A birding experience at Sepilok, Sandakan

My husband and I developed a pension for birds by chance. We were on a holiday trip to Lake Kenyir where our hotel room fronted several large palm and fruiting trees. To our surprise, we were treated to a bird feast where we spotted many beautiful birds perched on the trees, in search of foods such as berries and bugs. That really got us started on bird-watching and it is a wonderful hobby.  The thrill of finding and identifying uncommon birds and the love of photography prompted both of us to take up this hobby seriously. 

All you need are a pair of binoculars, high-zoom camera (if you enjoy taking wild-life pictures) and preferably a bird-identification book, so you could at least identify some of the birds that you have spotted. Lastly, you must be patient as this is basically a ‘waiting’ game where you will have to wait for the birds to appear or fly pass. The best time to go bird-watching would be from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm (Peninsular Malaysia) and earlier if you are at East Malaysia, where the birds are at their most active. 

Our recent birding trip was to Sepilok, Sandakan, situated in the state of Sabah. Sepilok boasts some of the nation’s best tourist attractions such at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center and the Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) which are home to more than two hundred species of birds (some of these birds are found only in Borneo).  You can get to Sandakan via flights from airlines such as MAS, Firefly and Airasia. (Ticket priced at RM 219/person for a return flight plus in-flight food). From the Sandakan airport, catch a taxi ride to Sepilok which is about 30 minutes away (RM 35 one way). You can check yourself into one of the many resorts and bed and breakfast establishments in Sepilok. We stayed at Sepilok Bed and Breakfast for RM 68/night (with complimentary light breakfast prepared for guests as early as 6:30 am daily). 

This rustic-looking establishment is located strategically at the fringe of the RDC and is about 1 km from the Orang Utan Sanctuary, thus saving you alot of money on transportation. Though our accommodation is nowhere near town, you can still find food as many of the accommodations have cooks and the food served is reasonably priced (RM 9/meal). After unpacking, we began our itinerary as follows:

Day 1 – Day 2

Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC)

RDC is a great conservation and education effort from the government of Sabah. RDC was established to help showcase the wonder and importance of Borneo’s rainforests. The RDC’s main highlights are the canopy walks, birders’ trails, Plant Discovery Garden and a small lake for boat rides. Projects are underway to extend the canopy walkway and to build a café where people can stop to rest and have some food and drinks. As of 2009, RDC has also become the official venue for the annual Borneo Bird Festival which attracts thousands of international and local bird enthusiasts to Sabah. The center opens daily, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (entrance fee costs RM 5/person for Malaysians and RM 10 for international visitors).

A beautiful male sunbird

My husband and I enjoyed trekking on all the birders’ trails (e.g Kingfisher trail, Pittas path, Ridge trail, Woodpecker Avenue) and the canopy walkway. The walkway and its towers (called Bristlehead and Trogon towers) are also great for bird-watchers to steal a glimpse of the resident Bornean bristleheads, one of the rarest birds in Sabah! Apart from that, there are another 250 species of birds to look out for, including hornbills, pittas, kingfishers and broadbills. Unfortunately we did not manage to see any Bristlehead, but we did encounter many resident birds such as the Oriental Pied Hornbill, Red-naped Trogon, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Brown Barbet, Black-and-red Broadbill and Black-and-yellow Broadbill. We spent two days in RDC and recorded about 40 species of birds in total. The more experienced birders may be able to spot more than 100 species of birds by listening to their calls and finding them on birding scopes.

A female red-naped trogon

Day 3

The Kinabatangan Floodplain

The Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah and provides a rich ecosystem. The Kinabatangan floodplain is a two-hour drive away from Sepilok, or two and a half hour from Sandakan town. You can find many wildlife animals, namely the Bornean Orang Utan, silver-leaf monkeys, proboscis monkeys, long-tail macaques, most of which are endemic to Borneo. Of all the primates, I have to say that the Proboscis monkey is the weirdest-looking. The male proboscis monkey has a long pendulous nose and an out-sized stomach. The dominant male is always seemed surrounded by many females (a group of them is called a harem), apparently attracted to its good looks. These elusive creatures feed on leaves and seeds.

For birders, you can expect to see water-dwelling bird species such as the Oriental Darter, Lesser Adjutant, Storm Stork, Blue-eared kingfisher, Crested Serpent-Eagle and Lesser Fish-Eagle. You may also see crocodiles, and if you are very lucky you may catch a glimpse of the Bornean Pygmy Elephant feeding on the edge of the Kinabatangan River. Apart from the mammals and bird life, you can also spot many insects, reptiles and amphibians including snakes, frogs and stick insects.

Kinabatangan river cruise

The day tour for the Kinabatangan River Cruise will set you back about RM 275/person (for a two hour cruise), but it is worth every ringgit. You can also opt for a 2D1N or 3D2N jungle stay at one of the lodges along the river edge and cruise the river again the following day or simply enjoy the many activities offered such as night walks and night river cruise.

Day 4

Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center

This is a more touristy place compared to the RDC. Many international visitors flocked to the place to witness the Orang Utan in their element. Entrance fee is the same as the RDC but you would also need to fork out an additional RM 10 if you are carrying photography equipment. Once there, you are treated to a video presentation of the sanctuary and it inhabitants. The center located on over 4000 hectares of lush forest was set up in 1964 to rehabilitate orphaned baby Orang Utan. The feeding times for the Orang Utans are at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm daily. The gentle creatures will assemble at the feeding platforms once they see their guides and feeders coming with vegetables and fruits. Apart from this primate, you can also see the aggressive-looking pig-tailed macaques wondering about at the sanctuary, playing and goofing around with one another. 

Orang Utan

After the feeding sessions, birders can also participate in another activity where they can proceed to the birders and mangrove trails in search of forest birds such as the Rufous Picculet (the smallest woodpecker), Flycatchers, White-crowned Sharma and Broadbills.  The trails are only open from 11:00 am and for about an hour only. Hence, you need to be aware of the time so you won’t miss out on this opportunity. My husband and I were very fortunate as we were caught in a middle of a bird wave (Note: a bird wave is where many species of birds fly together in search of food and it seems that flying in large flock serves as a protection from predators as well). During the bird wave, we managed to identify about seven species of birds, namely the Greater-racket tailed Drongo, Bronze Drongo, Raffles Malkoha, two species of woodpeckers, Black-and-Red Broadbill and a pair of green leaf birds.

Black-and-yellow broadbill

Before we knew it, it is about time to head back to Kuala Lumpur. Sepilok and its surroundings are indeed bird havens due to the almost untouched rain forests. In a nutshell, Sepilok and the people (and also birds) of Sabah managed to capture our hearts and we know we will be coming back for more in the near future (Note: Pics from David Chan).

Black hornbill

The green lungs of KL: Popular birding spots in Klang Valley

Birding is a hobby which is not necessarily expensive and is a stress-reliever during the weekends.

All birds have their signature calls and these are music to the ears, soothing sounds that greet us early in the morning against the backdrop of incessant car honking and the revving sound of motor engines (Pic: Common Shrike).

The benefits of bird-watching:

1.Health – increase physical activities and relieve stress

2.Personal development – develop patience and love/empathy for life

3.Conservation – Educate and create awareness about biodiversity and birds to others

How and where to start birding?

Firstly, you need to know how and where to go about birding. You need not venture far as many beginners started bird-watching at their own backyard or at their own balconies at home. Try looking at places such as telephone and lamp posts (you may find an eagle perched on these structures), dead tree branches (good perching points for birds like common mynas, dollarbirds, falconets, kingfishers and bee-eaters) and telephone lines (swallows, bulbuls and crows) to gain ‘awareness’ of their existence. Simply looking up at the skies or just any trees and chances are you might spot starlings, pigeons, doves and sunbirds going about their business.

Best times for bird-watching are from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm where most birds come out to find food. Have an insect repellent ready at hand to ward off mosquitoes. If you are contemplating visiting forest reserves for bird-watching activities, do ensure that you bring sufficient amount of water to avoid dehydration and heat strokes. Wear appropriate attire (no bright-coloured clothing) and comfortable walking shoes. A pair of good binoculars and bird-identification book will also make birding easier. Try listing down the species of birds spotted at specific locations and start archiving from there. You can always add on and improve on this list when you go back for your next birding trip (Pic: Bittern).

Bird-watching essentials:

1. Bottled water

2. Sunscreen SPF 50 and above

3. Cap/hat

4. Comfortable attire (plus a pair of good walking shoes)

5. Granola bar or fruits/packed food (for energy sustenance)

6. A pair of binoculars (camera if you want to capture the birds on film)

7. Guide book on birds (for identification)

8. Notebook & pen (for bird-listing)

9. Insect repellent

Most people are not aware that there are many uncommon species of birds surrounding us, yes, even in the big city of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Amidst the dense industrial, commercial and residential areas, you will still find pockets of green lungs where animals (and birds included) call home. Most of the birds are resident birds but you can also find migratory birds on their passage either to the Southern or Northern hemisphere, using Malaysia as their pit stop to rest before making their way again.

These are my top 3 favourite birding sites in Klang Valley:

1. Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong

Located in Kepong, FRIM is ideal and a must for families and nature lovers who are staying in Klang Valley. Many people came here for nature sports such as biking, jogging and brisk-walking. FRIM is also a popular choice for many organizations to organise their company activities such as camping. Founded in 1929, this 600-hectare tropical forest serves as a research institute, tourist attraction (responsible eco-tourism) and also the habitat for more than 20,000 species of plants and animals.

Entrance fee: RM 5.00 for the driver and car; each passenger is charged an additional RM 1.00.

Walk-in visitors need to pay RM1.00 per person. The Canopy Walk is only open from 9am - 1.30pm and closed on Monday and Friday.

Operating hours:

Mondays - Thursdays 8.00 am - 1.00 and 2.00 pm - 4.30 pm
Fridays - 8.00 am - 12.15 pm and 2.45 pm - 4.30 pm

(Pic: Emerald Dove)

2. Taman Cahaya Alam (Taman Pertanian), Shah Alam

The Malaysia Agriculture Park was opened to the public in 1986 and located in Shah Alam, Selangor. The area, which is also known as Bukit Cherakah, covering 1,295 hectares of virgin jungle is the world's first agro-forestry park. There are many gardens in this park amongst which are the Spice Garden, Ornamental Garden, Orchid Garden, Cactus Garden and an animal park. Bicycles are available for rent at the park while free bus service is provided to ferry visitors to various spots within the park. If you like fishing, there are lakes within the park that you can fish for a fee of RM2 per fishing rod.

Entrance fee: RM 3.00 per adult, RM 1.00 per child/senior citizen (excludes bicycle rentals, sky-trex, four seasons temperature garden).

(Pic: Maroon woodpecker)

Operating hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm Tuesdays to Sundays. Closed on Mondays except public or school holidays.

(Pics: Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and White-rumped Munia)

3. Paya Indah Wetlands, Dengkil

A sanctuary it is for the birds (water birds), this 3,100-hectare is located in Dengkil in the state of Selangor (an hour ride from the capital city, KL, and 20 minutes from KLIA). This wetland is a degraded ex-tin mining land and peat swamp forest. The authorities have intended for Paya Indah to be an eco-tourism attraction, showcasing Malaysia’s efforts towards achieving environmentally sound development in tourism, restoration of degraded areas and conservation of natural resources. Currently, only the recreational zone is open to public. Besides birding, one can try other activities such as fishing, cycling and hippo feeding. There’s also a crocodile pond.

Entrance: Free (there are also chalets and camping sites for rent)

Operating hours: 7:30am – 7:30pm

The love for birds and conservation can be inculcated in everyone, especially young children (rather than the focus on material things). This also moulds the future generation to be aware that we, the human beings are not to be considered as superior beings compared to other living beings on the face of the earth but should co-exist for a harmonious and sustainable existence.

(Pic: Black-backed Swamphen)