Bye bye, Borneo

We have left Sabah and are arrowing through a very cloudy sky on a B737-800 back towards Kuala Lumpur where we spend a night before moving further east to Manila, so its bye bye, Borneo. There has been so much to see and record that it would take hours to set it all down, but I feel I should tie up a few loose ends.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know by now that I have a fetish (the only one I’m admitting to), about Bee-eaters, Rollers and Kingfishers. Indeed, there have been a couple of blogs dedicated to the quest to see some of these delights. The target in Borneo was to see two species of bee-eater, one roller and as many kingfishers as possible (there are several species there). 

It’s always a good idea to make your guide aware of your target list, because it gives them a focus. I know from personal experience that if somebody says that he/she has never seen a Cuckoo, for example, I will pull out all the stops to find one. It adds a bit of spice to a regular walk, with the bonus of bringing a smile of delight to the face of the person in question. There is also the added benefit of your particular guide sharing your aspirations with his colleagues, effectively multiplying your spotters and mining their local knowledge. 

With this in mind we set out the wish list, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Red-bearded Bee-eater, Oriental Dollarbird, and just assumed kingfishers would reveal themselves at some point. This met with a noncommittal response initially, although Dollarbird seemed on the cards. As it turned out, we needed no help with that since one appeared atop a dead tree across the lake from our lodge at Sepilok on the very first evening we sat sipping a beer in the oppressive swelter (apologies for dreadful photograph). We saw a couple of others during our stay, unfortunately not getting very good views, but nonetheless the bird was in the bag.

At Sukau, the guide was hopeful for Blue-throated, and late one afternoon from our small boat cruising along the Kimbatangan River he announced “at the top of the dead tree, on the left hand side is a Blue-throated Bee-eater”. And there it was, a tiny speck looking for all the world like a twig. How he spotted it goodness knows, but he did and this was cause for rejoicing. I took a few snaps, simply as a record, and although very indistinct, it is unmistakably the bird we were seeking. We also spotted Blue-eared, Stork-billed and Collared Kingfishers there, getting stunning views of all three.

The bearded bee-eaters, there are three species, are forest dwellers which automatically puts them into the ‘could be tricky’ category. For one thing they are not going to be found in the open perched on wires, or swooping around in flocks, these birds spend a lot of time sitting quietly in the thick canopy. You need a lot of help and/or a lot of luck to find them. Our guide took us to the core zone of Tabin where the forest is thickest and is the best spot for the Red-bearded. We drove slowly along the trail scrutinising the dense mass of foliage for any movement, trying to entice the birds into the open by playing their calls, which to my surprise is a loud croak, nothing like the usual jaunty ‘thrip’ of most other bee-eater species. No luck. We can try again later we thought.

Over lunch I spoke to a couple of guides, older, hardened birders, who we passed once or twice as they walked the same trail during the morning. To my frustration they had seen the birds just a couple of minutes after we drove by them. “It’s no big deal” one of them said, meaning that they are not so hard to find if you keep at it. He wished us luck the following day. 

That day dawned bright, with sunshine and blue skies bringing forth a dance of floating butterflies and highlighting the vivid greens of the verdant forest growth. The plan was to walk another trail that afternoon with specific emphasis on luring the birds to our broadcasts. Sadly, but predictably, at 3pm on the nail, the blue skies clouded over and it started to pelt down. Cascades of water pouring from roofs, leaking through gaps in the tiles and causing folk to scurry from their jeeps into the sanctuary of the dining area looking like drowned rats. Our walk was scheduled for 4pm, but couldn’t even begin until somewhere approaching 4.45. All plans rearranged, as a short walk through the forest was all that could be completed in the allotted time. That was memorable for seeing a Bornean keeled pit viper, a female, highly venomous and awaiting the shedding of her skin before setting out to find a mate, together with a glimpse of a Blue-banded Kingfisher which had hitherto eluded us. But no bee-eater. Another one that got away and will probably never be seen by us. But, we did ok and cannot complain. 

I should also make mention of the achievement of ticking all of the Borneo Big 5. These are, in no particular order, Pygmy elephant, orang-utan, proboscis monkey, saltwater crocodile and of course the iconic Rhinoceros Hornbill.

Oh, and because of the conditions we couldn’t complete the hornbill octet. But seven and a half out of eight is good enough for me, and I hope for you too. We have been blessed. As a parting shot from Tabin, the most wonderful of reserves, a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills came to say farewell, perching on the fence of our verandah just a few feet from the window. Picture the scene: me in the shower, Denise excitedly telling me the birds were just outside, me draped in towel and dripping wet, fumbling for camera and hastily taking a few shots as the birds moved to a nearby tree. It’s good to be a wildlife nerd – life never gets boring.