I woke up at 2am to the sound of a heavy downpour; 3am, same, 4:15am, still pouring, 5am, still the same. I saw a message in our GC asking what will be the itinerary for the day because it would be useless to bird in such a condition. Alex suggested "mag-malling na lang tayo". I messaged Saat in WhatsApp to ask if there is a mall we can go to. he said yes. So at 5am, the decision was made: no birding, breakfast at 8:00am and then malling. And I dozed off again. Woke up at 7:30, made my way to the dining hall in my shorts and slippers (wala daw birding eh), only to find the sun shining brightly, and Ugin dressed in birding attire with gear, waiting for birds on the resort walkways! And over breakfast, the decision to go malling was reversed, we were going to RDC! (Birders will be birders).
Last day at RDC
We got to RDC later than usual and instead of passing the main gate, we passed what the locals call the back door, which was the road that we exited from the previous afternoon. We were still hoping to encounter the pitta. But luck was not with us because it was a no show. We did see a White-bellied Woodpecker. Some of us went after it but majority went to the canopy walk. The first bird to entertain us was a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills.
Oriental Pied Hornbill
These pair kept us occupied for several minutes. When they left, Saat, our main guide saw a nesting raptor high up on a tree near Tower 2. At the time we were shooting it, it was identified as a Blythe's Hawk Eagle which would have been a lifer. In fact, I listed it as Blythe's in my initial list. But when we got back to Manila and started processing our photos, Ugin was the first to post and labeled it Oriental Honey Buzzard. When Henrick posted his photo maybe a week later, he labeled it Blythe's and we had a lively exchange in our GC. Experts were consulted and the verdict was Oriental Honey Buzzard (a different subspecies from the OHB found in the Philippines). Even Saat who initially said Blythe's said "that's clearly a Honey Buzzard" (salawahan!). So here is my photo of my near lifer. (lifer na naging bato pa...)
Oriental Honey Buzzard
When the raptor flew away, we ambled along in different directions. I recall Alex and Paul went to the site of the White-bellied Woodpecker while most of us stayed in the canopy walk.
I chanced upon a Bulbul which perched in the open long enough for me to snap a shot.
Red-eyed Bulbul, Sabah Lifer # 27
A short while later, someone called me, (I think it was our Malaysian bus driver who spoke fluent tagalog and bisaya), because birds were "taking a bath". I followed him and found Ugin and Henrick shooting birds that were taking a bath on a pool of water in a hollow on a tree trunk. The first bird was a male Purple-naped Spiderhunter which we saw the previous two days at the "badjang" plant. But unlike it's previous favorite perch which was dark and distant, this perch gave us plenty of good looks!
Purple-naped Spiderhunter, male
I was leaning on the railing shooting the Spiderhunter when I felt Ugin tap me on my shoulder and point at something below. I looked down and saw a Black and Yellow Broadbill, about three meters away, in good light. So I shifted my aim and started shooting.
Black and Yellow Broadbill
Then the Broadbill flew to the "tub" and displaced the Spiderhunter.
Black and Yellow Broadbill
Then a Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo appeared a few meters away so we shifted focus but I hard a hard time seeing it. And when I did, I couldn't get a clear shot! Grrr...
While the waiting for the Drongo to perch in the open, a Raffles Malkoha made an appearance and we were able to get some relatively open but distant shots.
Raffles Malkoha
In between shots of the Malkoha, this bird appeared on another "pool" and started taking a bath. At the time I was shooting it, I thought it was a female Purple-naped Spider Hunter. But looking at the guidebook, it looked more like a Bulbul. True enough, it is a Cream-vented Bulbul.
Cream-vented Bulbul. Sabah Lifer # 28.
Raffles Malkoha
The drongo finally perched in a somewhat open branch but it was backlit.
A silhouette of a Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo
While hanging around the area hoping for better shots of the drongo and malkoha, a couple of birds flew past and perched inside the tree canopy. I saw one through a gap in the leaves but it was partially covered.
Grey and Buff Woodpecker, male. Sabah Lifer # 29
While waiting for the woodpecker to give us better looks, another woodpecker, flew by and perched on a tree several meters away. I followed it and was able to get a better shot of this bird that I first saw in Subic.
White-bellied Woodpecker
After I got a good shot, I went back to the smaller woodpecker with the hope that I can get a better shot. But all I managed was a docu shot.
Grey and Buff Woodpecker
After the woodpeckers left, we walked along the canopy and saw a bird that I thought was the Black-headed Bulbul, which we have in mainland Palawan. But after looking at it in the computer, I realized that it was a Black-headed Oriole, which I have seen only once in Puerto Princessa, during the 2019 Bird Race. I didn't have good shots then so I am glad that I got better shots at RDC.
Black-headed Oriole
We asked Saat to arrange a dinner for us at a local Chinese restaurant who can only accomodate us at 6pm. So we started our walk back to the bus a little earlier. As we approached tower 1, we saw a mixed flock arriving so we all got busy again.
Streaked Bulbul
Streaked Bulbul
Green Iora
Fiery (or is it Scarlet?) Minivet (both are present at RDC)
Lesser Green Leafbird, male
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, the last bird I saw at RDC (for this trip)
That night, we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at a local Chinese restaurant courtesy of Mr. Johnny Lim, our host at RDC.
Before digging in...
Last morning at Sepilok
I packed all my stuff the night before so I could be at the restaurant/bridge area early. Conrad and the other soon joined me. And my efforts paid off because I was able to add four more lifers to my list, although I managed only docu shots for all of them.
Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Sabah Lifer # 30
A pair of Little Green Pigeons, Sabah Lifer # 31
Black-eared Barbet, Sabah Lifer # 32
Red-bearded Bee Eater, Sabah Lifer # 33
Side-trip at Gumantong Forest Reserve
By 8:00am, we boarded the bus to go to the town of Bilit which will be our base for the Kinabatangan River leg of our journey. Upon the suggestion of Saat, we made a side trip at the Gumantong Forest Reserve because it was along the way. The side trip proved fruitful as I netted another four lifers, albeit docu shots.
The first bird we saw was a rather plain looking. At first, I thought it was another bulbul. But it turned out to be a rare find!
Malay Honeyguide, Sabah Lifer # 34
Square-tailed Drongo, Sabah Lifer # 35
Rufous Woodpecker, Sabah Lifer # 36
Scarlet-rumped Trogon, female. Sabah Lifer # 37
We were preparing to leave Gumantong when Saat waved to us and we all rushed to where he was. He was pointing at something clinging to a tree.
Orangutan
We boarded the bus at around 12:00 for the last leg of our trip and reached the town of Bilit an hour later.
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