Crimson-Headed Partridge (Haematortyx sanquiniceps)...

The commonest my foot! Well, don't mind that, that's just frustration talking...

Self : “The commonest partridge in Forest at Kinabalu National Park Headquarters”…they said it’s the commonest at the Headquarters!…How come we don’t see it always…like the Indigo Flycatcher, or the Borneon Flowerpecker or the Jungle Flycatcher…
Hubby : Maybe because they are commonly heard around here…
Self : Okayyyyy...


Obviously I did not do my reading and not until I read "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Mt Kinabalu by Hitoshi Nakayasu, Shigeru Asama and Alim Biun"...the distinctive loud calls of this partridge are heard around the Park Headquarters every morning, but the bird itself remains on the ground and seldom emerges from the dense undergrowth. In addition, is shy, and thus rarely seen...only then I go easy with myself.

But still. That did not stop my annoyance from biting hard on me. The fact that the Crimson- Headed Partridge is a montane endemic to Borneo did not pacify my disappointment rather it aggravated my annoyance more. If I did not chance upon it I would not be dissatisfied with myself that much.

But I did stumble upon it.
Not once.
Not twice.
But four times.
Not one partridge.
But a pair of them.
Would you blame me then for being annoying with myself?


First encounter...October 2009...
I was on the trail alone. I normally would not follow hubby to look for the Whitehead Trogon.
I saw something came up from the riverbank.
I zoomed my camera to the max.
It disappeared just as fast as it appeared.



Second encounter...
I was not on the trail.
I was waiting for the Whitebrowed Shortwing.
Suddenly it appeared out of nowhere.
But the undergrowth was just too thick.
I only got very blurry undistinguished photo.
I deleted it.


Third encounter...December 2009...
I was on the trail again...alone.
Suddenly I saw it from afar...facing towards me.
Again I zoomed my camera to the max.


I was taking my eye off the view finder when something popped up in front of me.
Another one just came up from the riverbank.
"No wonder" I thought...the other one might be waiting for the partner to come up.
I was shaking with excitement...I kneeled down.
My forefinger was trembling while clicking at the shutter button.
I became lightheaded.
Did they see me? Please don't see me, I prayed...
I think they did see me...But still they did not fly away...
I then tried my very best not to spook them...


The one in front of me started to move towards the other one.
I stooped and followed as slowly as I can.
They just can't stop moving.
And I just can't stop long enough to get a good and steady shots.


Hubby : You should push your ISO to 800...
Self : I just could not remember anything...everything went out of the window...
Hubby : You must remember that if you want sharper shots...



Fourth encounter...January 2010...
We decided to look and wait for the partridge.
Hubby was behind me when I heard him, "ppsssttt"...
I turned around and saw him pointing to his left.
My God! There they were, walking and skulking right next to us.
We took our position and started to crouch, waiting for them to come closer to the trail.
They would have noticed us by then but still they seemed to take their own sweet time looking for food.
I started to back off, zooming my camera in and out.
It was mighty difficult to get a clear shot what with the bushy undergrowth.




I was backing off when I saw it coming my way.
I stopped when I felt my heel on the edge of the riverbank.
There was nothing else I could do but clicked my camera.
I felt like it smacked right in front of my face, that was how close it was to me.


I guessed he thought that we were too close for comfort and make a detour.
It turned around and went back inside the bush.
By then, taking shots is pretty impossible.
We followed for a while until they decided to hop onto the trail.
This is the only good shot I could take.
It irked me when I did not see hubby taking shots at it.
"Why are you not taking photos" I said..."I was videotaping it" was his answer...http://amazingborneo.blogspot.com/2010/01/crimson-headed-patridge-haematortyx.html




I'm still not satisfied...
I'm still looking out for them...
I'm waiting for them to turn up...
...still...