Sunset point

View of Bintulu sunset from Sunset point (Birdwatching point)

 I was hoping the Tiongs would show up by  their favourite tree this afternoon.  They didn't, even at sunset time.  The Sunset point is a birdwatching location situated on a tall hill at Zone I.  Previous sightings here included the Blue-throated Bee-eaters, Dollar bird, Brown-throated Sunbird, Hill Myna, Little Green Pigeons and the Black Hornbill.  This is also the best location to see the Bintulu sunset from the park.  Here's today's views....

Watching the whistling Tiongs

 At the birding point which I called the 'Sunset point' at Zone I (near Provinsi Licuala ) I watched the two Tiongs (Hill Myna) whistling their time away.  There were three perches which they used exchangeably to rest and preen themselves.  While perching they would make loud whistling calls familiar to most Sarawakian that can be heard kilometers away.  However it is the tallest tree around the Sunset point that they call home because it has a hole that they adopt as their nest.  Here's more pictures taken today of the two Tiongs....