Our first were pre-dawn, when we managed to hear two Large Frogmouths and see one Gould's Frogmouth.
I doubt we'd have seen this bird without James - he has an amazing ear, and the ability to track down and zero in on a calling bird that has to be seen to be believed! Peter and I were very grateful - the bird was a lifer for me!
We did lots and lots of road-walking today - quite tiring, but were ultimately rewarded when Peter called out 'Stork!', and I ran out on to the road to the amazing sight of a Storm's Stork gliding in over our heads. Apparently it had been intending to land, but it had a rapid change of heart when it saw us, and veered off over the forest. New bird No 2!
We were lucky enough to see a male Violet Cuckoo perched; more often they are seen flying over and calling.
Later on a female came a took a closer look at us.
Blue-rumped Parrots were again prominent in the fruiting macarangas. This is a grey-headed male.
Females have brown heads, but the red bill must mean that this is also a male.
Showing off the amazing red underwing!
It was a good day for hornbills; we saw a pair of Wrinkled flying over the road. This Wreathed was one of a party of three birds. From beneath you can clearly see the odd shaped outer primaries, which presumably create the distinctive whooshing sound of their wingbeats.
This male Rhinoceros Hornbill had caught a lizard - possibly a Green Crested Lizard.
White-chested Babblers were common near the rivers. They have distinctively long thin bills.
One a party of Spotted Fantails.
The same Garnet Pitta was again obliging today, and I still couldn't work out how to use the flash to good effect. No doubt a tripod would have helped! The unflashed shots give an impression of how vivid the crown colour is in the gloom of the forest.
Four Malaysian Eared Nightjars appeared at dusk.
A drive out to the nearest shop after dark revealed a Leopard Cat and a Slow Loris munching on rambutans to round off the day nicely.
1 comment:
Hi,
Nice shot on the Garnet Pitta.
Kiah
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