3, 2 ,1...Action...

My 'got landslide at Ranau' was answered with 'one lane is still passable' by hubby. One could hardly deny his enthusiasm when it comes to birding. And I was not expecting any less from him.


Saturday, 5 December 2009...

Hubby : Called Alphon, asked him where the landslide is...

Self : (on the phone)...where's the landslide...
Alphon : ...about 3 kilometres from the junction to Kota Belud...
Self : Where are you now...
Alphon : ...at Bundu Tuhan...it's raining and foggy...


Hmmm...that is not a good sign. Not a good sign at all. A definite no no for photography.

In anticipation to the landslide and also a warning from Alphon pertaining to traffic congestion nearing the landslide site, we departed early from Tuaran than usual. Even the canteen has not opened when we arrived. It was drizzling and the dreaded thick fog did not seem to want to go away any sooner.

We were having our breakfast when we heard loud bird sound...

Self : Magpie or the treepie...
Hubby : Magpie...
Self : They sounded very near...
Hubby : Yeah...
Alphon : Sometimes they are not that near...they sounded near as they are very loud...


While hubby and Alphon was dilly dallying, I finished my Maggi quickly and rushed behind the hall. I was thinking that maybe, just maybe the magpies are nearby as they are just too loud. I held up my head all the time, trying to locate the sound. They sounded just too close for comfort. The fog was of no help at all and I have to squint my eyes harder for clearer vision.

Then I caught a movement from up high. I saw a pair of them sort of fighting each other off. I quickly aimed my camera and started gunning the shutter button.

With my forefinger pressing down hard on the shutter button, I yelled at the top of my lungs for hubby and Alphon, my voice echoing around the park...


Self : Hurry up, hurry up...there's two of them...they're eating something...
Self : Hurryyyyy uppppppp...not two...there's four of them...


As expected the images are not of the high quality ones, didn't even come close. But I enjoyed myself nonetheless as it is not always everyday that one would came across the opportunities watching the antics of the feathered ones.

Short-tailed Magpie (Cissa thalassina)

...saw a pair of them...they had their back on me...

...I still could not make out what they're up to...

...a tug of war ensued...I thought it was a snake...

...until I saw the claw...I think it was a gecko...

...survival of the fittest...

...the agony of defeat...I think...for now...

...anddddddd...
cut...