Best of Borneo Jul 23—Aug 05, 2011
Posted by David Bishop
David Bishop
David Bishop loves his vocation and cannot imagine anything better than exploring wild and beautiful places in Asia and the Pacific in the company of friends and clients. H...Related Trips
Any tour to Borneo is, by definition, special. This one was no exception. However, it was extra special in that it was graced by a delightful group of participants who made the trip a sheer joy to lead. As is characteristic of birding in the Tropics, we had some slower times, and our time in the Danum Valley was unusually difficult. It is unclear why the birds were so quiet and inactive—possibly our visit coincided with an exceptionally long, dry interval. The prevailing conditions appeared to cause some groups to seem almost non-existent, in particular trogons and pittas. Woodpeckers were noticeably quiet and scarce, and when we did encounter them they appeared to be in family groups, suggesting that this bird family and possibly others were in the midst of breeding.
 |
Raffles's Malkoha— Photo: K. David Bishop |
Despite all this, I think it safe to say that everyone enjoyed a magnificent tour with some truly outstanding highlights. How can you go wrong when you begin the tour with a pair of exquisite Whitehead's Trogons posing for 30 minutes as we drooled over them; not one, not two, but three of the near-mythical Bornean Ground-Cuckoos along the lovely Menanngol River; and an amazing group of six or seven Bornean Bristleheads that just wouldn't leave us alone. Thanks to the absence of hunting in areas such as the Danum Valley, primates and many other mammals and large birds are notably common and easy to see. We had several fabulous encounters with orangutans, proboscis monkeys, Bornean gibbons, a large troop of pig-tailed macaques and numerous maroon leaf-monkeys, and some good numbers of hornbills, especially the colorful, huge Rhinoceros Hornbill.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize just how fortunate I am to return each year to this extraordinary island. VENT's tours of Borneo are without doubt among the finest natural history experiences anywhere on our planet. This is largely because Borneo is one of the most exciting, vibrant, and biologically diverse places on earth. The combination of immense forests replete with a fabulous array of towering trees, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates serviced by some of the most comfortable and attractive accommodations to be enjoyed anywhere in the Tropics, together with some truly sumptuous meals guarantees an unforgettable experience.
Borneo is indisputably an extraordinary place and this continues to be underscored by new discoveries. Recent genetic studies have now shown that the Bornean pygmy elephant is indeed a very distinct taxon; the Borneo population of orangutan should be treated as a separate species; and, most recently, studies of the Bornean clouded leopard show that it too is a completely separate species from all other populations. And so it is with birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates too. Clearly Borneo exhibits more than its share of weird and wonderful creatures, and our experiences exemplify what a wonderful tour this is. Merely listing totals of 257 species of birds, 27 species of mammals, and 13 species of "herptiles," in addition to a plethora of gorgeous butterflies and other invertebrates, plus some fascinating flowering and non-flowering plants, barely does justice to what was a truly delightful experience. AND this was on our shorter "Highlights" tour!
It was a real joy to share a place I love so much with such an appreciative group. My aim as always is for each and every client to see each and every species well and ideally on more than one occasion, and in this I believe we were very successful. Possessing an intimate knowledge of the calls of the birds and where to find them is a key to our success and has been built upon over many years of studying the birds of Borneo and the surrounding regions of Asia. I cannot wait until my next trip!
Thanks to you all for helping to make this tour such a great success! Thanks too, to all our boatmen, drivers, local guides, and the many other people who helped make our stay in Borneo so safe, friendly, and fulfilling. It was a pleasure traveling and birding with you, and I look forward to traveling with you again soon.