![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvehaf_tyqvmintdEKcqzf5rcTOo87l9tWPfhDex9NZvkeEyUXB8m53a5Z-6Z5UQ71SUnypwcbZ5heOQinCx_jfw4J0XdyD6VTVq9KX090dtXoIb0N2aSvd_S1QuBzCsT2b3NCVQ/s280/Pulau+Tengah_Mersing_200511_IMG_3714.jpg)
The three most obvious 'tracks' for BRISC are 1) the reefs and corals, 2) turtles, and 3) birds. The latter is where I came in! Though the island is quite small, about 2 square km, it is strategically situated in the South China Sea, and I expect that it will prove to be a magnet for migrating birds, especially in the southward migration season (Sep - Nov), as well as a good jumping off point for pelagic forays for seabirds.
Here are a few pics from my three days of heaven-on-earth!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcnCMXdaivmbV2ix6mso7A8RL7Cb4Wlh9QOfp0Z-QanPTde8v5HVXAWRNu_HKyoNJsEKplD6KrIokT0W0mzWlJXo0ccIw6av41t7HcqRitzeFLt2HaBdmb1-BSNmkYqasIWVY4g/s280/Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3727.jpg)
Boy - this was a tough assignment!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRHDdVWwVk3bhcUOpkilyx51J39WY3lWRKpnlWv15ssz36rzrY-ZOfxBgvxylzi6CJZCFDUFe8OR9S0cFBbOeFlmYpG50z-r98YalDASGoJCuiGcyppdoKrx2kA7uDRHoiZ1rQQ/s280/Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3747.jpg)
But someone had to do it!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAVqtkfjvHdWqAXpbtjNp89p8RxvDzsvJCoh6p1e5OD7uCfV9Gh9rAZAcELiv1n8lPDc2zs_bHlCFhjYkXPlDY88shbv7zgZas9VVdAlVtU7Ms6gf0ExEEw9j1hOwcQa1Cw827Q/s280/Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3723.jpg)
Here's the view from my room.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjEfAtSBbulh3Ea6V3lo7l_uKIoIoegTdo_g6b7rLyYf8mPJuYDlFPdS4Bb4toRTAL02GQM_2EHHKtdz4S45j9b0HJFYh-OuqI3a1kszIwzQhu5NsbjLansnTJXjE7z6LOyg99Q/s280/rockpools_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3834.jpg)
At one end of the island there's a rockpool 'garden' at low tide. I'm no good at marine stuff, but here are a few things I found in the pools:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRejjE2juDWDUlZSSfGssPHx1cHhXJkpvY_cv5TGwIVMXiAAjsTtDikAgCVFXJMtifUQRdHjouEbuKK6vFfB5vJBo2ek-Mramd92crYxpKxWM3yAlq1n7D2GaIjIi2sDG24QPUqg/s280/anemone_Pulau+Tengah_220511_IMG_1252.jpg)
An anemone ... sounds like the beginning of a tongue-twister!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKjhxY7xPxLWsr9Cnndl-IN-jGhqd0clwjHxy8JO4PeITOkUegtSrAeFJQJQ7cSKgc0X-Fanpgu7LlQi33w3yqDAaWz0yx-oXwmH2WIdzQ_ONdWHRf16b4AedZzBjoN_oMrSqsw/s280/rockpools_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3803.jpg)
Another kind of coral.
Some fishies...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0uUDxNGKDHDR1bIiiDq9VXrnoPT61YDeybqR_zyZhWnZxKHC5UwpslX1lIBMZ8AY2clJO-aKulUYnn1W27ObNGR15HkbbbBTOWe7HNURSJpuK6_1K2xhNFDta6I8FFCIo6X7gQ/s280/Fish_Pulau+Tengah_220511_IMG_1185.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJOmcHJlLRFAhMwl66c_8fAtHe6LgvRsWY1CEYS7FkYGP_xplI9Qk6CDiB0tkli16L9eO_z6CylsAqqScXHWa9BfinHL6Dt7c9x4BmT3vJG9JEDd1Jc2Xxi_tnVObI8Yk6luTzg/s280/Fish_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0831.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AvCRSCQb43R2veDBLLwzuVXuBTzK88g0BxdZ8tjB8_lAMlSj0jabJ6eed1yziABQ8cdl4vF12jXGht_fAHPSEQi0pZQRzqAzxPWuONfKi54th8qiR0Qa34ssLwiai7de6jQ6Ow/s280/Fish_Pulau+Tengah_220511_IMG_1310.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQ_kUeqAEhCE4dg_f2hkO_jM91Ze9PFDHWwASJ2IqQZrO2jLazZUoeoubrYIpflAERoZSUSl0rQfqJsm9ORpnsbC7w0sZZSv_6p7on37bXXLiMEKINI8EUxM0BgdQnb2BsTCGiw/s280/Garfish_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0769.jpg)
Big fish, small fish, blue fish, fat fish... now I sound like a Dr Seuss book!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTr3BTeKS-PgKoCDDgGjsV5tp4uoJKaaObIX91FbHGt4Bod38rRXyHNJADM5ejm9EoQT1eiGCxwbhB8I_OjegVEQ37hE64o_x9ZyAjwDzTPcriw823ujsXYN2pdQEQ9h0sjRBaw/s280/Ghost+crab_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0780.jpg)
This is a Ghost Crab I think.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIYXXsX-BRI0aiqLX05hS6FbMuTh_X7CobFEeEMeqGJ5WnC_sRstNaYWI89tsM1yuh5VKzEUEvknQPsYlB6ruu1w_7o5ngOsCnFF0mNAqUNOgSf1DQMG6nSNbvAdAn-a061xceg/s280/rockpools_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3809.jpg)
And this very cool creature looks like a clam.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuW0wWzurmfDZ9jwRl4S6jo70qJjLF05NQAiGRT_4FRHH22bIZY5gG0XGEqhFj2JnVuh6hT-vuzvLd2xXMRuTumR3W94cEDWuY-9N6pKRQ0DB1CBcSfSAgg9emxlW0hIhI6LY2w/s280/Brown-throated+Sunbird_Pulau+Tengah_220511_IMG_1159.jpg)
Native bird life on the island is quite sparse, but a fruiting fig near the chalets was a hive of activity each morning. This is a female Brown-throated Sunbird.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHSOeFR9CkGuiAjeWlI1WUeCi07v5mSWwJpNJU9GvIlPXSfBaXtGdway45bfiDPmbU_aNw65_c8_V6GaphSNdKO4BvOFilZR_GJS3VkGkfevOEF_qSGH4qMZamz8DmIpX5BjbeA/s400/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0904.jpg)
Undisputed stars of the show each morning were a flock of Pied Imperial Pigeons. There's no known sexual dimorphism, but there were two distinct plumage 'types', as can be seen here. Wells notes that "the white parts of fresh-plumaged adults are flushed ivory-cream, perhaps by preening from lipid-producing feathers". So maybe the ivory-white birds were subadults.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLal7RR5Mv5BGiHCDABu6-qkQNTzJVPVyvwBB8Epa4hUweWQr9pOXGbJ3D03L4XcDEEZ_g9ewxa3CywO4xjAQ8PekB7dAr2Ce3GxkFmor8TH6-Fodm8RwyrZ07n-eZzsaOA8PLg/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0700.jpg)
It was the creamy birds which most drew my attention. In the golden early morning light, they were truly stunning creatures!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_3p_QFjFEpvLVmSuFKahmBE7s1MT2KVll1CH5z2nxE_49-xhiXXMB-LnFd0BuJaZ2KZp554jn36brMuiNy9xz8o0_p0j6SZaTBLFDPGNTZO8qLKv4QXOwU9RzVbsRpO0LFL8XQ/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0702.jpg)
It was the ripe, pink figs they were after!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPw4lu7FjwLB3R4iNRwNzkRszkt3qDf7h88a3_GouRXz07WTkt_tZhCLwL2a-Jy4LpQPQ9jg81FbCSURDHrxqhtPCv7VTYTPHgPqSmAbKPIUnX7U5hpBepKk0N4SI2RnZ7rEFQfA/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0704.jpg)
I was amazed at how broad the bill is - obviously tailor-made for walloping fruits in one gulp!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWUrn4L1kV7I7MdMiUbrUqCO4ip43ju7Bu3jCd3jZ0lgr2G5upu0RtmbsUBGMAMVbSelqYViHeCNjEJXPY4GobZupdcg_K499z6qG29ZgZkVRmdb5dZGzG0rYBpCMlrdhru7cyg/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0712.jpg)
Down the hatch and after another!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_h3k_nunXXc46n4DgFvHz99rZrshgXYFLtAouxHzRJWmUPxk1TpdNNJYYbk2e0ResodDCuZGt9S_CaDO7ZhLQenS-_bXMoXrC3jCZSzrH9pJD8A9XH43UClb1t2GKTI25Oyxv3g/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0729.jpg)
The light filtering through the wings made it look as if the bird had golden underwings!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28an7Tgp38QGyxm4hfwl_YE0FXLufpsIrf8DtrtRFD133d5D-Gdg67mRHQbIBjieCOYITo3zwxHY-_BSjq7rAgot8ii7A1qNTtkxQd1p-_QfFIVEP4Ga5e6PMB8XZ0H0dWGXUIw/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0918.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJgKY9kqhk9L8muS7f-qI0sj8pel33zh03ZpRXmofR1bzv0LMAjlMESYdCUqxW99X34IuP-L4GaoJtBwUN77n6I4lTeS0MHvw-1vWJicwZIqi8X_X8YX_4L99GEGe3PX3d2CSNg/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0921.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBqILxsHIS8YMRhI6FcnIBfAW4C9gggvizxfuKsEbaqgtvBUHKYL8y8f6mTfeWhuahYbyi78wKBeFaHE2W3X5S9Q0JFothyphenhyphensZtekLX5Ynr_6eweii8bFBXCbEsAsrpYnXnBwKRA/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0924.jpg)
Another fig swiftly dispatched!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8Ul73qYAP_NVtvpm_IFxLzHudMe0Iujcl7JmjpTO8SurQW1Rx-IEhdaV_aK9P7U0mh1dnIItLBtQFZW5SjHn3nxPrvy1cYkPvJ0-m09DfKj9YafywiCKq8vNgRR6PVu9kaAG5w/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0980.jpg)
The unexpectedly gorgeous Pied Imperial Pigeon!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuBnsaknmsMd4vNohNH4K7E64f5F_w7IKyxjpcNeyGcORPTfr_2z7mkioGNqz94uLoLa4bem2XW74mOxiK38OAs0SwvONexYw22ITCavMtg5HsM9qJAzAOWd6l1mpnJyOw15L9Q/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0784.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnRVmXDE-0Op-ask8wBrKDfB2wu5dPE046kulhysI3FZdNk5PFG-6j7Pe4EO8r-cOC7C1XX03u904s2xDmqBbobS120_XJk82CfL27jjmV3JSm8afqogU1E760ewX1BsD7by_Ow/s280/Pied+Imperial-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0788.jpg)
A couple of flight shots showing the distinctive wing and tail pattern.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32ZLk2opS00gvcre-tV9Au0Sjv3asaZphO_n_YN1_qu7rV0d_832EVxfN_LznN0Zu_SdfzsDGbe1iWcVZrqzR-ZXFwWZgvCbcUGlU2gUFCCgKaiuCHKsqjs5RIrV_ujDvZUx5Pg/s280/Pink-necked+Green-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0994.jpg)
A few Pink-necked Green-pigeons crashed the party. They didn't have a big enough beak to swallow the fruits whole, so things got a little messy - and each sported a bright pink forehead as a result of staining from the fig juices.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzii2mxAETUvg2Q9VIQpHgFhYIU1-4d3CiQhtKz7Ah5GhRHgHdgsMc_3FLE2vG3JRSs5_pXAYxhGq_flOdoiLIU8jCsoCaevRBp-hmizae5FTcq5hMbWCSfMU2F4SjcTLiVq25A/s280/Pink-necked+Green-pigeon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_1015.jpg)
But it blended right in with the rest of their colour scheme!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDK0hsXwb_Upmd0mgInLk0HiT1SU59Eg0MHYVUiZFa7oYQiPTNSO_3ksosBw3eEneaQsNRjDBY_Ug8vx-7CuwCniB6Bd3sApShJjn4LVO2RpnG3kN59ueHsG3WFMvdj0EwFoMxg/s280/Pacific+Reef-egret_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0815.jpg)
Pacific Reef-egrets are among many species which island-hop.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w4Gu33VeUIxWq756lIqSX6ynrNb0orbhyphenhyphenLkOT-XhEN2F4uaW-cMH0UzQIY9C3ogWa6Qh-Bxpt44Wr00TOW2pfA2Mfx35tzgc2Tt3vzSHfBvZs5iHV9D2GtPbV8AL6volaRWvjw/s280/Black-naped+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1029.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx_f6x5DZYvYVWuGjEOt-XqGvvSN6CPalU4AL-rn_qM0E-Rv0nEse3RnK8-MhGO3ta-RWAVk-fSk0FCLhFvqRT8IRNPTXQY2PE5TkY4BpraFtjU7KzwG8YxI8yKwaqvNop9cYJA/s280/Black-naped+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1036.jpg)
We took a small boat out one day to prospect some of the smaller islets in the archipelago. Plenty had Black-naped Terns on them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRLFDLcS_6pRIpt33gQujjRgOGxsM9BF7FIdMumS51QpDj3SXIADjkgW2412nTwszQOl8KAzm9v6Y2hEayG_4ATIWuFBIxtYbHwp08b2oJ5gGQsShAsQt0nRPNLB8CNBIqJFGfg/s280/Black-naped+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1048.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDdSmzu3cZBwHssSMk2NSbW4SMRYcrQ5cOu_xtgDnJ9KnXvSJEy081NwYQEXCMauyVfDGPRDYOWbfSZsuPfvSb8I7SLSV757w3KEF24-KCswXuZywVuqS2HoGUb9UT9CL8CILNw/s280/Black-naped+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1083.jpg)
The bird with the smudgy mask and grey spots on the wingtips is a one-year old bird. The others are adults.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRAlrn6rRN-L9g2RxgmWwq5QT5X2RaCtzT0tSxGrmyT6v0DxWSceHGxL2hx4yZHWGAJy1FBpdVimMGv8ZOJVuHxiDoLGx_U1pvr6jepkgxDsEB9Z25VNhwq1NnUQN3DOUvVARdw/s280/Black-naped+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1113.jpg)
They're iconic birds in flight!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdITVu5lgusCx614lRB8zPRv0cC576Try9UXtkzQceIYBUs9fA_qt0zh7QrAprv5f5NdyRBbgTJEbmF4SZ6USoFcINIwfHxTFY6LRlGfdgIf6OBBkAlZFG50v86uMzYjyHbiJSrw/s280/Roseate+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1115.jpg)
I was hoping to find some Roseate Terns, and eventually we had brief views of a pair which flew overhead, mobbing the Black-naped.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghk6ikFKMvzg1qC6OjFGZeNO7phhOvkODZxWodUH6HjPbh55sfx0u2Cms5xBUYgWqNbJS9L07eoODt2nLkjggazYnIJP2hdTKWFY1ipasqE2bp7yiitycg5Y9h5dd2GrQTa86eqQ/s280/Roseate+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1117.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVJPBHkFV6TK6BBlL0Q5j_yiBp7aJuR6Y6wuk0Yqac1eYthfQjPbFTPqqDzD4dl7T51nxNrfn-xzoCgKd9eTBgDJyOr2B1bqnY8oPK2T4q7Q9EU4m3V2CB2wxn4GLLqXqEkPfdw/s280/Roseate+Tern_Pulau+Goal_210511_IMG_1121.jpg)
I was surprised at how much red was on the bill, compared with an adult we saw recently on the west coast. I suppose it must be a feature of birds in breeding condition.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRevd3797vAJBxYtqN-7yy2AN4f_cNoPavQs4a9t0LckLGwDkTbIMuuWzgqkB0pki6nUSJpm0K1hns6jy2YaxOxX2fFOS8vhW6EZBCVgIclXAb9S6KQCL5LP2V-T9AMpegeY2vg/s280/PulauMensirip_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_3872.jpg)
A sea cave on one of the nearby islands.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgupk7la8ZddnNnqMS2z0av12pzEUG7MJgkqQyUvZyWytfnD7Wy12roscTBxG5HrJDiGUIXB_iSa4f5b7SfGftGDZ8OVbS9HT4CxQykP56T0-j0FSpUNGjEgFAOvBj7J8iN7f5CMg/s280/Yellow+moon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0664.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04N3EWY-Aej5x4PDF4aeVTpmWCvrW_fzCMZMoUHAmj6bvSNz6xOC1SjzShZ6suEGDpU7gHGnvpaYcsxU4Z4sop-nR3uPZPnjo9vOFbJcOLU6Pm_1UFEV9JxLhqlvf5nr1w0d6GQ/s400/Yellow+moon_Pulau+Tengah_200511_IMG_0668.jpg)
A yellow Chinese lantern moon.With so little artificial light, the island would be a great place to star-gaze.
For more information on BRISC and Batu-batu resort, see the website and Facebook page. As well as a full-time Divemaster, we're looking for volunteers to a) monitor bird migration on the island and b)conduct pelagic seabird surveys on board local fishing vessels this autumn, from September - November. If you'd be interested in being a volunteer for part or all of this time, please email me!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMiZZyP7ICB1LubKmXvtOBlghB0zGkX02TMETGUn7Sel_4Svvn_39Gs9uBYB32KbX_oaXDveXxbnFvmsSGliOwUoOOc4QvOCNiH4gcTKrF_5z_LqUurmCOwme2dSwNDB8x0rGhA/s280/waders_Mersing_200511_IMG_0644.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8OWl9PI6Z7dL7Ah4-ND5DY4eWnBxHGjc3UICjuI1frtXM_aaxldJW_NAh_s0dV1fgu6tU9sy0wDCVF-qVbpdf52H_Th6ZuayoIJl5mcXn5J0OhQUWGQ-AHj9vzRuPvSWBOZ8tA/s280/waders_Mersing_220511_IMG_1357.jpg)
The beach at Mersing still had a decent flock of non-breeding waders - mostly sand plovers and Terek sandpipers, but with a few Ruddy Turnstones and a single Red-necked Stint which you should be able to spot in the flight shot.
pfeww.. you must have had a tough time over there!
ReplyDeleteNice shots :)
The Pied Imperial Pigs look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteNice beach !
Hi John
ReplyDeleteThanks! We prefer to call them PIMPs for short!
Dave