Our first were pre-dawn, when we managed to hear two Large Frogmouths and see one Gould's Frogmouth.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HukflrzstYmkRZGE39Itc8IAE4S36BqOP03ieMsHkbDjErND-Uin91bod6LqCqCixju1JkTR2JtixACO5zZlxvQXYXM4qthf0eEkPcDnAzIv-1StZajaf3sqOvIG8WFfrTVp_A/s400/Gould's+Frogmouth_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7930.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5VfbYLfiFDIRnXJsNnUtaiPtioUHB06VBKZ_VevAghu8Ih3nzEDvSehCPufnV2L9dysyPVA9lIR5ImmC92W1y907m2PuZwc9Xwqg78H5-9cUBsctjKkqetyds-3a7fm4iNo74Q/s400/Gould's+Frogmouth_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7934.jpg)
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!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FxJTO75KyeSCkZnOo9yuFi1q5utzxOkXfzCa5gAqBifSHiuePhomPFpwG7N9fjfhfFGW_FhD_U88Dr0q4W2qgLN31Bf4HscVxmE2r9FK42txoC15k537hPPlsEIRPqVIcfi5LQ/s400/Violet+Cuckoo_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8033.jpg)
We were lucky enough to see a male Violet Cuckoo perched; more often they are seen flying over and calling.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Yy5j_l67v2XFSTIkBTRGY9qtgMUGaZBUUYkP-hEsTj1MYiHq8oBVyn0y2xu5fOaPIT-6jo1gKJc2hYXmb1z-xNpelim0_op8SBFwXTsgwlQDAIDXFFzIwtuI_k35TAbqWZhKJg/s400/Violet+Cuckoo_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8054.jpg)
Later on a female came a took a closer look at us.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5qJzx1JtFRLOe3bv8uHiOLuX9uEZO3rWbyUiQJnxmw9YizHZU-gLlmhLOUHRcakBdz7g0IrudBkXbeXVbQi6OBAOHeygHEg_p6RVCdxybtAwz_cOaVIxps_ASZIbJ3FTvwcw6A/s400/Blue-rumped+Parrot_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8035.jpg)
Blue-rumped Parrots were again prominent in the fruiting macarangas. This is a grey-headed male.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUu1osS_zfIjw8GpP_KvsoC_2NUdw4NQFx1EuINN_7EowtoBilMObCxniQeqs73uzLAk571zOQoHUOgVztldLigMh_99rG7cHUYtpHeG1womDJwXQG2yeYvqwYQ3XhlmxaeMsOg/s400/Blue-rumped+Parrot_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8115.jpg)
Females have brown heads, but the red bill must mean that this is also a male.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTzxYL-4A9w92yHhjwowo0oaRjHhJ36lauVas0W4Kn_eEmJbDH1GKPabomzG6HqlVIaMVFpR8v3FS4VRrmxRALCWXnVgZaLHWWI2ElpnIdWu5H_8AYbZ1jOZksFLgyKpnwaGuVg/s400/Blue-rumped+Parrot_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8108.jpg)
Showing off the amazing red underwing!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhtNY_yvcdtzfk8HMoJUV60fSjfDZOrFy4wwg6jBZ34fLWETftBia3Y3o01096zpvdGuW7d8xcLhJ3GBpUfR7qphFZQm_EeFbymRMZleHcNNa0-aTRRgO8H3QPeYbMK5uPbJvhA/s400/Wreathed+Hornbill_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7951.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBZePvpUEj1F0KV1pBrxszGPmm6L33XCWj_obf0oAMeek2TgyrAi8TcmCfxRSo1dzYSB8U64aheYfKq24-WMLX7XdoGDWRyERPRHAgWk_DQ_9M_W_LPC8u7rjJPgQl1e2wD4wxOQ/s400/Rhinoceros+Hornbill_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7982.jpg)
This male Rhinoceros Hornbill had caught a lizard - possibly a Green Crested Lizard.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXg0WEUnea9mhzWSPu_ilezQsvGrALu1PbWVDi9FOvzA4yWOTx-uh7Lh2ohMbqLrEwUFHcZhXJlNOuMQI2PYmnD6V6NRVLY5yDlwdmhywSkxbPAT7l1YoP1cvTaH0i9V1DVZnrQ/s400/White-chested+Babbler_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7972.jpg)
White-chested Babblers were common near the rivers. They have distinctively long thin bills.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjeRlAdP0z1NDm_bsezfk2lJCW8bPXPhQTmwpmXkxg-fA7zIoTn-QV_X5vwimF-u1gqtXrteC2lzfWhv_E9QfxJi_e5aj3t_CBOdbp9XApkXodgLYfuRxgMM1RPogBZLUionncQ/s400/Spotted+Fantail_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7945.jpg)
One a party of Spotted Fantails.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUTSdr4xlvFchSo8nXEnR33aM-ndVqA3TkRSDv2hYdFhphbhbvm3wOhsx3XhLsuUiF7XOmCuV4cZKn1O56hYOsrUkVKGIl5JV0mq_TJIoPKNfH9xoPvUNVMC9XavlkfdhuTDeE4Q/s400/Garnet+Pitta_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8007.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaa7N7Hb25B4zY6XMPO78hZBW9-SS0mf_BCm3NRALIP8GQf1fLAjbQmiNOJ8jOQEk77dMj4mr7mhAQJqWkzY5X2W371pPoUqTwSG7V6Sne8FyFpJQZgYA6IwpwKbx8QjTTLiq6Q/s400/Garnet+Pitta_Merapoh_130809_IMG_7997_filtered.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnn9kdgYS1xrg3R1BQvinQzDuOYlzrsUB2i0Pustz5Dl11JuSH2Es9OXwQ1EVCnpwqrqAgxWDfhniKAVahtSBPUI-XoUPmx4IEYTsCXm8RieLmGvcRrfpSCOtf2iWHf7YXIv4fIA/s400/Garnet+Pitta_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8002_filtered.jpg)
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.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-q2mbARG_UyNkx9bZ21BTNclb60LEfPASlGfhNgCWhKI7d5WWcviBkYoMmJqQW0N2Q7YNj4AxeFXvBlmRHtZrrBXv8qfVyz2IckD3jkQs7UsmpuVATFvdqF9GVjtC1lS-Hs92-w/s400/Malaysian+Eared+Nightjar_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8169_filtered.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0c4A0QnlOF4EFdmtLryKv7yKaZgK4bKllJ6nSOZPWClTkh_xD6UcMHioK5SBd1DG1dBivw-etBSgXnUCWh6TLmnQCP_zfsPqZHG63oS0JYrQyxl5ArodrfN0saLjYxG16lpDlA/s400/Malaysian+Eared+Nightjar_Merapoh_130809_IMG_8176_filtered.jpg)
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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