Another day in the rainforest

Arrived at Rainforest Discover Centre (RDC) at Sepilok, Sandakan -again! Cannot stop from coming here for photographing; there is this soul-healing peace , tranquility and beauty of Mother Nature that keeps me inspired and balanced - the blazing sun, the sound of rain, those amazing birds, beautiful trees and wild flowers and forest fruit, the great apes, Gibbons and unpredictable monkeys, the butterflies, the Dragon flies, the frogs, the snakes, the bats, the squirrels of all sizes - also that flying-one, all those weird, interesting-looking insects and  other "creatures",not to forget my not-yet discovered Slow Loris and that tiny, cute Tarsier  - never got enough of them!

Today, I'm welcomed by this curious, tiored-looking Long-tailed Macaque Monkey sitting on a tree branch at canopy walk-way...well, the night was pretty stormy, no wonder it's tired after well-deserved breakfast.

 

Walking further I meet other bird-photographers and some bird guides...lucky me, since soon we can get again a glimpse of that Bornean Endemic, Bornean Bristlehead (26 cm), that is no. 1 at every bird photographer's list here.  Even they fly high on the treetop, I manage to take that some kind of "record shot", somehow... 

Soon we can spot a group of Raffles's Malkohas (30 cm), with them, a new baby with slightly shaky legs taking one of its first learning trips with mum and pap.  Suddenly it drops down in front of me, crying desperately after its mother but soon understands how to fly over the fence of the canopy...really sweet and touching.  Soon other birds come around to see this new-comer.

 

 

 

Moving forward I can see a group of beautiful Blue-crowned Parrots upside-down (13 cm) in a fruiting tree, though quite far at distance from the canopy. 

 

 

 

Back to the trail!  Soon I can hear and see a noisy mixed flock of Hornbills high up on a tall tree - like a group of restless teenagers they seem to gather for hours, looks like there is this never-ending game of " who is the leader" going on.

 

 

 

...hope they settle the things fast, since there is always danger lurking around!  I heard that a couple of weeks ago one of the Hornbills was taken by a White-bellied Sea Eagle (70 cm) -poor fellow!

 

 

Near the Hornbill Tower, another predator is looking around and waiting for a chance for a meaty meal - a Crested Serpent Eagle (50 cm).  It looks straight into my blue eyes and does not care at all about my existence!

 

 

 

Walking down the Belian trail, a Black-naped Monarch (16 cm) emerges from the forest for a quick snack.

 

 

 

...and a Plaintive Cuckoo (21 cm) is quietly sitting on a tree branch, clearly planning something "fishy".

 

 

 

 

When arriving back to the "headquarters", a Copper-Throated Sunbird (13 cm) is making a quick round for that early-afternoon meal, just before the rain...

 

 

It's time to go home...

Please,
enjoy,
Paula Camilleri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Down the river...

Take a boat tour down the river- and seaside. Let the boat move slowly and observe the peaceful, guiet life around.  If it is a low-tide, you might be lucky enough to see hundreds of colorful crabs  moving on the riverbank; white, yellow, red, blue... you name it!

 

 

 

... and, maybe looking for those crabs, a group of Longtailed Macaque Monkeys could be wondering around the river bank.

 

 

 

 

Moving forward, and you could catch a glimbse of a curious Proboscis Monkey taking a rest high up on a  tree branch after an early breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

...or a beautiful Egret perching on the river bank among the lush mangrove vegetation.

 

 

 

 

 

A very self-confident Stork-billed Kingfisher might just be sitting  quietly for ages observing it's 'kingdom"...

 

 

 

And a solitary Dollar bird could be calling it's mate high up on a hollow tree top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A "majestic" White-bellied  Sea Eagle might be sitting on a Rhu-tree branch looking for the next meal, hungry babies waiting in a huge nest nearby... 

 

 

 

 

Crusing forward, you might be surprised to see a tiny Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker feeding it's offspring on a hollow tree-branch .

 

 

 

 

 

A Brahminy Kite, hunting on higher grounds, just before the storm hits in...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and just before you would turn the boat back home, you might be delighted by an Oriental Darter perching on the river bank - what amazing view!

 

 

 

What a great way to spend another day in Sandakan!

 

Enjoy,

 

Paula Camilleri 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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