Day 2: 19.June
2001
0614hr Small group
(+5 birds) of laughing thrush Garrulax palliatus*, Sunda laughing
thrush / Poksai hitam. Polyplectrum chalcorum Sumatran peacock
pheasant/karau* called twice
0620hr Movement
calls of a group of leaf monkeys (simpai) Presbytis melalophos
heard.
0710hr Fire-tufted
barbet (ketakur api) Psilopogon pyrolophus heard calling (and
other individuals heard subsequently over rest of morning of Day 2)
0728hr Lesser-racket
tailed drongo (Dicrurus remifer)
0800hr - 0945hr
Trail cutting through dense pandanus and rattan undergrowth. Small mammal
and ungulate trails intermittent. Rub marks on trees indicate presence
of sambar* and muntjac* deer
0907hr Siamang
gibbon* begin calling (2 groups) from higher, better-drained forest
ridges between Gunung Raya and Bkt Setinjlaut
0945hr - Emerge
on to well-used animal ridge trail running generally north-south between
Gunung Raya and Bkt Setinjlaut at approximately 1260m asl. No GPS fix
possible despite repeated attempts. Team moves along ridge trail in
southerly bearing seeking route down to Sako Gedang advised of by Matt
Linkie but without GPS, entry point not found.
1030hr Fresh prints
of sambar deer* and of Malay tapir*. Fresh rintisan - +/- 3 days presumed
from Siulak bird trappers previously (Day 1) advised.
1045hr Old rintisan
found heading westward down scarp face and in absence of GPS position
for correct entry point, team takes this route down towards Sako Gedang
river. Aceros undulatos - wreathed hornbill/ enggang julang emas
(BI) - 2 birds seen flying south towards Gunung Raya.
11??hr Remains of
a snare trap (dating 1 year+/-) found on trail down. Given terrain,
most probably for Capricornis sumatrensis - serow/kambing hutan*.
1215hr Elevation
1185m asl Team following small, well-used ungulate trail (deer and wild
pig species). No indicators of tiger presence seen although tiger recorded
on two previous visits to this area. Intermittent rintisan, mainly old,
encountered. Probably bird catchers since no further remains of snares
were seen on animal trails.
1215hr-1420hr Two
encounters with small groups of Garrulax spp*, one group including
Garrulax leucolophus* white headed laughing thrush. Second group unclear.
Large hole excavated under rotting tree, apparently by Malay sunbear*
Helarctos malayanos. Palm species now less common although long
lengths of coarse rattan (calamus spp*) observed. Pandanus rare.
Many tree ferns and mossy/lichen growths on trees. Epiphytes common.
. Weather overcast. First growths of coarse, low quality manau vines
seen.
1445hr Single specimen
of Amorphophallus beccari spp* (or complex of) seen at 1060m
asl.. Pools investigated. No fish in river.
1630hr First of
two large waterfalls (20m height estimate) encountered and team cuts
right (north) to ridge trails to avoid the gorge below waterfall. Pig*
(probably Sus barbatus oie) and muntjak* prints on narrow ridge
trails. Topography continues to be extremely steep with average declivity
estimated at 70 degrees+/- 1710 - Below second of two waterfalls. Very
fresh rintis marks encountered (-24 hours). Purpose unknown but individual
moving north. Possibly one of the Siulak 'bird trappers' although if
this is the case, it is likely these men were poaching for other than
birds. Since no pondok was subsequently encountered, camp likely to
be upriver on northern tributary of Sako Gedang - the route the team
had hoped to take.
1720hr - Camp. No
GPS achieved. Many small (8-10cm+) semah (Labeobarbus spp) and
seluang present in river in front of camp and pools below the second
of two waterfalls. Guide Aup advises the higher, 20m+/- waterfall is
the eastward point of fish in the Silaut river system.
Day 1
- 2 - 3
- 4 - 5
- 6 - 7
© Jambi Web Commerce
