Kinabatangan River

Set out in the boat at first light, which was around 6am and headed to a narrow tributary. The only bird I really remember from the short time we were out before a heavy downpour was a pair of White-chested Babblers that showed nicely in a clearing at the water’s edge. Oh, there was also a pair of flyover Storm’s Storks, and a silhouetted Bornean Black Magpie. The downpour was almost of biblical proportions and we returned to the lodge a little wetter than when we left it. But after a fine breakfast the weather cleared and the sun put in a rare appearance, so set back out at 08:40am and returned to the same area. I think we were too late to get any response from Bornean Ground-cuckoo and indeed the surrounding forest was extremely quiet – don’t listen to other tour reports that tell you the side channels keep their activity going longer! It was hard work sitting in a boat, trundling along for hours in the sunshine and heat! 

Blue-eared Kingfisher

Malaysian Blue Flycatcher

White-fronted Falconet (endemic)

Yet there were some extremely confiding birds, such as a Black-and-yellow Broadbill right beside the boat, Asian Drongo Cuckoo, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Red-naped Trogon, Blue-eared and Rufous-backed Kingfishers, Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Malaysian Blue Flycatcher, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, and last but not least the stunning endemic White-fronted Falconet. We retuned to the lodge by 12:00 and nearly, but not quite, avoided another drenching.

Wrinkled Hornbill

Yellow Bittern

Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

Indian Cuckoo

Pink-necked Green-Pigeon

In the afternoon we went upriver, failing to dodge more showers and got a thorough drenching but in the dry bits we saw 2 Yellow Bitterns, Striated Heron, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish-Eagles, Storm’s Stork, Wrinkled Hornbill, Wallace’s Hawk-Eagle, many Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Indian Cuckoo, a group of 4 Rufous Woodpeckers and Collared Kingfisher.

Sepilok - Kinabatangan River

We had a good walk from the lodge this morning, and despite not finding Hooded Pitta we scored with a cracking Chestnut-necklaced Partridge skulking in the dark and shady forest floor. We also saw Short-tailed and Black-capped Babblers here and there was a small flock in a nearby tree with Large Woodshrike and several Dark-throated Orioles. 

Dark-throated Oriole

Large Woodshrike - very gloomy early morning light...

A distant dead tree held a Blue-eared Barbet and a pair of Bornean Brown Barbets and there was a close pair of Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrots as well before we headed back for breakfast and then set out on the hour and a bit drive to Gomantong Cave. Upon arrival we followed the boardwalk to the cave and along the way we saw another Black-capped Babbler and a very confiding Scarlet-rumped Trogon. 

Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Once at the cave we followed the path inside where we saw Mossy-nest and Black-nest Swiftlets in huge numbers, despite the work going on collecting nests for the food trade. Unfortunately all of the Edible-nest Swiftlet nests had already been harvested and overall I don’t think this was a very good experience, seeing the guys collecting the nests and making quite a racket. You have to ask why people want to eat this stuff and surely there’s some alternative?  Walking back to the coach we saw a Sooty-capped Babbler gleaning insects from the nearby trees and a Rufous-chested Flycatcher sang away beside the boardwalk allowing walk-away views.

Rufous-chested Flycatcher

Scaly-crowned Babbler

It was just a short 20 minute drive to the Kinabatangan River and a quick 5 minute journey to our excellent lodge. After lunch we set out on our first boat ride and this proved to be a fantastic way to see the wildlife of the area in a very relaxed fashion. We saw Storm’s Stork quite quickly and had seconds later in the afternoon as we sailed along. 

Easy birding along the Kinabatangan River

Storm's Stork

The variety of birdlife you can see along the river is extraordinary and during our journey we saw Bushy-crested, Black, Oriental Pied, Rhinoceros and the much-wanted Wrinkled Hornbill as well. There was also a Peregrine, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Grey-headed Fish-Eagle, Bat Hawk, Blue-throated Bee-eater, a gang of noisy Bold-striped Tit-Babblers and Chestnut-breasted Malkoha.

Wrinkled Hornbill

Grey-headed Fish-Eagle

The undoubted non-avian highlight was a large male Proboscis Monkey feeding close to the river and we spent some time watching him – what a beast! But I suppose the largest Crocodile I’ve ever seen ran it a close second. This monster was along a quiet tributary and it certainly sent a few shivers along my spine – we definitely needed a bigger boat! 

Proboscis Monkey - reminds me of someone....

A flyby Great Slaty Woodpecker somehow eluded most of us, but a Hooded Pitta put on quite a show, with several low flyovers before we finally nailed it on its song perch. We ended with another Black-and-red Broadbill and a Lesser Adjutant before returning to the lodge at sunset.

Black-and-red Broadbill is very common here

After a great dinner we spent an entertaining hour during which a Bornean Brown Wood Owl (hedging my bets on the name as it is a potential split!) appeared several times, followed by an awesome Large Frogmouth frozen on a branch right over our heads, and we ended with a mean-looking one-eyed Buffy Fish Owl that appeared nearby, with a Small Toothed Civet also seen. Wow!

Brown Wood Owl - a future split and another endemic...?

Buffy Fish Owl

Large Frogmouth

Small-toothed Civet

Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok.

A great day at the Rainforest Discovery Centre full of brilliant birds and I always look forward to seeing some of those classic south-east Asian birds. It began with a Rhinoceros Hornbill in the lodge gardens at daybreak, along with Oriental Pied Hornbill and a flock of Little Green Pigeons. Then we drove just a couple of minutes to the car park at the RDC where we walked just 200m to the canopy walkway to begin our pre-breakfast birding. It was still quite early, around 6am when we arrived so we scoped the surrounding forest of the car park where a group of Bushy-crested Hornbills appeared. Up on the boardwalk the forest was a little quiet but there was an exceptionally confiding Violet Cuckoo that was feeding in a tree right next to the walkway. 

Violet Cuckoo - wow!!

 Then an endemic Black-crowned Pitta began calling and unbelievably I located it perched 30 feet off the ground and only just below the level of the walkway where it was calling away and remained on view for a good 15 minutes - and you could say the photo opportunities were quite good, despite the poor light. 

Black-crowned Pitta (endemic)

We hung around the walkway for a while seeing a group of Chestnut-rumped Babblers moving quickly below the walkway, Hairy-backed Bulbul, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Van Hasselt’s Sunbird, as well as other common species.

Stork-billed Kingfisher from the breakfast table

 After breakfast (and a close Stork-billed Kingfisher) we retuned to the Rainforest Discovery Centre and headed out onto the trails and managed to catch up with Rufous-collared Kingfisher thanks to some great spotting by Kath, and there was also some point-blank views of Rufous-backed (Oriental Dwarf) Kingfisher along a small stream. A pair of Fluffy-backed Tit-Babblers were exceptionally confiding, with the male performing right out in the open for us but it was a shame that a calling Black-capped Babbler didn’t come in and do the same. 

Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler

We also had great looks at a Little Spiderhunter, Black Hornbill, Plaintive Cuckoo, Black-and-red Broadbill, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Cream-vented Bulbul, Lesser Green Leafbird, Ashy and Rufous-tailed Tailorbirds, and a Red Giant Flying Squirrel poking his head out of a large nestbox high overhead. Meanwhile back in the car park a group of White-rumped Spinetails were circling really quite low overhead and gave outstanding views.

Little Spiderhunter

After lunch in Sandakan we staked out the car park of the Orang-utan Research Centre where a Bornean Black Magpie was teed up in the scope, and an immense White-bellied Woodpecker was also seen. There were lots of Long-tailed Parakeets here as well, plus a group of 8+ Bushy-crested Hornbills and a few Common Hill-Mynas. Afterwards, we returned to the trails but it was very quiet so headed up onto the canopy walkway, where despite the light rain we had our first Bornean Orang-Utan feeding in a nearby tree. There was also an adult Wallace’s Hawk-Eagle, closer Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrikes and Black-and-yellow Broadbills, and a great scope view of White-crowned Hornbill, our 5^th hornbill species of the day.

A distant Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

White-crowned Hornbill

Other species seen today include Intermediate Egret, Brahminy Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Lesser Cuckooshrike, Fiery Minivet, Black-naped Monarch, and several Slender-billed Crows.

Poring Hot Springs - Sepilok

Spent four hours at Poring Hot Springs doing some easy birding this morning and racked up plenty of new birds for the trip as this was the first time we’d birded the lowlands. Upon arrival we walked along the road and saw plenty of endemic Dusky Munias, followed by Asian Red-eyed Bulbul, followed by a Buff-rumped Woodpecker that flew into the palm tree next to us and began feeding. 

Buff-rumped Woodpecker

Walking into the forest we were treated to a migrant Narcissus Flycatcher, along with Yellow-bellied Warbler, Black-naped Monarch, Red-throated Sunbird, Raffles’s Malkoha, Greater Green Leafbird, Green Iora, Purple-naped Spiderhunter (formerly sunbird) and found a Gold-whiskered Barbet excavating a nest hole, followed by the bizarre sighting of a pair of endemic White-crowned Shamas feeding an almost fully grown Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo. 

Gold-whiskered Barbet

Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo

White-crowned Shama

Further along we saw Spectacled and Black-headed Bulbuls, White-bellied Erpornis, Little Spiderhunter, Orange-bellied Flowerpecker and Plain Sunbird. Walking back down to the parking lot an Emerald Dove flew by, a Buff-necked Woodpecker appeared, followed by a fine Fulvous-chested Jungle-Flycatcher and an adult Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo. 

Fulvous-chested Jungle-Flycatcher

Then we followed the Waterfall Trail a short distance and found it very quiet in the rising heat of the day, although there was a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Olive-winged Bulbul, a pair of Red-throated Barbets showed briefly, a Rufous-tailed Tailorbird was called in, a Grey-headed Babbler was seen by two people and a Crimson Sunbird was spotted beside the path. We also scoped a Blue-eared Barbet singing away at the top of a tall tree and this is now split by HBW as Black-eared Barbet and endemic to Borneo.

After a mundane drive of around 4 hours through depressing oil palm plantations we arrived at our lodge at Sepilok at 4pm. After dropping our bags in our rooms we met in the car park and walked around the surprisingly lush vicinity. 

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker

An endemic Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker and the common Brown-throated Sunbird showed well in the garden. We scoped a distant Dollarbird and Long-tailed Parakeet, with a closer Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker seen before returning for a nice hot shower.