Hi Bill
As I mentioned to Paul there's plenty of birding around MT Kinabalu for
a week or so. A number of trails [you can get a map from the NP HQ]
begin near the hostels and lodges [chalets]......sometimes it is a good
idea to work a trail a number of times at different times to see how the
birds feed through their territories. Bird waves can occur on any of
these trails as well as around the lodges and along the main roads
[particularly the road to the Mountain Gate where the ascent begins].
In places like Kinabalu different species can occupy different
altitudes......in the Park the altitude is already considerable but even
so different birds frequent the HQ, below the HQ down along the streams
and river, and up at the Gate. To get lower altitude birds you can take
transport [public or chartered] down to Poring Hot Springs, or across to
Maliau [another resort part of the Park] where different species can be
seen.
Around the Gate [catch the climbers' bus from the HQ up and walk down]
you can 'fluke' a couple of the highest altitude birds, see many others,
and come down to the lodges on great trails as a change from the road.
As anywhere in Asia it can be very quiet for a while and then get
interesting.....be philosophical about the exercise and enjoy the
special views of Mt Kinabalu which is often in view.
The weather can change quickly, particularly in the wet season, so be
prepared to take off and put on clothes to stay dry. When it stops
raining, the humidity goes up, the insects and birds get busy feeding
before the next showers.
Look below the Hostels from the decks for the Sunda whistling thrush, a
great bird to see. The 'whitehead' endemics can be seen on the trails
near the lodges...the mountain serpent-eagle and the bornean partidges
up near the Climbing Gate.
McKinnon and Phillips' 'Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumarta,
Java and Bali' is probably still the best guide to have.
Laurie Living
William Jolly wrote:
G’day Laurie
I wonder if you’d mind if I picked your brain a little?
I saw your reply to Paul Dodd about his upcoming trip to Kota
Kinabalu, and I dropped Paul a note to ask him to let me know how he
got on – but now with the current cheap airfares I’m very tempted to
take a trip up there before he gets back!
Eileen and I have been pondering a short break, and have long wanted
to visit Mount Kinabalu. No climbing contemplated.
I’m guessing we should just spend our time around the ‘base camp’. Not
sure about accommodation or hiring a car and venturing further, what’s
intended as a short relaxing break can all too easily turn into a safari!
All thoughts and all ideas for a slow-paced birding week would be much
appreciated.
Thanks a lot
Bill
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