Common Flameback Woodpecker [Male] @ Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

Common Flameback Woodpecker (Dinopium javanense) [Male] is a colorful, very active and attractive resident bird can be found in Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia

The photos were taken using Nikon D500 paired with Nikkor 500 PF lens, ISO 2000, F 5.6, EV -1.0. 

Tanjung Aru is a famous beach in Kota Kinabalu, just 6 km away from the capital city. The beach is an important place for family get way, children activities, kite flying, picnics, jogging and even wedding. It is the best place to witness sunset in the island. At the same time, it attracts wildlife and it has become a bird sanctuary. For best birding activities result at Tanjung Aru, avoid weekend, dusk and dawn as heavy crowd gathers around the beach area.

Kota Kinabalu can be considered as a transit place for many bird watchers and birders to Sabah, Borneo, East Malaysia as it is a gateway to other more exciting bird watching and bird photography destinations in the island, such as Mount Alab, Rainforest Discovery Center (RDC) and Mount Trusmadi. 

Due to its geography, Tanjung Aru also has a large bird population and varieties with a recorded more than 30 species of birds. It certainly entices many birders to be there. The main target birds include different types of kites, eagles, parrots, bee-eaters, swallows, kingfishers, shrikes, weavers, flycatchers, bulbuls, pigeons just to name a few. It has become a destination for migratory birds too. Other excellent nearby birding locations are Kampung Sembulan and Panampang paddy field.