The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The initial euphoria of a potential Buff-banded Rail turned out to be four Slaty-breasted Rail instead but well compensated with a very close uninterrupted view of a pair of nitejars. The is also another possibility of a major find made a few weeks ago in the morning : a pair of Blue-breasted Quails may not be quails after all, the male was too dark (almost BLACK!) to be a quail. Looks like more visits are due.


White-breasted Waterhen.

Slaty-breasted Rail.

A pair of nightjar, unsure of identity just yet.

Nitejar.

Breeding plummage Cattle Egret.

Shin Yang by Linau Mewah Sdn Bhd is now very active in the area, more peatswamps are being churn-up for accacia plantation on the other side of the road.

Working hard in the swamp.

Waist deep in organic matter that of a peatswamp, "no, we are not converting out peatlands to plantations!"

The peat area nearby is undergoing rapid transformation by Linau Mewah Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Shin Yang, a major player in Kuala Baram peatswamp conversion. This patch will be another fast growing accacia plantation by the looks of it.

Words and images by Nazeri Abghani/MNS Miri