A week at Sepilok - Rainforest Discovery Centre

I will be off to a week of birding at the Rainforest Discovery Centre at Sepilok, Sabah. I last visited the site in July 2012, where we spent a few hours there as a stop over station to Kinabatangan and Danum Valley. The few hours we spent there was not spectacular, but it wasn't bad either, and it left me a pretty good impression of the site.

I thought it will only do the place justice if I visit once again, this time I will focus solely on this site, hoping to find some of Borneo's finest and rarest birds. Namely the Bornean Bristlehead, where RDC is supposed to be the best place to get good views of this species. Other target species includes Hooded and Black-and-Crimson Pitta, Scarlet-rumped Trogon and Banded Kingfishers.

A photograph from my last visit, a Bushy-crested Hornbill that was actually the first bird we saw on the canopy walkway!

Bushy-crested Hornbill

Wish me luck!

Jewels in the Park - Emerald Dove and Blue Whistling Thrush

Emerald Dove is one of the prettiest resident dove species you can find in Hong Kong, unlike other species, they prefer secondary forest floors. They have iridescent green wing feathers, hence they're named Emerald. They can be quite skittish and are not easy to see in dense undergrowth. Emerald Dove have a very large range through out South East Asia. There is a good stakeout for this species in Hong Kong, Central Kwai Chung Park have been the most steady site to see this species. Today, I saw two, an adult with a juvenile, however the adult was a lot more alert and took off very quickly once it saw me. The juvenile stayed a bit longer, probably have yet to recognise men as a possible threat.

Emerald Dove

Not far off another jewel of a different colour was busy feeding it's two fledglings. The Blue Whistling Thrush is a common species in Hong Kong, but can sometimes be a bit difficult to see well. Unlike the adult the juvenile does not have any spots. You can often see them fanning their tails next to gullies or streams. Though I regularly see them, I don't always have my camera with me, it's nice to be able to observe this beautiful species at such close range.

Blue Whistling Thrush (Adult) - with iridescent spots.

Blue Whistling Thrush (Juvenile) - they don't carry any spots.

Sai Kung Aerobats

Black Kites are our most common raptor species in Hong Kong, you can literally see them everywhere. You often see them soaring over Victoria Harbour, flying between skyscrapers. A famous kite roost in Hong Kong is Yeung Chau, just off Sai Kung pier. You can see aerial displays of numerous Black Kites at close range just off the pier, where they fish or pick up anything edible. Black Kites in Hong Kong have grown to become opportunists, scavenging for dead fish or floating fish guts thrown off by fishing boats.

Black Kite - a common sight to see them soaring overhead

A resident pair of White-bellied Sea Eagle share the roost with the Black Kites, I was waiting for them today at the pier, hoping they may fly in for a closer look, but the pair never came close! I only got some extremely distant views. Maybe next time. In my opinion, the White-bellied Sea Eagle is the most majestic and handsome raptor in Hong Kong, their snow white underparts and head and large size is hard to beat on the looks!

White-bellied Sea Eagle at a distant

A few Great Egrets flew past as I waited.

Great Egret

The Black Kites provided endless entertainment as well as photographic opportunities pretty much the whole afternoon. This also provided a chance to sharpen up my photography skills, I am never good at taking photos of flying birds, the Kites are slightly more forgiving, where they will circle back round and round again until you manage to get a good shot. To lift my camera up constantly also provided good exercise for my arm muscles...

Black Kite