Bird Photo Hunting at Kinabalu National Park

Hubby : Chai got good offer (as soon as he entered the car)
Self : Huh...(manevouring the car to the unlined, unlit road out from the airport)
Hubby : Chai will be going up to the mountain on Saturday...
Self : Huh...(trying hard to understand what hubby is getting at, harder still to understand the road that seems to change on every trip to the airport)
Hubby : Chai will return to KK on Sunday...
Self : Ohhhh...(a decent and safe respond)
Hubby : Sie Sie is coming also, so does Hazel.
Self : Ok (the only word that comes to mind, still blur)
Hubby : You come along tomorrow, follow them back on Sunday...
Self : Let me think about it (finally I got it!). Talk to the kids dulu la...

Hubby has been planning this trip a couple of weeks ago. He took a week long leave and has planned this trip with Ron. Weekend at National Park and then off to Sandakan, to return home on Wednesday. I gave him the green light but at the same time can't help feeling a bit disappointed caused I would not be able to tag along.

After nego2 with the kids, surprisingly they gave quite an easy blessings. I think it is more to them having my laptop to themselves and less harrasment from dear mum on house chores (their CPU is still under repair).

Chai and Sie Sie picked us up at around 9am. We insuk2 in Chai's kelisa...4 pax + camera bags + luggage bags + cooler box...bule tahan juga...the length we are willing to endure for the bird photo hunting.

It was an action packed weekend to say the least and the furry winged ones did not disappoint us. I have to wait for hubby to return to upload the birds photos...belum champen urang bilang..the only photos I can upload now is the one taken from my BB...

...L to R...Chai, hubby and Sie Sie...

We waited for Ron and Hazel at the Timpohon observatory tower. I spotted a pair of birds, Malaysian Treepie, and it was the only birds we managed to sight and took photo at the tower...might be their napping time...

...that's hubby with his new white lens or luxury lens (itu kalo mau ngada2)...it was delivered to him in Labuan and I know for a fact that he just could not wait to put them in action...test power la katakan...sampat lagi asked Chai to drop by at Investline to buy extender for the lens before we departed to the mountain...semangat...

...when Ron and Hazel arrived, with no bird in sight, we decided to go down to Liwagu Restaurant and walked to the Park entrance...

...bottom to top...Chai, Sie Sie, Hazel, Ron and hubby...

...Sie Sie and Hazel are the group's appointed bird spotters...and I have to tell you...these ladies are amazing...

Hazel a.k.a. Mrs Ron Pudin, knows her montaine birds very well...she can even recognized them by their chirping, whistling or whatever sound they make...ala ala bird whisperer gitu...she even knows which birds reside where...equipped with her bino and bird book for reference...she is a jewel to the group...

Sie Sie without the assistance of a bino relies on the leave movements to detect the birds...I tell you it is no easy task...she gave this comical body language when she spotted a bird and you need to watch her frequently...another jewel to the group...

...admit it guys...if not for these two ladies...you would not be able to get the birds as many for this trip...say thank you....

...hubby spotted a bird and set up his cam on Ron's Manfrotto monopod...the lens alone is about 1.2kg + 1kg cam without the battery grip...do the math people...I sampat chided him for not getting a tripod before...

...we were having our drink at Balsam Cafe when they spotted the Little Pied Flycatcher...the guys scurried down to take a good shot of the little bird...they spent sometime down there where Ron told hubby that he menyasal kasi pinjam his monopod...the walk up and down the hilly road is taking a toll on everybody...but everybody is still game...

...this is taken on our 2nd day at the park at Timpohon observatory tower...
L to R...self, hubby, Ron, Hazel
bottom...Chai
Photographer...Sie Sie

...we were supposed to go up to the 1st station (whatever that is as I have never before climbed up to the mountain)... I think I am the only one in the group that has yet to climb the mountain and as a 1st timer, I tell you...every part of my body is screaming for mercy...takut malu is the only thing that kept me going...

...lucky we cut the trip short as the weather is not on our side...the backlighting is every photographer's nightmare and the birds do not seem too keen to show themselves...but the mountain's landscape is every photograher's dream.

...after failing to get any decent shots of the birds...the guys decided to head back much to my relief...the just around the corner...turn to another corner...and another corner...with no 1st station in sight...I was puffing tired and the two ladies, wow, I have to tell you it is like they naik tangga mau pigi shopping...

Hubby : Come let me take your photo...

Self : What for...

Hubby : Your first time kan di gunung...

Self : Ok...jauh jauh sikit...tiada melukis muka ni...

Note to self...clean the dust off the exercise bike and start cycling...never know when hubby will extend invitation to another trip...

...hope I will be able to post some of the birds' photos once I complete the tutorial from hubby...

...photos must be labeled with your name...susah susah kita tangkap gambar...senang senang pula orang curi nanti...