Birding on the Kinabatangan is literally laid back! You sit in a boat and are taken down the river, and all the birds and wildlife are viewed from the reclining position. Very cool!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0HzLNRNwy712KcPddszkdaFlwyDcIMqE3RcSSUyBVFl6tqyi1ROz4xNmRm939Ci6h9gY9nshdufk5u_8yQWhjWzUprHS3ob9d2muN93utuq7RjkhTW0CrhhBrLHcTcAL3pp7/s400/Orang+utan_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6789.jpg)
Within five minutes of leaving the jetty we came across this fine male Orang utan stuffing his face.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaX4H-4Zd98ALeTXHLol68fGIvwW7es6NssGZq-N3Qe_3zTgPQHSPC-qd5WZDeq4KzfFyxcMMzP9rR_IvqU619laa7ZfskF_fY50jFizwg9BWeJ0QvIbaq_RdYYnF0pkptn9BE/s400/Orang+utan_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6794.jpg)
I believe only the dominant male grows the enlarged cheek flanges, so I felt very fortunate to see this guy. Nearby was a female and a cute baby, but the light was so bad I could not take any decent photos.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtEIfqVUVpQkLuhfc8fa37Jp1hBS5FxqXkfTFGaWjLMqw5jvWqaE8yYqevKenf8_-2TYQxPQSnfkRxOKNzWk3agkZVsSFlF_LHY2sTXN4leQru-cLLxV7eTQILXFwMjBLJmGG/s400/Wallace's+Hawk-Eagle_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6818.jpg)
The light didn't improve, but the birds seemed to love the rain, and were out in force. This subadult Wallace's Hawk-Eagle was drying itself out on a dead branch.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE12azrxssLXwCg1ia-GmCMOOywPK_M2PaKUfKwZpvyHuwMBvUEaqR1Nfin_irP1-ubQYgapF3V0LF4rpY41CdG7N_yB8CrzdabGd-HAJ-2QPIt919Tz1B15-SY-SN_simb0sI/s400/Rhinoceros+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6825.jpg)
One of several Rhinoceros Hornbills - including six in one tree. The white iris reveals that it's a female.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQLJ_tY8g6Z1gj_eVlTkJfxmoI9Jx4P0DwRvd3kY5wKjupCwv_PPCmC5DFJNNWjW49Pd_vB0XbImFxUSXu-wk8te9-ukXcAziD-yR-b2yVdNCtvx-I1n0lxx6LD9YM5Eos6ds/s400/Proboscis+Monkey_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6835.jpg)
These ropes have been strung across a tributary of the Kinabatangan by the Sabah Wildlife Dept to help orang utans cross the river, but the Proboscis Monkeys were very happy to use them too!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9oncMEtvzJpDi010bepTNDSHWCoAbXWHHHhs1mZ2auqlkjOe0rtzu7zVmo26oRdMi-7mw9nD6QzVCa3L3u5A-gailU-QcPNxxRinEXIfej-NkIjx8AH9aGILmOXHP-u9lwvQ/s400/Proboscis+Monkey_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6839.jpg)
Mum and baby. Note the webbed feet!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fzVxKXfVNdZaBPW50XSqQECuhyphenhyphen33ceub_Bd-Hw8AuDO6wGDklmpZ7mthnZx6VBhVNZZT-it4EdQB8-dV1wawm1gy50KbsEk1icqka0HyyF4aXvjRHHxb9yFlVYA8MkBZKqxv/s400/Estuarine+Crocodile_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7009.jpg)
The alternative to crossing the bridge is swimming, which is not to be recommended with these hungry monsters around!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLkuI-uOie2ky8myvbnLs1g-nCcGhpAV-t5lbiFydkB2tiTxzSN9mU_CBlVXRY6D-XfozDkwcxwb6_b5BJof0S17W8zsiqWSXJieBKsfcqIWk6ZlNIEGebMBHG5GIFnXI7HIN/s400/Proboscis+Monkey_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6852.jpg)
Later on we saw a male Proboscis Monkey, with his adoring harem around him.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhPkBUBQYucZW5YaXvtT9dkY4xMrno37ImTJwMbR9BKDu41RqcvHmLp-ZYkTbCO4tDjhgu12COU_OecxkjH3qH-aRjZ_a_SrHWcTf16HmUAuo0ZjvQ3V6C2AkdXm8PFnDTKo1/s400/Proboscis+Monkey_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6859.jpg)
"It's a tough job being the alpha male, but somebody's gotta do it!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUAkDrHYHGX0uPWlDADKNW6QdTjjmxJQH6g04f4XUwv6mSxi74i0mmAlGHZVA0oPU-7maPVoDuRr7KkrWMZHwIMvVQxlY0hGPZbiAH-nl3cEF7nTRj2Wxj3MRCAqi7ioWWcNY/s400/Wrinkled+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6893.jpg)
Wrinkled Hornbill is one of the rarer hornbills in the Peninsula, but they seem common here. This is a male - one of a group of eight birds.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5FaRA-y8qpV0-gfFP5GrAIzu0sQp7KIwXxT4BhuLWAR-XCbDKer_jO_f_ZXiz1MRe7UDfSHydf7Dicdndp_Gzor4QKVeVuPY6LI6bD4nlRkfW9vUt8kAnKJL54LCHT9STVl5/s400/Wrinkled+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6919.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrvS0DnHNa2QQw7Z4f2REIJd5gMLAxr9zy2gEcu9YgL9efFNmRgFchyXTcTUin-3wQ1ot0c3ZlAZY2HKwVjRlRPkvUGox1dzIB4N8mtdTHaMUFFmONg2Li5rTxmBvBZszECkSK/s400/Wrinkled+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6941.jpg)
The books show male Wrinkled Hornbills as having a rather wan, pale yellow neck and bill - not very exciting at all. But in reality, they are a riot of colour - yellows, oranges, red and blue. The literature claims that the yellow and orange is just 'staining', but all the males we saw looked to have very similar 'staining'. I reckon they get a bad press!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2aZIlBwLizinSo-AiqSiZAgpOk1IMR92FbYN_ur_karPlQyQD2r-Fxc01R9MX7JL8xlw9k1ioHXRYl1p3OKKgx0McZachrIN5Rfva0_0u0EYbYp9bdoq5QN7RyV8_0UGNrt9m/s400/Wrinkled+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6953.jpg)
Females are less impressive.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UbCU5nkJu2urz0XZmalczksjyLUcZY3JUi3p-HKybVUJioHCkMvnF7BMRiUIcNZOlIbxSVuq9oIvG2KAg7pa7fgkFccwn71HA0DSVRTqepzWZWnqNPq79x-EY2w1gPKe0vyC/s400/Wrinkled+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_6983.jpg)
If only there'd been a bit of sun...!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtzsHEx04fVdKTx4TDkg5EgLQRgX3x9hagDXXtvwv1i7VNI27SixhqsK0gTqbriwo3u0C2MGNMoWtPmv3QlghRzBY1RU_nd-It9vXrJ8YWBcpiIrqM_o_Ndr9yFZ8UP9yd69_/s400/White-crowned+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7023.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzC8pis1YQO1EsUFXG4qcDpvHGAjHgviao6lwlMFAaKiBwkEM6dD1kIbP56uPQOFooeYUYYqL8lEMQpFZH5p-Gy0A8NOdUH5N6_zz94Jj1uiFxtjR4CA1541rWsMLnsUFzAai0/s400/White-crowned+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7028.jpg)
A PINK hornbill! Finally the setting sun did poke its nose through the clouds, resulting in a pink glow on the breast of this male White-crowned Hornbill.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVmwQz-4Zd_bDUu2ufv069-FznSpDEgy1vtGLpRgNsMEEBKlzOvVewN82qmo9evlDNUTi7lmUdzNG6IjQahr3zyJylcRt1r4ve5MYAC1jGtIQ1x1GPlRVwNOjbfzgAJDWQXsBt/s400/White-crowned+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7055.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_GLLdtxwnyoPN-1yWI-nS2CxD_VK2wH3XfagvLuLvUq9jMJCYeXwyR1LCQYwDfjRj6ld-I-oSvGG2FUdfH68AGFRu-44FxBV7PODDilWzVNnWXZarxrEllZXPbFSlvtoRtIs/s400/White-crowned+Hornbill_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7107.jpg)
The hornbills here do seem to like to fly across rivers, which is great for photographers!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOf9M4X3XyOWqavhH3RT3vN6h8ohPQsH9uvmm7Sus8t7zPIqcm8kk-i8ZpEWR5pl8X30kPCgl9qr0z2Q19KUG5ne9ohgSFWdhuRv0qZ8tG8tzpCRWuYjXuEIg6y9iN061VPZl/s400/sunset_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7129.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYjaQ8bXe0Cuy1Ez3jpRAO5zYif2zz7Uet_lwyQt9B7D3F1bAPpjV0Fj669zFKWR3s34O19wmswoCkC7HEjPzUWafL5QkYnkjuqoZnmc9eoPBCv7Mqhl2y8nIot_2i4utCH_4/s400/sunset_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7137.jpg)
Sitting in a boat going upstream into the sunset is a particularly relaxing way to end the day!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNOa29LJq0PgXOvHYGGxlWiEVCbYOv8vGC4CZFvO9m44YoML8ep5YihthGB0WDZJfZAWDmBDJSzt83FP3DOh7kUQ6aI3rLRfxvSZAUhCOXmwlWN-lY6985EKH_nD6xDwK5HvfP/s400/Buffy+Fish-owl_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7150.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rnOs5yiCk2TBCPoxJKfiR5JH0GeuXoGIfb0d3Eb4Af2rmQ8TLjUHK8B8-d1v7mWHpWH73QJC4gNfnXvKZ_sPh_5_NXPW6cXYwcBzppCt4Ob5QkKcYPDaRG9CoIReKpbfFZ-t/s400/Buffy+Fish-owl_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7155.jpg)
Did I say end? Not quite! After dinner we were back in the boat again doing a night cruise. This was a bit disappointing after the excesses of the afternoon. Only Buffy Fish-owls seemed determined to please and were out in force. We saw six.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CDRLwJJFwV2QA8KsMnO_DUdViG5bwyCnWnMK7JsdBqkksN2hcVoJZMbz84lLFctREJ2C1xOJGfEImOx9AGMHw2XlE3io-ZXXzQuWB1SqP8BHUcY7Xinyj4QVQ1XKH8K1VSoQ/s400/Malay+Badger_Kinabatangan_280310_IMG_7166.jpg)
One more treat was in store on our return to camp however. A Malay Badger regularly comes hunting for worms around the camp. She's known as Elizabeth by the staff. A bit camera-shy on this occasion, so I only got a rear view!
5 comments:
An excellant post. It sounds likt a thoroughly enjoyable place to be, so different from the UK
Oh gosh.. so beautiful, wish I could be there right now :-) All the best
Thanks guys! Yes, it's beautiful. You should go!
Dave
enjoyed reading this and some great pictures
We met Elizabeth, too ! And a boyfriend...
J & J
Post a Comment