Borneo - Part 3 (Sepilok): December 2024

Our final few days of our mammoth trip were spent at the easily accessible and walkable Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre, staying at the rather luxurious Sepilok Jungle Resort, treating ourselves for a change after 5-weeks on the 'road'. All of the below photos are by Emily.

20th December

We departed Osman's early morning, with Romzi boating us back to our vehicle where we headed directly for the Caves, but this time concentrating only on the final 500m of forest to the cave car park. Upon stepping out the car, we immediately heard a Western Hooded Pitta, and a short time later we were watching it, whilst another called nearby which Em also saw. Along this bit of forest, now in the rain, we also saw Red-bearded Bee-eater, Ventriloquial Oriole, Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Dark-necked Tailorbird, Grey-hooded Babbler, Sooty-capped Babbler, Thick-billed Spiderhunter, but best of all, a briefly perched Blyth's Hawk-eagle! As we returned slowly along the road, a brief stop turned into a prolonged one as a Black-crowned Pitta was heard close to the road, but try as we might, it remained invisible. 

It was then a quick and easy two-hour journey to Sepilok where we had time for a quick jaunt around the local secondary forest which attaches itself to the main expanse of forest. We found a few things here, including our first and only Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo, Red-throated Sunbird and Yellow-eared Spiderhunter of the trip, but then a presumed 'rehabilitated' Bornean Orangutan appeared and showed nicely, but never too close. A further wander produced large groups of Black Hornbills before we called it a day.

Black-and-red Broadbill

Blyth's Hawk Eagle

Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher

Red-bearded Bee-eater

Western Hooded Pitta

21st December

We awoke early and entered the Rainforest Discovery Centre in the dark, showing a guard our pre-purchased day tickets. We headed straight for the Hornbill tower and ascended the tower just as it got light, but the rain was pouring so it was nice to shelter and listen to the half-hearted dawn chorus. Once the rain had eased, over the next few hours we saw Asian Brown Flycatcher, Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Raffle's Malkoha, Lesser Green Leafbird, Green Iora, Changeable Hawk-eagle, White-bellied Woodpecker, Fiery Minivet, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird and Rhinoceros Hornbill. 

The sun finally emerged so we walked one of the trails which took a good few hours, the best find probably being a Lesser Mouse Deer, but birds comprised, once in good habitat, a Black-crowned Pitta and Black-naped Monarch, but it was generally quiet during the heat of the late morning. 

We headed back to base for a short time before returning for an afternoon vigil on one of the towers to try again for a Bornean Bristlehead, but only finding some of the usual species from this morning plus a Plain Sunbird and a Lesser Cuckooshrike. We also enjoyed a superb showing of some Black-and-yellow Broadbill, a quite incredible looking bird! 

As the light decreased we made our way back to the reception area and waited for our group and guide to arrive for a two hour night walk, which turned out to be brilliant. We initially waited on the canopy walkway to observe the unveiling of a Red Giant Fly Squirrel, with two swopping across the night sky as they emerged from their daytime roost site. We then went in a hopeful hot pursuit of a Western Tarsier, but sightings being relatively infrequent we weren't holding out too much hope. Still, along our walk we came across many highlights, thanks to our two quality guides. Two Bornean Slow Loris showed for a prolonged period, and a roosting Rufous-collared and Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher were found, some excellent scorpions, then right at the last knockings, a guide somehow spotted a Western Tarsier, which had promptly vanished. Rather incredibly, he re-found it and we ploughed into the bush (with me getting stung by something nasty) and watched this tiny mammal clinging onto a branch. It stayed for a good few minutes before hopping off, but what an incredible view and a fitting finale to our final evening away!

Asian Red-eyed Bulbul

Crimson-winged Woodpecker

Raffle's Malkoha

Black-and-yellow Broadbill

Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot

Changeable Hawk-eagle

Dragonfly sp.

Lantern Bug sp. 

Bornean Slow Loris (supporting a
Wryneck-patterned neck and mantle)

Western Tarsier

22nd December

Our flight back to Kota Kinabalu was just after midday which meant we would have another couple of hours back on one of the towers for a last chance saloon at a bristlehead. It sadly wasn't to be, but our walk to the tower and for most of the morning was being serenaded by a Bornean Gibbon. We did luck into one final new bird though, as a Long-billed Spiderhunter flew in for a brief spell. However, it was much of the same as yesterday in terms of species, not a bad thing though as it contained some good lookers, with a much better view of a Little Green Pigeon.

It was then time to call it a day, we packed and made our way to the airport, dropped off the car with no issue and flew back to Kota Kinabalu, onwards to Kuala Lumpur and back to Heathrow, arriving early morning on the 23rd. 

Bornean Gibbon

view from the tower and walkway

Borneo - Part 2 (Kinabatangan River): December 2024

In my last post, I failed to mention how we came to decide on Borneo for our last 12 days of travelling, after the 3-weeks in The Philippines. In hindsight it was a no-brainer as the birding and other wildlife was superb, but we did (well, I did) consider South Korea for their winter birds, or maybe Japan, but we came up with Borneo after reading an excellent trip report on Cloudbirders and this whetted the appetite enough to link the flights and go for it. 

Like Kinabalu, we opted for three full days along the Kinabatangan, but this time hiring Romzi for our private birding excursions (WhatsApp: +60 11315 21176). A guide here is paramount and Romzi is the one to go for, such a kind-hearted chap who goes out of his way for target species, or listens to when other priorities come into play (Orangutan for example); he's also the top birder along the river. We stayed at his brother's place, called Osman's Homestay. One morning in August I contacted both Romzi and Osman on WhatsApp and within minutes they both replied with positive responses, so it was game on. 

16th December

We at last had a lay-in, then filled the car with fuel and started our six-hour drive to the Kinabatangan. What started as a pleasant drive soon turned to hell as we entered the monoculture Palm Oil Plantations. I have never seen destruction like it, even Rondonia (Brazil) wasn't this bad and was easily one of the most depressing sites I've ever witnessed... how, just how!!

Anyway, we eventually arrived at Sukau and parked at the shop for its 3-night stay, phoned Romzi who collected us and dropped us off at Osman's. We were to commence our time with Romzi the next day, for three sessions per day. Osman's wife (a miserable soul) 'greeted' us and showed us our accommodation and then proceeded to shout at us for walking into the room with shoes on, and then Osman arrived, who beckoned us to get in his boat immediately as a herd of Pygmy Elephants were downriver. Having had an immense journey, it took us an embarrassingly long time to commit to going out with Osman, but were glad we did. The Elephants were one of Em's top mammal targets and Osman did a grand job in positioning the vessel to allow for some truly intimate views. We watched this family for well over an hour before some Americans arrived, which made us head straight off, but still in the opposite direction to the accommodation for an early evening wildlife cruise, resulting in some excellent birds and lots of the much-wanted Proboscis Monkeys; Osman was also a great guide, more so on the mammals, but he knew some of the key birds too. I ended the day with three unexpected new birds, with excellent views of a few Storm's Stork, a perched Wallace's Hawk-eagle and Black Hornbill. With such a negative journey getting here, the wildlife-rich river was just what we had hoped for and we were eager for the following morning!

In the evening, we arrived at the dinner table only to be placed next to another couple who had yet to arrive at the table. We protested profusely as we did not want to sit with strangers, especially non wildlife people, but it took much arguing with Osman until he resigned to the fact we weren't happy and we finally had our own table.

Storm's Stork

Wallace's Hawk-eagle

Bornean Pygmy Elephants

Proboscis Monkey

17th December

We met Romzi at 6am on the 'quay' and he sped us off upstream where we birded some smaller channels accessing the Oxbow Lake, then we continued onwards to the Koyah River before heading back to Osman's for 10am. It was a very successful morning, starting off with our first Little Green Pigeons, soon followed by an unexpected Jerdon's Baza, two stunning White-crowned Hornbills, whilst a fruiting trees gave us our first Bushy-crested Hornbill and two gigantic Rhinoceros Hornbill! Romzi then heard a Black-crowned Pitta, therefore, we anchored to the bank and went on foot where the Mosquitos came out in full force, but this hardly mattered as we soon found the pitta quite high in a tree and it allowed us to approach relatively close. A Bornean Ground Cuckoo was also heard but proved too far away to even consider calling it in. As we exited the oxbow area, I finally laid eyes on a stunning group of Black-and-red Broadbills, having done so well missing them in two visits to Thailand. Turns out they are very common along this river and we had many encounters. Two Bat Hawks also showed nicely as they perched nearby.

As we entered the Koyah River, a quick playback of the Ground Cuckoo initiated a response... game on. It felt close but our eyes and the thermal just couldn't pick it out and it soon went quiet. A bugger, but as we investigated the bank, Em spotted movement which I thought was going to be the cuckoo, but it was in fact a superb Western Hooded Pitta! It hopped around us for some time before melting away, but what a view! A little further on we heard a Sabah Partridge but it also failed to come in, but we would have a better chance tomorrow. We headed back to base for some rest, lunch, and then headed back out about 3pm for a three hour session.

This time we headed downstream along the main river, eventually branching off onto a smaller river where it soon touched upon a Palm Oil plantation, marking the end of the journey into the forest. We came across the same herd of Pygmy Elephants, had more Wallace's Hawk Eagle and a brilliant Lesser Fish Eagle, plus more Storm's Stork and our first Wrinkled Hornbill. A load more Proboscis Monkey and a troop of Silvered Langur were very welcome. On the smaller river, a Crimson-winged Woodpecker, Long-tailed Parakeet, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot and a trio of barbets (Brown, Red-throated and Red-crowned), but best of all, our first and perfectly wild Bornean Orangutan! A young female, she was rather shy and soon ascended a very tall tree to hide, although after a while she came down and moved off deeper into the forest. Upon returning back to base, hornbills were everywhere as they crossed the river (sadly no Helmeted despite some effort) and more Storm's Storks were seen, and then the hundreds of Malayan Flying Foxes piled through, but there was just enough light to view another incredible pair of White-crowned Hornbills... what a day, but it wasn't over.

After dinner (on our own table!), Romzi took us for a spotlighting session and we returned to the Koyah River and had fantastic sightings of both Buffy Fish Owl and a Large Frogmouth! Returning back, the thermal picked out hundreds of primates sleeping in the treetops, but the torch found us a Bornean Slow Loris... time for bed!

Black-and-red Broadbill

Black-crowned Pitta

Silvered Langur

Western Hooded Pitta, taken by Em

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Bornean Orangutan

Bornean Pygmy Elephants

Buffy Fish Owl

Large Frogmouth

Em, and, Osman's Homestay

Em photographing the Hooded Pitta

Koyah River

18th December

Another 6am pick-up and this time we travelled the short journey to a narrow tributary where we spent the entire morning (bar 30-mins where it rained heavily) and saw not another boat, but thankfully, plenty of excellent birds. This narrow river also had lots of Proboscis Monkey affording excellent views, plus the usual Macaques. 

Our first mission was to find a Sabah Partridge and we soon heard one, therefore, we put the boat against the bank and waited. The call got closer and closer and the thermal soon came into its own, finding an individual which stuck around long enough to get some good views of this mega bird, before it scuttled back into the dense forest. After this, new birds were coming thick and fast with Malayan Blue Flycatcher, Grey-hooded Babbler, Bornean Swamp Babbler, Black-and-yellow Broadbill, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo and the attractive Bold-striped Tit-babbler, two showy Scarlet-rumped Trogon and an ultra elusive Diard's Trogon. We then heard another Bornean Ground Cuckoo, so we tucked into the bank and tried in vain to coax it in. I actually thought I had it at one point as my eyes saw a ground cuckoo-shaped head in the tangles, which promptly vanished, so who knows, but alas we just couldn't get it to come in. A White-crowned Shama was some consolation here, but to dip again was frustrating as we were potentially missing other species. With heavy rain soaking us, we retreated to Osman's, and although we did venture out for another half-hour at the same location after the deluge, it wasn't to be for this morning. 

After lunch we sat on our balcony, watching the world go by when I noticed on the opposite bank, some 200 metres away, three small birds keeping close to the waters edge. I didn't have a scope and through squinting, I assumed the birds were Straw-headed Bulbuls. I mentioned this to Romzi who said they do occur in this region, despite what my book says. We were to see them tomorrow again too. 

For the afternoon we again concentrated on the same stretch from this morning and again it was very quiet with other boats. We came across a few bird flocks containing Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker, Purple-naped Spiderhunter, Red-throated and Brown Barbet, Green Iora, Lesser Green Leafbird and more Black-and-yellow Broadbills, plus lots of Proboscis Monkeys and a surprise Sunda Colugo. Then the waterway got busier, so I exclaimed to Romzi that we should try once more for Helmeted Hornbill. He agreed and we shot off downriver to an area where they sometimes cross. Romzi and Osman reckon there are only five Helmeted Hornbills left in this area, the others being shot most likely for their casque. It was getting very low light, and after a few false alarms with other large hornbills and hearing a potential contact call of the bird in question, suddenly Romzi shouted "HELMETED HORNBILL" and looking in the same direction I somehow got onto them, but Em didn't, as the two birds quickly disappeared from view. Success, but only for half of us, so we used playback (much to my eardrum's dislike), but nothing, until, a dead tree on the river side had two long-tailed hornbills at its crest... they were the bloody Helmeted Hornbills!! Excellent views in dull light were had for perhaps ten minutes, whilst also being joined by a party of Oriental Pied Hornbills. An absolute jackpot moment, one of Asia's fastest declining species in front of us made it even more wonderful than it already was.

The day wasn't over though, off we went again after dinner along the same stretch of river, where after failing miserably with unresponsive Reddish Scops Owl and Southern Boobook, the call of a Gould's Frogmouth got us landing and walking into the unknown, where again the thermal picked out this cracking frogmouth, with a roosting Crested Serpent Eagle also found. Another quite amazing day!!

Black Hornbills

Blue-eared Kingfisher roosting

Gould's Frogmouth

the mega... Helmeted Hornbills

Proboscis Monkeys

Scarlet-rumped Trogon

Sunda Colugo

sunset and two Helmeted Hornbills on the left

19th December

For our final morning with Romzi, we could have continued failing with the ground cuckoo, but we also really wanted to see another Orangutan, so we made this our priority and we went to a favoured area and found a male and infant, ironically, resting on a Palm Oil tree. We also had some excellent Rhinoceros, Wrinkled and Oriental Pied Hornbill views here, and at long last, my first ever Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo, after hearing many over the years. We also encountered two inquisitive Buff-necked Woodpeckers and lots of Raffle's Malkoha. For the afternoon, we opted to visit the Gomantong Caves with Romzi for something different, and very glad we did too. 

The forest approaching the caves is excellent but we didn't have time to work this area, but we did spend a few hours here tomorrow morning finding a host of excellent species (next blog post). After paying our fees, we walked to the caves along a slippery boardwalk through forest, finding both Rufous-backed Dwarf and Rufous-collared Kingfisher and a White-crowned Shama, before entering the caves, which was brilliant. The workers had arrived to extraxt the variety of nests made by the three species of resident 'nest-swiftlet' species, but we could only tick Black-nest Swiftlet, as the other two had already departed, but we did see their nests. 

After admiring the heights that the workers spend their working hours, we ascended the boardwalk, at first going the incorrect way but finding the gorgeous Maroon Langur in the process, as well as a bonus Sooty-capped Babbler! We finally arrived at the top entrance to the cave system and waited for the hour-long explosion of three to four bat species emerging, forming a neat line as they headed off into the jungles below. Not only was this spectacle quite incredible, the arrival and action of their hunters proved even better, first a Peregrine, then two Oriental Pied Hornbills, a Rufous-bellied Eagle and Blyth's Hawk Eagle, but the best of all being two Bat Hawks which gave incredible aerial displays. It was a memorable time before we sadly had to leave.

Our final evening boat cruise was being threatened by an approaching storm, but we only had one more target to find and a potential bird of the trip. Therefore, we headed out at the usual time of 8pm and concentrated on finding/hearing Oriental Bay Owl. A Malay Civet and Saltwater Crocodile drew our attention away temporarily, but there were no calling Bay Owls to be heard. Out of nowhere, and completely missed by us, Romzi heard an Oriental Bay Owl, and after calling a few times, we shot off in its direction... game on! We pin-pointed its position, anchored and went after it. Romzi stormed off, but I had the thermal, which soon picked out a heat source relatively low down, and Romzi was charging up to it, so I shouted to him to stop and torch the area in front of him, and there it was, a stunning Oriental Bay Owl (my bird of the trip!!). It stayed put for ages, calling, turning, all at head height only mere metres in front of us, mission completed. 

We walked off with the owl still in situ, back to the boat, and raced home to avoid the heavy rain, but the engine broke down which inevitably meant we got slightly wet, though making it back with a fixed engine just before the main deluge. What an incredible three days on this river!

Bornean Orangutan

Oriental Pied Hornbills

Pig-tailed Macaque

Storm's Stork

Rhinoceros Hornbill

Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Rufous-backed Dwarf Kingfisher

Cave exit

Bat Hawk chasing the bats

Gomantong Caves

Oriental Bay Owl