Wow, that was a bad night.
We don't have air conditioning in the room, only a ceiling fan. When we first turned it on, bits on insect flew all over Dad's bed. It makes you feel cooler, but it is very noisy. I didn't expect the jungle to be quiet at night, it wasn't. There are noises from insects that are fall louder than those from mammals. Non of the noises are frightening, but they do seem to demand attention. All this would have been part of the experience, bit the power want off and the temperature just started to rise and rise. We had to be meeting our guide at 6am, and I was watching the clock thinking 'now I have four hours of sleep... now three...' Given that we'd been up at six the precious morning too I was feeling rotten when we got up. But get up we did because the birds were unwilling to wait for me to catch their worm.
No power over night meant no hot water for a shower, but there isn't any naturally occurring cold water in Borneo son the shower wasn't too shocking.
We got dressed and covered ourselves in Deet, after-sun, sun block and fabric and went to meet Cairo for our previous breakfast bird hunt. Cairo told us that birds were his favourite subject. He said he knew his 'Birds of Borneo' book by heart and I think I believe him. As we walked, me very blurry eyed, he looked around immitated birds noises to try to get a response.
Dad and me looked through our fisher-price-esk binoculars and saw trees, lots and lots of trees. Cairo, who I think had the eyes of a hawk, was pointing out birds without using his binoculars at all.
After a little while we left the road and went into the jungle. It wasn't nearly as dense as I'd thought, I had expected something quite unreal though. I'd was about as dense as a forest in the UK.
Suddenly, Cairo held his finger to his mouth and motioned for us to quietly come closer. Pointing into some very dark underground there was a chirping sound. Suddenly there was a rustle and a very cute bird bounced out. It noticed us, froze, decided that we weren't either a danger nor edible and continued. It was about fifteen letters away and the size of a small starling, but much more handsome with a shimmering blue head and back with white streaks. I turned on my flash and tries to take a photo, it was too far away. I managed, very slowly, to get closer and just got a photo.
Here is my first bird photo:
Apart from not letting us get too close to him, the bird just went about his morning. He's a Blue Pitta, he eats leeches. He is now my favourite birds in Borneo.
Walking around more we saw some distant horn bills but it was mostly Cairo, with his super vision pointing birds out that Dad and me would then totally fail to see with our binoculars. It was a little frustrating.
A consolation was the bird song, and insect song which was just as loud as the birds. I think, the call of the cicada is actually the loudest call in the animal kingdom... I'll have to check that though.
This trip was the last for my poor flash though. The tough little thing suddenly snapped off. RIP, YN-560.
When we got back, our previously prestine hiking kit was good and muddy, as it should be. We were told need meet up again after breakfast for the next installation so we went to sit down for half an hour before it was served.
Then things got strange...
To be continued.
P.S. Mustn't forget the house swifts. They are noise, tame, love five adults in one nest and really quite lovely. Like over excited children constantly checking that the other is still there.
Dad and me looked through our fisher-price-esk binoculars and saw trees, lots and lots of trees. Cairo, who I think had the eyes of a hawk, was pointing out birds without using his binoculars at all.
After a little while we left the road and went into the jungle. It wasn't nearly as dense as I'd thought, I had expected something quite unreal though. I'd was about as dense as a forest in the UK.
Suddenly, Cairo held his finger to his mouth and motioned for us to quietly come closer. Pointing into some very dark underground there was a chirping sound. Suddenly there was a rustle and a very cute bird bounced out. It noticed us, froze, decided that we weren't either a danger nor edible and continued. It was about fifteen letters away and the size of a small starling, but much more handsome with a shimmering blue head and back with white streaks. I turned on my flash and tries to take a photo, it was too far away. I managed, very slowly, to get closer and just got a photo.
Here is my first bird photo:
Apart from not letting us get too close to him, the bird just went about his morning. He's a Blue Pitta, he eats leeches. He is now my favourite birds in Borneo.
Walking around more we saw some distant horn bills but it was mostly Cairo, with his super vision pointing birds out that Dad and me would then totally fail to see with our binoculars. It was a little frustrating.
A consolation was the bird song, and insect song which was just as loud as the birds. I think, the call of the cicada is actually the loudest call in the animal kingdom... I'll have to check that though.
This trip was the last for my poor flash though. The tough little thing suddenly snapped off. RIP, YN-560.
When we got back, our previously prestine hiking kit was good and muddy, as it should be. We were told need meet up again after breakfast for the next installation so we went to sit down for half an hour before it was served.
Then things got strange...
To be continued.
P.S. Mustn't forget the house swifts. They are noise, tame, love five adults in one nest and really quite lovely. Like over excited children constantly checking that the other is still there.
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