By 5th August last year there were seven species of wader at Tanjung Tokong; the previous year there were five species by 11th August; today there was just one - a lone Whimbrel.
Moving across to the mainland, I visited Bagan Belat as the tide was rising and did another count: Gull and terns 0; herons and egrets 0; waders 0; other birds 0!
Same story at the rice fields at Penaga, except for a couple of resident Cinnamon Bitterns and three Purple Herons flying over.
On to Kubang Semang, where, despite a fair bit of promising habitat there were only the resident Black-winged Stilt flock, a few Little Egrets and a solitary Little Ringed Plover.
Oh look - a bird!
In the last week or so we've been having frequent torrential rain - the outer margins of Typhoon Morakot, which has been battering the Philippines, Taiwan and the East China coastline. My guess is that that's why there are no birds yet - they're hunkered down somewhere waiting for the storm to blow over before flying south.
2 comments:
Hi David!
So the waders are supposed to be back soon?? I always thought they would arrive somewhere in november.
Not a big count.. 1 bird!
Maybe we happen to see you again soon! I will be back in Malaysia from september until december (together with Minke again), this time in Gerik.. to do a study on possibilities for an ecological corridor between Belum and Temengor. Is there a chance we see you over there as well? The area seems to be invested with hornbills, are you planning to join the MNS hornbill countings in Belum?
Regards
Erwin
Hi Erwin
It would be good to meet up with you guys when you are in Gerik. Give me a call when you arrive!
Dave
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