May 22. We are rise early this morning for a private bird watching excursion on a 64-acre site of coastal vegetation, which is habitat for over 60 species of birds, some which are are only native to Borneo.
As our days in Borneo will largely be spent viewing birds and other flora and fauna, they may seem repetitive, or even boring. Those who have been on safari or birding and wildlife trips will appreciate that this is not the case. Setting out each day, one cannot predict what you’ll see and the adventure and fun is in the hunt as much as in the finding. Changing environments and weather, and the sheer difference from our lives back home all serve to enhance the adventure.
Our guide this morning, Andrew, was one of the people who picked us up at the airport when we arrived the other night. He is an expert birder adept at pointing out different species. Happily, this morning we were on flat terrain and along a golf course, as opposed to yesterday in the forest. The open areas made it possible to see birds.
For those of you not familiar with birds/birdwatching, here are a few points to keep in mind. Birds are very small. Birds move very fast. Birds are hard to find in your binoculars or camera lens. So birdwatching and bird photography can be very frustrating, especially when it’s hot as hell and you’ve forgotten to take water with. That said, here are a few unsatisfactory photos from this morning.
Michael, laden with equipment, and a distant golf cart make easier targets.
We return to the resort for a fine buffet breakfast, then rest up before this afternoon’s walk with Andrew. During our rest-up period, a high point of the trip (so far) occurs–the laundry I sent out this morning is returned, clean, pressed and folded. I am so excited, and it was a bargain, fifteen bucks for the whole lot! It’s things like this that make life worth living. Witnessing my joy, Carol says that she’s going to start charging me for doing the laundry, and I tell her that I’ll happily pay.
Relatively light lunch in the hotel. Musicians in lobby were singing goodbye to guests who were leaving.
Our guide, Andrew
led us on a walk right near the hotel for only about an hour, which was long enough, given the heat. Here are some of our sightings
Cleaned up our sweaty selves in time for cocktails and dinner at the Indian restaurant in our resort, called Naan. Excellent dinner, then up to the room to pack and retire by 9PM, for tomorrow’s very early start
Really enjoying your blogs as usual. Can’t seem to reply on my iPhone but on the computer it seems to work. Enjoy the birds and the heat!
Trying to figure out what the yellow caution(?) sign means? Bump in the road?
Arnie – if these bird photographs were “unsatisfactory,” then your many photography fans eagerly await your “satisfactory” ones. As a non-photographer, I thought that they were just spectacular!