Moving Up North: We had a blast!

I’ve been going back and forth from Labuan to Tuaran almost every week now. Not too much of birding activities, my missions are more to assisting my family to adjust to our new place away from the city.

We have moved to my hometown Tuaran, where almost everyone knows each other. A good place for bringing up the kids and also to have more opportunities for our birding activities!

Last weekend a good friend of ours, Mr.Alven Chang invited us for a visit to his resort lodge in Ulu Usukan, Kota Belud. Chai, Siesie, Ron and I together with our families were more than happy to oblige to his request. How often does one person get free stays in resorts? Let alone with family??

A 40 minutes drive from Tuaran (I was driving slowly…had to be extra careful coz I forgot when was the last time I went to Kota Belud…not familiar with the road), I was astonished to find a beautiful resort located in a unique environment.

Busy to fulfill all my kids’ request, I didn’t have any opportunity to take pictures of the lodges and the surrounding area to share here. Believe it or not, we didn’t even take any group photos in this particular trip! Sorry Alven, I’ll be back!

I have read and heard about the birds which can be found in Kota Belud especially from Jason’s Blog. We didn’t go to the Paddy Field but in our short spell there, I managed to capture lifers within the lodge’s area! Enjoy…

1. Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

2. Black-Belied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus diardi)

3. Black-Bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus diardi)

4. Brown-streaked Flycatcher (Muscicapa williamsoni)

5. Brown-streaked Flycatcher (Muscicapa williamsoni)

I have to say that this trip was more than I have expected. Going to a place which you don't know really well can cause some major frustration or some extreme excitement. Well, I personaly had the latter.

With that kind of results, I must admit I had a blast of a birding moments in a place which is called...The Teluk Usukan Resort. Alven, Thank you for the treat!