Taman Negara Day 4 - Pure Jam!

Well the day started brilliantly back at the fruiting tree across the river, as the first bird I put my binoculars on was a male Jambu Fruit-dove!! I couldn’t get the words out quick enough when i saw it and there was probably some expletive mixed in with the bird’s name but I didn’t care, everyone got on it easily and it stayed feeding the whole time we were there. A female was also present but was nothing on the male! 

Jambu Fruit-dove

Jambu Fruit-dove

Jambu Fruit-dove

Today was also turning into a bulbul-fest as Finsch’s and Buff-vented were among the first of 12 we had today. But, alas, no partridges so we hailed a boat and went over to the Kuala Tehan side where we negotiated for a boat to take us upriver for about 45 minutes to a different trail. It was very pleasant sailing upriver, with clear blue skies and primary rainforest all around, Rhinoceros and Wreathed Hornbills flying over. 

Straw-headed Bulbul - record shot.

Another lifer appeared in the shape of a Straw-headed Bulbul perched on the riverbank and we followed it for a while, a really impressive bulbul for a change. Once we were dropped off we birded around the old buildings where some flowering trees were pulling in Olive-winged Bulbul, Sultan Tit, Violet Cuckoo, another pair of Finsch’s Bulbuls, Blue-winged Leafbird, Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker, and some others as well.

Chestnut-naped Forktail

Chestnut-naped Forktail

Chestnut-naped Forktail

One of the highlights of my trip then occurred, and a bird I’ve waited for years to see and been asked by a fair few people where they can get it……. On the small stream running along the edge of the forest was a Chestnut-naped Forktail. I couldn’t believe it and had shaky hands trying to hold the bins still but it was going nowhere, in fact after we’d all watched it for a while I braved the leeches and stole downstream slowly and hid behind a mossy boulder and waited for a bit. Sure enough the bird began working it’s way towards me, oblivious it seemed and kept on coming. I was all set up for a long (ish) range photo when it crossed a patch of sunlight midstream but it came so close and I was afraid to move my hands to change the iso setting. This was incredible for an allegedly skittish bird to allow me the privilege of being so close to one of my dream birds – and I fortunately got a couple of decent images out of about 300 taken! Shaky hands again didn’t help – but I didn’t realise at the time I was on the point of some bad virus that would lay me low for the next 24 hours. Anyway we worked the trail uphill a short distance but apart from calling Great Argus and Malayan Banded Pitta and some previously seen babblers it was quiet. So we returned to Kuala Tehan mid-afternoon and I took to bed whilst the others nailed Helmetted Hornbill – not jealous at all!