Scarlet-rumped Trogon ( harpactes duvaucelii ) 23.5-26.5 cm

The 'Star' on this birding trip is unquestionably a pair of Male & Female Scarlet-rumped Trogons. We heard the repeated calls but could not see them. When all of a sudden one of the members exclaimed 'there it is, there it is!!' And low and behold the Male was just only about 10 meters from our position! Even under the dim light of the forest at the time the colors of it's plumage shown so brilliantly. The red was so strikingly 'flourescent' and added to the all round excitement which had built up amongst the members by now.

The excitement on seeing the male had hardly settled down when another member of the team called out 'the female is over there!' Wow what an unexpected double bonus! There she was perched further deeper inside the forest and on a higher but 'clear' perch. She was visible as a thin streak of sunlight had penetrated through the forest's canopy and brightened up the surrounding area near to where she perched. Great stuff both!

Here are a few pics. 

                                       The Male

                                        The Female

Trekking thru' the 'Lost World of Sabah' aka Maliau Basin - Part II

                               THE BIRDS OF MALIAU BASIN

Whilst trekking from one camp to another - a total of 4 camps namely Agarthis, Carmel Trophy, Nephenthes and the Maliau Basin Studies Centre I recorded more than a dozen  bird species. Some are endemic to Borneo whilst others could also be found in other locations in Malaysia.

The photos were taken around the camps where our expedition members spent the night/s. In retrospect the bird 'harvest' could have been better given additional days in the camps. This will certainly figure in my plan for the future - to return to the Maliau Basin Studies Centre and engage in birding in the surrounding fringes of the forest.

                                 Scarlet-rumped Trogon

                               Tree Swift

                                 Bornean Spiderhunter

                                
                                 Scaly-Crowned Babbler

                                
                                Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher

                               
                                Vented Flowerpecker

                                
                                Bronze Drongo

                                Mountain Tailor Bird

                                
                                Flycatcher

                                Green Iora

                                
                                Oriental Darter

                                
                                Chestnut-crested Yuhinas

                                
                               Red-billed Malkoha

                                
                                White-fronted Falconet

                                
                                 Yellow-bellied Bul Bul

Scarlet-rumped Trogon ( Harpactes duvaucelii ) 23.5 - 26.5 cm

There was a short lull in-between an earlier bird wave when suddenly a fellow birder shouted in an excited voice ....Trogon, Trogon there there........ Instinctively our eyes followed the direction he pointed. It was a Trogon alright! A male Scarlet-rumped which had flown in very quietly and took a perch some distance from our position.

The photos are intended as a record.