Yesterday.
Today.
Not pictured : more than ga-zillion blasted pesky mosquitoes!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunrise at the lakes ... or the stark truth open cast sand mine
Yesterday.
Today.
Not pictured : more than ga-zillion blasted pesky mosquitoes!
AWC Go-Cart lake 15 Feb 2010
15th. Feb 2010
Time 6:00 am – 9:00 am
Air temperature 26.6 ° Centigrade.
Thin cloud sky, misty morning
Participant: Nazeri and Musa (writer).
This morning we started early from home and arrived at Go-cart lakes while it was still dark. We sprayed our faces and bare parts of our body with copious amount of highly toxic mosquitoe repellent. Nazeri was here yesterday morning and the amount of mosquitoes was so unbearable, he had to leave after 15mins. He had forgotten to bring the repellent.
These mosquitoes were so persistent they'd even bite through cloth. We took turns spraying while waiting for the sun to rise. Scanned the night scope around the lake, only saw a single Intermediate Egret at the other side of the lake.
The sun rose beautifully with blazing red hue over the horizon. A pair of Purple Heron flew across. Serendipity indeed even with the blasted mozzies.
Early duck watching.
The first duck was seen at 6:27 am flew in from the North East. He knew we were waiting there and cautiously landed just outside of our field of view.
The Intermediate Egret was still feeding across the lake happily. A moorhen swam by completely ignoring our presence.
Serenity at the Go-cart lakes.
A group of Wandering Whistling Duck going back into hiding.
Another duck flew in at 6:39 am but it continued flying southwest. A group of 15 ducks suddenly appeared from the southwest area and swam towards a clearing. We managed to take video and photographs of them. Then they flew off to the east, when a group of construction workers spooked them.
Another Common Moorhen swam in the middle of the lake close to the egret. A Yellow Bitten suddenly flew in front of us from out of nowhere.
15 Wandering whistling ducks flying
White-browed Crake
White-browed Crake
Another 5 Wandering Whistlinf Duck flew in from the east and landed in the eastern part of the lake and quickly hid themslves among floating lilies.
A White browed Crake appeared right in front of us intent on preening. It carried on for quite a while completely dismissing us. He either didn't see us or couldn't be bothered by our presence.
At 7:46am we decide to move to Kuala Baram vegetable farm to check on the White-bellied Sea Eagle's nest. We saw a single small head poking out of the nest, from such a long distance , it knew that we were observing it.
We moved out of t area and reach home at 9:00 am.
Bird list:
Purple Heron 2
Intermediate Egret 2
Common Moorhen 5
Wandering Whistling Duck 22
Yellow Bittern 2
White-browed Crake 1
White-breasted Waterhen 5
Yellow-bellied Prinia 5
WMD ... there goes the peatswamp.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
Time 6:00 am – 9:00 am
Air temperature 26.6 ° Centigrade.
Thin cloud sky, misty morning
Participant: Nazeri and Musa (writer).
This morning we started early from home and arrived at Go-cart lakes while it was still dark. We sprayed our faces and bare parts of our body with copious amount of highly toxic mosquitoe repellent. Nazeri was here yesterday morning and the amount of mosquitoes was so unbearable, he had to leave after 15mins. He had forgotten to bring the repellent.
These mosquitoes were so persistent they'd even bite through cloth. We took turns spraying while waiting for the sun to rise. Scanned the night scope around the lake, only saw a single Intermediate Egret at the other side of the lake.
The sun rose beautifully with blazing red hue over the horizon. A pair of Purple Heron flew across. Serendipity indeed even with the blasted mozzies.
Early duck watching.
The first duck was seen at 6:27 am flew in from the North East. He knew we were waiting there and cautiously landed just outside of our field of view.
The Intermediate Egret was still feeding across the lake happily. A moorhen swam by completely ignoring our presence.
Serenity at the Go-cart lakes.
A group of Wandering Whistling Duck going back into hiding.
Another duck flew in at 6:39 am but it continued flying southwest. A group of 15 ducks suddenly appeared from the southwest area and swam towards a clearing. We managed to take video and photographs of them. Then they flew off to the east, when a group of construction workers spooked them.
Another Common Moorhen swam in the middle of the lake close to the egret. A Yellow Bitten suddenly flew in front of us from out of nowhere.
15 Wandering whistling ducks flying
White-browed Crake
White-browed Crake
Another 5 Wandering Whistlinf Duck flew in from the east and landed in the eastern part of the lake and quickly hid themslves among floating lilies.
A White browed Crake appeared right in front of us intent on preening. It carried on for quite a while completely dismissing us. He either didn't see us or couldn't be bothered by our presence.
At 7:46am we decide to move to Kuala Baram vegetable farm to check on the White-bellied Sea Eagle's nest. We saw a single small head poking out of the nest, from such a long distance , it knew that we were observing it.
We moved out of t area and reach home at 9:00 am.
Bird list:
Purple Heron 2
Intermediate Egret 2
Common Moorhen 5
Wandering Whistling Duck 22
Yellow Bittern 2
White-browed Crake 1
White-breasted Waterhen 5
Yellow-bellied Prinia 5
WMD ... there goes the peatswamp.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
AWC Sibuti bird sanctuary
AWC Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary
13th. Feb 2010
Time 7:15 am – 10:30 am
Air temperature 28.8 ° Centigrade.
Clear blue sky. Tide is lowest and rising.
Participant: Steve, Nazeri, Sara, Ali, Rosie, Aisya, Clare, Remli, Ibrahim, Pungut, Ibram, Sofian, Jufree, Hadran, Awg Raden, and Musa (writer)
This time around the Miri Photo-shoot group followed us, they made photographs, we birdwatched.
Our original intended participants ie. the two rural schools in the area and their teachers were not able to participate in the end. We did not succeed in securing permission from no other than the Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri to take 30 primary school students and their 8 teachers out birdwatching in their backyard. Ah well, they've been in the area since forever ... another year or two perhaps won't make that much of a difference. Hurrumph!
We met at Miri Taman Awam a quarter of an hour short of 6:30am. We headed out directly to Kpg Tengah, where the Sanctuary is located.
Group photo : Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary staff & MNS Miri birders.
We parked the car at the ex-DID barracks and started to unpack when we spotted our first quarry : a lone long tailed macaque.
We slowly walked to the Sanctuary on the double track laterite road, the dry season being early this year, the road was very decent, definitely not a problem for a sedan to pass through. As we walked in we heard woodpecker. A few minutes later three Rufous Woodpecker flew across the track. Far away on a distant branch, a Dollarbird was sitting rather quietly. All the while around us, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Cream-vented Bulbul were flitting about amongsth the branches. Steve spotted an Olive-winged Bulbul.
Pied Triller
On the ground we spotted faeces of a mammal, could be a binturong or otter or palm civet, all reported to be common in the area.
There seemed to be a few Crimson Sunbird flying around that day too. Though rather active on the branches, a few quick glimpses was enough to impress some of our new birders.
While taking shade by the jetty, not far away from the Sanctuary office, we sighted a Stork-billed Kingfisher, several Copper-throated Sunbird, and Olive-winged Bulbul. On a bare branch on a tall tree towards the coast, sat a Dollarbird hawking for insects now and again. This stretch seemed lively with smaller birds such as sunbirds, we saw quite a few of them flitting in and out.
Crested-serpent Eagle
In the river we saw a few long-billed fish. There were also few archer fish swimming slowly under the mangrove tree scanning for prey.
An adult Silver leaf Monkey and a baby were spotted on a big tree by the Sibuti River. Before we could point the scope for a better look, the pair jumped off and dissappeared into the forest.
Seeing this silver leaf monkey, locally called bigok, reminded me of my fishing trip near Sungai Dalam, Miri many years ago. This was where Eastwood Valley Golf Resort is now standing. A friend of mine had just shot a bigok and was happily roasting it on a fire. I could not stand the look of that monkey with it's tail chopped off roasted like that, it looked like a small child. I took refuge in my tent, to this day that image is still firmly etched in my mind.
Archer fish.
Across the river, high up in the sky, two Crested Serpent Eagle were taking in the bird's eye view of the landscape.
Silver leaf monkey with her baby.
We left the Sanctuary and made a move to Hunai and the Sibuti Landfill. Along the way we stopped by the three berembang trees that has a good population of fireflies from a recent firefly recce.
At the landfill we saw a mountain of garbage and several hundred Cattle Egret. Apart from the voluminous discarded plastic bags, there were a couple Wood Sandpiper and White-breasted Woodswallow.
We left the area around 11:45am and headed directly home.
Bird list:
White-breasted Waterhen 4
Tricoloured Munia 3
Rufous Woodpecker 3
Swallow sp 1
Swifts sp 7
Dollar bird 2
Collared Kingfisher 1
Barn swallow 9
Crimson Sunbird 7
Ashy Tailorbird 2
Yellow-vented bulbul 5
Striated Grassbird 2
Pacific swallow 3
Wood swallow 5
Pied Fantail 2
Pied triller 2
Copper-throated Sunbird 2
Stork-billed Kingfisher 2
Spotted Dove 2
Crested-serpent Eagle 2
Cattle Egret 300+
Wood Sandpiper 2
Other fauna:
Silver leaf monkey with baby.
6 Macaques
Traces of Otter
Traces of wilboar
Traces of binturong/palm civet
Squirel sp.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
13th. Feb 2010
Time 7:15 am – 10:30 am
Air temperature 28.8 ° Centigrade.
Clear blue sky. Tide is lowest and rising.
Participant: Steve, Nazeri, Sara, Ali, Rosie, Aisya, Clare, Remli, Ibrahim, Pungut, Ibram, Sofian, Jufree, Hadran, Awg Raden, and Musa (writer)
This time around the Miri Photo-shoot group followed us, they made photographs, we birdwatched.
Our original intended participants ie. the two rural schools in the area and their teachers were not able to participate in the end. We did not succeed in securing permission from no other than the Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri to take 30 primary school students and their 8 teachers out birdwatching in their backyard. Ah well, they've been in the area since forever ... another year or two perhaps won't make that much of a difference. Hurrumph!
We met at Miri Taman Awam a quarter of an hour short of 6:30am. We headed out directly to Kpg Tengah, where the Sanctuary is located.
Group photo : Sibuti Wildlife Sanctuary staff & MNS Miri birders.
We parked the car at the ex-DID barracks and started to unpack when we spotted our first quarry : a lone long tailed macaque.
We slowly walked to the Sanctuary on the double track laterite road, the dry season being early this year, the road was very decent, definitely not a problem for a sedan to pass through. As we walked in we heard woodpecker. A few minutes later three Rufous Woodpecker flew across the track. Far away on a distant branch, a Dollarbird was sitting rather quietly. All the while around us, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Cream-vented Bulbul were flitting about amongsth the branches. Steve spotted an Olive-winged Bulbul.
Pied Triller
On the ground we spotted faeces of a mammal, could be a binturong or otter or palm civet, all reported to be common in the area.
There seemed to be a few Crimson Sunbird flying around that day too. Though rather active on the branches, a few quick glimpses was enough to impress some of our new birders.
While taking shade by the jetty, not far away from the Sanctuary office, we sighted a Stork-billed Kingfisher, several Copper-throated Sunbird, and Olive-winged Bulbul. On a bare branch on a tall tree towards the coast, sat a Dollarbird hawking for insects now and again. This stretch seemed lively with smaller birds such as sunbirds, we saw quite a few of them flitting in and out.
Crested-serpent Eagle
In the river we saw a few long-billed fish. There were also few archer fish swimming slowly under the mangrove tree scanning for prey.
An adult Silver leaf Monkey and a baby were spotted on a big tree by the Sibuti River. Before we could point the scope for a better look, the pair jumped off and dissappeared into the forest.
Seeing this silver leaf monkey, locally called bigok, reminded me of my fishing trip near Sungai Dalam, Miri many years ago. This was where Eastwood Valley Golf Resort is now standing. A friend of mine had just shot a bigok and was happily roasting it on a fire. I could not stand the look of that monkey with it's tail chopped off roasted like that, it looked like a small child. I took refuge in my tent, to this day that image is still firmly etched in my mind.
Archer fish.
Across the river, high up in the sky, two Crested Serpent Eagle were taking in the bird's eye view of the landscape.
Silver leaf monkey with her baby.
We left the Sanctuary and made a move to Hunai and the Sibuti Landfill. Along the way we stopped by the three berembang trees that has a good population of fireflies from a recent firefly recce.
At the landfill we saw a mountain of garbage and several hundred Cattle Egret. Apart from the voluminous discarded plastic bags, there were a couple Wood Sandpiper and White-breasted Woodswallow.
We left the area around 11:45am and headed directly home.
Bird list:
White-breasted Waterhen 4
Tricoloured Munia 3
Rufous Woodpecker 3
Swallow sp 1
Swifts sp 7
Dollar bird 2
Collared Kingfisher 1
Barn swallow 9
Crimson Sunbird 7
Ashy Tailorbird 2
Yellow-vented bulbul 5
Striated Grassbird 2
Pacific swallow 3
Wood swallow 5
Pied Fantail 2
Pied triller 2
Copper-throated Sunbird 2
Stork-billed Kingfisher 2
Spotted Dove 2
Crested-serpent Eagle 2
Cattle Egret 300+
Wood Sandpiper 2
Other fauna:
Silver leaf monkey with baby.
6 Macaques
Traces of Otter
Traces of wilboar
Traces of binturong/palm civet
Squirel sp.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
New spot to explore birds
Funny how your view suddenly opens up when you're flying high up in a De-Havilland Twin Otter looking down on the world below you as opposed to driving around on tarmac like you normally do, and get your perception blocked up by trees lining the streets, houses and all kinds of manmade structures in front of you. Bird's-eye view is definitely more liberating and a sweet antidote to some of us claustrophobics. Makes you forget the cramped little space on the twin otter.
"X" marked the spot.
On our recent flight to Lawas, we spotted a small segment of degraded forest accessible from a road opposite of the water treatment plant. Roads look drivable from the air, plenty of tall trees in the vicinity. Wonder if there's any pretty birds in the area?
Nazeri Abghani, February 2010
"X" marked the spot.
On our recent flight to Lawas, we spotted a small segment of degraded forest accessible from a road opposite of the water treatment plant. Roads look drivable from the air, plenty of tall trees in the vicinity. Wonder if there's any pretty birds in the area?
Nazeri Abghani, February 2010
Third Day At Punang.
Sandbar At Punang
Date: 7th February 2010
Time 6:30 am – 10:00 am
Air temperature 27.1 ° Centigrade. Clear sky. Tide is low.
Participants : Musa (writer) , Nazeri, Sara, Clarissa, Norzie, Ali, Aisya, and Marajeh.
We walked about 2 kilometers from our homestay to Kpg Punang beach. When we reached the area the water was quite low, the sand stretched all the way to the end of the jetty, a distance of almost one kilometre.
Young birders let loose on the sandy beach of Kpg Punang.
Quite a few kampong folks were roaming about the beach doing various activities.
We saw folks dragging a rake-like device thru the sand. The handle is made of of wood, and in place of a rake, a metal "D" shaped piece is attached at the end. This was then dragged several inches into the sand to locate the clam.
Another way to get to the clam is to walk the beach and look for clams hidden in the sand by locating it's bunker. By stomping the sand, the beachccomber induced the clam to reveal it's location when it spurts out water out as a reaction to possible threat. The beachcomber then only need to dig out the clam.
Due to the high activities taking place on the beach, we did not see as many waders. We saw Kentish Plover, Malaysian Plover, Common Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Chinese Egret and Little Egret. There were several terns flying around.
I tried fly-fishing but abandoned it moments later when bites were not forthcoming, there were a few others bottom fishing.
There were no waders coming in, so we decided to end the beach session.
The rest of the gang walk back to their houses, while Saban bring me to explore what Punang have to offer. We went to an area where the ladies are drying anchovies. The middleman will later collect the anchovies they dried and send for final processing in Lawas.
Then we went to the jetty where they received the day's catch from the sea. When we arrived, a huge boat came in with a good catch of anchovies. According to one of the fisherman, there were about 200 basket fulls of anchivies, each basket weighed about 14 kilos and cost $10/basket. Villagers buy these haul and dry them at home. A middleman then will come and collect the dried anchovies and process them further in Lawas.
Not far from the collection area is the smoke house. This is where the fish are smoked. There are about 12 smoking area. The smoked fish is called Ikan Tahai, a famous product from this parts. Bakau wood is used to smoke the fish; the wood makes long lasting amber and added a distinct flavor to the fish.
Saban then brought me to the local cemetery, behind the kampong houses.
I feel obliged to create GPS tracking of Kpg Punang area. We went to all accessible road in Punang so that in our Malsingmap Punang will be added to the existing maps. We finished tracking shortly after and went home for lunch, delicious home cooked meals by Saban's wife.
We rested from lunch onwards and made our move to the airport around 4 pm. We boarded our flight 10 to 6 and landed in Miri at 6:45 pm.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
Date: 7th February 2010
Time 6:30 am – 10:00 am
Air temperature 27.1 ° Centigrade. Clear sky. Tide is low.
Participants : Musa (writer) , Nazeri, Sara, Clarissa, Norzie, Ali, Aisya, and Marajeh.
We walked about 2 kilometers from our homestay to Kpg Punang beach. When we reached the area the water was quite low, the sand stretched all the way to the end of the jetty, a distance of almost one kilometre.
Young birders let loose on the sandy beach of Kpg Punang.
Quite a few kampong folks were roaming about the beach doing various activities.
We saw folks dragging a rake-like device thru the sand. The handle is made of of wood, and in place of a rake, a metal "D" shaped piece is attached at the end. This was then dragged several inches into the sand to locate the clam.
Another way to get to the clam is to walk the beach and look for clams hidden in the sand by locating it's bunker. By stomping the sand, the beachccomber induced the clam to reveal it's location when it spurts out water out as a reaction to possible threat. The beachcomber then only need to dig out the clam.
Due to the high activities taking place on the beach, we did not see as many waders. We saw Kentish Plover, Malaysian Plover, Common Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Chinese Egret and Little Egret. There were several terns flying around.
I tried fly-fishing but abandoned it moments later when bites were not forthcoming, there were a few others bottom fishing.
There were no waders coming in, so we decided to end the beach session.
The rest of the gang walk back to their houses, while Saban bring me to explore what Punang have to offer. We went to an area where the ladies are drying anchovies. The middleman will later collect the anchovies they dried and send for final processing in Lawas.
Then we went to the jetty where they received the day's catch from the sea. When we arrived, a huge boat came in with a good catch of anchovies. According to one of the fisherman, there were about 200 basket fulls of anchivies, each basket weighed about 14 kilos and cost $10/basket. Villagers buy these haul and dry them at home. A middleman then will come and collect the dried anchovies and process them further in Lawas.
Not far from the collection area is the smoke house. This is where the fish are smoked. There are about 12 smoking area. The smoked fish is called Ikan Tahai, a famous product from this parts. Bakau wood is used to smoke the fish; the wood makes long lasting amber and added a distinct flavor to the fish.
Saban then brought me to the local cemetery, behind the kampong houses.
I feel obliged to create GPS tracking of Kpg Punang area. We went to all accessible road in Punang so that in our Malsingmap Punang will be added to the existing maps. We finished tracking shortly after and went home for lunch, delicious home cooked meals by Saban's wife.
We rested from lunch onwards and made our move to the airport around 4 pm. We boarded our flight 10 to 6 and landed in Miri at 6:45 pm.
Musa Musbah, February 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)