![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXh8EYQmTXpNdX0sM4daFqVf7U4us0C4GbtVG2jhYerPu16DzEVVxosT4snXbC-dbTj6GeFqHu7yTq3FqoXjes3U_X4zkv-i_0yUMNX_5NyY_WKOUgo_T-rVJfUxeJhmN3g4H8Q/s400/Kite,+Black-shouldered2.jpg)
Some species seem to do really well on the estates; Black-shouldered Kites seem extremely common, and several nesting pairs were found.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4_wk-ZrtEm_s1AQa8P7N5fx-kPWI1tyxw52A3-spM_NTBTCWgpzj3XfL563XMx5oQP7mjEZDEhBQSW_HOHHeUTVaDm63z6Odj89afDtF4CFYsbmqbU8n1J1dX_TkP9q42zFPHw/s400/Heron,+Purple1a.jpg)
Purple Heron is another species that occurs commonly in the swampy areas.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjF4HDyOf9rsDPn6cWyClnGTZvrTD4BnlvasaX7xdnK4ny5mSQYK14PetOjE6TPmf8S796blZjNA8A84k-pOiu8vMYc0dlDIZs5Gt7OxaFok39ktUEaen49fbkLy0lWlODj_IdQ/s400/Owl,+Barn2b.jpg)
In the mature oil palm, Barn Owls do really well, aided by the nest box scheme run by the estates - one is placed every 10 hectares - and the result is natural control of rats and other rodents that feed on oil palm fruit.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzMms-J6DML_pI_Bn3NICOpRyxaY9YHboLdAENZmlL1_xWF23fzIyQJvpgtEmPY1diT5FbAOBheraNqDd2O5czGMAE63YhCa6ArM7PqT7lwK7BBp-Xl1eTXG1AqcQDgh5Dya-FQ/s400/Nightjar,+Large-tailed1a.jpg)
Large-tailed Nightjars are also common in the mature plantations.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsmQEIs8R0mPcFWEEzN4oCU8rCs3npF2nu3n3gKHRShwVcnvhyphenhyphendBnYpsSfJLe3o7hSXa13OE_lqsAN1RT5v4H1sgQz-hab9CZCHplGoXoUlRlemrcNtOxvRy6widGxncFN2ELLw/s400/Nightjar,+Savanna1a.jpg)
The newly-planted areas provide more open habitat that favours Savanna Nightjars...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXEYWqXJl7xFYu1wL5FE8pQkqxrVq6Gt29kX8BTVOh3y093UK_gxd1MxC_4BA7Jh_Vek4QRngMXRlyAJDuNgoiLrzzmMyV8SjQrZQm2JnAZPNenBw7txAizD3_Ej2fVnqXB-KOw/s400/Lapwing,+Red-wattled1.jpg)
...and Red-wattled Lapwings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKekxNm396LAtF5Feo5IQEEyZIinUQk48rcQTvxCjEDYpgBzycpq_kE1kDUyGBRHclD6JZJCKcQR4W1qLDn6DHknQ93ztXsZZmq-900D4buu3XJC8l6dJ4zQuoTfsQFNlwi5Dfg/s400/Bittern,+Cinnamon1a.jpg)
Black-crowned Night Herons, Yellow and Cinnamon Bitterns feed in the irrigation ditches at night. This is a male Cinnamon Bittern.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuQQ9ryPYpf60BF-jHPClTR3bmgbBWkeWY65RJqdnoeYkKB_EyvO0AeyKXvisRW3w9xWdGvUY7F5bayWwv7HWsphyzrWITzDEniVQSgL318wsY5Smu9ucs6uXjk9mTmwLXta3Zw/s400/Watercock1.jpg)
And the swampy areas provide a wonderful haven for migrant waterbirds such as Watercocks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWymNGnRJmjz3MR74r8nI-JUxk8y7wefaco0sZASGueqsVDiXXohlwGNL0YPhqMyG4goJAcxjXI1wayGlodbcW93wIz8Xfg3Jr0HIgugydTI2UTixkQgO4INAFXy1DuTQhmiYS-g/s400/Sandpiper,+Common1a%27.jpg)
The mangroves provide roost sites for waders such as Common Sandpipers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggcYQb2Dh8LSuwIysmGGbBHAsblU1khKFkukyRqno5K-H-lgiF1p3eoWiXjmh2fPoeMqTeWf47DT7usGGYcuTwj_-VcgdSufYg9fwPhABZQxsUlWlqOF2PM-1bnyNobp86LRogRw/s400/Tit,+Great1a.jpg)
And here's a rare mangrove specialist - a Great Tit! It's a common garden bird in much of Europe, but here can only be found in mangroves. Can it really be the same species?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXr1xbnpPPueNOGX7kiDOg6YW5RzxO4Hw5ECxEO4-hVNP3LfMIgOuG2sjRzdjo6VHO6tP4nWE9YFriLxE3nWNMhQPtkDcmOcsI2HbAaCnuwCmUNVrtYFe93GkDIMSCca1e1VPauA/s400/Otter,+Smooth1.jpg)
Some other wildlife: two of a large family of Smooth Otters we saw along the river. These are large otters, much larger than Eurasian species.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0qSGhyBPwA7PKC1EjhWx98AxMSdo_sIIJJjrei9IO-oequAMyqsBxdRaUZC91KC8vGaRX2NgusiPxibjXYjGjP7bF5sl47ZF2IOTQhd7rAenSIL_n0fbI7Q7sm4ItTbRTY2T6Q/s400/Rhyothemis+phyllis1a.jpg)
Rhyothemis phyllis, a common dragonfly, cruises around in the midday heat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4A0yUhaTYP5zEEMDwMdNwkEjXZ-7wzfdMyTxgpgxBYzI00uGVY3iw8afpyZOqqZsPpypLho3dnyfhQBvn8_cjpJhPT1_e-5aTzhTN0Bee6DrvNENixk48n0a6cf8-yVh06x2Iw/s400/Skink,+Mangrove1a.jpg)
And here's a Mangrove Skink, a species that exists in Asia only on the west coast of Malaysia, and on Singapore and Penang islands.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMMxT0_HRQFiMxnYIAQBWwZg_8yxmaHfMqeoRn6Vqsj8vaha_Mm_k445nIzUmnUnfsl-lEFktaFnNSZl5hKGUJSFlx4I4N9SNsRLvig7wbAnrlwa1fQwRnf_iHsJHOY7ylLcV-g/s400/mangroves1a.jpg)
A fruiting Xylocarpus granatum tree overhangs a river bank thick with mangrove; a real treasure of the plantation, and one well worth preserving.