Danum Valley Day 2

Enjoyed seeing a Yellow-breasted Flowerpecker at breakfast almost as much as I enjoyed the omelette this morning! So we were off on the trails again this morning and we started with our first Ferruginous Babbler feeding alongside the main track, followed by Bornean Blue Flycatcher, Spotted Fantail and Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher. 

Record shot of Bornean Bristlehead

Spotted Fantail

Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher

Along the trails we walked for just over 4kms, some of it was quite muddy but on the whole it was pretty easy going with minimal leech contact – in fact my personal leech count was only 4! We saw both Scaly-crowned and Rufous-crowned Babblers, with our only  Moustached Babblers of the tour seen towards the end of our walk and a brief Chestnut-naped Forktail was also seen by a few of us. 

Blue-headed Pitta

But the undoubted highlight was a cracking Blue-headed Pitta that posed repeatedly for us to enjoy at leisure and what a bird this is. Just a shame the calling Great Argus couldn’t be located.  We also had a real treat when we came across the same mamma and juv Orang-Utan and large male as well during the mornings walk - and they gave crippling views. I admit I hung back and sat and watched these amazing animals for a few minutes on my own and felt incredibly privileged to spend a little time with them. In fact they weren't bothered buy my presence and moved around the canopy quite close to me before I backed away quietly and left them to it. There were also some Bornean Gibbons, a Grey-headed Fish-Eagle and a Black-and-yellow Broadbill in the garden spotted at lunchtime from the restaurant.

Bornean Orang-Utan - you gotta love these guys....

After lunch we met up at 3.15pm and headed over the river despite the light rain that eventually cleared and we found Striped Wren-Babbler, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Purple-naped Spiderhunter, White-crowned Forktail, both Dusky and Black-and-red Broadbill, and a superb Large-billed Blue Flycatcher.

Large-billed Blue-Flycatcher

Another close Black-and-yellow Broadbill

The night drive gave us Malay Civet, Sambar, Red Giant Flying Squirrel and a heard-only Sunda Frogmouth.