The Land Below the Wind - of small jumbos and beasts and scintillating birds

[Treepol]

@Kitsafariwow, pygmy elephants and a wild mother and baby orang-utan. Great sightings and memories. The birds really came out for you, I love the kingfisher, the Storm's Stork and the Oriental Bay Owl.

[michael-ibk]

I love the video of that tranquil morning at the river - and all the other photos of course!

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @Treepoland @michael-ibk ! Just got back home 2 nights ago so I'll continue the TR very soon.  

[Kitsafari]

 

Leaving the orangutans to their beauty sleep, we slipped back into the main river where a Storm's Stork showed off on top of a tree by the banks. we eased closer for shots. Steady, steady as Zac turned off the engine and we slowly drifted towards the tree in search of good angles, or not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the stork sailed across the river, other birds threw themselves into the air and crossed the river, as if taunting and testing us on our flight shots. 

 

Storm's Stork

 

 

Crested Serpent Eagle

 

Lesser Fish Eagle

Edited August 18 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

Time to head back for a quick breakfast and then we were out on the river again, in search of the elusive Ground Cuckoo, which we spent much time during the three days we were on the river, sitting on the boats parked on the banks, as if we were waiting for Godot, who didn't turn up. Neither did the skittish cuckoo. While waiting on the banks I took the time to photograph some intriguing and artistic tree roots and marine plants. 

 

 

 

 

 

We moved on further into the tributaries and found quite a lively world of birds that posed on branches above the waters but would immediately fly into the forest once our boat moved into view. The Malaysian Blue Flycatcher flashed several times on the river, weaving its glimmering blue body through the green leaves. A Blue-eared Kingfisher frozen on a twig above the waters in the hope of a catch of a fish sped across the waters as we drifted closer. 

 

Malaysian Blue Flycatcher 

 

 

 

Blue-eared Kingfisher - an unusual resident in Singapore but so abundant on Kinabatangan River that after a day and a half, we didn't stop for photos. 

 

Best of all, our first hornbill species made its appearance - a pair of Bushy-crested Hornbill.  Sitting on the Endangered status of the IUCN RedList, the gregarious and noisy hornbill is typically found in a larger flock than two.  But not this morning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then it was noon, and time to return for a yummy lunch back at the lodge. 

 

[Kitsafari]

We were due to go out for the afternoon sail at 3.00pm. While walking around the area for birds, Herman spied a pygmy jumbo 500m across the wide river up on the bank. He came to call me but the jumbo had walked back into the tall grasses and was obscured. Zac came out and he said there were about 3 of them across the river. I waited a bit, hoping they would swim across the river. Apparently, they do that around that area, but none emerged. 

 

At 3.00pm, we piled into the boat. well at least five of us did, and Zac joined us as the Master Pilot of the boat. As we neared the spot where Herman had spied the jumbo, we saw flashes of grey bodies in between the tall grasses. There were about three of them but the grasses hid them well so there was no opportunity for good photos. 

 

We sailed further up and I wondered why we didn't stop to get some photos. After half an hour, I realised Zac had the master plan as occupants in the one or two stationary boats were staring up on the banks, and I whipped out my mobile.

At first, we saw a handful of elephants up on the banks in between grasses - a head here, another chubby trunk and ears there, and then a rotund body in the gaps in the grasses. 

 

 

 

 

and then a little further ahead, we could see one grey bulky body in the waters and as we came closer, one, and then another, and then more and more of the giants came into view. Some of them were chilling on the banks grasping the grasses, others were cooling - and clearly enjoying it - in the waters. 

 

 

Super Cool!! the best sighting ever for me. 

Please excuse the numerous photos!

 

 

The elephants were so relaxed even though there were young adults and babies with the group. I counted a minimum of 24 elephants, excluding those we had seen earlier. considering that there are about 250 elephants in Kinabatangan, we had just seen 10% of the population there! it was a large breeding family, and I was beside myself with excitement, happiness and joy with the sighting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed nearly all of them did not have tusks, but one rather large elephant at one end of the group bathing in the water would raise his/her head a little higher from the water, and I could see a tusk. 

 

 

Reports said female Bornean elephants have either no tusks or very small tusks due to a gene that is passed down from generation to generation. I dont know if the female Bornean pygmy elephants have evolved to being tuskless after being hunted and poached for the ivory but some males do grow tusks albeit thin and straight as in all forest elephants. I found this particular bit of information: 

 

"Tusklessness, according to a new paper in Science, can be attributed in large part to a dominant mutation on the X chromosome—a genetic change that also explains the sex skew Poole saw. In females, mutations in a key gene on one of their X chromosomes seems to be responsible for tusklessness. But in males with no other X chromosome to fall back on, that mutation appears to cause death in the womb. " (source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/disturbing-answers-to-the-mystery-of-tuskless-female-elephants/ )

 

Female elephants can survive the mutation but it is deadly for male elephants. 

 

Edited August 19 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

I didn't want to leave the sighting. We were only watching for 10mins before David decided to move on. I could have sat and watched these wonderful endangered gentle and so relaxed elephants for another hour or two, just like we would in Africa. How often would you get such a huge family like this gathered in such peaceful moments in Sabah? But the other human companions were eager for more birds. 

I said in my mind, I must return to the river where the elephants have found sanctuary without being molested, well at least if they stayed within the confines of the river and not wander into villages or palm oil plantations. 

Goodbye, eles, pse stay safe, I said the prayer under my breath as the boat turned away and roared away from the jumbos. 

 

 

 

Edited August 19 by Kitsafari

[TonyQ]

A wonderful elephant sighting @Kitsafari

I would have wanted to stay also!

[Kitsafari]

Leaving the mammals, we sailed into a tributary to see what we could find. An Oriental Darter posed on a branch and a pair of Blue-eared Kingfishers put on a performance for us. 

 

Darter

 

At first we thought the pair of the Blue-eared Kingfishers were a courting pair, but I thought it odd that one of them kept rebuffing the other one. On closer look at the photos on the computer finally disclosed that it was a juvenile kingfisher bugging the parent for food and the parent was rebuffing it. 

 

 

The juvenile has white tips at the end of its bill 

 

 

 

 

Then, a lifer species!

The Wrinkled Hornbill is a first-time sighting for Herman and I. On the IUCN Redlist's endangered status, the black-bodied hornbill - the male with a colourful face while the female has a bluish patch around the eyes - is found only in Southeast Asia but deforestation has affected its breeding habitat, as it has for all hornbills. There was a pair high up in the trees at the back of the bank, and this was the only sighting we had of this scarcely seen Wrinkled hornbill. 

 

male

 

female

 

 

A Lesser Adjutant flew into a tree on the bank, giving us a decent showing. Looking almost like, but not as unattractive, as the marabou stork, the adjutant is on IUCN Redlist's Near Threatened status.  Threats include deforestation, drainage and conversion of the wetlands which serve as feeding grounds, large-scale coastal development and the persistent and unregulated harvesting of its eggs and chicks.

 

A Rhinoceros Hornbill - a big target for birders - made a brief appearance up in another tree but flew off as soon as we eased closer. With its huge and bright red casque that tilts upwards on a large body, the Rhino hornbill always presents itself as a regal and majestic bird. 

 

 

It was getting to 5.45pm and the Black-crowned Night Herons were starting to stir from their roost for their nightly hunts. A juvenile was surprised by us, and didn't seem to know where to go but an adult soon took off as we drifted closer. A White-breasted Waterhen surreptitiously crept around the banks. 

 

Juvenile night heron

 

 

adult night heron

 

 

waterhen

 

[Kitsafari]

Suddenly, a pair of  large birds flew into a tree by the banks. The holy grail of hornbills in Southeast Asia for birders - the critically endangered Helmeted Hornbill. This hornbill is famous for its rare appearances, given how low its population is and is one of the most poached birds in Asia. Demand (from North Asia, namely China) drives the poaching for its casque - the only solid casque among all the hornbills in the world. Indonesia's population of the Helmeted Hornbills has been drastically reduced to almost zilch because of the poaching. When the female is roosting in the walled up hole with the chick, the male is the only one that feeds them. If the male is killed, the entire family dies as the female loses its feathers to be cooped up in the roosting hole and can't fly to escape. It is not the most attractive of hornbills but it has the longest tail of all birds. Its call is very distinct and peculiar ending in a chuckle and a laugh. Because of its rare appearances, any sighting of it no matter how short or poor is precious. We were lucky - the pair stayed for a bit even if the two birds were very high before flying above us across the river. and we were the only ones who saw them. 

 

male on the left, female on the right

 

 

Male

 

 

female

 

[Kitsafari]

Luck still favoured us. In a tributary alongside palm oil plantations, a flock of some seven Rhinoceros Hornbills flew into the trees. They appeared to be young and boisterous, besting against each other for a bit before flying further into the forest. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

It was evening and the primates were making a beeline for the trees along the river. I only had one shot of the long-tailed Macaque - it's a common resident in Singapore and fairly common in Sabah, which is really no excuse for not showing the primate!

 

 

A lone macaque enjoying the peace and quiet before the whole gang comes to disturb the peace. 

 

Pig-tailed Macaques were also looking for suitable branches to feed and roost on. 

 

 

The Proboscis monkeys were already perched on the branches, some precariously so above the waters, but didn't seem to be anxious about falling into the river or into a crocodile's mouth. 

 

 

 

 

We returned to the lodge for dinner, and then took a boat ride for a night drive. It was oddly very quiet, nothing of note except a couple of Buffy Fish Owls and a very young crocodile. Luck wasn't with us for the saltwater crocodiles - we didn't see any large adults during the whole stay, which was very strange as the river should be full of these scary monstrous reptiles. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Adding some evening and sunset shots. 

 

The setting sun found a gap to shine through in a thick stormy dark cloud, adding a touch of glow and mist on the river. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A moth half the size of my hand came to visit us at the ldoge. 

 

Edited August 20 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

The next morning started cloudy and grey, a thick blanket of clouds hiding any prospect of a beautiful dawn, putting a pall over us. We moved into one of the larger tributaries, one that was adjunct to the palm oil plantation, looking for more hornbills. 

 

 

 

 

Instead, we found the Silvery Langurs. This time we didn't see the brown morph but the three to four leaf monkeys were very far up in the trees, and with the boat rocking gently under grey skies, it was with difficulty trying to get a clear shot. 

 

 

 

Around a bend, the proboscis monkeys were already awake and feeding. An impressive male adult with all nose and muscle in his pale trousers jumped across a small stream for fresher leaves, but he waited for a female and young one to join him before he started browsing for leaves. 

 

 

 

 

A plantain Squirrel scurried along a tree trunk to safety while a Water  Monitor waddled on the bank. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

A Stork-billed Kingfisher posed very nicely for us, but the poor kingfisher didn't get as much attention as it deserved as this species is readily seen in Singapore. So just for the Sabah record, a not-so-nice shot.....

 

But the kingfisher heralded another hornbill species - the White-crowned Hornbill, yet another hornbill species that is on the IUCN Redlist's Endangered status. A boat filled with birders as well came swiftly to  join us after they noticed our cameras pointing to one direction, easily locating the male and female with their crazy punk rock hairdos. 
 

male

 

 

female

 

 

After the brilliant sighting, we returned to the lodge where we saw another killing - the spider-hunting wasp had in its grasp a spider and was trying to relocate the prey along the walkway between the pontoon and the lodge. Bright metallic blue, the wasp was so intent on shifting the prey that it climbed up my leg for a bit before realising it was the wrong direction. the prey was as big as the wasp which seemed to have difficulty moving the spider but it wasn't letting it go. The spider legs were still moving so I presumed that poison to liquidate its insides was still working away. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 20 by Kitsafari

[Zim Girl]

Fantastic pictures of the various Hornbills and fascinating seeing the wasp trying to kill the spider.

[Kitsafari]

@Zim Girl thank you. it was quite fascinating watching that wasp. I hadn't heard of such a wasp that focuses mainly on eating spiders!

[michael-ibk]

Really fantastic sightings on the river! 

 

Isn't there some Desert Wasp (in the Namib??) that preys (mostly) on Spiders? I'm pretty sure I've seen that battle in several documentaries over the years.

[Atdahl]

Great sightings. Makes me want to return to Borneo.

 

Here in the SW of the US we have a tarantula hawk that hunts tarantulas.  But, it doesn't eat them.  It just paralyzes it and lays it's eggs on it so the larvae have food when they hatch.  Not sure if this wasp does that or not.  Nature can be a bit harsh for sure.

[Kitsafari]

On 8/21/2024 at 6:13 PM, michael-ibk said:

Really fantastic sightings on the river! 

 

Isn't there some Desert Wasp (in the Namib??) that preys (mostly) on Spiders? I'm pretty sure I've seen that battle in several documentaries over the years.

 

 

I cant seem to find any desert wasp in Namibia but only that in the US that specialises in tarantulas, as @Atdahl mentioned. 

[Kitsafari]

After watching a kill, it was time to have lunch and prepare for the afternoon outing to the Gomantong Caves which I had earlier covered in the report. Nothing much more to report from the river. 

 

The next morning was our last boat trip on the river. 

 

It dawned moody, with such a thick fog that we could not see what was ahead of us.  It lent a sense of mystery to the river and hid the jungles from us. I wondered if humans had plundered so much from the natural land here that nature and the river was rising up against us, protesting what we had done.  The villagers who make their living by and on the river would surely have known the many moods of the river, and would probably stay away when the thick moody fog engulfed the river. Only fools and mad birders like us would sally forth into the unknown. 

 

 

 

 

The rising sun could not fight the thick fog, at least not immediately, looking like a weak and sultry spotlight in the grey shadows. But the villagers would know that the river's moods were short-lived and that the wide waters would need the sun to give life and growth to it and to all that lived in it and through it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even as the sun's light broke up the fog, the river was still not giving up. Vapours were rising from the river into the air, until the sun rose higher and sucked up all the fog. 

 

 

All in, it left a deep impression on me that a river could come alive and is as tempestuous as a person. A reminder that nature is as ever-changing as we are. 

 

 

 

 

With the sun breaking through, the birds began to appear, perching on the highest branch they can find for the comforting warmth of the rising hot sun. 

 

The always shy and skulking Greater Coucal was high on the tree with its damp wings spread out to dry. Even when we drifted closer, the coucal did not move away. 

 

 

We turned into one of the bigger tributaries and a buffy fish owl who was continuing his night hunt into dawn, looked annoyed we disturbed the waters. A Rhino hornbill was early catching the freshest figs in a distant tree. 

 

 

 

we sailed closer to one of the rope bridges that the authorities had built for the orangutans who can't swim. This time, there was no orangutan, but its smaller cousin the Proboscis Monkey which decided it didn't want to get its feet wet, and used the rope bridge instead. Such bridges are key to expand the feeding grounds for orangutans. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

That was the last mammal we sighted on the river. 

A pair of black-and-red Broadbill was busily gathering materials for a nest. These colourful broadbills with boat-like bills were seen regularly inside the tributaries but were nervous as they like to perch on low branches and boats would come too close. We saw a few the previous morning too. 

 

 

 

 

 

A buff-necked woodpecker actively flying across the waters had us and the boat sailing left to right on the tributary. 

 

The last major sighting was aptly the Storm's Stork, which is dominant along the river. The stork was not named after the tropical storms which Southeast Asia is famous for, although Sabah misses such storms being the land under the wind. Instead, the stork is named after Hugo Storm, a German sea captain who was also a collector of zoological specimens in the East Indies. An Oriental Pied Hornbill kept it company in the warming sun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

That wraps up my Sabah journey. There are so many more mammals and birds to discover - all the cats that I never saw for instance. We will surely return. 

 

Thank you to all those who followed my TR and sent in their likes, which were so encouraging and supportive. It is not a destination that everyone will take a journey to, not with so many compelling competing and probably more accessible locations to explore. But its unique flora and fauna will fully satisfy anyone who does make a trip to Borneo. I know I am one. 

 

Good journeys to all, wherever you may go. 

[Zim Girl]

Great report @Kitsafari.  I loved the moody sunrise pictures.

We went twenty years ago and you definitely make the case for a return visit!

[michael-ibk]

Thanks so much Kit, really enjoyed this report. You are certainly one of ST's very best writers, always a pleasure to read your text. And great photos of course! Hope to have a similarly good experience next year.