Kuala Baram August

Waders are back!

Birds today, 02nd August 2010:

Great Crested Terns (40) over on the tip of Bawai.
Greater Sand Plover (30) on this side of the lagoon, some still sporting summer colors

Common Greenshank (4)

Red-necked Stint (10)

Common Sandpiper

Sanderling

Little Egret

Other birds nearby:

Collared Kingfisher busy chasing after fiddler crabs
A pair of Pied Triller feeding two juveniles

Yellow-bellied Prinia

Black-headed Munia

Striated Grassbird

White-breasted Woodswallow

Due to low tide this morning, the birds were quite a distance away.

Birds today, morning of 03rd August 2010 0700-0740hrs:

Terek Sandpiper

Malaysian Plover

Lesser Sandplover

Red-necked Stint
Little Egret

Collared Kingfisher

Chinese Egret
Pacific Reef Egret

Although the conditions is almost ideal, the birds are not in large numbers. The day was overcast with moisture laden rain clouds. Light drizzle. High tide and no wind.

Plenty of waders morning of the 06th Aug, but the weather was a washout ... drizzling the whole morning. Tide was good but wasn't high enough. Because of the rain I din't bring out the scope, the bino however didn't fare too well ... droplets of rain made it difficult to see anything.

Conditions on 07th Aug was perfect. By the time it was 6:30 am, the tide was just peaking. All the birds were clumped at one place. Skies blue and clear. Birds spotted 06:30-09:00AM:

Malaysian Plover
Little Egret
Chinese Egret
Greater Sandplover
Lesser Sandplover
Common Greenshank
Redshank
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint
Little Tern
Great Knot
Grey-tailed Tattler
Collared Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Gull-billed Tern


Some of the birds at the beach today, 07th Aug 2010.

The Common Redshank, Red-necked Stint, Greater Sandplover, Reshank and Great Knot looked stunning in their summer colors. Didn't see a single Great-crested Tern this time around!

Highest tide yet today 09th August, and a couple of new birds to add: Black-tailed Godwit and Asian Dowitcher feeding together!

Birds spotted 06:45-08:30AM:

Malaysian Plover
Little Egret
Chinese Egret
Greater Sandplover
Lesser Sandplover
Common Greenshank
Redshank
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint
Little Tern
Great Knot
Grey-tailed Tattler
Collared Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Gull-billed Tern
Terek Sandpiper


Little Tern, Red-necked Stint, Greater Sandplover, 09th August


Asian Dowitcher, 09th August


Black-tailed Godwit, 09th August


Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Asian Dowitcher, Terek Sandpiper, Malaysian Plover 09th Aug

Great-crested Tern has yet to make an appearance on the beach as of 09th Aug, aside from really distant views made a week ago off the tip of the sandbar off Pulau Bawai.

This morning 10th Aug, the tide level was rather low to start around 06:45am but slowly (very slowly) rises to a peak at 10am. Unfortunately I can't stay that long ... you have to work sometime. It was worth it, another new bird today : Curlew Sandpiper (1) in breeding colors!

The number of Red-necked Stint was also higher than yesterday, all of them frantically feeding in the soft mud about to be submerged, some of them are still in breeding colors. These are "cutest" when resting while waiting out the tides ... head curled in while the body swings a little to the left and just a little right exactly like a tiny clock movement, back and forth, back and forth. Maybe it's a soothing thing for them ... like sucking thumb for some kids.

Birds spotted 06:45-08:30AM:

Malaysian Plover (10 perched on timber)

Little Egret

Chinese Egret

Greater Sandplover

Lesser Sandplover

Common Greenshank

Redshank

Sanderling

Red-necked Stint (many today, close to 30)

Little Tern

Great Knot (1)

Collared Kingfisher

Common Sandpiper

Gull-billed Tern (2 at least)

Terek Sandpiper (10)

The tides are looking rather low this weekend, hoping we can venture out to the actual flats to get closer to these fellas this Saturday. We are planning a Wader outing 14th August, 6:30-09:00AM. Please email if interested.