tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59090788670152917152024-03-13T09:26:26.168+08:00Wendy Nature GuideWendy Chinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06828613593393368596noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-38790615889551161902023-02-09T17:06:00.001+08:002023-02-21T17:13:19.502+08:00Guests of 2022 - Big Thank You<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span><span style="font-size: large;">ll I can say is that I had a fantastic 2022 for many reasons to be thankful for :</span></span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My fellow guests who have made their way back here and chosen Langkawi as their destination after a two-year hiatus. And my new guests who had somehow connected and picked me as their guide. Friends and acquaintances who had connected me with my guests. The top most to be thankful for would be our cooperative components which are our wildlife, natural habitats and weather.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I had a full schedule <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>towards the end of 2022 and spilled over to January 2023 hence the delay of this post. For 2022 thank you post has a twist in it and definitely different from my previous ones.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">With gratitude, every day in every way we will be better and better.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8TTlNE563RIBGrfCIbp0XVMy2rVeSM9hxTNhE96t-JGQ775XppeMa06FOkVe3CmRfSI7olWcq78lWTzWtEq-HZapfkQV3v6rDb3lbOSFXZCFLVm8cX7ghIpPDMn_1kapnbVaZUuO7GatptY0CPex-aNiTXa6bBxKKrTebl2zWRRa5hbFASZXbA/s1579/2022%20Guests%20Thank%20you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8TTlNE563RIBGrfCIbp0XVMy2rVeSM9hxTNhE96t-JGQ775XppeMa06FOkVe3CmRfSI7olWcq78lWTzWtEq-HZapfkQV3v6rDb3lbOSFXZCFLVm8cX7ghIpPDMn_1kapnbVaZUuO7GatptY0CPex-aNiTXa6bBxKKrTebl2zWRRa5hbFASZXbA/w486-h640/2022%20Guests%20Thank%20you.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-31025665686809592872023-01-24T16:42:00.026+08:002023-02-21T17:21:47.705+08:00Strangling Figs, Hornbills and Blessings<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-size: large;">he common types of strangling fig trees are those with red or yellow figs. When some of these trees produce figs, they can be seen along the road. During the fruiting time, the strangling fig tree becomes a stage for the bird enthusiasts.</span></span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">In December 2022, there were three different productive strangling fig trees inviting the hornbills for free feasts of delicious vitamins and protein packed meals. One of them lasted till early January 2023.
</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My lucky guests who managed to <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>photograph the hornbills feasting on one of these trees were Swales Family, Meyer Family, Jia Hui family, Dennis family, Ardish, Nasir and Nigel/Lucas Oh, Emily family. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiGfYAEKhoDCwj1raUHIaZt00oN039u-o_xHlnBdtHRnptJYUePXzaNVxwTEaoMVHZfzrOhv9VEjxIBh7DxoKZoVO1adFKMPbYiSurw6yQaNMY31j7tBPmQENlFxpGWarT_PBfMYAmJRydCQxYY25VsyV8HPB-8LZOv457j_3fUZVeMC4RtFKWQ/s1067/IMG20230103104131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Hornbill Langkawi Birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiGfYAEKhoDCwj1raUHIaZt00oN039u-o_xHlnBdtHRnptJYUePXzaNVxwTEaoMVHZfzrOhv9VEjxIBh7DxoKZoVO1adFKMPbYiSurw6yQaNMY31j7tBPmQENlFxpGWarT_PBfMYAmJRydCQxYY25VsyV8HPB-8LZOv457j_3fUZVeMC4RtFKWQ/w300-h400/IMG20230103104131.jpg" title="Nasir from Singapore in joy of photographing a Great Hornbill" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasir from Singapore in joy of photographing a Great Hornbill</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">
The photos here with Great Hornbill on a yellow and a red fig tree. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozqwf8T8PlXt2yfs-jy8s527qGNuXpxnBrhppuBZVdnhc0XLs5gKhDnG1BwJ1uIMm-QpVug03mGqFvhCAuPQm67UbRvViXh0rVzVsrmIpXNJOV2BP90USXn0Um8vKtt8vFBfM4v6UNoO07o7Ob3zSHHdOw7bCEL8MKwZ0S02DXdA0PFzBa1utRg/s1080/ghb%20female%20yellow%20fig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Hornbill female with yellow figs" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozqwf8T8PlXt2yfs-jy8s527qGNuXpxnBrhppuBZVdnhc0XLs5gKhDnG1BwJ1uIMm-QpVug03mGqFvhCAuPQm67UbRvViXh0rVzVsrmIpXNJOV2BP90USXn0Um8vKtt8vFBfM4v6UNoO07o7Ob3zSHHdOw7bCEL8MKwZ0S02DXdA0PFzBa1utRg/w400-h400/ghb%20female%20yellow%20fig.jpg" title="Great Hornbill female with yellow figs in Langkawi" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Hornbill female with yellow figs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWqkRZC0WLIJdF5xT0T32vXIy5og5RHSu08ZwICC8Cu-mFpCvEwiS2aH_ZG6nKmutwC9dLfMetkqqzS2Cis-5kcGvRyzqmx37AbgWhL2WxsTUa0F7-LRxW-k5iTdu1s4onvPbmXSnYT9_w-WbXVqVTYbCuLMM_C9XCwYqYUWfQy71c8u1tcK8qg/s589/ghb%20male%20red%20fig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Hornbill male with the red figs Langkawi" border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="589" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEWqkRZC0WLIJdF5xT0T32vXIy5og5RHSu08ZwICC8Cu-mFpCvEwiS2aH_ZG6nKmutwC9dLfMetkqqzS2Cis-5kcGvRyzqmx37AbgWhL2WxsTUa0F7-LRxW-k5iTdu1s4onvPbmXSnYT9_w-WbXVqVTYbCuLMM_C9XCwYqYUWfQy71c8u1tcK8qg/w640-h640/ghb%20male%20red%20fig.jpg" title="Great Hornbill male with the red figs" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Hornbill male with the red figs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Both are auspicious colours for the Chinese New Year. I like to wish everyone here a good year ahead with good health, happiness and prosperity. </span></div></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Gong Xi Fa Cai 2023</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0Langkawi, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia6.35 99.8-21.960233836178844 64.64375 34.660233836178847 134.95625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-36770126287145082652022-01-01T00:37:00.019+08:002022-03-18T01:02:22.268+08:00My Guests of Pandemic 2020-2021<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">W</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">ith gratitude and appreciation to my guests who came with me and some return for the beauty of nature in Langkawi amidst the pandemic. Not forgetting the ones who recommended me to their friends and families to experience our nature with me. Thank you.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="font-size: large; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxQe_cCx_nFsHp4YxgTZHPjccF313ugnK9UKZb6ODB9ZQyV5Q70rniy_owZxl1M1sGpDhXiYuDEDV1rN7XAX70OgUw-iE0gNQy-RE55ZJAxCjhZapdrGqgHxkSpaUMBwsi5qUxjOsXWr48QZFh7tcZjN-4rSm0NfYbaR46VXCmepb658jvvPuBTg=s1132" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My guests to Langkawi who booked the private tours with me" border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxQe_cCx_nFsHp4YxgTZHPjccF313ugnK9UKZb6ODB9ZQyV5Q70rniy_owZxl1M1sGpDhXiYuDEDV1rN7XAX70OgUw-iE0gNQy-RE55ZJAxCjhZapdrGqgHxkSpaUMBwsi5qUxjOsXWr48QZFh7tcZjN-4rSm0NfYbaR46VXCmepb658jvvPuBTg=w452-h640" title="My Langkawi guests 2020-2021" width="452" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Part of the reason that I am still here on the island is because of you who had chosen me as your guide and your continuous support during these two years. There are some of you that I didn't photograph but I know who you are. Big THANK YOU.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I look forward to the burst of this Travel Bubble soon so my guests abroad can return independently. </div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy New Year 2022 and may your heart desires be manifested.</div></span></span>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-10208864335852911582021-08-22T23:34:00.008+08:002021-08-23T15:15:46.432+08:00Time For the Outdoors After 3 Long Months! <p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">his is good news to all my outdoor friends and especially for me to start with. </span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From 20th August 2021 onwards, the PM has announced that non contact sports and recreational activities are now allowed in Phase 1 states. These activities are birdwatching, hiking, cycling, walk or picnic at the park and camping. Provided these conditions are met:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Entering recreational parks are for fully vaccinated individuals. You may need to flash digital vaccination cert via your MySejahtera app. The opening of the park is subject to the State's decision.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Strict SOP must be followed when entering the park eg. wearing face mask and social distancing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Non-group activities only. The activities apply to individuals or own family.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since Langkawi is under the state of Kedah which is still in Phase 1 stage of our National Recovery Plan (NCR). You may click on this <a href="https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/31194" target="_blank">link here</a> to obtain the updated status of our NCR.</div></span><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Tourism activities are currently allowed for Phase 2 states, therefore, Langkawi will have to wait for the actual reopening date or probably in early September 2021. The government is looking at turning Langkawi into a pilot project for tourism bubble before reopening the country. Refer </span><a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/15/langkawi-to-be-pilot-project-for-tourism-bubble-says-pm">here for details</a><span>. <br /></span></span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Travelling and holidaying in Langkawi is only applicable to those who are fully vaccinated. This is the current passport for those who wish to travel. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Here are the privileges for those who are fully vaccinated: </span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">1. Dine-ins</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">2. No more 10km travel restrictions</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Here is my bike on 22nd May 2021 and will need some warming up before heading for longer distance (I meant the owner needs warming up).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulLQlEVZQls/YSJtZrrE2_I/AAAAAAAACAI/xxFyRyUxDCEfxz-1vIc2S_4dSkZdfPTQgCNcBGAsYHQ/s719/cycling%2B22may21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img alt="Cycling thru Langkawi paddyfield" border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="719" height="483" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulLQlEVZQls/YSJtZrrE2_I/AAAAAAAACAI/xxFyRyUxDCEfxz-1vIc2S_4dSkZdfPTQgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h483/cycling%2B22may21.jpg" title="Bicycle in Langkawi paddyfield" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It has been 3 months of full lockdown, the longest and very enduring. My fitness is currently away and need to call it back, turning fat into fit again. I had been cycling around my residential neighborhood like those old uncles during the full lockdown and birdwatching at my front gate where my cherry tree is. I have been good, adhering to the full lockdown SOP.</div></span></span><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">With the ease of restriction, it is indeed we have some freedom back yet we must be vigilant as the daily cases in Malaysia is still high. Follow all SOP strictly and avoid crowded places.</span></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Daily cases for Langkawi on 22nd August 2021:<br /></span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YBRpI-eHHLk/YSJnFTvlgEI/AAAAAAAAB_w/V65LWIAdGwwWs4fSMsVP6f_uCbUn6KV2wCNcBGAsYHQ/s720/langkawi%2Bcovid%2Bon%2B22%2Baug%2B2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img alt="Langkawi Covid 22 aug 2021 75" border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="720" height="393" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YBRpI-eHHLk/YSJnFTvlgEI/AAAAAAAAB_w/V65LWIAdGwwWs4fSMsVP6f_uCbUn6KV2wCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h393/langkawi%2Bcovid%2Bon%2B22%2Baug%2B2021.jpg" title="Langkawi Covid case" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">New Covid cases for Langkawi on 22 August 2021</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Current cases for Malaysia on 22 August 2021</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="720" height="395" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoPZnA8ltSQ/YSJno9m59KI/AAAAAAAAB_4/Mo8qwv2_sqwjA6YDN4EmjubnYi0_wM9rQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h395/malaysia%2Bcovid%2Bon%2B22%2Baug%2B2021.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Links:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">1. <a href="https://www.malaysia.gov.my/portal/content/31194">National Recovery Plan</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">2. <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/15/langkawi-to-be-pilot-project-for-tourism-bubble-says-pm" target="_blank">Langkawi to be pilot project for tourism bubble</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">3. <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/covid-19-malaysia-reopen-island-resorts-2112911" target="_blank">Resort islands may reopen in early September 2021</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">4. <a href="https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/08/719442/dine-ins-allowed-phase-1-states-fully-vaccinated-individuals" target="_blank">Ease of restrictions for Phase 1</a><br /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-37444713631450822102021-03-30T00:08:00.002+08:002021-03-30T00:22:13.716+08:00Annual SandBar Walk At Tanjung Rhu, Langkawi<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXzCfR6RbH0/YGHs_19gBXI/AAAAAAAAB64/hsz5i7sry2s42yMFP35D2ZyQVlJLuiwMACNcBGAsYHQ/s1446/moon%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1446" height="330" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXzCfR6RbH0/YGHs_19gBXI/AAAAAAAAB64/hsz5i7sry2s42yMFP35D2ZyQVlJLuiwMACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h330/moon%2Bpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>his is an event that I looked forward to every year and it is the famous sandbar walk at Tanjung Rhu, Langkawi. This sort of extreme low tide doesn't happen often and the season is during the peak of our dry season or North-East monsoon. The best period in my opinion, is during the spring tide from February till late-March. It is usually at the very early of the morning. Word of caution: Beware of the tide rising up quickly! Check the tide chart before heading out.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JdGDcJcYMyc/YGHtMWRaHGI/AAAAAAAAB68/IxzVYxZKPS8IEP4WB1gZRYVr4z9g1LxfwCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/cabang.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JdGDcJcYMyc/YGHtMWRaHGI/AAAAAAAAB68/IxzVYxZKPS8IEP4WB1gZRYVr4z9g1LxfwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/cabang.JPG" width="640" /></span></span></a></p><div dir="auto"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sr6MvRjWROg/YGHtnJLF4cI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/wpQPV-2G9LsWnyll6wvvIjzrsmn2kaBFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/tg%2Brhu%2Bbreaking%2Bdawn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1000" height="376" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sr6MvRjWROg/YGHtnJLF4cI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/wpQPV-2G9LsWnyll6wvvIjzrsmn2kaBFgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h376/tg%2Brhu%2Bbreaking%2Bdawn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn is breaking at Tanjung Rhu with Ms Gorilla Peak standing tall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ys2NzbSdlbc/YGHtmt_Rj8I/AAAAAAAAB7M/8ssFMy9Anpkc1dRysHRWAZkHUylpk8jowCNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/tg%2Brhu%2Bsunrise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="1000" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ys2NzbSdlbc/YGHtmt_Rj8I/AAAAAAAAB7M/8ssFMy9Anpkc1dRysHRWAZkHUylpk8jowCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h333/tg%2Brhu%2Bsunrise.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">During this time, it is fun to observe, photograph or even learn about our the marine diversity in that area. When the tide is low enough to walk to the island, you
may find different varieties of corals on the fringe. Do not step on the
corals!<br /><br />It is common to see our locals heading out to find clams, crabs and shellfish for their own consumption. Each year, same spot and yet different wild marine species can be seen. For this year 2021, my friends spotted an octopus and Peacock sole fishes which were new sightings to me. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1b625FnF-c/YGH9V9VXK_I/AAAAAAAAB8I/Vbf-OIp2BuQAUFkxcoyIaoRuhUQdWt-6wCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/octopus%2Bblogpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="800" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1b625FnF-c/YGH9V9VXK_I/AAAAAAAAB8I/Vbf-OIp2BuQAUFkxcoyIaoRuhUQdWt-6wCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h410/octopus%2Bblogpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7gMaRPe86sE/YGH9Jz0O6JI/AAAAAAAAB8E/Ju5VKjAvOocz4e0VzUci9LUPjS9nGnPeACNcBGAsYHQ/s744/peacock%2Bsole%2Bfish%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="744" height="394" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7gMaRPe86sE/YGH9Jz0O6JI/AAAAAAAAB8E/Ju5VKjAvOocz4e0VzUci9LUPjS9nGnPeACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h394/peacock%2Bsole%2Bfish%2Bpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A species of Peacock Sole Fish very well camouflaged and yet spotted by the Fiona and her friends!<br />Photo credit: Tisu Ying</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Other sand dwellers :</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTycE9l1s4s/YGH9e50n70I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/a1EP_RbwOMsjuoDa2cekptApJptH5WlLwCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/starfish%2Bsunrise%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTycE9l1s4s/YGH9e50n70I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/a1EP_RbwOMsjuoDa2cekptApJptH5WlLwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/starfish%2Bsunrise%2Bpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I find this shot rather captivating. You know what sort of marine
species this is. Lovely shot by Tisu Ying. Thanks for sharing this
image.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vfpAdJ5f2k/YGH9rdGEtlI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/ofzZ3TXbnXcRJq23eG4tJ9J9cfgOCeriwCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/sea%2Burchin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6vfpAdJ5f2k/YGH9rdGEtlI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/ofzZ3TXbnXcRJq23eG4tJ9J9cfgOCeriwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/sea%2Burchin.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know what this is!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRmaugIwXuI/YGH91Jr7bYI/AAAAAAAAB8g/ePnTdCFrUVoDaYjR-BS-MHx-38fZnAI9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s500/Lovenia%2Belongata%2BLovenia%2BHeart%2BUrchin%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="500" height="506" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRmaugIwXuI/YGH91Jr7bYI/AAAAAAAAB8g/ePnTdCFrUVoDaYjR-BS-MHx-38fZnAI9ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h506/Lovenia%2Belongata%2BLovenia%2BHeart%2BUrchin%2Bpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather bizarre creature which is a family of heart urchins call<i> </i>Lovenia Heart Urchin<i> Lovenia elongata</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I always like to do this walk at least once a year except for year 2019 after what I had seen that has put me off and pissed me off too. In year 2018, there were some tourists on that particular morning carrying plastic bags to the sandbar putting in whatever living marine creatures that they find fancy which includes any sizes of crabs, starfishes, sea urchins and even a sea horse! See photos below:<br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_aBPftDcFg/YGH-EKDoVoI/AAAAAAAAB8o/Ihjuq6OgSJ86SOc1LLY_A4CXq2_EgZEMACNcBGAsYHQ/s1504/tourist%2Bplastic%2Bbag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1504" height="388" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_aBPftDcFg/YGH-EKDoVoI/AAAAAAAAB8o/Ihjuq6OgSJ86SOc1LLY_A4CXq2_EgZEMACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h388/tourist%2Bplastic%2Bbag.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashback from 2018: A tourist with plastic bag</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4l4c9mIPJ4/YGH-QGCMtzI/AAAAAAAAB8w/7-yJnbPv74Y-YyZW7FCdiwRfVRTUvPppgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/tourists%2Bdamn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4l4c9mIPJ4/YGH-QGCMtzI/AAAAAAAAB8w/7-yJnbPv74Y-YyZW7FCdiwRfVRTUvPppgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/tourists%2Bdamn.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flashback 2018: Tourists with plastic bag</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I won't name where these tourists are from. There were individuals, groups of friends and families carrying plastic bags walking around. I love to see their keenness in exploring nature but I was furious with them taking mini crabs and starfishes. I was not enjoying my walk on that morning because I ended up going around to those that I can reach out to and attempted with my non-English language to let them know that they need to release those marine creatures back into the sea. Most of them didn't understand me and some ignored me because I am suck at their language. Those sea stars will eventually die after plucking them out of the water.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And so for this season and the previous one, these mini marine creatures had a higher chance of survival due to non-mass tourism. The Covid-19 situation is indeed doing a lot of good deeds for our nature and biodiversity, in a way. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">To all tourists visiting the sandbar. Please be reminded that even though the nature is here for us to enjoy, do respect them. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints! <br /></span></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahdBjBAP6Q4/YGH-cR_4oNI/AAAAAAAAB84/WjK5gdx3TqMT_c-FLM8LFh1JHDfs0KMCQCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/surrounded%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="800" height="368" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ahdBjBAP6Q4/YGH-cR_4oNI/AAAAAAAAB84/WjK5gdx3TqMT_c-FLM8LFh1JHDfs0KMCQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h368/surrounded%2Bpost.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Take nothing but photos! I guess the octopus didn't quite mind to be surrounded by the ladies - Tisu, Fiona and her friends.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5suQCHSz2Q/YGH-msr-2FI/AAAAAAAAB9A/Xy6QePz1mFAE8b7YlYZJoA7au0Wi9C99QCNcBGAsYHQ/s946/sandbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="946" height="428" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5suQCHSz2Q/YGH-msr-2FI/AAAAAAAAB9A/Xy6QePz1mFAE8b7YlYZJoA7au0Wi9C99QCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h428/sandbar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photo bomb by our shadows</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-13216005326613939662021-02-13T22:23:00.013+08:002021-07-30T11:24:04.955+08:00My CNY 2021 Mission<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rl-vyX2Uac/YQNwui9LSsI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/W1i0cYjMvb8uWiFZRMYeK_cSjLzV1iy6gCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/cny%2Bcookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="573" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rl-vyX2Uac/YQNwui9LSsI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/W1i0cYjMvb8uWiFZRMYeK_cSjLzV1iy6gCNcBGAsYHQ/w458-h640/cny%2Bcookies.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">ome
of my friends laughed at me in disbelief. Is OK because I can't believe
this myself either. When this pandemic started, I have done a lot of
things which were new to me. <br /><br />I still can't believe I have baked
Chinese New Year cookies to sell. What was unbelievable when I expected
to sell up to a maximum of 30 tubs, my orders exceeded 80 tubs. This
would be my CNY angpow <span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu"><img alt="😁" height="16" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/ta8/1.5/16/1f601.png" width="16" /></span><br /><br />I
had been a hermit for the past three weeks and luckily with this MCO
that kept me at home to complete my CNY project. Otherwise, my
distractions would be birding and hiking. <br /><br />Thank you very much to my friends and contacts for your support to my traditional Walnuts cookies. <br /><br />Gong Xi Fa Cai everyone.</span></span></span></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-28117026123502334512021-01-31T18:28:00.015+08:002021-02-05T17:12:37.502+08:00EBird, You and I<div class="separator"><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><img alt="Image result for ebird" class="rg_i Q4LuWd" data-atf="true" data-deferred="1" data-iml="779" height="189" 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" width="400" /></p></div><div class="separator"><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-size: large;">his is not the kind of post that I like to write here. Due to the extremely rude responses from an Australian and Indian bird photographer, I felt compelled to bring this up in our small birding community and other reviewers alike to take note. The Indian one was more than a year ago and the Australian bloke was recent. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Birdwatching is regarded as a hobby to many and passion to some. It is supposedly a fun activity that brings light minded community together to enjoy nature at its best, sharing the education aspects and the ultimate aim is to promote awareness and conservation. When I was introduced by my mentor, Mrs Lim Bing Yee into birdwatching, I was in the early era of digital processing and towards the end of notebook processing. Digital processing is all about recording birds seen in a digital camera and notebook processing is about recording notes of a bird seen on a notebook. Nowadays, most birdwatchers will have some sort of cameras in their hands as to whether they are birdwatchers or bird photographers. I had watched how some of the Bird Sifus I know are now lugging any kind of camera as an extra gear. In fact, camera these days is an important gear even though it is not a must have for birdwatching. With a camera, it is faster to record any species of birds that are rare or vagrant in a specific area as an evidence before the bird fled away. Notes taking is also important but most birders these days would rather click the shutter than to write a length of a bird description.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having said that, notes taking increases the observation skills of a birdwatcher than taking photos. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">After having a list of birds seen in a location, where do birders go from here? Some would prefer to keep their list to themselves and while some of them would share it with a community or social media. A well known global platform which is known as <a href="https://ebird.org/about" target="_blank">eBird</a>, provides a user friendly tool for birders to keep track of their bird lists, photos, sounds and contributing to science as well as conservation. It is indeed a citizen scientist thingy! The goal of eBird is very simple. It is to gather information in the form of checklist of birds, archive it and freely share it to support science, conservation and education with the data collected. It is free for all to use. You can read more about <a href="https://ebird.org/about" target="_blank">eBird on this link here</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">As simple as it sounds, any checklist submitted by a birder is subjected to be verified. Why is that? This is to ensure high data accuracy. There are many eBird users out there do not fully understand the primary purpose of eBird and the need to review their submitted checklists. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p data-identifyelement="497" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b data-identifyelement="526">How does eBird ensure data quality?<br data-identifyelement="527" /></b></span></p><p data-identifyelement="497" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">eBird's
data quality process ensures that your data are useful for the millions
of people that use eBird resources each year. From automated data
filters to a global team of bird experts, eBird's data quality approach
ensures that every record passes through a rigorous evaluation process.
This focus on maintaining reliable, accurate data is essential in making
eBird one of the most valuable global datasets on bird distribution and
abundance. You can read more on this <a href="https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48000795278-the-ebird-review-process" target="_blank">link here</a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who are the people in charge of data quality? <br />It is a role call eBird Reviewer. <br /><br />Who are these eBird Reviewers?<br />These are fellow birdwatchers who are familiar with the birds occur in a specific area or region. All reviewers are unpaid volunteers and the eBird platform we are using is FREE too. We used our own precious time vetting through checklists submitted by users to ensure the data is close to accuracy and clean. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The role of a reviewer is simply going through your checklist and any species of birds that are considered as rare or unusual in a specific area will be flagged and marked as unconfirmed. Unless, there is some form of supporting document attached to the checklist such as photos, audio recorded or even detailed description of a bird, then only the sighting will be accepted. Otherwise, the reviewer will send a standard email generated by the system to the eBird user requesting for further details. A reviewer is not Ms or Mr Know-It-All too. If there is a species that a reviewer is unsure of, he or she will refer to a team of reviewers for consultation. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">eBird platform has provided comprehensive information and tutorials on how the system works and its policies and yet there are some eBird users out there are unaware of the existence of eBird reviewers. I was one of them when I first started using eBird. Receiving an email from a reviewer is like receiving a "saman" letter to some. When I received my first e-mail from a eBird reviewer, I felt intimidated as if I had done something wrong. Why would anyone want to question my personal bird checklist? And who was this reviewer that I didn't even know of or heard of his name? That was when I realised the primary purpose behind eBird. It is not about my own personal bird checklist but the entire bird community with the same interest. That's when I also learned about the importance of data accuracy and even more when I accepted the role of a eBird reviewer. As well as understanding some of the pains and gains encountered by other fellow reviewers. Having said that, any e-Bird user can keep their list private.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let me share some of my experiences as a reviewer as well as there are other reviewers would have similar encounters too. When a species is flagged, a standard email will be sent out to the user. Most of the time, we do not receive any replies or should I say, the emails would simply be ignored. The polite and cooperative ones will respond and willing to put in some points of discussions. The honest ones will admit their errors. Bear in mind that reviewers can make mistakes too; no one is perfect. And there is another group of users, the angry ones that would react. Most of time, I and other reviewers would brush off the light comments made by some of them. I personally feel, there is a limit to the level of tolerance. There are other bird reviewers I know have their fair share of such treatment from the users. I like to think it is probably not to such extreme.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">When this Australian submitted his checklist, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">there were two species that required further details and no photos were attached. And his response was: </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jPRs5LpjAM/YB0II7GJ8MI/AAAAAAAAB5c/t_cgPWZ20MU8Jsu9X-JkIBA_LJ-DZp6ZwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1072/IMG_20210205_165146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jPRs5LpjAM/YB0II7GJ8MI/AAAAAAAAB5c/t_cgPWZ20MU8Jsu9X-JkIBA_LJ-DZp6ZwCNcBGAsYHQ/w430-h640/IMG_20210205_165146.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S9qZZa-0Fcc/YB0IKV_d0gI/AAAAAAAAB5g/jFogrSBvclgp-lJs0-81ZHSqV-eAwJqUgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1180/IMG_20210205_164935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S9qZZa-0Fcc/YB0IKV_d0gI/AAAAAAAAB5g/jFogrSBvclgp-lJs0-81ZHSqV-eAwJqUgCNcBGAsYHQ/w390-h640/IMG_20210205_164935.jpg" width="390" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">I brought this up to our regional reviewers and we officially replied him. Not too long after, he fled eBird by deleting his account and all his checklist after the correspondence without any apologies. Good riddance! One less rude user to deal with.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Being rude and abusive as such to any fellow birder is a disgrace and very disrespectful to the birding community. Worst of all is when a foreign visitor does it to a local reviewer or local birder. Not only disrespectful to our birding community but as well as not being sensitive to our local culture. In general, there were cases of rude foreigners or foreign tourists treating our local guides. Thankfully, these are the rare cases. To foreigners like Stephen Happ, if you can't contain your obnoxious and arrogant behavior in your home country, you don't deserve to travel abroad or even enjoy our birds here.<br /><br /></span></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-15092127903738657952021-01-03T16:58:00.002+08:002021-07-30T11:17:46.096+08:00Seeking a Better Year<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXhzkih25VA/YGHgygIlpAI/AAAAAAAAB6w/DxFV_DFzpEo7m_vCV80qkXXcNhZqvSpuACNcBGAsYHQ/s925/IMG_20210329_221215.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="719" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sXhzkih25VA/YGHgygIlpAI/AAAAAAAAB6w/DxFV_DFzpEo7m_vCV80qkXXcNhZqvSpuACNcBGAsYHQ/w497-h640/IMG_20210329_221215.jpg" width="497" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> birder, a hiker, a kayaker and a blogger. As the saying goes, A Jack
of All Trades, A Diversed Generalist. That's me as a nature guide. <br /><br />Learning
and discovering new experiences is a never ending journey and the
process can be either sweet, challenging, incurring losses or gains .
Let's us acknowledge that the unprecedented time spilled over from 2020
is far from over. During this time and until now, I have invested time
and money in learning new things to keep myself afloat and eventually
seeking a clear path leading to a greener pasture. Now that you know
that I have been very busy, my nature photo posts and blogs have not
been the priority. Thank you for all your patience. Also, there are a
few people that I am truly grateful to when this pandemic started. <br /><br />With
this, wishing all my guests, friends and followers here a new normal
and optimistic New Year 2021. May all your positive thoughts and wishes
be manifested in this New Year.<br /><br />I like to thank the following
photographers for the photos: Clockwise from top left, Soon for hiking
photo; Laure Baup for my B&W portrait; Barbara Pennell for my
birding photo and Timothy Low for the kayaking photo. </span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-17492245342159349072020-12-25T16:52:00.005+08:002021-01-11T16:54:42.040+08:00Merry Christmas Everyone!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8ve1jp8Lmo/X_wR1pT3QBI/AAAAAAAAB48/TFZ1L-OB-iMzlstsaGTh0l-3Nz1l-iZ9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s952/2020%2BChristmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="635" data-original-width="952" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8ve1jp8Lmo/X_wR1pT3QBI/AAAAAAAAB48/TFZ1L-OB-iMzlstsaGTh0l-3Nz1l-iZ9ACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/2020%2BChristmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">Great Hornbills seem to be my favorite pick for my annual Christmas greetings. The picture here will explain itself.<br /><br />Wishing all my fellow guests and followers here a Merry Christmas and Happier New Year 2021.<br /><br />This
post is also dedicated to Simon and Ruth Smith who came with me on last
December. This pair of Great Hornbill were first seen at the start of
our memorable birdwatching tour when we were not too far from their
hotel, Berjaya Resort. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id" dir="auto">This photo has a lot of fun birdwatching memories
with Simon and Ruth Smith.</span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-10669703685099698732020-11-13T14:48:00.004+08:002020-11-13T14:51:18.316+08:00To Post or Not to Post? The Problem of Information At Our Fingertips<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> finally got my cool waterfall fix since the lockdown. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGuAkU4g3XI/X64pbPETZ1I/AAAAAAAAB3k/jVBwKTCtK305L9cpv9-mJyFtwHxLwkwhACNcBGAsYHQ/s1000/not%2Bin%2Blangkawi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eGuAkU4g3XI/X64pbPETZ1I/AAAAAAAAB3k/jVBwKTCtK305L9cpv9-mJyFtwHxLwkwhACNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/not%2Bin%2Blangkawi.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This pristine spot is no stranger to the locals here and has been getting more visitors especially when some of these YouTubers or “social media influencers” showing off details on how to get there. There are always two sides of a coin by doing that. Indeed that every soul deserves to enjoy nature with clean air and water. The other side of the coin would be inviting irresponsible visitors leaving behind trash and cigarette butts. I picked up a lot of rubberbands and some sweet wrappers. I believe these rubberbands were used for wrapping their picnic food. However today, I noticed a group of responsible ladies bringing their trash out as they were leaving. Thank you! </span></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">You may bring or tell someone who is responsible but who can guarantee that someone will bring along a responsible visitor. Our phone technology has been so vital and important but yet it poses threat to endangered species when someone uses for their own gain. A beautiful place will eventually be spoiled due to social media popularity and easy access.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">It took me awhile to consider to post this photo or not. I felt this photo will help bring my thoughts and message out. Besides, this spot is no longer a secret anymore.<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I am sure you will understand if I don't reveal the location here. </span></span></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-23555900589425397482020-10-26T00:33:00.003+08:002020-11-13T14:25:46.494+08:00Riding On The Rough Sea<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">L</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">ike most of us in the tourism industry, we are all in the same rough sea but on different boats. Some of them are on bigger boats with much stronger sustaining flotation. Some of us on small rafts rocking away and yet still keeping afloat. The worst hit will be the tourist guides. Diversify is the only key to survival in this trying time. The word hope doesn't exist but only look forward to different opportunities. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-TRVVg97ps/X64meUbABzI/AAAAAAAAB3U/a0KD33vIDPUJtiJ9B3jLfq9izuD_lPkAwCNcBGAsYHQ/s800/casting%2Bnet%2Bpost.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-TRVVg97ps/X64meUbABzI/AAAAAAAAB3U/a0KD33vIDPUJtiJ9B3jLfq9izuD_lPkAwCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/casting%2Bnet%2Bpost.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql rrkovp55 a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v knj5qynh oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto" style="font-size: large;">I feel that this writer was probably over exaggerating a bit. Going out
casting net to catch shrimps and small fishes is a common local
Langkawians favorite past time. They can be taxi drivers, hoteliers,
store keepers, managers, business owners or anyone!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3106775/year-about-survival-langkawi-malaysian-holiday-island">Langkawi Made to South China Morning Post. Click here for the article. </a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3106775/year-about-survival-langkawi-malaysian-holiday-island</span></span></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-72668724217132231362020-07-18T22:47:00.004+08:002020-07-21T23:06:34.845+08:00Oooo Otter!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5"><font size="6"><font size="5"><font size="6">T</font>oday is Day 124 since our lockdown on 18th March 2020. I haven't been back visiting the mangrove since July 5th. I have already caught a glimpse of our Brown-Winged Kingfisher while kayaking with Mee Fung and her family. </font></font></font></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Me with Meng Fung and her family" border="0" height="299" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kTcarjCDw0A/XxMIByZdKxI/AAAAAAAAB1w/EjIy2H0A7641pwBa6c-9unlBdLJuEim7wCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h299/1595082756214244-0.png" title="Me with Meng Fung and her family" width="400">
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</div></div><div><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="3"><font size="5">Mee Fung and her active family spend a full day with me starting with mangrove kayaking and then an easy jungle trek after lunch. It poured heavily while we were heading back to the jetty. All drenched when we were already dried up after lunch. Fortunately, the rain stopped</font> <font size="5">when we arrived at the trekking site.</font></font> </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kbQnObJyVPg/XxcEeBKpJmI/AAAAAAAAB2M/UtfMjXJP7wAFgq4T3rm401VdoDaLbYzYQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1595343981947183-0.png" width="400">
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</div></span></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ndfDjPHznYQ/XxMIA-cVaiI/AAAAAAAAB1s/ELBlAPGcBFI_E7U-w6Yo9T_vMrmqY7wvQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1595082751008370-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">I have seen our Mangrove Pit-viper on the 3rd of July while on the</font> <font size="5"><a href="https://www.wendynatureguide.com/2020/07/first-official-excursion-after-lockdown.html">Mangrove Boat Cruise</a> with Shahaanaz and her friends.</font></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">One of the wildlife that I also miss having to see is our mammal friend aka giant rat! The otter!</font></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">Blast from the past, I finally managed to edit this video taken in June 2019 with Mark, Kim, Alan, Emily, Robyn and Wayne. It was low tide when we started and I was hoping to bypass the narrow channel before the tide level reduce. We were blocked by a fallen tree and having no choice, we turned around. It was a blessing in disguise. If we had continued on, we would have missed this fella completely.</font> </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">This individual here has a shorten tail, likely from an injury. It was hunting and absolutely oblivious to our boat. We had a marvellous time indeed watching it dived, chasing after the fishes, chomping down the fishes and lastly the pooing! Strangely, it was on its own. When I encountered otter, it is usually a pair or a family.</font><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">This is a Smooth Otter <i>Lutrogale perspicillata</i> which is commonly found here and the only species that I have seen on Langkawi. I was told that the Asian Small-Clawed Otter <i>Amblonyx cinereus </i>occurs here but I have yet to see one. The difference between these two are the overall size, the size of their paws, nose features and the webbed feet. But if they are on the move or swimming, it will be difficult to observe the paws. The Smooth Otter has a larger nose (like mine). I have found an interesting link documented by the National University of Singapore (NUS) which describes the differences of these two in detailed. Click the link <a href="https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/TAX/Aonyx+cinerea+-+Small-clawed+otter">here</a></font><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5"><font size="5">Smooth Otter is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is threaten by the loss of habitats and illegal hunting. In Langkawi, they can be found in the the mangrove, the coastline</font> <font size="5">and even the beaches of some resorts.</font><br></font></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5"><br></font></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">Thank you otter for being there. I have spend quite a fair bit of time editing this video. Hope you like it. If you can't view the video via the mobile version, you may click on this link: <a href="https://youtu.be/7oh97obiyms" id="YouTube Otter Video" name="YouTube Otter Video">https://youtu.be/7oh97obiyms</a><br></font></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5"></font><br></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="307" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7oh97obiyms" width="370" youtube-src-id="7oh97obiyms"></iframe></div></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="5">Here's Mark and the gang. If it wasn't for the pandemic, they would have returned to Langkawi in June 2020.</font> <font size="5">Oh well...see you guys next year then.</font></span></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-50585705477646730762020-07-03T23:53:00.000+08:002020-07-18T22:30:20.186+08:00First Official Excursion After the Lockdown<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="5"><font size="6">T</font>he drizzle after a short spell of heavy rain did not dampen the spirits of these four Malaysian friends. Instead, they were glad that such overcast weather was cool and pleasant. I agree and I am also glad that their presence marked my first official nature excursion since the Movement Control Order on 18th March. </font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="5"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="5">We headed out at 1:30pm and the clouds were lying low among the hills as a stunning backdrop of our mangroves. This sight is not often and the rain is needed to create such landscape scene. And I didn't get any landscape photos because I was focused on my commentary.<br></font></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="5"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="5">As the tide receded, they had the opportunity to watch the antics of the fiddler crabs and mudskippers on the mudflat. </font></span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our Malaysian friends were intrigued with the varieties of these fiddler crabs that I had to signal our boat skipper to move on before the tide gets too low. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I have been wondering on the situation at the usual feeding stations for the raptors and the Long-Tailed Macaques after the lockdown. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Surprisingly, the Brahminy Kites and the White-Bellied Sea-Eagles were at their usual numbers when we passed by the area. The feeding practice has returned, sadly. A question came from one of them asking the reasons of not feeding them. It was my chance to educate. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The feeling of being back into the calm and peaceful mangrove is indescribable. The calls of Collared Kingfisher, Brown-Winged Kingfisher and Mangrove Whistler. While we were absorbed into the enchanting forest in the narrowest bit of the tributary, I heard Yi-Wei asked, “Is that a snake?”</span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q4yUl0T1dk/Xv9ovUkjhtI/AAAAAAAAB00/Apghvs0RQxkMUgIRR-H7YMu7hZopRp4EQCK4BGAsYHg/s600/mangrove%2Bpit%2Bviper%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Q4yUl0T1dk/Xv9ovUkjhtI/AAAAAAAAB00/Apghvs0RQxkMUgIRR-H7YMu7hZopRp4EQCK4BGAsYHg/d/mangrove%2Bpit%2Bviper%2Bpost.jpg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="3">A Mangrove Pit Viper <i>Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus</i> </font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><br><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My boat skipper and I were keeping a lookout for one and Yi-Wei was the first to spot one. Well done! They were overly excited upon seeing the viper that the boat was tilted on one side and the current began to sweep our boat away. My skipper had to reposition the boat to get closer to the viper. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Long-Tailed Macaques were at their usual feeding site when we were cruising on that stretch of the channel to get to Gua Buaya. I was expecting them to have moved on and left the area. Looks like the feeding has returned, sadly. I was watching one of them climbing up the tree very swiftly and I knew what was coming. I was right! As soon as she landed on the roof of the boat, I immediately told everyone to put their water bottles and other stuff into their bags. My boat skipper quickly hid his water bottle. It was a bit of chaos and hilarious at the same time. The female macaque scrambled around the boat looking for opportunity to grab something. No one dared to take their phone out to video or a quick snapshot. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">That stretch of the channel is what I name it as the Monkey Cafe. Boats with tourists often stop to feed them while encouraging the fearless macaques to hop on the boat. They are so used to doing that and even on boats that are not feeding. If that situation ever happen to your boat, first of all, stay calm. Quickly put your water bottles or any plastic bags inside your bag otherwise these things will end up as trash in the mangroves. There are littering along the stretch of Monkey Cafe. And remember, macaques can bite.<br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When the maqacue has made it onto the boat, ignore it, do not challenge it and pretend it isn't there. It will come close to you to check out and when you ignore it, it will move on (fingers crossed). Attempting to take a selfie with it is not a good idea. The one we had on our boat eventually gave up after 100 meters and she dived into the water. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">When we got to Kilim, the floating restaurants are still closed due to very low demand. The Bat Cave was super quiet when we arrived and it was good. Also, the fact that it was already in the late afternoon which is usually quieter. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I was thankful that the sea was very kind to us to allow us to head back via the coastline. And yes! Two finless porpoises showed up and that was the bonus for the entire package.</span></font></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I like to thank Shahaanaz for bringing her friends, Joyce, Joel and Yi-Wei as well as taking me out on a boat ride into the mangroves. </span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br></span></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="5"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There was something that I have been craving for during the lockdown and I had quenched it on my way home. Yumz!</span></font> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yGj1czXMibM/Xv9f7hwCXmI/AAAAAAAAB0M/SZMoJcSL1lYQUgrIzuFgs2veUuIr2B-PQCNcBGAsYHQ/w500-h381/1593794539717244-2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Prawn Pad Thai from my usual stall</span></font><br></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-52599160289570170092020-06-14T17:09:00.001+08:002020-06-14T17:09:24.153+08:00Tourists Boats Operating Soon<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4"><font size="6">W</font>ishing everyone here well and healthy.</font></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4">This post here brings joy especially to all of our
boatmen. I was verbally informed by a boat operator from Kilim Jetty
that all boating for visitors are expected to operate from 15th June
2020 onwards. Best is still check before booking. </font></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4"> My private
excursion prices varies depending on the private group size, duration
and logistics. Therefore, it is best to contact me directly so I can
customize. Direct bookings with me will have a 20% discount. </font></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4"> Bat cave <span class="text_exposed_show">may
not be opened yet (we are not sure) on the 15th June. Some floating
restaurants are not open yet on the 15th June as the owners need to do
preparations and cleaning. </span></font></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4"> My message to all visitors :<br />
The much needed rest given to Nature is still considered as too short.
It is tough to balance between economy and leaving minimum impact to the
natural sites that we visit but each of us can make better changes. For
almost three months, there is a break from wildlife feeding in the
touristy areas. There will be some wildlife have left the feeding area
to feed on their own. Please keep it that way. Take this break of
feeding to end all wildlife feeding such as eagle and monkey feeding
completely (my wishful thinking). If the animals don't show up, you will
still have a beautiful landscape and tranquility to show on your social
media. A simple step to start is by telling your boatman and operator
that you don't want any feeding tour. </font></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><font size="4"> If it is not the time now to become responsible travellers, when will you become one? </font></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tqoYj1O7mgg/XuXn7CJZgwI/AAAAAAAABy0/Huk1Zw_3GpI0a0YffGgAZ_5wa-d7vuBsQCK4BGAsYHg/s1600/2020-06-14-15-13-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Langkawi Nature Tour" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1213" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tqoYj1O7mgg/XuXn7CJZgwI/AAAAAAAABy0/Huk1Zw_3GpI0a0YffGgAZ_5wa-d7vuBsQCK4BGAsYHg/w486-h640/2020-06-14-15-13-21.jpg" title="Mangrove Tour" width="486" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0Langkawi, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia6.35 99.8-21.960233836178844 64.64375 34.660233836178847 134.95625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-1326056815102637422020-05-19T00:57:00.002+08:002020-05-19T15:02:45.830+08:00The New Jet Fighters of Langkawi - Asian Openbills <div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="4"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="6">L</font>angkawi welcomes a new species member in her list of feathered friends back in 9th November 2019 which is the Asian Openbills <i>Anastomus oscitans</i>. My first sighting of a huge flock flying above us was back in late October 2015 when I was with my birding friends at Khao Dinsor Chumphon, Thailand for raptor watch</span></font>. <br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCPedTmq0mk/XsKsoSDQkOI/AAAAAAAABs8/wO0P73HIFvAzqFe8rr9qCvXQNYeX8eV5ACK4BGAsYHg/flock%2Bthermal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Asian Openbills Langkawi" border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="800" height="429" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vCPedTmq0mk/XsKsoSDQkOI/AAAAAAAABs8/wO0P73HIFvAzqFe8rr9qCvXQNYeX8eV5ACK4BGAsYHg/w640-h429/flock%2Bthermal.jpg" title="Langkawi Birdwatching" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asian Openbills when they fly in big flock and thermalling. Dont't they look like jet fighters to you?<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font size="4">I was awed but didn't get to see the whole bird until I was in Perlis in
April 2019 with Jane Miller. These gigantic stork is considered a
migrant for Peninsular Malaysia but they have stayed longer.</font> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5aE41rULUs/XsKqCNaE1xI/AAAAAAAABsI/thOQyxRp86A5tkEjjGCutQg4D8gmL5rLQCK4BGAsYHg/Asian%2BOpenbill%2BPerlis.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="600" height="363" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5aE41rULUs/XsKqCNaE1xI/AAAAAAAABsI/thOQyxRp86A5tkEjjGCutQg4D8gmL5rLQCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h363/Asian%2BOpenbill%2BPerlis.jpg" width="400"></a></span></font></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Asian Openbill in Perlis<br></span></font></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><div><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">When I first saw the E-Bird submission of this species for Langkawi, I couldn't believe it. Upon my request, Esteban Martinez followed up with a record shot of seven individuals perched on a tree and therefore, it is confirmed. Congratulations to Esteban, a foreign visitor, for sighting this new record for Langkawi. What a lucky find for being at the right place at the right time! That tempted me to look for these birds too! As I had a second session of birdwatching tour with Ruth and Simon Smith on the next day, 10th November 2019, it didn't take much effort for me to convince them to search for these birds too! And so we followed the location marked by Esteban, which was close to Langkawi International airport. On a very hot afternoon, we found ourselves walking on a path in between the airport and a scrubby field. After 30 minutes we turned around. No Asian Openbill but we managed to see two Black Drongos which are migrants too. And of course, birds fly! I wanted another chance. Again, it didn't take much effort for me to convince Ruth and Simon to give ourselves another try. We drove around and ended up on this village road close to the airport. Simon was driving and I was scanning. And then some huge birds perched on on a tree caught my eyes. SSSssssssssTTTTtttttOOOOOoooPPPPPPPP! We rushed out of the car with our equipment and click, click, click. There were eight of them! </font></span><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLJYeLIHQVM/XsKwvrzlmKI/AAAAAAAABtY/QF91zLHq51Mx-JTkOyaEBn1SyqsJD12KwCK4BGAsYHg/from%2Bruth%2Bclick%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Langkawi Birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="587" height="328" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mLJYeLIHQVM/XsKwvrzlmKI/AAAAAAAABtY/QF91zLHq51Mx-JTkOyaEBn1SyqsJD12KwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h328/from%2Bruth%2Bclick%2Bpost.jpg" title="Simon Smith" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy from Ruth Smith<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div> </div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">I can't describe my feelings on how we were constantly out there looking for any new species and it
takes one tourist to find a rare or new species. To console me, Simon Smith told me it is
Sod's Law. There I learned a new term.</font></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7UlPaSS-9c/XsKw8x1xBLI/AAAAAAAABtk/twKyuwcIrj8DXAYksWxZEJWzD8HWQy1jACK4BGAsYHg/from%2Bruth%2Bme%2Bsmile%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="592" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7UlPaSS-9c/XsKw8x1xBLI/AAAAAAAABtk/twKyuwcIrj8DXAYksWxZEJWzD8HWQy1jACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h306/from%2Bruth%2Bme%2Bsmile%2Bpost.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2">Can you spot the smile on my face? :) Photo credit by Ruth Smith</font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKuvvv7jhJg/XsK0XYyVorI/AAAAAAAABvU/rwg-wW5M-TUqztkFBg_ORz7mRy8Og_mSwCK4BGAsYHg/Screenshot_2020-05-09-19-13-05-52.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PKuvvv7jhJg/XsK0XYyVorI/AAAAAAAABvU/rwg-wW5M-TUqztkFBg_ORz7mRy8Og_mSwCK4BGAsYHg/w200-h400/Screenshot_2020-05-09-19-13-05-52.png" width="200"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2">Posted on my Instagram on 1oth December 2019</font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">In Malay, this bird is known as <i>Upih Paruh Sepit</i> from the awkward looking closed bill with a small slit pincer shape which is adapted to cut open the operculum of snails. The distribution of Asian Openbills covers Indian subcontinent, Central Thailand, Cambodia and Cochinchina (Vietnam), however, it is vagrant to Malay Peninsula at that time it was recorded. <br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYhtbVN3FWk/XsK6qutI9NI/AAAAAAAABwM/QlgtydiC4zM1sC0T4ATJ3W97kBr6cWYrACK4BGAsYHg/ao%2Bcloseup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="500" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uYhtbVN3FWk/XsK6qutI9NI/AAAAAAAABwM/QlgtydiC4zM1sC0T4ATJ3W97kBr6cWYrACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h306/ao%2Bcloseup.jpg" width="400"></a></div><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">The first official sighting was an adult in a harvested sugar plantation in Chuping, Perlis on 1st and 2nd March 2008. Thanks to Dave Bakewell and Terence Ang for the first record info. I was informed that they can still be seen in Perlis even when it is off the migratory season. Have they decided to stay on due to the right condition that has been provided for them in our Peninsular Malaysia? Singapore has also recorded thousands of Asian Openbills in December 2019. According to Dr Yong Ding Li, an ornithologist at BirdLife International, the drought and the dry weather in countries like Thailand could have reduced the number of snails. You can read the news link <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/thousands-of-asian-openbill-storks-dot-spore-sky">here</a>.<br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PRWT9FfOV0/XsK63MrEYlI/AAAAAAAABwY/l5Igw7JPlRoj9KQdkQUmgIPJcPqEm6DaQCK4BGAsYHg/lwd%2Bphotobomb%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7PRWT9FfOV0/XsK63MrEYlI/AAAAAAAABwY/l5Igw7JPlRoj9KQdkQUmgIPJcPqEm6DaQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h425/lwd%2Bphotobomb%2Bpost.jpg" width="640"></a></div><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">These huge storks are indeed a sight to behold especially when hundreds of them thermal in the sky and looking for suitable perches. They are particularly more active flying around in the hot afternoon and late afternoon due to the rising thermals.</font></span></div><div><br></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ElETNtz0c8c/XsKqW9gEYDI/AAAAAAAABsY/YRJLi5iFNE8yMiCCcqPCMQoj3SKZidz5QCK4BGAsYHg/ao%2Bin%2Bflight%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1000" height="341" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ElETNtz0c8c/XsKqW9gEYDI/AAAAAAAABsY/YRJLi5iFNE8yMiCCcqPCMQoj3SKZidz5QCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h341/ao%2Bin%2Bflight%2Bpost.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">This is how they look like close up in flight.<br></span></font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4pyWmjxy14/XsK6HTc5VQI/AAAAAAAABv4/xdAYHMl6nk4BiUphbLg8DTYlhR6qDyRjgCK4BGAsYHg/ao%2Bflight%2Bclose%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="800" height="401" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4pyWmjxy14/XsK6HTc5VQI/AAAAAAAABv4/xdAYHMl6nk4BiUphbLg8DTYlhR6qDyRjgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h401/ao%2Bflight%2Bclose%2Bpost.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2">Can you see the opening when the bill is closed?</font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">When I was with Dr Ken Ng and family on their birdwatching tour, we saw a bigger flock in the second week of January 2020.</font></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOx_uKy4kbs/XsKytq7OsOI/AAAAAAAABuM/pwaBEUBQGoEBmzkNTkmERXA-gQlzVpyZQCK4BGAsYHg/ao%2Bcount%2Bthem%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="600" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOx_uKy4kbs/XsKytq7OsOI/AAAAAAAABuM/pwaBEUBQGoEBmzkNTkmERXA-gQlzVpyZQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h248/ao%2Bcount%2Bthem%2Bpost.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2">Are you able to count them?</font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0604-6Mt-P4/XsKzGJksJWI/AAAAAAAABug/OlQMvU7HT54_x5zblO4dDVJ-IMKmN857gCK4BGAsYHg/ao%2Bzoom%2Bin%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="600" height="309" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0604-6Mt-P4/XsKzGJksJWI/AAAAAAAABug/OlQMvU7HT54_x5zblO4dDVJ-IMKmN857gCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h309/ao%2Bzoom%2Bin%2Bpost.jpg" width="640"></a></div><div><br></div><div></div><div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">As at my blog post now, they are still here in Langkawi. I bet they are very happy to conquer the skies with much lesser air traffic, planes flying in and out of Langkawi due to Covid-19 pandemic. </font></span><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGAG22_oLqo/XsKzmh9jwuI/AAAAAAAABu0/-6qVtw8AGsMHXOM78OhMEH6hrmupm4mMQCK4BGAsYHg/ao%2B18th%2Bmay.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="800" height="415" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGAG22_oLqo/XsKzmh9jwuI/AAAAAAAABu0/-6qVtw8AGsMHXOM78OhMEH6hrmupm4mMQCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h415/ao%2B18th%2Bmay.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2">Birds migratory check with Mandy and we saw Asian Openbills on 18th May 2020 with Gunung MatChincang as a backdrop</font></span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="2"><font size="4">On 18th May 2020, we headed out to check on any remaining migratory birds. The Oriental Pratincoles, Blue-Tailed Beeeaters were around and surprisingly, Whiskered Terns in breeding plumage. We counted at least 70 individuals of Asian Openbills and will they continue to stay on this island for good?</font><br></font></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4"><br></font></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">Here's a video compiled during our separate days of observations:</font></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><font size="4">(If you are unable to view the video on the phone, you can click on this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov3Z4Hj0QcQ">link</a>)<br></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ov3Z4Hj0QcQ" width="362" youtube-src-id="Ov3Z4Hj0QcQ"></iframe></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">References:</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">1. Jeyarajasingam, A. (2012). A Field Guide to The Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. New York, NY: Oxford University Press</span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="4"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"> </span></font><span class="st"><br></span></div><br>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-36583615007908717612020-04-22T18:30:00.003+08:002020-06-02T22:16:45.561+08:00The Earth Is Happy<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">D</span>ay 36 of our Movement Control Order (MCO) and coincides with our Earth Day. Happy Earth Day 2020 earthlings and should I say, the Earth is Happy! As we all are aware by now of the current global changes and the huge impacts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And so Mother Earth is definitely the happiest soul. The Earth Day is celebrated annually to remind us on the protection of our environment and this year is the 50th anniversary. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Exactly a year ago, I was spending couple of hours watching a newly fledged Great Hornbill and this year, we all have missed this as well as not able to say farewell to our migratory birds. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4WRbEiMsBKk/XqxZ5KynL_I/AAAAAAAABrk/9kV7WYRwnrY7vwOe6tgjYyz3FQXGuiBMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200501_181841.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="566" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4WRbEiMsBKk/XqxZ5KynL_I/AAAAAAAABrk/9kV7WYRwnrY7vwOe6tgjYyz3FQXGuiBMgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200501_181841.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A newly fledged Great Hornbill on 22nd April 2019</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">It feels completely weird this year on this day. Eventhough I didn't get to spend time with nature, at least I got to hear two Blue-Winged Pittas calling at each other. Their SOS for love and breeding season has began!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">And so what's up with me? In compliance with our government's order, I stayed home to stay safe and this is the best way to help our fantastic frontliners out there fighting with Covid-19. There were couple of short birding moments from my porch. Apart from the daily morning alarm calls and evening calls of the Asian Koels, there was a day when I heard a Banded Kingfisher calling from the scrub across the main road. That was my first time ever to hear a Banded Kingfisher in my residential area. Perhaps, this kingfisher has been there all this while but I was not at home to note its presence. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4PcniYUhthA/XqxZYgXJ3qI/AAAAAAAABrg/JmT4420dYG4oJ8FCvxo0DOx-DuXFJKnGQCEwYBhgL/s1600/asian%2Bkoel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4PcniYUhthA/XqxZYgXJ3qI/AAAAAAAABrg/JmT4420dYG4oJ8FCvxo0DOx-DuXFJKnGQCEwYBhgL/s1600/asian%2Bkoel.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A male Asian Koel feeding on the Jamaican Cherry (Muntingia calabura) tree that I planted years ago</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">One Collared Kingfisher visited for awhile. The rests were the usual Common Mynas, Asian Glossy Starlings, Yellow-Vented Bulbuls, Olive-Backed Sunbirds and Rock Pigeons.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAf-u7GtRGs/XqxZYkaLasI/AAAAAAAABrg/oIZM_jlXcCwtbNQDtmKy_5zf94uLO_VmQCEwYBhgL/s1600/collared%2Bkf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="800" height="351" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAf-u7GtRGs/XqxZYkaLasI/AAAAAAAABrg/oIZM_jlXcCwtbNQDtmKy_5zf94uLO_VmQCEwYBhgL/s400/collared%2Bkf.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Collared Kingfisher</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">For the first time in 33 years, Langkawi has <a href="https://www.thesundaily.my/local/langkawi-shuts-down-for-first-time-in-33-years-DF2250423?fbclid=IwAR3EoM-pUq6bKEU4P0qEaNb9P6o-Zmx_uISNPK6zo1lz5uHOUXzGzhFpfks">shut down</a>. From the busy beaches to the busy hilltop of Gunung Matchinchang where the Sky Cab is, all are given their well deserved rests from the madness of mass tourism. I am very happy to know that nature is given this best moment to rejoice while at the same time, I am indeed very eager to head out into the forest again. All tourism related sectors are badly affected by this pandemic, particularly the tourists guides. When the MCO is lifted, restaurants, cafes, hotels, motels, duty free retail shops, car rentals, boat services and other transportation services will be able to pick up some business back from the domestic travels. While the tour guides that are mostly or highly dependent on foreign market will have to wait a lot longer because we are aware of the situation in the Europe and United States. If we are fortunate, things may start to pick up perhaps as early as in December 2020. As a tour guide myself, we are thankful that the government did not leave us behind in their Covid-19 Ecomomic Stimulus Package. All licensed tour guides and taxi drivers were informed that we will be receiving a once-off payment of RM600 each. I would also like to say a big thank you to my regular guest, Jane Miller who insisted in paying me when our tour was cancelled due to MCO. Jane and Keith managed to rush back to the UK safely. Appreciate your concern, Jane.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FVOYG0JGyNk/XqxZX_mnv4I/AAAAAAAABrY/6xvmkM22Z4I5e2ARaEGbzrQgmMxEaqcIgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200502_003741.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="678" height="293" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FVOYG0JGyNk/XqxZX_mnv4I/AAAAAAAABrY/6xvmkM22Z4I5e2ARaEGbzrQgmMxEaqcIgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200502_003741.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Thank you Jane Miller</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">I was fortunate to have a busy December 2019 and January
2020 which led me to think about having a good break. However, this is not the kind of break that I have asked for. As the saying goes, be
careful what you wish for. As if I have preset my mind that I now have lots of time (to waste) before the next tour booking comes along, my first two weeks of MCO was me being a one huge slacker. Slacker in what I usually do or what I should be doing ie admin stuffs but I wasn't a slacker in learning and experimenting new things. You can say that this may be some sort of mental distraction, I have discovered more baking experience and experiments by learning from websites and YouTube videos. Most of my friends have expected me to gain some weights during this MCO with the amount baking that I have done. I am afraid I have to disappoint them that I have lost 3 kgs by now, without exercising. My fingers were on my phone A LOT! The more I tapped on social media stuffs, the more I attended free webinars. Hey, this is what webinars are for these days. My personal social media has been flooded with food photos like anyone else...until I am getting bored with food shots. Being a baker in probation, I have actually learned something out of it. Here are some of my successful products (the failed ones will not be posted here):</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n-k3W2Z-a9Q/XqxZXvcWh3I/AAAAAAAABrU/_oFYgjtrTfkLhv1o1Md_6a4DpHflicvfgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200501_182026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="607" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n-k3W2Z-a9Q/XqxZXvcWh3I/AAAAAAAABrU/_oFYgjtrTfkLhv1o1Md_6a4DpHflicvfgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200501_182026.jpg" width="302"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbyep8xtIos/XqxZWqO2E-I/AAAAAAAABrQ/QG2ONwrb7eQirm5IARVPqC38e26zG3v7QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200412_220426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="607" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbyep8xtIos/XqxZWqO2E-I/AAAAAAAABrQ/QG2ONwrb7eQirm5IARVPqC38e26zG3v7QCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200412_220426.jpg" width="302"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Baking breads teaches us patience, resilience and persistence. You want a good product, you must be patient. Time is an essence in baking. This is something I have learned after a few bread failures but nothing went to waste.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-W-NYMWWRE/XqxZWhyGAWI/AAAAAAAABrg/F4Wx7vEjnwUQRzScHwTHOR_PmKc7ELvRwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200424_214601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="607" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A-W-NYMWWRE/XqxZWhyGAWI/AAAAAAAABrg/F4Wx7vEjnwUQRzScHwTHOR_PmKc7ELvRwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200424_214601.jpg" width="302"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">While in the mean time of waiting for things to be back to normal, I still have lots to do.This is a time for me to unlearn and relearn on subjects that I have lost touch. A time for
me to sort out tonnes of my unsorted and unorganized photos that are
waiting to be published or stored in their right location. Loads and loads of admin work to be cleared. Each day can easily slip away and is not difficult for me as an introvert to stay put at home.<br></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Enough of my ramblings here. I would like to wish everyone good health. If any of my previous guest is reading my post here, it would be delightful to hear from you so I know that you are well at home. Do drop me a note on my Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LangkawiNatureGuide/">here</a> or drop me an email wendynatureguide@gmail.com.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feARUqSH32c/XqxZWrvSPnI/AAAAAAAABrM/ChyXfgC9s8Y_rF5Q6_WrvBv3xcMN-yl6ACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200411_151718.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="618" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feARUqSH32c/XqxZWrvSPnI/AAAAAAAABrM/ChyXfgC9s8Y_rF5Q6_WrvBv3xcMN-yl6ACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200411_151718.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is how I will look like after the MCO...My homegrown bean sprouts</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xlxZkQVqIwE/XqxZXcco5RI/AAAAAAAABrg/teUIjWQ5QH0nNsQI8Zhr1S9u1BBkJsOMgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200501_162624.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="719" height="340" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xlxZkQVqIwE/XqxZXcco5RI/AAAAAAAABrg/teUIjWQ5QH0nNsQI8Zhr1S9u1BBkJsOMgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200501_162624.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> After many weeks of not being out there kayaking and birdwatching, I am missing my tanned legs. This photo of me was taken on Gunung Raya at night balancing on the water pipe 9 years ago! It was a windy night and my wind breaker was flapping in the wind. My fit physique back then...</span><h1>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Stay safe and stay home to all my blog readers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">For this Earth Day 2020, I chose this image taken on Gunung Raya as my theme as a simple reminder that the key to sustainable living is to protect our natural habitat.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuimNWzFk40/XqxZY5FlUsI/AAAAAAAABrc/fSE7W2ffFDcKJ80WuGrAnuGQ9DwBNb6qQCEwYBhgL/s1600/rainforest%2Bpost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZuimNWzFk40/XqxZY5FlUsI/AAAAAAAABrc/fSE7W2ffFDcKJ80WuGrAnuGQ9DwBNb6qQCEwYBhgL/s1600/rainforest%2Bpost.jpg"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia", "times new roman", serif;">Happy Earth Day 2020</span></span></div>
Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-35536450400036684942020-03-08T16:05:00.002+08:002020-03-08T16:08:59.817+08:00That Bird I Spotted And Didn't Capture<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he car I was driving came to an immediate halt when something caught the side of my eye. After reversing a bit to check, I knew what it was and said calmly to Sue and Robert inside the car, "Banded Kingfisher". Sue got excited very quickly as she turned towards the door.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Everyone stay inside the car!" I whispered loudly when Sue had her fingers on the door latch waiting to jump out. And then Sue got her...click click click</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSES-vSe-0o/XmSkqZowytI/AAAAAAAABp8/vPxib2urBrwFUyWtkYCFTzDnUnlFZrP5QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/2020-03-06-21-13-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="719" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KSES-vSe-0o/XmSkqZowytI/AAAAAAAABp8/vPxib2urBrwFUyWtkYCFTzDnUnlFZrP5QCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/2020-03-06-21-13-05.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And where's your camera, Wendy? In the damn boot! What?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">AAAAaaaaaRRRRRrrrrrrrrrGGGGGgggHHHhhhHHHH!!!!!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This Banded Kingfisher female was perched under huge leaves with low light condition. Sue's first few shots were dark and showed no details at all. When I moved the vehicle a meter forward, this bird has a nice green background. Beautifully captured, Sue! A meter forward made a whole lot of difference in the lighting and background. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you for sharing this awesome capture to our audience here.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am still drooling until now 😋😋 and still beating myself up for having my camera inside the boot! Oh well...Sod's Law!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A birdwatching tour recently in March with returning guests Sue Dall and Robert. Their second time with me before their farewell to Langkawi. They had a wonderful bird sightings on that day with closeup of Great Hornbill and witnessing close to a hundred of Asian Openbills in the air. Even the birds came to greet farewell. </span></span><br />
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<br />Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-21784199169106400602020-02-26T22:40:00.000+08:002020-03-01T14:36:19.486+08:00Seeking Goodies After A Night Shower<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he night of 10th February 2020 was one of my most enjoyable evening in this time of dry season on Langkawi. It finally rained after more than one month of dry spell and I can't recall when was the last rain. The most enjoyable moment of this rain was it lasted for more than 2 hours of gentle rain and breeze. Just nice to bring the heat down. When I checked our Malaysia's Meteorological website, almost the entire state of Kedah was blanket with rain.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjanQ-Qbd8Q/XkLjEsCZKhI/AAAAAAAABlY/k3Imh5hU7UkX3x-vOUHGlWLGRGs1Oev2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/met%2Bgov%2Bmy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="685" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BjanQ-Qbd8Q/XkLjEsCZKhI/AAAAAAAABlY/k3Imh5hU7UkX3x-vOUHGlWLGRGs1Oev2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/met%2Bgov%2Bmy.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This has brought some temporary relief as our national news reported last month that the dams in Kedah were having very low water level. The water supply in Langkawi is heavily dependent on these dams. The news link <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/01/18/kedah-dams-worryingly-low">here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the temperature has dropped, I felt more energised and I decided to head out the next morning to check on our birds' activities. Will they be feeling as energised as me as well or wet and sluggish? With a few options of birding sites to choose from, I picked one of my favourite spot which is Gunung Raya.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The peak of Gunung Raya was socked in by thick clouds at 8:30am. Unusually cloudy day for a dry season but I like it. The first stop was not too far away from the foothill and as I got off the car, there were couple of birds chirping away. The colourful male Orange Bellied Flowerpecker was the first to be seen and being such a tiny bird, his loud <i>tsi-si-si</i> call gave his exact location away. The other call nearby was an unrevealing Tailorbird species. The crisp morning air surrounding the forest smelled so fresh as I walked on the wet tar road. The familiar <i>preet</i> sound came along with this ever shy blue bird and so I had to freeze as much as I could. And yet, it gave me some poses for "Kodak" moment before a lorry came along and stopped to greet. Hello to Mr Road Maintenance driver and bye bye to my Blue-Whistling Thrush. This species of thrush is our Langkawi's resident and has been quite frequently seen along the drain next to the road due to the dry season. Certain parts of the drain have flowing water from the small streams and spring water coming down from the hill side. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmEiwvxUIys/XkLrIRXUZII/AAAAAAAABls/Oj5kf9dsU18NFhH4S2wfC8QhjGiOHBRgACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bwt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="langkawi birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmEiwvxUIys/XkLrIRXUZII/AAAAAAAABls/Oj5kf9dsU18NFhH4S2wfC8QhjGiOHBRgACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/bwt.jpg" title="Blue Whistling thrush" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blue-Whistling Thrush <i>Myophonus caeruleus engenei </i> calling</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I continued my journey up the hill only to be distracted by the call of a migratory warbler which is extremely difficult to spot. The high pitch call of either a Sakhalin Leaf Warbler or Pale-Legged Warbler seemed so close yet so far. The bird remained hidden and it kept quiet as I got closer to the scrub. Seconds later, a big roar echoed and it was a Great Hornbill heard from the other side of the hill. As I continued to look for that warbler, a familiar tour van from my competitor's side came along wanting to check out what I was looking at. When there was nothing else to see, I smiled at that guide and gave him a thumbs up. I am not sure if that guide understood me but I guess the driver got the hint. The warbler would have taken off by now and as I walked back to my car, a Great Hornbill flew past me and went to the direction where the first call of the Great Hornbill was heard. Then it was followed by another Great Hornbill and then another and the next one. It was a flock flying in one by one. The total count was about 20 of them. Not every individual head towards the same direction all at once. Some perched on the higher trees for awhile and a couple of them stopped by a fruiting tree to snack.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHO_iCMeDmw/XkuA44mDPJI/AAAAAAAABm8/qwUWfcO-2fg6BF0XmWx9KbdPj2oGVbqFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ghb%2Bflight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="langkawi bird tour" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="500" height="305" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHO_iCMeDmw/XkuA44mDPJI/AAAAAAAABm8/qwUWfcO-2fg6BF0XmWx9KbdPj2oGVbqFgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/ghb%2Bflight.jpg" title="great hornbill langkawi" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A Great Hornbill <i>Buceros bicornis</i> winged over me</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOFIdesZ4A0/XkuA5HiiNPI/AAAAAAAABnA/Y6DSRWLKmsk2xFaNqRHBaS-JNMd91QA8ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ghb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="500" height="280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOFIdesZ4A0/XkuA5HiiNPI/AAAAAAAABnA/Y6DSRWLKmsk2xFaNqRHBaS-JNMd91QA8ACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/ghb.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAz6kf8_bvU/XkuA4zkOgTI/AAAAAAAABm4/WmAcs9oSWqUWde85sN5Jon2XKdZ5hW8EgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/great%2Bhornbill.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="langkawi birdwatching tour" border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="500" height="277" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAz6kf8_bvU/XkuA4zkOgTI/AAAAAAAABm4/WmAcs9oSWqUWde85sN5Jon2XKdZ5hW8EgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/great%2Bhornbill.jpg" title="great hornbill" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the slope of the hill, a high pitch ti-ti-ti-ti-ti was heard followed by a soft knocking sound. Aha! A Flamebacked Woodpecker but which one? Note the split malar.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-79tSXF8uTU0/XkL1x3Nm51I/AAAAAAAABl4/06pH1FWBTIgCMRy1yKYgw8MHACnPzEqcwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/gf%2Bwoodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-79tSXF8uTU0/XkL1x3Nm51I/AAAAAAAABl4/06pH1FWBTIgCMRy1yKYgw8MHACnPzEqcwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/gf%2Bwoodpecker.jpg" width="580"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A female Greater Flameback <i>Chrysocolaptes lucidus </i>going about her business while ignoring me peeping through the gaps of the dense foliage.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A huge Sterculia tree with opened, dried up dark brown fruit capsules had a couple of Great Hornbill hopping about.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDYJNKWU9HA/XkuAlBcFRyI/AAAAAAAABmE/PNhxpUskf4IrLcXyJrCEd4b9CmKB6y3SACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ghb%2Bsterculia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="600" height="456" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDYJNKWU9HA/XkuAlBcFRyI/AAAAAAAABmE/PNhxpUskf4IrLcXyJrCEd4b9CmKB6y3SACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/ghb%2Bsterculia.jpg" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The same tree was blooming with dark red capsules back in 22nd January 2020 but it was not ready for the hornbills to feast on them. This how the tree looks like below in a broader view during a hot sunny morning with clear blue sky. I didn't manage to photograph the red capsules.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmSb1kmD-O0/XkuDjJQ38xI/AAAAAAAABnY/jDp01HC0wnkkMGN6_Yt41NEZaX-C9BBmQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sterculia%2Bgenus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rmSb1kmD-O0/XkuDjJQ38xI/AAAAAAAABnY/jDp01HC0wnkkMGN6_Yt41NEZaX-C9BBmQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/sterculia%2Bgenus.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This <i>Sterculia</i> may be a <i>urens</i> species?</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-deNL89TeDb0/XkuDjCDIz0I/AAAAAAAABnU/GtTtjf5KFNQ1MLTUp1HABzG0h6hJobdVwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sterculia%2Bgenus%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-deNL89TeDb0/XkuDjCDIz0I/AAAAAAAABnU/GtTtjf5KFNQ1MLTUp1HABzG0h6hJobdVwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/sterculia%2Bgenus%2B2.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="goog_512944079">The same tree in the gloomy cloudy morning of 11th February 2020.</span></span></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3k2tqU70YDc/XkuDjKEraGI/AAAAAAAABno/iyCw0IkxzsgcLTjxx3aVTegI78a-LjW-ACEwYBhgL/s1600/sterculia%2Bfurit%2Bcapsule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3k2tqU70YDc/XkuDjKEraGI/AAAAAAAABno/iyCw0IkxzsgcLTjxx3aVTegI78a-LjW-ACEwYBhgL/s400/sterculia%2Bfurit%2Bcapsule.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This time I manage to capture the opened capsules </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I was videoing this Great Hornbill feeding, a noisy motorbike with a couple of tourists came along and stopped by the roadside. The noise from the motorbike was so loud and annoying that I had to signal them to turn off the engine so we all can observe the bird in peace. They left after observing the hornbill by pushing their motorbike down the slope without turning on the engine. Good thinking!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was one moment that I didn't had a chance to document it. The hornbill leapt off from a branch only to grab the seed under the fruit capsule and then free fall before flapping his wings to ascend. Even though Hornbills come to feed on a Sterculia tree, however, I don't see it as their favourite one. A strangling fig tree is still their number one favourite.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The raptors seem to be invisible on that cloudy morning. The lower temperature as compared to the usual days and more than 90% clouds cover has made it difficult to spot for a raptor and possibly not enough thermal for them to soar. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lOoT9kkEEfQ/XkuQP-GAU8I/AAAAAAAABow/dFQsACDiZzYGHykmyQ_v4HrerIgOjQgWACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cloudy%2Bg%2Braya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lOoT9kkEEfQ/XkuQP-GAU8I/AAAAAAAABow/dFQsACDiZzYGHykmyQ_v4HrerIgOjQgWACNcBGAsYHQ/s640/cloudy%2Bg%2Braya.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I do appreciate days like this sometimes.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGJL-__6e3Y/XkuQjd64hDI/AAAAAAAABo4/RGS-Kdm-70g4YnImtQpkoM6lcwnV6HYcwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200218_140509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="719" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGJL-__6e3Y/XkuQjd64hDI/AAAAAAAABo4/RGS-Kdm-70g4YnImtQpkoM6lcwnV6HYcwCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_20200218_140509.jpg" width="477"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enjoying my homemade Banana Chocolate Bread for my brunch</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was something moving on the ground and has caught my eyes as I was walking up the steep slope. Colourful and bright in its own way if they are not as shy. These forest doves sometimes can be seen foraging at the side of the road but they are so skittish that they take off at 20 meters away. This pair of Asian Emerald Dove seem to be oblivious to my presence. Can I thank the low light condition on this cloudy morning which made these doves unaware of me standing about 10-15 meters away?</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HX2lptcE8ro/XkuVJiT6ZhI/AAAAAAAABpE/v2gHiwPeyp4zxW1IBOr2wYYB8r_g92jGACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/emerald%2Bdove%2Bmale%2Bground%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="langkawi birdwatching guide" border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HX2lptcE8ro/XkuVJiT6ZhI/AAAAAAAABpE/v2gHiwPeyp4zxW1IBOr2wYYB8r_g92jGACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/emerald%2Bdove%2Bmale%2Bground%2Bpost.jpg" title="asian emerald dove langkawi"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A male Asian Emerald Dove <i>Chalcophaps indica</i> foraging among the leaf litters. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Beautiful male and shy Asian Emerald Dove</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't get very far after the second hour of birding. It started to drizzle and I had to head down to town for some errands. A raptor flew in! That was what I spotted as I turned around to head back. Unfortunately the raptor was far away on the higher hill and I was unable to capture any record shots but it has heavy barrings on the undersides. It took off from the faraway tree. What was it? AAAAAaaaaaaaaRRRRRRrrrrrrrGGGGGGGGgggggggHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh well...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As if it has heard me from the far distance, it returned and better still, there was another one flying close by to each other. They got slightly closer to me than the previous position.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uVNGwHAoH98/XkuYOM20h9I/AAAAAAAABpY/l9o0_CpwD0kruMFETnUEoWpwMKxQQWE4QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/jerdon%2Bbaza%2Bpair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="500" height="356" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uVNGwHAoH98/XkuYOM20h9I/AAAAAAAABpY/l9o0_CpwD0kruMFETnUEoWpwMKxQQWE4QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/jerdon%2Bbaza%2Bpair.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A pair of the same species of raptor soaring together.</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gWoryH9XFRU/XkuYOTbS1TI/AAAAAAAABpc/42BrNTRzlaUrzz-7sCSnPc5m4zLQv2weQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/jerdon%2Bbaza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gWoryH9XFRU/XkuYOTbS1TI/AAAAAAAABpc/42BrNTRzlaUrzz-7sCSnPc5m4zLQv2weQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/jerdon%2Bbaza.jpg" width="356"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A heavily cropped image of a Jerdon's Baza <i>Aviceda jerdoni</i>, note it's thick dark terminal tail band and the paddle-shaped wings.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were a lot of these swiftlets and I have not notice any of our resident Pacific Swallows.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcwUGOzQaWc/XkuZ86vShKI/AAAAAAAABpo/1pnABqjSfCcqU7nWWH0HyG7HydODyOTUACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/germaine%2Bswiftlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcwUGOzQaWc/XkuZ86vShKI/AAAAAAAABpo/1pnABqjSfCcqU7nWWH0HyG7HydODyOTUACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/germaine%2Bswiftlet.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the hundreds of Germain's Swiftlets <i>Aerodramus germani</i> can be easily seen at the lower level of Gunung Raya.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't reach the third kilometer marker when the time flew past so quickly. The competitor van with their clients descended and drove past me while I was having my breakfast. It was only one hour ago when I last saw them. At least they have seen the big flock of Great Hornbills.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was the temperature shown below at the end of my two hours of solo birdwatching session and below this image is the link to my birds sighting recorded on E-Bird that day.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OdIPil4a4k/XkLjT2mQmfI/AAAAAAAABlc/_ta4ff5XJDAImm0wTOGlp-gDsFZkQCOCQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/langkawi%2Bweather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="713" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OdIPil4a4k/XkLjT2mQmfI/AAAAAAAABlc/_ta4ff5XJDAImm0wTOGlp-gDsFZkQCOCQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/langkawi%2Bweather.jpg" width="263"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sharing my birds sighting on <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S64338427">eBird link here.</a></span></span>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-48377950597754815232019-12-31T23:51:00.000+08:002020-01-07T00:02:25.884+08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BhPJT9JNDSo/XhNN6gVTD_I/AAAAAAAABlE/zkjm_k7JkCExNdxHxpmoea3Etc5yBwoOgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/dolphin%2Bnew%2Byear%2Bleap%2Bgreeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="800" height="370" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BhPJT9JNDSo/XhNN6gVTD_I/AAAAAAAABlE/zkjm_k7JkCExNdxHxpmoea3Etc5yBwoOgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/dolphin%2Bnew%2Byear%2Bleap%2Bgreeting.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amazing breaching of our Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolpin <i>Sousa chinensis</i> while on a boat with my lucky guest, Willi Van Boven</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another year came and went very quickly. While we are looking forward for a better year, let's not forget about the huge numbers of wildlife died when their natural habitats were destroyed by fires. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Langkawi is still blessed with her natural habitats of lowland rainforest, mangroves and some corals that our wildlife continues to thrive. We must be very careful not to exploit these wonderful natural wonders in the name of tourism and development. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I urge all visitors to practice responsible tourism. It has to start from you and not relying on the tour operators to make it happen. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st"> “<i>Responsible tourism</i> is <i>tourism</i>
which: minimizes negative social, economic and environmental impacts.
generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the
well-being of host communities." definition by <a href="https://sustainabletourism.net/sustainable-tourism/definitions/">sustainabletourism.net</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">There are so many imaginable ways towards responsible tourism, such as </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">DO NOT DEMAND for specific wildlife to feast your eyes </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">Watch any wildlife in their natural environment and DO NOT FEED them (Langkawi is not having any food shortage for the wildlife that we need to feed them)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">Reduce waste </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">Support hotels that provide free water from their water dispensing machines</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st"> Hire local guides as all foreign tour guides here are unlicensed</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">To those foreigners going around Langkawi with your hired motorbike, Put your damn shirt on while driving around as no one is bothered to count the number of hairs on your chest. This also include putting your damn shirt on while dining in a local stall. Have some respect and be culturally sensitive.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="st">and many more...</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Langkawi Nature Guide like to extend the abundance of positive energy, health and wisdom for this coming year 2020. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020 </span></span></div>
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Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-76179643214244979602019-11-27T23:18:00.000+08:002019-11-30T23:01:03.832+08:00Rare and Uncommon Ones Confirmed<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span><span style="font-size: large;">ost of the bird enthusiasts here are always on a lookout for any rare species or even better, a new record for Langkawi especially during the migratory season. If only I can split myself into a few of me and look for birds in a few locations at the same time, that would be awesome. That's impossible, of course, and thankfully I have updates from others who had either informed me directly or submitted to E-Bird or even via social media. I have not been much luck lately in spotting a lifer for myself or photographing a rare migrant in Langkawi. Like I have always said, it is all about being at the right place at the right time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the past two months, there are reports of rare migrants seen on Langkawi. These are Ferruginous Flycatcher <i>Muscicapa ferruginea</i>, Siberian Blue Robin <i>Larvivora cyane</i>, Chinese Goshawk <i>Accipiter soloensis</i> and Oriental Darter <i>Anhinga melanogaster.</i> These species have been listed and compiled to a journal by Yeap Chin Aik which was published under Malaysian Nature Sociey in Malayan Nature Journal 57 (1) 91-144 (2005). This journal is one of my primary source of reference for birds record in Langkawi Archipelago. And yet, I have not come across any of these birds myself or any photographs published. Therefore, I was doubtful until now. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These are the following status based on Yeap's journal:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <u>Ferruginous Flycatcher</u> was reported seen on Pulau Payar on 26 April without any date given.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <u>Siberian Blue Robin</u> was only recorded as seen in the lowland and hill forests but no date given.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <u>Chinese Goshawk</u> was reported seen in Gunung Raya on 18 May 2002.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <u>Oriental Darter</u> was reported as locally extinct and one recorded in late November or early December 1907 on Dayang Bunting Lake (Wells 1999; Medway and Wells 1976). According to Wells from The Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula Volume One Non-Passerine, it is possible that Oriental Darter a former resident, local and apparently sparse; now vagrant. Darters vanished from the Peninsula where some still breed in South Vietnam and probably Cambodia. Oriental Darter is now considered as migrant or vagrant for Peninsular Malaysia.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The followings below are the recent sightings:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. <u>Ferruginous Flycatcher</u> was photographed by Sofian on 24th September 2019 in the secondary forest of Eastern Langkawi.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NESl923ZS7Q/Xd6F7OtqFTI/AAAAAAAABkg/kgZDq939xEUk7fbDjz8JQwglOydHBlElwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG-20191127-WA0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NESl923ZS7Q/Xd6F7OtqFTI/AAAAAAAABkg/kgZDq939xEUk7fbDjz8JQwglOydHBlElwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG-20191127-WA0009.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. <u>Siberian Blue Robin</u> male was photographed by a guide who was on morning walk at a resort on 9th October 2019. According to a reliable source, this male Robin hit the glass window panel and then he was seen by the guide. It was circulated on the guide's Facebook but not shared publicly. I was alerted by a friend and I later found out how this male Robin was spotted. This Robin was still alive when the photographed was taken. It is unknown as what has happened to this Robin after the crash ordeal. No picture posted here as I did not ask for the guide's permission to share his photo but I have seen it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <u>Chinese Goshawk</u> was spotted and photographed by another birder around the area of Gunung Raya foothill on 24th October 2019. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <u>Oriental Darter</u> was spotted and photographed by my English guest, David Bradshaw on 27th November 2019. Congratulations for spotting this, David! Thanks for sharing the location and I got to see one myself.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSpWrg_gIag/XeJ7zCltPII/AAAAAAAABks/PRj3r_XkUOcSHWiZ2B6eQWpOvVrV_KgJgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/oriental%2Bdarter%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSpWrg_gIag/XeJ7zCltPII/AAAAAAAABks/PRj3r_XkUOcSHWiZ2B6eQWpOvVrV_KgJgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/oriental%2Bdarter%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A record shot of possibly an Immature Oriental Darter perched in the middle of a rice paddy field. Thank you for this, David Bradshaw!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With
the advancement of digital technology which has created affordable
optics equipment, birdwatchers these days will carry along some form
of camera to have record shots besides a pair of binoculars, pen and notebook. I would say that in this era, it
is a necessity to have some evidence of rare sightings besides the traditional notes taking.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">References:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Yeap C.A (2005). Report on Birds of Langkawi Archipelago. <i>Malayan Nature Journal 2005, </i>57(1),107</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Wells, D.R. (1999). <i>The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume One: Non-passerines. </i>New York: Academic Press. </span></span></span></span></span></span>
Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-61378748140382814612019-10-31T00:44:00.000+08:002019-10-31T00:44:31.951+08:00Migratory Check 2019/2020: Where's My Stint?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>henever we noticed the arrival of Barn Swallows <i>Hirundo rustica</i>, it is time to watch out for the early check-in of our winter visitors in Langkawi. Barn Swallows were sighted as early as the third week of July.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Barn Swallow</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And my first Common Sandpipers <i>Actitis hypoleucos </i>on 31 July 2019 though someone else has reported sighting of this sandpiper a week earlier.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDI356bq044/XbHKcfEGgcI/AAAAAAAABhg/Xg3vKSEBgdEOMBKHNmXOP63hfXnTGKlowCEwYBhgL/s1600/common%2Bsandpiper%2B31%2Bjul%2B2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tDI356bq044/XbHKcfEGgcI/AAAAAAAABhg/Xg3vKSEBgdEOMBKHNmXOP63hfXnTGKlowCEwYBhgL/s1600/common%2Bsandpiper%2B31%2Bjul%2B2019.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is time to put on my wading boots and head out to my favourite mudflat site.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8TwWrCV_xY/XbHKy72yp4I/AAAAAAAABh4/6mB4jwiLchA-cPu-WY6kh-ITnQYNMz10wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/mudflat%2B.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V8TwWrCV_xY/XbHKy72yp4I/AAAAAAAABh4/6mB4jwiLchA-cPu-WY6kh-ITnQYNMz10wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/mudflat%2B.JPEG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I headed out on 29th August 2019 to the same mudflat while remembering my sighting of <a href="https://www.wendynatureguide.com/2018/08/migration-check-2018-2019-red-necked.html">Red-Necked Stint</a> <i>Calidris ruficollis </i>last year. Hoping, yes, hoping and I dislike to use the word "hope". I would like to see this stint again or any other stint will do. Or even better still, a new migrant!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank goodness with my wading boots to keep my feet clean from pools of rainwater mixed with cow and buffalo dungs! Even though migrants are my priority, I will also take note of our residents too.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRMIIQiCAi4/XbHKsIQ82qI/AAAAAAAABhs/qHqjKhsunqcFb2oXIP__wVTQrsAkpAZagCEwYBhgL/s1600/in%2Bthe%2Bmud.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qRMIIQiCAi4/XbHKsIQ82qI/AAAAAAAABhs/qHqjKhsunqcFb2oXIP__wVTQrsAkpAZagCEwYBhgL/s1600/in%2Bthe%2Bmud.JPEG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black Phua Chu Kang boots</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Soft high pitch hiccup sounds from the reeds caught my attention and a little bird came out walking around. A White-Browed Crake <i>Amaurornis cinerea</i> which is in the family or Rail birds can be easily missed due to their small size and they don't make big movements. Very often they hide in the tall grass of the reeds bed. They can be also seen in wet rice fields or abandoned rice fields.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_fN1VsJB7c/XbHLXQiwoOI/AAAAAAAABiE/YXQdJaMA3hgO-HkMPZ1mkH5LwRzbd3IowCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/white%2Bbrowed%2Bcrake%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_fN1VsJB7c/XbHLXQiwoOI/AAAAAAAABiE/YXQdJaMA3hgO-HkMPZ1mkH5LwRzbd3IowCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/white%2Bbrowed%2Bcrake%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">White-Browed Crake revealing itself, click the video below to hear its call</span></span></td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzMW0s5PHpqNNkEn6epQk82DLi97jzMfMYxSvbR82dUoCuSfK2sQvmSlXL5XygLFIbySV7918xV1BYEe0iSCA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Other common resident birds on the fields will be our Paddyfield Pipits <i>Anthus rufulus</i>,</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_UDaRIKj7A/XbHLmovQ3_I/AAAAAAAABiI/4ygzPzh8Xq02yERoC8fHf3OdiQ7YPmBLACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/paddyfield%2Bpipit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_UDaRIKj7A/XbHLmovQ3_I/AAAAAAAABiI/4ygzPzh8Xq02yERoC8fHf3OdiQ7YPmBLACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/paddyfield%2Bpipit.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lesser-Whistling Ducks <i>Dendrocygna javanica</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Blv9-OUo9SY/XbmuLFtcBQI/AAAAAAAABjE/Ed1oI76cEgA5eVujst-sgoZxRX1VKf-VACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/lesser%2Bwhistling%2Bduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Blv9-OUo9SY/XbmuLFtcBQI/AAAAAAAABjE/Ed1oI76cEgA5eVujst-sgoZxRX1VKf-VACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/lesser%2Bwhistling%2Bduck.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <br />and Red-Wattled Lapwings <i>Vanellus indicus. </i></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RaHJvS3cbR4/XbmuJ1raTGI/AAAAAAAABi0/Q3zrgWgXnjoyZCFHtTv9FETj_KGzgdrMACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/imm%2Bred%2Bwattle%2Blapwing%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RaHJvS3cbR4/XbmuJ1raTGI/AAAAAAAABi0/Q3zrgWgXnjoyZCFHtTv9FETj_KGzgdrMACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/imm%2Bred%2Bwattle%2Blapwing%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">An immature Red-Wattled Lapwing</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pacific Golden Plovers <i>Pluvialis fulva </i>were the among first migrants seen on that mudflat and they seem quite comfortable to intrude the space of the resident Red-Wattled Lapwings.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BXaNO07eWnM/XbHL1SsbCHI/AAAAAAAABiU/UyLEQKt3aSoP8WVHm2VBvvU5wPMVDVMRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bbreeding%2Bplumage%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Langkawi Birds" border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="447" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BXaNO07eWnM/XbHL1SsbCHI/AAAAAAAABiU/UyLEQKt3aSoP8WVHm2VBvvU5wPMVDVMRwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bbreeding%2Bplumage%2Bpost.jpg" title="Pacific Golden Plover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Pacific Golden Plover coming out of its breeding plumage</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9gGHgRtnZc/XbmyG1zapbI/AAAAAAAABjo/XUG5IscmvVsf3mGLg8Ig0ahkL0_QO50AQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bplover%2Bwith%2Blapwings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9gGHgRtnZc/XbmyG1zapbI/AAAAAAAABjo/XUG5IscmvVsf3mGLg8Ig0ahkL0_QO50AQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bplover%2Bwith%2Blapwings.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Plover sharing space with our Lapwings</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vg7CXgV-nMo/XbHL1X-Sd7I/AAAAAAAABiQ/YvzvCUHv3xwUM4qgZkuvO9JWr-Rvt1EPACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bplover%2Bgang%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Langkawi bird" border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vg7CXgV-nMo/XbHL1X-Sd7I/AAAAAAAABiQ/YvzvCUHv3xwUM4qgZkuvO9JWr-Rvt1EPACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pacific%2Bgolden%2Bplover%2Bgang%2Bpost.jpg" title="Pacific Golden Plover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Birds of the same feathers flock together</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scanning the mudflat, I noticed a common plover that is not so common here which is the Greater Sand-Plover <i>Charadrius leschenaultii</i>. Greater Sand-Plover can be mistaken to be the Lesser Sand-Plover </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Charadrius mongolus</i></span>. Note the yellow legs as compared to the Lesser which is black in colour. The thicker stockier bill for Greater comparing to the Lesser. There was only one Greater Sand-Plover on that entire mudflat. This is a good record for me as I have not seen a Greater Sand-Plover on Langkawi until now.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cPyXICc588c/XbHKdmmOp_I/AAAAAAAABh0/nWan7NEnoTYp_ILkt0URwNcwERRLALsTwCEwYBhgL/s1600/greater%2Bsand%2Bplover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="langkawi birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cPyXICc588c/XbHKdmmOp_I/AAAAAAAABh0/nWan7NEnoTYp_ILkt0URwNcwERRLALsTwCEwYBhgL/s1600/greater%2Bsand%2Bplover.jpg" title="Greater sand plover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A lone Greater Sand Plover</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then there were the common andpipers such as the Common Sandpipers </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ydr7NFOkFdg/XbHKccZofWI/AAAAAAAABhw/RVC7QpK5DeAsC7qgbvbl-hSSyw2jBF22wCEwYBhgL/s1600/common%2Bsandpiper%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="langkawi birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ydr7NFOkFdg/XbHKccZofWI/AAAAAAAABhw/RVC7QpK5DeAsC7qgbvbl-hSSyw2jBF22wCEwYBhgL/s1600/common%2Bsandpiper%2Bpost.jpg" title="common sandpiper" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lives by its name, a very common sandpiper call Common Sandpiper</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> and Wood Sandpipers <i>Tringa glareola</i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbSElsyGHSU/Xbm8qCLv26I/AAAAAAAABkM/7etNks_UI10b4mazdXIovxDelNtpkhFrgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wood%2Bsandpiper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbSElsyGHSU/Xbm8qCLv26I/AAAAAAAABkM/7etNks_UI10b4mazdXIovxDelNtpkhFrgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wood%2Bsandpiper.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Wood Sandpiper which may sometimes be mistaken as a Marsh Sandpiper</span></td></tr>
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</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">No Marsh Sandpiper sighted yet as reported by a foreign birdwatcher via E-bird on the last migratory season.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A small dainty bird caught my eye and it was far across on the other side of the mudflat. A stint! Or really? I cannot be sure from that distance even though the gist of it looked like out. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKzUJvI_hmc/Xbm1UwXwbvI/AAAAAAAABj0/Rs2CaNqMzt0y9-BZ2xFb4obuqsOHtS8ZQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/stint%2Bno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKzUJvI_hmc/Xbm1UwXwbvI/AAAAAAAABj0/Rs2CaNqMzt0y9-BZ2xFb4obuqsOHtS8ZQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/stint%2Bno.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A heavily cropped image of a Stint or Plover?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How exciting! I had to suppress my excitement until I get closer to it. After squeezing through the bushes, I managed to get close to it without scaring it away.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H789WjR_FeE/XbmuL1yBchI/AAAAAAAABjg/5SkVBd1DecofAdG38BxZSb6fWbiSkzAXwCEwYBhgL/s1600/no%2Bpeeping%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H789WjR_FeE/XbmuL1yBchI/AAAAAAAABjg/5SkVBd1DecofAdG38BxZSb6fWbiSkzAXwCEwYBhgL/s1600/no%2Bpeeping%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What are you peeping at?</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDWjhjzoNPw/XbmuLC7gGsI/AAAAAAAABjg/YuLbLQXk4Ys2M-E0E0JE5s7tDJHdY8d7gCEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDWjhjzoNPw/XbmuLC7gGsI/AAAAAAAABjg/YuLbLQXk4Ys2M-E0E0JE5s7tDJHdY8d7gCEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Bpost.jpg" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I knew I should not be so excited for it is only the Lesser Sand-Plover coming out of its breeding plumage.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJC1e7nAyl8/XbmuKCZheBI/AAAAAAAABjg/JmatVcpMRFEMnjkDHUKqlgsq6DE9eXw1gCEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Blooking%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJC1e7nAyl8/XbmuKCZheBI/AAAAAAAABjg/JmatVcpMRFEMnjkDHUKqlgsq6DE9eXw1gCEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Blooking%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I felt a bit of anti climax and yet at the same time, I am pleased to walk out of this mudflat area with close images of this </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lesser Sand-Plover </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Charadrius mongolus. </i></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZGNuHQMdBE/XbmuKNB__KI/AAAAAAAABjU/LGvoztrdIH8STGg7jETJLj0idlIefPhFACEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Bclose%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZGNuHQMdBE/XbmuKNB__KI/AAAAAAAABjU/LGvoztrdIH8STGg7jETJLj0idlIefPhFACEwYBhgL/s1600/lesser%2Bsand%2Bplover%2Bclose%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xZAAcLdwl0/Xbm3rxi8o6I/AAAAAAAABkA/Dh6rO4MTz3YcHkO779Q80DcaHVzb6cqtgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/two%2Bplovers%2Bpost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2xZAAcLdwl0/Xbm3rxi8o6I/AAAAAAAABkA/Dh6rO4MTz3YcHkO779Q80DcaHVzb6cqtgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/two%2Bplovers%2Bpost.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are two different types of Plovers side by side. Guess which is which?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Till then I will be back, always seeking always searching.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You may view my Ebird checklist here: <br /><a href="https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59344752">https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59344752</a></span></span></div>
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Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-21816197609201451272019-09-20T16:48:00.000+08:002019-10-30T18:16:32.159+08:00My Intimate Evening With Langkawi's Gunung Raya <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-size: large;">he
breeze brought the cool evening air to the mountain that
gently caressed my face. Quietness filled the surrounding as I begun to
walk up the easy comfortable road. The rustling of tree leaves and
branches made by jumping squirrels and some ground foragers reminding me
that I am not alone. As I looked at the sun setting down on the other
side of the horizon, I stared with awe of the orange delights
that coloured the sky. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SN3vkz_kbw8/Vjc3j22gk4I/AAAAAAAAAFI/YJlQJuwKKS0/s1600/sunset%2Btop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SN3vkz_kbw8/Vjc3j22gk4I/AAAAAAAAAFI/YJlQJuwKKS0/s640/sunset%2Btop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Sunset delight at the peak of Gunung Raya, Langkawi</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">Running
macaques crossing my path with their babies clinging on is a simple
proof that wildlife exists. The barkings of Wreathed Hornbills and the
growlings of Great Hornbills seemed to be calling for equal rights to be
here. The chatty Flameback Woodpeckers came along making the
wildlife party merrier. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2LkZaakjuU/Vjc4HiwLgmI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/E7tFxFWHbak/s1600/raya%2Btree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2LkZaakjuU/Vjc4HiwLgmI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/E7tFxFWHbak/s640/raya%2Btree.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Darkness creeping into the forest</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As
I stood by the side of the road glaring at the highest canopy tree, a
fleet of jet fighters appeared in the sky. Twenty to thirty of Wreathed
Hornbills and forty Great Hornbills flew out in formations like sky
troopers announcing "WE RULE". </span></div>
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<span class="fullpost"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just
when I thought that these awesome displays were over, a dark figure
appeared in front of my path. Wearing an embedded pair of white glasses,
it was an honor to be greeted by this gentle and shy Dusky Leaf Monkey
at a close distance of approximately 5 meters. I froze immediately and
watched carefully as this gentle creature enjoyed its last leafy snack
for the day. It seemed to be contented and not bothered with my presence
at all. What a true honor! </span></span></div>
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<span class="fullpost"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As
the mountain summoned for the darkness and its nocturnal creatures, it
was time for me to descend and return to my real world. I smiled and
silently thanked the mountain, Gunung Raya that has given me these
wonderful gifts for the day.</span></span></div>
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<span class="fullpost"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gunung Raya, the gentle energizer and life giver of Langkawi's natural heritage. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0YTkmmlPcfg/Vjc4ncjm5zI/AAAAAAAAAFY/uQBjRskn4_w/s1600/sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0YTkmmlPcfg/Vjc4ncjm5zI/AAAAAAAAAFY/uQBjRskn4_w/s400/sunset.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Fiery ball descending into the horizon</span></td></tr>
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Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-2640788255081783382019-09-13T19:04:00.000+08:002019-09-13T23:16:57.922+08:00Featured on Bryony Angell Dot Com<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> cannot recall how Bryony and I were connected via Instagram many months ago or perhaps almost a year ago. After visited <a href="http://www.bryonyangell.com/">Bryony Angell</a>'s website awhile ago, I was impressed with her writings and especially her posts featuring female bird guides from different countries. And to my surprise in late May 2019, Bryony invited me for an interview via email for her next blog post feature. Her blog was only posted on 16th August due to the delay from my heavy schedule in June. Bryony was very patient with me, thanks!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovojoXYCjiw/XXtxNntxRlI/AAAAAAAABhA/dQxQAWw19-sJGJcg6CO9FvI6qVmaFueYQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20190913_183450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="706" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovojoXYCjiw/XXtxNntxRlI/AAAAAAAABhA/dQxQAWw19-sJGJcg6CO9FvI6qVmaFueYQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_20190913_183450.jpg" width="339" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Screenshot of Bryony's blog page</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thank you to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bryonyangell/">Bryony Angell</a>
for selecting me to be featured on her web blog. Bryony is a freelance writer/blogger
and also an avid birder. Her website has a specific focus on birding
culture and women in the world birding scene, with clips in regional and
national publications. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vlAOYLWwl4/XXtxQa68vqI/AAAAAAAABhM/ufd2l2NmHqgmMIOsmmwS4GXrp7Hi0pWqQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20190913_164403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vlAOYLWwl4/XXtxQa68vqI/AAAAAAAABhM/ufd2l2NmHqgmMIOsmmwS4GXrp7Hi0pWqQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_20190913_164403.jpg" width="349" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Screenshot of Bryony's blog page</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My contents to her questions can be hard to stomach by some bird or eco tourism industry players or may be offensive to some simply because the truth hurts. While the word "sustainable" is so overused, almost to as "green-washing", it is challenging to strike a balance between ethical practices and profit making. Tourism practices follow the trend of consumers who are the tourists. Companies will continue to provide what tourists want in order to make huge profits. Like the saying goes, "If there are demands, there will be supplies". It takes more than two parties to ensure ethical practices in tourism or eco tourism but the greater power comes from the visitors or tourists themselves. It will be my dream one day to be able to witness all tourists to say "No" to wildlife exploitation in tourism. Likewise as guides whether we are freelancers or employees, we too have our roles to play as frontliners. We had our training when getting our licensed badges and it is part of our duty to educate the tourists and not spoiling them in the end. I usually lay out my rules before accepting a nature tour booking especially Bird Photography and Mangrove Boat tour. Some will accept and some will not. I also have been declined by some tour agents when I laid out my rules. At least now, I do not have a boss to answer to. I only have to answer to my conscience. It is never easy to practice full ethics as guides. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please click on this link <a href="http://www.bryonyangell.com/a-birds-guide-to-birding/2019/9/8/bird-guiding-in-malaysia-with-wendy-chin">here</a> to Bryony Angell's latest blog post. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once again, thank you Bryony for featuring and acknowledging female Birdwatching guides around the world.</span></span></div>
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Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-59302659506200389012019-08-23T18:23:00.000+08:002019-11-30T22:23:57.113+08:00A Mysterious Dainty Charadrius Plover of Langkawi<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">L</span>angkawi generally lacks big mixed flock of migratory waders even though we have some coastal mudflats, reeds and mangroves. It has a very low variety of wader species and not a great place to study varieties of migratory waders. Having said that, the island occasionally does have a couple of individual waders that are either rare or vagrant. My wader highlight on the previous bird migration was the <a href="https://www.wendynatureguide.com/2018/08/migration-check-2018-2019-red-necked.html">Red-Necked Stint</a> and as far as I know, this stint has not been previously recorded for Langkawi. It was a delight to find a rare among the common ones. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the third week of February 2019, I noticed a solo dainty wader walking up and down along tide line of a sandy beach at the Four Seasons Langkawi, Tanjung Rhu at midday. That was not my first time noticing this sort of lone plover along this beach. I have seen one a couple of times on different migratory seasons years ago. At that time, it was either I did not have my binoculars or my camera with me and that bird didn't give me a chance for a decent record shot. Until that day. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These images have been sitting in my SD card of my Panasonic bridge camera for months until I recall this dainty plover now as I am currently updating the bird list of Langkawi.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After some cropping and editing of these two record shots, my first impression was a Kentish Plover <i>Charadrius alexandrinus. </i>A comparison with my field guide has raised some doubts. The noticeable differences were:<br />1) The bill of this dainty plover is slightly longer and heavier</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2) Broader white lore and brow than the Kentish plover (I have yet to see a Kentish plover)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3) Lighter or paler legs colour</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And so it is not a Kentish. Or it is a Malaysian Plover <i>Charadrius peronii</i>? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My image did have some resemblance to a Malaysian Plover but I am still doubtful especially on the colouration on the upperparts. And so I needed some help. I turned to <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://penangbirder.blogspot.com/">Choy Wai Mun</a></span> for help. Wai Mun is a passionate Penang birder/bird photographer/guide and also the E-bird reviewer for our Northern states of Peninsular Malaysia. And so, it is a White-faced or Swinhoe's Plover </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Charadrius alexandrinus dealbatus</i>, a subspecies of Kentish Plover. My lifer! Yeah!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Wai Mun also pointed out that a Malaysian Plover has "scales" on the upperpart or variegated upperpart. That was my initial doubt. Thank you for this, Wai Mun. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-osW0EcPgU_o/XV-X0XoCS_I/AAAAAAAABgc/lIZWKxuXVj8U_CtwhgV8wM6JKlBQp-NfACEwYBhgL/s1600/malaysian%2Bplover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Langkawi Birdwatching" border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="547" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-osW0EcPgU_o/XV-X0XoCS_I/AAAAAAAABgc/lIZWKxuXVj8U_CtwhgV8wM6JKlBQp-NfACEwYBhgL/s1600/malaysian%2Bplover.jpg" title="Langkawi Birds" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">White-Faced or Swinhoe's Plover <i>Charadrius </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>alexandrinus dealbatus.</i></span></span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Note the legs colour, size of the bill and broad lore as compared to a Kentish plover</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Based
on the old records, Kentish Plover was recorded at an unknown location
with the mudflats and sandy shores on unknown date. (Gregory-Smith 1995;
Medway and Wells 1976). While Malaysian Plover nesting was recorded on
19 March 1995 on an unknown location here. An adult male was collected
on 23 April 1911 (Robinson and Chasen 1936). At that time when Yeap's journal was published, the status of our Malaysian Plover was reported as Rare and Threaten. For the past decades, there isn't any report on the sighting of Malaysian Plover on Langkawi. Could this species has extinct due to development on our beaches or the
increased of predators such as feral animals like dogs, cats or even crows? Malaysian Plovers are considered as rare resident and their eggs are laid on the ground.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Armed with the species identification of this plover, I went on to dig further because this subspecies of Kentish Plover is not found on my field guide that I am currently using. The search based on the species keyword has led me to this blog on <a href="https://birdingbeijing.com/2012/08/07/swinhoes-white-faced-plovers/">Swinhoe's Plovers in Beijing</a> and subsequently to an article which is more than a decade ago by David Bakewell and Peter Kennerly on Surfbird's <a href="http://www.surfbirds.com/Features/plovers1108/malayplovers.html">Malaysia's Mystery Plover</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Initially, I was ecstatic about this plover being another new record for Langkawi but when I stumbled on </span><a href="http://www.thaibirding.com/ornithology/lostplover.htm">Thaibirding.com</a> which posted an article on <a href="http://www.thaibirding.com/ornithology/lostplover.htm">Rediscovery of a long-lost Charadrius plover from South-East Asia</a>, </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">obtained from Forktail journal of Oriental Bird Club (OBC)</span>, my excitement was diminished instantly. Surprisingly, there were samples taken as far back as in 1899. Holy! That was after the period of our Legendary Mahsuri and the last Siam invasion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are two screen shots from the article:</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JEEBEgPlbM/XV-2b429VbI/AAAAAAAABgo/NHaEoc5kFysu7nzKC_VcjrvyHiUw8ZtfwCLcBGAs/s1600/swinhoe%2Bplover%2Brecord.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1141" height="369" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0JEEBEgPlbM/XV-2b429VbI/AAAAAAAABgo/NHaEoc5kFysu7nzKC_VcjrvyHiUw8ZtfwCLcBGAs/s640/swinhoe%2Bplover%2Brecord.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Specimens of Swinhoe's (White-Faced) Plover collected from Langkawi</span></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLQU4obTODk/XV-2bqKR_sI/AAAAAAAABgk/UckC1uNitS8P7NA0LtyZ8XOpMV9nP4wrgCEwYBhgL/s1600/swinhoe%2Bplover%2Brecord2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1143" height="366" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLQU4obTODk/XV-2bqKR_sI/AAAAAAAABgk/UckC1uNitS8P7NA0LtyZ8XOpMV9nP4wrgCEwYBhgL/s640/swinhoe%2Bplover%2Brecord2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Specimens collected in months 1899 and 1963 which is the migratory season for Langkawi</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My mysterious dainty lone plover on the beach has finally been identified and I have entered into our E-bird for Langkawi's record keeping. We had Kentish Plovers in Langkawi's E-bird submissions from foreign birdwatchers previously. Could those be the <i>dealbatus </i>species? For future E-bird submission, it is best to attach a record shot so we know exactly which type of Kentish Plover. At input, you can click on the "Change Species" tab to obtain the Kentish Plover (White-Faced)<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i> Charadrius alexandrinus dealbatus.</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even though this species isn't a new record for Langkawi, it is a still lifer for me. I look forward to seeing this species here again and the next time with the Kentish Plover together one day.<i> </i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWbswm3bmis/XV-X0o6ccAI/AAAAAAAABgY/Vj4NXDpJ43Au_fD9O_T8fjqCxnc2KqupQCEwYBhgL/s1600/malaysian%2Bplover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Birds of Langkawi" border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="504" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWbswm3bmis/XV-X0o6ccAI/AAAAAAAABgY/Vj4NXDpJ43Au_fD9O_T8fjqCxnc2KqupQCEwYBhgL/s1600/malaysian%2Bplover2.jpg" title="Langkawi birds White faced plover" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A White-Faced Plover foraging. Notice the broad brow and supercillium giving him a "white face" look. The black band on the forehead denotes a male in breeding</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">References:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Gregory-Smith, R. 1995. <i>Birds of Perlis and Kedah, Including Langkawi. An Annotated Checklist. </i>Sarawak: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2.Yeap C.A (2005), Report on Birds of Langkawi Archipelago. <i>Malayan Nature Journal 2005, </i>57(1),107</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: small;">Robson, C. (2011), <i>A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia</i>,New Holland</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: small;">4. Bakewell, D. N. and Kennerley, P.R (2007) <i>Malaysisa's mystery pl</i>o<i>ver, </i>http://www.surfbirds.com/Features/plovers1108/malayplovers.html</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: small;">5. http://www.thaibirding.com/ornithology/lostplover.htm</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: small;">6. (2012) https://birdingbeijing.com/2012/08/07/swinhoes-white-faced-plovers/ </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span>Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5909078867015291715.post-11877808856519693572019-03-23T18:31:00.000+08:002019-05-25T18:53:50.291+08:00Langkawi's Oriental Pied Hornbill Nest Feeding<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-size: large;">his year </span><span style="font-size: large;">has</span><span style="font-size: large;"> been a blessed year for me to witness two species Hornbills attending to their nests. All Hornbills in Malaysia nest in tree cavities especially matured or old trees. So far in Langkawi, I have only witnessed Great Hornbill </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Buceros bircorni</i><span style="font-size: large;"> nesting but yet to witness the nest of Oriental Pied Hornbill </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">Anthracoceros albirotris</i><span style="font-size: large;"> until this year. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Saiful came running towards our group with this glee and excitement on his face, "Hornbill feeding!". </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His infectious excitement got me running too. My instant thought was a Great Hornbill? I quickly signalled to the group to follow Saiful.
This male Oriental Pied Hornbill was still passing the food into the tree cavity when we arrived. I quickly pulled out my camera to capture this on video. Please excuse me for the shake as I didn't quite recover from the excitement yet. </span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/obkCChsfjps/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/obkCChsfjps?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This group of 10-year old students from Singapore together with their teachers had a less than one minute opportunity to witness this. I was with this group as their guide and they were here on Langkawi to learn about our diverse natural habitats. This was the Rainforest section on their second day of this trip. Their logistics were organised by Langkawi Canopy Adventures in mid of March. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfFuywAqqIw/XOkXp5HCVhI/AAAAAAAABfg/QPsQ3_XRc4A7Zu1ylSIlXV0upbwWZLeiwCLcBGAs/s1600/trek.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="555" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yfFuywAqqIw/XOkXp5HCVhI/AAAAAAAABfg/QPsQ3_XRc4A7Zu1ylSIlXV0upbwWZLeiwCLcBGAs/s1600/trek.JPEG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The period from February to April are crucial months for the adult Great Hornbills and Oriental Pied Hornbills tending to the nest especially the male with his faithful duty as a Dad to feed Mum and chick. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As I didn't manage to fully observe the Oriental Pied Hornbill nesting, I am sharing this post from Singapore Bird Ecology Group which has video-monitor on their Oriental Pied Hornbill nesting at Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Based on their data, the breeding period at Pulau Ubin is almost similar as ours here in Langkawi. It takes almost three months (78-85 days) from the tree cavity sealing stage to the emerging of the adult female and chicks fledging. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As reported, all the chicks fledged at the same time as the adult female broke out of the cavity in one cycle. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While a Great Hornbill will take at least another month longer to complete the successful breeding cycle. The adult Great Hornbill female will break out of the cavity first and reseal while the chick is still inside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br />Click <a href="https://besgroup.org/2009/04/13/oriental-pied-hornbills-stages-in-its-breeding-cycle/">here</a> for the report on Singapore's Oriental Pied Hornbill breeding cycle.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Since I didn't have any shot of a newly fledged Oriental Pied Hornbill, here is a miniature one from my guest, Khai Ling.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aH_YloFBZ-s/XOkYSIQozlI/AAAAAAAABfo/dUjrls5i7wsuv4ZYTHb9k3u586jJ1P94ACLcBGAs/s1600/prezzie%2Bfrom%2Bkhai%2Bling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aH_YloFBZ-s/XOkYSIQozlI/AAAAAAAABfo/dUjrls5i7wsuv4ZYTHb9k3u586jJ1P94ACLcBGAs/s640/prezzie%2Bfrom%2Bkhai%2Bling.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A gift of appreciation from my kayaking guest, Khai Ling. Thank you!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">References: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Oriental Pied Hornbills: Stages in its breeding cycle, (2009, April 13),</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">https://besgroup.org/2009/04/13/oriental-pied-hornbills-stages-in-its-breeding-cycle/
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Wendy Nature Guidehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14833361705110192770noreply@blogger.com0