On occasion we get some visitors in the tiny state of Brunei. Claude is a consultant for SEA ALARM, which is an organization that facilitates in oiled wildlife response planning (see also their website:
http://www.sea-alarm.org) and he is in Brunei to give a course for BSP. Claude had asked if I'd be OK to show him some good birding sites.
So, on Sunday morning I took Claude to Teraja for some lowland forest birding. We were a little unfortunate with some of the brighter plumaged birds; we heard 3 different trogon species, but didn't see a single one! But, we still managed to rake up a good number of birds and I was particularly pleased with good sightings of both long-billed spiderhunter and grey-bellied bulbul. Attached 2 pictures from this morning. Firstly, this Horsfield's babbler that provided some very un-babbler like good views.
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| Horsfield's babbler (Malacocincia sepiaria). |
On our way back we came across this Green crested lizard and I couldn't resist a few shots.
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| Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella). |
Yesterday evening I took Claude for a night drive through the forest. One of the first animals we saw was this slow loris. By far the best views of a loris I ever had, a fantastic moment! The Bornean slow loris is a very small primate that unfortunately is threatened (listed as vulnerable) both by habitat loss and illegal poaching, primarily for the pet trade.
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| Slow loris (Nycticebus menagensis). |
What both pictures nicely show is the 'grooming claw' on the hind foot, which the loris uses for, you guessed it, grooming.
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| Slow loris (Nycticebus menagensis). |
I had seen a distressed looking loris last year for sale in the Jerudong market. A very sad sight and I hope these pics attest to the fact that it is far better to view them in the wild!
Folkert 03/06/2014
