Waterbirds at Curtin Lakes

Kuala Baram Peatswamp is aptly described by it's name : PEATSWAMP. Pretty much a"wasteland" beneficial only to midin collectors, haruan hunters and small scale farmers who frequent the expanse along the coast for what the swamps can offer.

These days Kuala Baram is quickly turning into prime property ... housing developments, Curtin University, technical training centers, school complexes and bustling commercial centers. Wide expanse of swamp still exists with pockets of flooded sections where sand mining took place not long ago to feed the housing development projects.

Parts of this watery segments are being taken over by wildlife, or perhaps they are remnants of a more vibrant existence even before human encroachment.

We have so far been pleasantly surprised by the presence of a number of Common Moorhens, Intermediate Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Wandering Whistling Duck, Cinnamon Bittern and Yellow Bittern. A lone darter was also sighted on a bare brance fringing another section of the lake. Ducks were actually what we are after. After hearing so many stories form locals about their prevalence, it is rather uplifting to see them swimming around, preening on the water.

The area seems flushed with birdlife. Other sightings which has been made in the area included: Osprey, Brahminy Kite, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Black-winged Kite, White-browed Crake, White-breasted Waterhen, Quails, Oriental Pratincoles, Warblers, Chestnut headed Munia, Dusky Munia, Greater and Lesser Coucal, Pacific Golden Plovers and others.

It seems worthwhile for birders to spend more time at the Peatswamps in Kuala Baram, at the rate this are going pretty soon the whole area will either be flushed with residential homes or big scale vegetable farms. Who wants to volunteer ... to keep track of these birders before they are gone?