Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley

Our last morning in this wonderful place and thankfully the overnight rain stopped at daybreak so we had a crack at searching for a bird that everyone was particularly keen to try for. So as we made our way along a narrow creek, the adrenaline began to rush when a Bornean Ground-Cuckoo began calling nearby. Holy Cow! A game of cat-and-mouse began as we positioned the boat amongst the riverside trees and waited….. And waited. Eventually the beastie began calling nearer and after some hasty repositioning the bird was spotted deep in cover as it called from a branch several feet above the ground. In fact we had three different glimpses of the bird calling from various places but not everyone could get on it. So we went ‘ashore’ and braved a million leeches and mosquitos but the bird was always one step ahead every time, no matter what we tried. Surreptitious high fives from the lucky observers and I will never forget that moment when I latched onto the bird in my bins and the image will forever be seared into my brain.

Helmetted Hornbill

We left here after breakfast and drove to Lahad Datu for lunch and onwards to the amazing Borneo Rainforest Lodge in Danum Valley. A late afternoon walk gave us a taster of what was to come with Golden-whiskered Barbet, Rufous-chested Flycatcher, Grey-cheeked Bulbul, the endemic White-crowned Shama and a pair of Helmetted Hornbills in company with 5 Rhinoceros Hornbills – our 8^th and final hornbill species.