This post has been written by Wawan, our Finance Manager from our Indonesian office in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan Borneo about his visit to Pondok Ambung. Experiencing Beautiful ‘Shama’
Its such interesting experience when you go through the deep of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan. You can enjoy an unforgetable long river journey to reach Pondok Ambung Research station, about 30 minutes down river from Camp Leakey.
I went to Pondok Ambung Research Station by Orangutan Foundation’s Speed boat as routine duty delivering fresh logistic from Kumai market on 15 April. Staying one night just sensing to be closer to the wildlife habitat there. Butterflies, birds, squirrel, and even little dragonfly can be found easily.
One bird was my interest, I see beautiful bird having long-black tailed and white rump, orange bellied, black head and black eyes as well. Its body size maybe only same as a little coffee cup but looking a bit thin because of its long tailed and neck. It kept jumping between branches, and some times stepping to the ground. Once it jump and step on the ground getting little worm by its beak, and suddenly swallow it. After swallow the worm, it flew to perch on little branches and singing! Such beautiful long time duration sing.
Moments were capture by my camera, I though that I got some good pictures, not bad at all before it vanish away. Unforgetable and beautiful bird, I know the name is White-rump Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) from book literature, it residence mainly eating worms but occasionally ants and other insect, very clever often immitating other bird calls. Its threated by illegal hunting for their rich chuckling songs, people using this bird for Bird singing competition, now we see it free from threaths because they living in protected area Tanjung Puting National Park.
I think this is just a little story that representing my experience to be closer to wildlife especially birds. I hope any of you like it. Thank you Orangutan Foundation UK and Tanjung puting National park and also thanks for Arif Nugroho the manager of Pondok Ambung Research Station.
I hope You will get more interest from this little experience, thanks.
Wawan (Bambang Setyawan)
OF-UK Finance Manager
Want to visit Tanjung Puting National Park? Visit our www.orangutan.org.uk
