June birdwatching in Miri with Liz and Richard King

Place: Niah National Park
5 June 2010
Time: 8am – 5.30pm
Participants: Steve, Liz, Richard, Musa

It was an early start to the day with the 4 of us leaving Miri at 5am with the intention of being at Niah National Park for dawn. As we headed towards Niah the weather took a turn for the worse and there was some very heavy rain for quite a while.

At the entrance to the park we met up with Sara, Peter and Faye and the intention had been for Liz to join this group for a trek up Bukit Kasut. The trek was however cancelled due to the earlier heavy downpours, so Sara, Peter and Faye headed towards the caves while the rest of us prepared for a day of birding.

Before we had even crossed the river we were greeted with excellent views of 2 Bat Hawks, who were breaking with convention and coming out in the early morning sunshine, the rain clouds having completely cleared by now.

Once across the river Musa stayed close to the jetty while the rest of us headed along the boardwalk and then ventured off into the forest on a side track. The spot at the bridge was very productive and there were great views of male and female Cinnamon-rumped and Scarlet-rumped Trogons, Banded Broadbill and Buff-necked Woodpecker.

A further split in the group meant that Steve and Liz enjoyed wonderful views of an Oriental Dwarf-Kingfisher while Richard got Olive-backed Woodpecker and a Rufous-sided Sticky Frog, which on being picked up, exuded its defensive sticky glue-like substance.

Returning to the jetty and meeting up with Musa, everyone had great views of Pink-necked and Thick-billed Green Pigeons, thanks to Musa’s wonderful new scope, whilst also enjoying an eagerly-anticipated cool beer courtesy of Steve.

We headed back to Miri just as the sun was setting, a really enjoyable day’s birding being had by all.

Bird list
Blue-eared Barbet
Red-crowned Barbet
Banded BroadbillB
lack and Red Broadbill
Cream-vented Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
Bat HawkBlack Kite
Spotted Fantail
Asian Paradise-Flycatcher
Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Rufous-backed Kingfisher)
Black-bellied Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Raffle’s Malkoha
Black-headed Munia
Black-naped Monarch
Rufous Piculet
Pink-necked Green Pigeon
Thick-billed Green Pigeon
Little Spiderhunter
Asian Glossy-Starling
Pacific Swallow
Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike
Cinnamon-rumped Trogon
Scarlet-rumped Trogon
Buff-necked Woodpecker
Olive-backed Woodpecker
White-breasted Woodswallow
White-bellied Yuhina (Erpornis)

Mammal/Reptile list
Rufous-sided Sticky Frog Kalophrynus pleurostigma
Rough-backed Ground Skink Mabuya regifera
Common Ground Skink Mabuya multifasciata
Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus

Place: Lambir – several spots along road to Lambir National Park including Steve’s secret valley
6 June 2010
Time: 10am – 4pm
Participants: Steve, Liz, Richard

A later start this morning saw us making stops at several points along the road to Lambir National Park. Excitement was generated when Steve spotted a Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker but Liz and Richard dipped out on this bird. Late afternoon birding saw us sitting on the cool side of the pipe and there was potential with birds starting to buzz around but we had to head back to Miri earlier than we would have liked for a dinner commitment.

Bird list
Chestnut-winged Babbler
Banded Broadbill
Buff-vented Bulbul
Crested Serpent Eagle
Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Silver-rumped Spinetail (Needletail)
Plain Sunbird
Pacific SwallowAshy Tailorbird
White-breasted Woodswallow

Place: Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort
9 - 11 June 2010
Participants: Richard

I arrived at the resort just before midday, not the best time for birding, but after checking-in quickly hit the trails.

The trees around the big pond were fruiting, especially near the resort’s wooden chalets, so attracted lots of flowerpeckers and bulbuls, such as the Grey-bellied Bulbul, which had far more golden wings than any of the field guides show.

The walkway past the campsite to the waterfall and the road from the waterfall to the main carpark turned out to be the best for birds, so the next day was spent mainly on these routes. The walkway near the campsite area provided many of the woodpeckers, such as Crimson-winged, Rufous and Maroon, while the road along the ridge had a pair of White-crowned Hornbills and groups of Black Hornbills, especially in the late afternoon.

The waterfall road was also good in the early morning, with Greater Racket-tailed Drongos chasing a Crested Goshawk from tree to tree and a nesting Red-billed Malkoha. The other rainforest trails were fairly quite for birds, except an area near the end (at the wooden chalet) above the big pond, with nesting Chestnut-winged Babblers and a nice Yellow-bellied Bulbul.

On the road out of the resort a brown Changeable Hawk-Eagle was seen feeding on the road on the same section as it had two days before on the way in. The resort area was very good for birds (and other animals) and I think would be even better at the right time of year.

Bird list
Chestnut-winged Babler
Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler
Blue-eared Barbet
Brown Barbet
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Black and Red Broadbill
Grey-bellied Bulbul
Hairy-backed Bulbul
Red-eyed Bulbul
Spectacled Bulbul
Yellow-bellied Bulbul
Emerald Dove
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
Changeable Hawk-Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Crested Goshawk
Black Hornbill
White-crowned Hornbill
Green Iora
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha
Red-billed Malkoha
Black-naped Monarch
Dusky MuniaHill Myna
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Oriental Magpie-Robin
White-rumped Shama
Little Spiderhunter
Silver-rumped Spinetail (Needletail)
Purple-naped Sunbird
Ruby-cheeked Sunbird
Glossy Swiftlet
Ashy Tailorbird
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
Crimson-winged Woodpecker
Maroon Woodpecker
Rufous Woodpecker
White-breasted Woodswallow

Mammal/Reptile list
Plantain Squirrel
Prevost’s Squirrel (subspecies caroli)
Treeshrew Sp.
Green Crested Lizard Bronchocela cristatella
Smith’s Giant Gecko Gekko smithii
Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus
Three-keeled Ground Skink Mabaya rudis
Many-scaled Litter Skink Sphenomorphus multisquamalus
Horsfield’s Gliding Gecko Ptychozoon horsfieldii
Malayan Softshell Turtle Amyda cartilaginea

Place: Curtin Environs11 June 2010
Time: 4.30 – 6.30pm
Participants: Steve, Liz, Richard

We spent a couple of hours in the late afternoon sussing out the swampy areas around Curtin. The highlight would have to be great views of a Cinnamon Bittern initially in the grass then flying overhead.

Bird list
Cinnamon Bittern
Greater Coucal
Plaintive Cuckoo
Spotted Dove
Cattle Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Striated Grassbird
Black-headed Munia
Common Moorhen
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Wandering Whistling-Duck
White-breasted Waterhen
White-breasted Woodswallow

Place: Brunei
12 June 2010
Time:Participants: Steve, Liz, Richard

An early morning meant we were over the border and in Brunei just after 6am. We noticed quite a difference from the birding in Sarawak in that the birds seemed to be less wary and more inclined to come out into the open and give us good views.

There were several spots where we would have been quite content to just pull up chairs and sit for a couple of hours if we had more time because the birding was so good.

The highlight of the day for all of us would have to have been when Steve heard woodpeckers calling and then in front of our very eyes five Great Slaty Woodpeckers appeared and one was seen drinking at a hollow in a tree.

The Great Slaty is the world’s largest woodpecker and they were indeed huge. We also got excellent views of Cinnamon-headed and Thick-billed Green-Pigeons in the same tree, with the former being a new bird for all three of us.

A one-off sighting of a Black and White Bulbul generated interest but unfortunately one of us dipped on this bird. We headed back to Miri as the sun was setting and thunderclouds were starting to build. Huge thanks to Steve for doing all the driving and spotting some great new birds for us.

Bird list
Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler
Blue-eared Barbet
Brown Barbet
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Black and White Bulbul
Black-headed Bulbul
Red-eyed Bulbul
Yellow-vented BulbulGrater Coucal
Slender-billed Crow
Dollarbird
Jambu Fruit-Dove
Spotted Dove
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
Black Hornbill
Collared Kingfisher
Brahminy Kite
Black-bellied Malkoha
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Dusky Munia
Black-headed Munia
Hill Myna
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Long-tailed Parakeet
Cinnamon-headed Green-Pigeon
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Asian Glossy-Starling
Purple-throated Sunbird (van Hasselt’s)
Copper-throated Sunbird
Pacific Swallow
Little Swift
Grey-rumped Tree-Swift
Whiskered Tree-Swift
White-breasted Waterhen
Great Slaty Woodpecker
Grey-capped Woodpecker
White-breasted Woodswallow

Place: Lambir13 June 2010
Time:8.30am – 1.00pm
Participants: Steve, Liz, Richard

Richard spent a couple of hours birding by himself at the pond in Lambir Hills National Park while Sara and Liz did a trek. He was rewarded for his patience with great views of an Asian Fairy-Bluebird and was later joined by Steve. When the girls returned from their trek, Steve, Liz and Richard headed off to look for Richard’s nemesis bird - the Red-bearded Bee-eater. Unfortunately, the Bee-eater was nowhere to be found, but we did get lovely views of the Chestnut-bellied and Black-bellied Malkoha and a Red-crowned Barbet.

Bird list
Red-crowned Barbet
Blue-eared Barbet
Red-throated Barbet
Asian Fairy-Bluebird
Red-eyed Bulbul
DollarbirdRufous-bellied Eagle
Black Hornbill
Oriental Magpie-Robin
Chestnut-bellied Malkoha
Black-bellied Malkoha
Dusky Munia
White-breasted Woodswallow


Video of birds at Lambir Hills by Richard King.

Written by:
Liz and Richard King,
MNS Miri Members in Australia
June 2010