In the wild, expect the unexpected!

Another amazing day at RDC.  It rained all morning, and now it's sunny and steaming hot in the rain forest.  Not so many birds to be seen around; like humans, they are looking for the shelter from the mid-afternoon blazing sun.  Stopping to wipe my steamy spectacles something catches my attention: a cute little Black-and-yellow Broadbill is going up-and-down in a treetrunk and keeps on grooming vigorously.  After a moment a Lesser Green Leafbird appears from the very same tree trunk -again-up- and-down, around-and-around, like a spinning top, grooming vigorously - what an earth is this? - cannot definitely be a love story...okay, this is a bird spa!  The storm has left the tree trunk full of water, and now it's serving as a  stimulating, refreshing spa  for the tired birds.

 

 

On the way back to the car I meet a group of local students just " hanging around" and enjoying their day off.  When noticing my camera, they call me: Miss, miss, look! - and are pointing the tree in front of me - yes, indeed, there it is: a female Orangutan has taken an "escape" from her sanctuary in Sepilok Orangutan Centre nearby for some extra afternoon snack, and why not!  She is shy, but I manage to take some pictures before she modestly turns her back to me to devour and slowly takes her way back home - what a lovely surprise!

Few more steps down the road and suddenly I bump into a hunting action...a resident cat has just caught a snake.  I'm totally ignored; motionless, her body all tense, having a tight crib in the snake's throat she is waiting for the snake to give up...what a hunter, and look at her muscles ! Certainly not her first time.  Worrying about the cat's safety I quickly stop the arriving car to avoid any accidents - the driver realizes what's going on and waves back smilingly - the cat is safe.  Involuntarily I leave her to enjoy the catch.

Never a boring day in the rainforest...
Paula Camilleri