The Lincolnshire Bird Club

well what a trip. had a long thought, and have decided that although i had no problems going alone and got into no difficulties, at the age of 67 to go to the other side of the world alone and spend days tramping around rain forests in sometimes poor weather have got to come to an end. if i had slipped fallen hurt myself in any way i could have been in a mess to say the least. so in the future i am going to have to team up with people doing a trip either local lads here or with old friends in derbyshire or naturetrek etc. borneo rainy season is coming to an end and although i did not loose a lot of time to the weather, after the rain the underfoot conditions were not good and when you are in rainforest/jungle the paths were not good. that made a single person trying to watch their feet whilst find birds with a single pair of eyes which had to cover or try to cover canopy - middle - understory left right front and back you can see the problems i faced. forest birding is the most difficult birding to do in my opinion and also the most frustrating but also the most rewarding for the birder who likes to find his own birds. i have had a great time though not seen anywhere near the number of species i would have done in a small team. anyone else venturing to borneo should wait untill march when the trees start fruiting and flowers start blooming where all the birds are then more obvious and less skulking. i saw 160 species only in ten days and had 52 life birds which despite all the hard work i am absolutely delighted with, oh well back to grainthorpe

terry whalin

Terry,
Welcome back from foreign lands......and thanks for your interesting account of your rainforest/jungle birdwatching trip to Borneo which, as you say, with 160 species including 52 lifers towards the end of the rainy season, represents a very good result.

I know that you have done many such trips but what a lot of people who haven't done any/much birding in those surroundings don't realise (and TV programmes don't always help) is that the deeper you go into the jungle/rainforest the less likelihood there usually is of sighting very many typically skulking birds, especially in the absence of any fruiting trees and clearings....and the slippery paths can become just used narrow animal tracks going nowhere.

The best birdwatching can often be on the fringes, around villages, in cultivated areas, clearings and where the secondary growth exists with more light. As you mention, birding in the rainforest/jungle itself is about the most difficult type of birding to do, especially alone, plus temperatures of 30+ degrees and extremely high humidity. After all, the emergent layer and the canopy layer are out of sight, the understorey layer often disappointing and the forest floor receives little if any real light.

When I lived in Singapore in the early 1960s ( when I was only in my early 30s, and it was still some years before the first UK birdtour company (Ornitholidays) was established) the best results on 'local' birding trips to North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and especially to 'Malaya' itself across the Johore Causeway were always in the paddy-fields, around the villages and in the secondary jungle. The week-long, real Army 'jungle training' exercises we did annually, where we were always accompanied by trackers and a protective team of Gurkhas, were quite boring wildlife-wise once we entered the real jungle itself.

I remember one birding trip early on in my 3-year tour when I had parked up near a Malay village and then penetrated alone (plus compass, etc.) into deeper jungle, I saw very little for a couple of hours or so (although I heard 'things') .......and then I heard what I initially thought (at last) might be the sound of a flock of birds ahead..........dream on, it was a crowd of spectators cheering on a bicycle race ; I had penetrated through to the outskirts of a large settlement. I'm sure you avoided that sort of experience in Borneo, Terry.

Freddy

yes freddie your comments very much ring a bell ( although not a bike bell ) even the locals could not believe i was alone driving myself all over sabah, covered about 1400 kilometers or so, fuel, how does this grab you for a 3rd world not very rich country about 55 pence per liter or £2.60 ish per gallon. makes you want to shoot all MPs how dare they talk off world prices. rip off Britain, the example is set at the highest levels and it is a poor example of greed.

terry whalin

Enjoyed the read. I've never been abroad birdwatching etc and not sure I'm up to it if I did want to go. Being on ones own in this country can be daunting when not having good health, but it would never stop me going to the remotest places as long as I had my trusty mobiles etc. Didn't realise you are my senior by four years, even though we have never met yet I had imagined you to be in your 50s

Nothing wrong with Grainthorpe even when it is sloshing down as long as we have the heated hide with us

When I'm feeling okay I'll have a ride over and have a day there bringing my stove for company making me hungry

Cheers

Max

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

I always enjoy reading your posts, Max,......appropriate, but inevitably introducing a different angle from the norm.

I personally think that Scotland can often be as rewarding as some overseas trips and I know you had an enjoyable holiday on the Isle of Mull and the Moray coast in May and June last year. No crowded airports to negotiate, and no border formalities (for the time being, anyway.) Admittedly the driving can be a bore but, at least, it's on the left.

I hope your health picks up soon.....but in addition to taking your trusty mobile on your trips, do consider adding a trusty Dog Dazer....a good investment especially as more and more dogs are now being let off the lead by irresponsible owners. Further, I consider a Dog Dazer indispensible for overseas trips and for those who disagree, well, obviously you've never met a wild-eyed potentially rabid dog/pack of dogs coming at you even in France or Spain, let alone further afield.

Freddy

Indeed, Freddy; a Dog Dazer was a must on the Almerian Steppe area of Spain, where roaming packs of feral dogs were quite common, and were a curse of breeding Lesser Short-toed Larks, Thekla Larks and Black-bellied Sandgrouse.

Richard........

Freddy,

Thanks for you comments and wishes. A dog dazer eh mmmmmmm when on Mull last year I cannot remember seeing any dogs but I'm sure my mate will correct me if I'm wrong. The dazer would come in handy if I met any rams like the one my pal and I met a couple of years back on Barden Moor, it was a right pest trying to get in the boot and front seat looking for my ham sandwiches etc. Unbeknown to me my mate was busy snapping pics of me and the ram, which he later mailed and I must say they certainly made me laugh. If I remember I'll mail you one.

Although I don't dislike dogs, back in the 1960s when I was an apprentice plater/welder both myself and another plater were working at BIS near Messingham on nights repairing something or other and whenever it was time for a cuppa it was my job to make it. I went in the cabin and mashed up and came out to shout my mate. Next thing I knew was a very loud barking and seeing this damn great alsatian coming towards me! I panicked as you do but didn't get away fast enough, the damn thing bit my arse and then I just ran as fast I as I could and scaled a six foot high wall and stood on top of it swearing at the dog at the top of my voice My mate came and said what you doing up there and then started laughing. By this time the guard had come out and assured me the dog was on a long chain, I shouted pity it wasn't on a short one then I wouldn't have had a bleeding and sore backside. From that day to this I'm always wary of dogs no matter what size they are. Where do I buy a dog dazer?

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Max,
Google 'Dog Dazer ' and I would recommend the Amazon listed type :
Dog Dazer 11
or
Dog Repeller.........@c £25 or so.

One of the many sites should meet your preferred payment method.

Freddy

Hi Terry

Sounds like a great trip and well done for going it alone. I am doing the same from today, not Borneo yet tho!!

Im leaving UK today, for one months birding/photography in Nepal, then on through into India for an indefinite period working on various conservation projects that I have been lucky enough to be asked to join and also Sri Lanka too

I shall try when I can to update my blog to keep those happy that have requested I do. Im travelling solo too, will be my biggest but hopefully best challenge yet and Im very excited!! Im ready!!

Shall post as much as poss on my blog and those of you who use Facebook will see regular updates/pics too.

Happy birding everyone and I shall come on the LBC forum when I can to see what has been happening!

regards
Mandy

_________________
http://mandywest.zenfolio.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51013318@N06/

Mandy,

Safe journey!!!!!!!!!!

Regards

Mr Max

_________________
GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

well done mandy good luck and take care

terry whalin

Happy Birding, Mandy. Looking forward to following any news on your blog.

Best wishes for a really memorable trip.

Freddy
PS. I wonder where you'll be when you catch up with these messages.