John Prudente

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Cuckoo - Juvinile Oriental Cuckoo

I captured this Cuckoo bird in Kinabalu Park Mt Garden on 5th September at 11am.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Crocker Range Park Bird Photo Trip

On 27 Aug 07 a group of us Ced , John Kong, Albert, Wendy Hutton, Jason and myself set out on a trip to Crocker Range for a familiarization trip. The park had been there since the 80's but it was a research station and restricted to researches only. It is just about 12 km from Keningau town. Elevation is about 800m asl. It makes it as a cool place with temperature between 18-27degrees celcius. It has a superb view of the Crocker Range and over looking Keningau town.

It has a beautiful Virgin Rainforest and the Park is surrounded with it. It is also a water catchment for Kota Kinabalu city and west coast area of Sabah. The bird life is very interesting too. We saw Some hornbill- wreathed Hornbill n Pied hornbill, White fronted Falconet - World Smallest Raptor and only to be found in northern Borneo! Drongos and etc.
It has now a new accommodation build in the area to accommodate visitors like Hostels and Resthouses.
The following are some fotos captured on this trip:-

Along the way we saw spectacular view of west coast of Sabah. At one point we saw K.K and the islands off KK- Tunku Abdul Rahman Island park. We stopped several places to take pictures of the breathtaking views and taking in fresh air while giving the car a rest after hard climbing on Long steep slopes coming up to Crocker range Park via 4x4. The road is so nicely sealed and any vehicles may go thru except you have to make sure your radiator water is enough and the brakes is working properly to avoid any incidents.

John Kong and Ced enjoying the scenery

Ced Taking pictures of the fantastic senery

The Scenery of Crocker Range

After reaching the Park we trek the forest an d it was just an exciting trek and something different than the regular trails of Kinabalu Park and Poring Hot Springs. Lots of Wild Salaks Palms and Wild Fish Tail palms, also some oak trees, Pine trees and some wild bananas plants. Part of the trail cross through some former local orchard and Rubber Plantations, which local people did not realise they were in the Park boundary when they planted the crops long ago.

A group foto in the trail between virgin jungle and the Secondary Forest.
L-R: Albert, John K, Ced, Wendy, Alim, Myself & Jason

Sunrise through the trees

The Next morning John K & Albert went Mountain Biking and the rest went bird watching and taking pictures.

John K & Albert went cycling

Wendy had a try on the big lenses with her new D40 Nikon DSLR

Then we spotted an endemic Bird. Time to shoot!

We started shooting with our cameras and enjoying the details of the bird through Jason's Telescope.

Two small birds. Picture taken from far distance.

We get closer and it is the World smallest Raptors!
White Fronted Falconet.
Size a little bigger than Pipit.

Maybe got to Close . And off it goes.

Ced with his Big lens and continued taking pictures ........

The Bird hunters!!!!
L-R: Ced, Jason, Wendy & Me

John K was briefed by The Doc on his situation

Then we got a call from Albert that John had a fall from his bike and quickly rush him to the nearest hospital. Had him X-rayed and found his collar bone was slightly fractured. Good thing it was not that serious.

Further checks was administered and found everything else is normal. except John K couldn't lift his left arm for a while.

The trip was full of excitement and thrill. On just two days trip it was just FUNTASTIC! couldn't wait for the next trip to Crocker Range. We all went back to KK after the John K treatment at the Hospital.
More news on Jason's a.k.a Horukuru blog
http://horukuru.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Sepilok Encounter- Rhino Hornbil

Rhinoceros Hornbill found nesting

This picture was taken at Sepilok Forest on the Bird Tower trail and a Nest of Rhinoceros hornbill was found just along the trail just recently. This Hornbill was found feeding the female and chic inside the nest. This is another rare moment to find this species of hornbill nesting. Male and female hornbill usually mate for for life!

Monday, August 20, 2007

Sukau Photo Trip

SUKAU KINABATANGAN RIVER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Sunset at Sukau Kinabtangan River

Click on pic to enlarge:

Lance , Jason and myself just came back from a week trip on a Tour assignment cum photo trip in Sukau Sandakan Sabah. Situated along Lower Kinabatangan River. Its a mighty river 560km long. It is one of the most cencentrated with wild animals in Asia!. We stayed in Tomanggong River Lodge run by Cede Prudente under North Borneo Safari Tour Sdn. Bhd.
www.cedeprudente.com
www.photosafariborneo.com

It was a fruitful trip and saw lots of animals and super rare animals and animals in action. Please check out foto's below.

Proboscis monkey Harem going to sleep

Alpha male of Proboscis Monkey- Eveready to mate!

Proboscis Monkey is the Prime attraction in Sukau. They are only to be found in Borneo. Most easily found at Sukau and very photo friendly too compare to other parts of Borneo. Many other animals are also found if you are patience enough and hire a right guide or some good animal spotter local guide or boatman. Most animal watching is done in a comfort of sitting in a boat. Boat capacity is 8 person and without canopy to shed you from sun or rain. So therefore don't forget to bring your own raincoat if you are visiting Sukau.

The boat for river cruise equip with eclectic motor for silent cruising

Crocodile is another attractive inhabitant of the river Kinabatangan. Sukau Tomanggong River Lodge is the best place to view this Big 3m long Resident Crocodile name FRANKIE. He would land himself nearby the lodge hoping to get some passing by food. Dogs!

Frankie the Big Croc at STRL

In one of the morning cruise, I spotted a couple of eagle flying up ahead and trying to land just in front of our boat. Then took picture of the sequence on Landing. Awesome!

Then in one of the afternoon cruise we saw a family of small clawed otter by the river bank. This is an unusual sighting of otter in a group. Lucky ha....!

Also a close up of Pig tailed macaque just inches away from us.

Juvenile Pig Tailed Macaque. Photogenic!!

Then at night we went for a night cruise from Sukau to Abai and suddenly when night falls.....

Fire flies starts to glow and it was like Christmas trees along the river near Abai village. 2 hours by small boat from Sukau. it is about the same those found in Klias river.

As we went on cruising a Leopard cat appeared by the river bank and we start shooting - with Camera of course! This Leopard cat is a very rare sight. Another lucky sighting!

A common resident at night - Buffy Fish Owl (Largest owl in Sabah)

Then another close up shot of a Blue Eared kingfisher . They wont fly at night even you are quite close. But not too close.

Then the whether starts to turn bad and we head home. I manage to shoot the cloud with a lightning.

Lightning!!

A VERY VERY RARE ENCOUNTER WITH THE WILD!!!!!

Bornean Ground Cuckoo - Very rare bird of Borneo!

This bird is so so rare and difficult to find and yet alone to be photograph! I was with Lance, Jason and a couple of Italian Tourist on a morning cruise. Then We heard the call. Jason our bird specialist saw it first in the bushes and got very very excited and nervous. He started shouting and tried to call the bird back with his birds calls via Ipod. Then it appeared again very very quickly and ran away. I manage to picture a glimpse of it with a slightly blurred vision. The last foto of this bird was in 2005 by Simon Colenut if not mistaken. It it considered as threathened animal and a very rare bird. Listed in IUCN red list of Threatened species.!

Another surprise was a snake fell out of a tree near the restaurant with a frog on his mouth and it was trying to take it up back on the tree and was swallowing it. I manage to capture it from start to finish. I post just 1 pic for your pleasure. It was a pity to the frog. Snake was happy though! yummy.....!

Our trip ends in Sukau and our assignment is done. However our encounter with the wild has not over. Our our way home back to kk on Sunday night. It was raining heavily and we were near nalapak then I saw a short snake in the middle of the road and almost hit it. I ask Jason to stop and turn back. To our surprise it is still alive and it is a rare Blood Phyton or Short Phyton. We took some picture and make sure he was safe crossing the road.