Tanjung Piai National Park

Field trip to Tanjung Piai National Park

13th April 2010

Today we will bid good bye to Kota Tingi in order for us to move on to Kukup. Since we are in Johor State, taking the chance to introduce Tanjung Piai the southern tip of Asia to my friends. No doubt both of this town is in Johor state, but Kota Tingi is in the east where else Kukup is in the west. According to my GPS the journey should takes about 2 hrs, unfortunately GPS could not process with a parameter called “traffic Jam”.

The co-ordinate of N01o 19 569 E 103o 26 612 from Kota Tingi will need us to pass through Johor Bahru a big township in Johor state. As today is Tuesday normal working day, we seem to be joining the crowds of office workers battling traffic jam.
***sigh*** oooh no this seems to remind me of my daily journey to office back in KL.

With a friend recommendation it might be an interest of us to stop at Gunung Pulai, Kulai. Since is on the way, out of curiosity we discovered that this place is frequent by picnickers during the weekends and public holidays. We reached Kukup, Kampung Air Masin about noon. Kampung Air Masin is a fishing village in the district of Pontian Johor, This small fishing village is a popular spots for tourist particularly Singaporean and Indonesian on weekends and public holiday. There is a ferry terminal with regular ferry service connect to Tanjung Balai and some parts of Riau Island. Weekends Singaporean will flocks in by chartered ferry. Tourist attraction here would be seafood, boat trips to fishing trap build on stilts. If possible tourist would also make a trip to Tanjung Piai National Park for sunsets and have a memorial moments at the Southermost Tip of Asia.

For bird watching trip to Tanjung Piai would not be complete without visiting Kukup National Park. Kukup National Park, a mangrove island forest situated 1 km from Kg Air Masin, Kukup. It is approximately 647 hectares. Pulau Kukup was gazetted as Johor National Park on 27th March 1997. Till to date this small island remain uninhabited. Arrangement of boat service can be make at Kukup National Park Office, Kg Masin. In this field trip I was quite a disappointment to discovered that Kukup National Park is close for renovation until September. I still recalled during my previous visit in the year of 2004 the majestic moment of encountering Mangrove Whistler. Never could believe that such a melodious whistling calls could come from a plain olive looking bird. I still recalled the whistling melodious song from that Mangrove Whistler initially makes me think that it was originate from my birding mate.
Hei.. you whistle ? No it is not from me.. is a bird nearby …. Look just above ….

After we had our lunch at a famous Seafood restaurant, Kg Air Masin we head off to Tanjung Piai National Park. Tanjung Pia National Park, is at the southern tip of Mainland Asia. It is named after the fern called “Piai”. Tanjung Piai is a mangrove forest reserves in Johor. The GPS co-ordinate is N01°16 E 103°31.

This park is also managed by Johor state government - Johor National Parks Corporation (JNPC). Previously Tanjung Piai was part of Sg Pulai mangrove forest reserve. Tanjung Piai was approved by Johor State Government as a Johor National Park in 1997. It is open to the public in year 2002.
With the result of Ecological survey conducted by Wetlands International-Malaysia in 2001, on 31st Jan 2003 it was enlisted as part of Ramsar Site. Tanjung Piai National Park is home to about 20 ‘true’ mangrove plant species.

What is Ramsar Sites?

Ramsar is a named of a place in Iran. Ramsar sites is named after the place at Iran where the 1st convention gathering of representatives from 18 countries on 2nd Febuary 1971. Through this convention gathering the representatives came to agreement that wetlands of many kind such as lake, swamp land, mangrove forest existence has it own use to balance the world ecology system. Some wetlands such as swamp land which is non profitable would normally be overlook it’s significance. Changing their ecology will eventually disastrous to mankind. Many of natural disaster such as floods, tsunami, enormous fatalities could be avoided by not mismanage any of the natural existed wetlands of any kind.

Looking at the importance of wetlands, over the years Ramsar sites list continues to grow. Each sites is of internationally interest.

To be listed as Ramsar sites it has to met and fulfil the conditions and criteria that had being agreed upon in that convention.
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-about-sites-criteria-for/main/ramsar/1-36-55%5E20740_4000_0_

Up to date there are 5 Ramsar sites in Malaysia (Tasik Bera, Pulau Kukup, Tg Piai, Sungai Pulai, Kuching Wetland National Park and Lower Kinabatangan, Segama Wetland). The uniqueness is 3 of Ramsar Sites are at Johor States. Pulau Kukup 647h, Tg Pia 526h, Sg Pulai 9,126h.

Tanjung Piai is a wetland consist of coastal mangroves and intertidal mudflats located at the southernmost tip of continental Asia. Besides being the home to about 20 ‘true’ mangrove plant species as well as 9 more mangrove-associated species in such a small area. Tanjung Piai is also in the East Asian Australasia flyway of birds migrations path.

A slow scroll on the boardwalk, one would discover the uniqueness of mangrove ecosystems. Mangrove forest beside act as protection against erosion, it is also home for many species of animals, fishes and moluska.

I wish to thank Mr Harban Singh the park manager of Tg Piai who is with great enthusiasm give us a talks on the importance of Ramsar Sites.

Accomodation.
Tg Piai resort tel no 07-6960011 beside the Tg Piai National Park a privately own resort could be a choice if do not wish to stay at some homestay facilities offered at Kg Air Masin, Kukup or Kukup golf resort. Tg Piai Resort have restaurant facilities for those who prefer Halal food.

Non-Halal Food.
With the Tg Piai Park manager recommendation we have our dinner at Sin Chuan Heng N01°20 361 E 103°27 599. We have no regret. FYI this restaurant is only open for dinner.

EEEEEh an ignorant actions of mismanage waste disposal would pile up the sea bed with a lot of rubbish. The chain reaction is fish, crabs could not breed, this will lead to sea products that is one of our food source affected.

You can play an important role to save/preserve our Mangrove Forest by spreading the news about the importance of the Mangrove Forest

List of Birds saw and heard.
Sunda Pgymy woodpecker, Laced Woodpecker, Spotted Wood Owl, Common Redshank 100+ at about 6:15pm (low tide), Grey Heron, Little Heron, Common Iora, Black Naped Oriole, White Throated Fantail, Javan Myna, Yellow Vented Bulbul (1,000+ in the early part of the morning at Southern tip participating in group fly out to 1-2 km to the sea and back) Ashy tailorbird, Artic Warbler, Big Flocks of Red Jungle Fowl, White Collared Kingfisher.

Panti Bird Sanctuary

Field trip to Panti Forest

10th April 2010
Even though my friend Mam has arrived from chiangmai two days ago, due to the project of data and server migration task that required me to work 24hrs on 7th April till 8th April, only today we could start our journey to Kota Tingi. There are a series of emails that we exchange a few weeks ago to decide on which are the birding spots to be shown to her during this time of her visit to Malaysia. Field trips reports and words of mouths from her friends about Panti Bird Sanctuary/Bunker Trail instigated to her that it must be a place for her to visit one day.

Panti Forest, the GPS coordinates is N 01o 52 504 E 103o 54' 948. It is being highlighted in Birdlife factsheet as IBA. It has been recorded several endemic and gloabally threated species found here eg Storm Stock, Crestless Fireback,Wallace's Hawk-eagle, Short-toed Coucal. This trail the bird watchers communities foldly called it as Bunker Trail. It was named after the two bunkers demarcate both side of the road ever since from World War II.

As the journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Tingi the nearest town for Panti Bird Sanctuary takes 5 hrs, we will use this day as our travelling day. This allow me and kim the chance to show her Kluang Railway Stations and Zenxin Organic Park at Kluang.
Kluang Railway station is a must to patron to taste the old times hainanese aromatic coffee, kaya butter toast and soft boiled eggs. Over the years things have change this coffee shops is no longer having some Chinese hainanese mens running around to server you food. After many centuries past, this old times coffee shop has a new facelift and is now operated by young Malay entrepreneurs. However the taste of coffee, the old time utensils being display reminds me of my late grandmother’s coffee.

Accomadation.
For Panti forest birding trip, Hotel Seri Kota, Jln Jaafar, Kota Tingi tel no 607-8838111 seems to met the criterias of decently clean bedsheets as well as bathroom, reasonable rate, within walking distance to food court to ease food packing to be taken as trail lunch .

How to get there.
Hotel Seri Kota the GPS co-ordinate is N01o 43 609 E 103o 54 024. Use the North South Expressway exit at Ayer Hitam toll. Then follow the signage to Kluang town, then follow the road signs to Kota Tingi Town. A self-drive journey from Kuala Lumpur is approximately 5hrs.

11th April - 12th April 2010

The long awaiting days with great anticipations for Mam to have the taste of birding at Suaka Panti/Panti Bird Sanctuary has finally arrived. Panti Bird Sanctuary surprisingly beside well known Taman Negara and Fraser’s Hill this small dot in Malaysia map is well known to bird watchers locally & internationally. There are many posting in the internet regarding Suaka Burung Panti or was fondly refer as Panti Bunker Trail.

During this visit of mine I was shocked to discovered that many foreigners beside Singaporean who can self-drive , there are visitors from Australia, American, Holland do visit this small dot of Malaysia’s map. In this trip we met up with a Conservationist by profession, origin from Holland. He told us he read all the field trips that was posted in the internet regarding bunker’s trail. He did his trip in a budget manner, during his time at Panti, he stay in Hotel Seri Kota, dine at our local food at the food court nearby the hotel. He arrange taxi service to send him and pick up to Suaka Panti. He told us the taxi service it cost RM50 for a to and fro trip.

For your knowledge Suaka Panti is under the management coverage of Johor South Forestry Department. It is their requirement for visitors to write formally to inform them the date of your visit and furnish them the list of names, identity card no/passport no of the visitors.

Some days Johor forestry rangers do patrol Suaka Panti, few of my friends due to ignorant did not write to before hand are being ordered to leave bunker trail immediately.

Below is the sample of required formal letter that need to submit before your visit. I have sudocode some sensitive informations.

Pejabat Hutan Daerah Johor Selatan,

Aras 9, Bangunan Sultan Ibrahim,

Jln. Bukit Timbalan,

80000 Johor Bahru.

Tuan/Puan,
Per: Kebenaran Melawat Ke Suaka Panti (Panti Bird Santuary) Bunker Trail
Dengan hormatnya, saya merujuk kepada perkara tersebut di atas, sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa saya dan rakan-rakan saya akan mengadakan lawatan ke tempat disebut.

Sehubungan dengan itu, dipohon jasabaik tuan/puan untuk membenarkan :-

Tarikh : 10th April 2010 - 14th April 2010
Pelawat: Wong Chor Mun icno 9999-99-9999 tel no 012-1234567
Lam XXX XXXX icno 9999-99-9999
Lee XXXXXX icno 9999-99-9999
NXXXXXXX passport no ABC12345

Tujuan : Bird watching and nature photography
Saya berharap tuan/puan dapat mempertimbangka.

Sekian terima kasih,

Yang benar
Signature

Compare to my previous visit, the uneven gravel jeep track has being put a great effort to level it and sand pave. We are grateful that this has allow Suaka Burung Panti can be reached by normal sedan car.

Johor govertment is still upgrading Suaka Burung Panti. In this visit I discovered that it has some new well carve jungle trails, resting hut/wakaf, parking lot, information gallery, Observation Tower (is open now), bird bath. However it is still incomplete cause there is no toilet.

I’m just lost of words when my overseas friends asked me “… Aren’t this place a forest reserve ?

There are still logging activities ? We saw a few logging trucks pass by where every logs would required at least 3 person to hold hands in order to able to hug a log. Compares to the forest reserver and national park in the overseas that I have visited. In my 2 sen, as Suaka Burung Panti is gaining it’s popularity it would necessary to equip it with forest ranger, basic accommodation in the form of chalet and camping ground.

We also wish to highlight to express our desire that this Suaka Burung Panti would continue exist for many generations to come because Malaysia have not many good low land forest that can act as a water catchment’s and flood resistance place. Suaka Burung Panti is also a few left good low-land forest that home Great Argus (burung kuang) , Malaysia Peacock-Pheasant (Merak Pongsu) that we Malaysian should be proud off.

This small dot in Malaysia Map do contribute a small substantial income to Malaysia through eco-tourism/green tour.

As I carry out a conversation with a lone bird watcher from Netherlands who was there during my visit, he was very much concern about the logging activities that still persist on. He stress that by the rate of the big load of logs being transport out the ecosystem of Panti would be fragmented will lead to animals, insects, birds diminish. In long run will contribute to global warming and the end result the sufferer would be us the Malaysian e.g. scarce drinking water. He also wish to highlight and hope that we Malaysia will not repeat the same problems that other countries are facing due uncontrolled logging.

This year we seems to have a longer drier spell compare to previous year. This long spell drought has greatly affected Johor State. The workers at panti relate to me that in the previous month the plants at the parking lot small garden start to withered and die. They have to ferry water from the rivers at least 3 times a day to maintain their survival.

In this visit I notice the river’s water level is indeed very low compare to my previous visit. Due to the heat, we notice bird activities in the morning session diminish completely after 10am.

Nevertheless we managed to see and heard during this 2 days.
Great Argus, White Bellied Woodpecker, Checker-Throated Woodpecker, Buff-Rumped Woodpecker, Maroon Woodpecker, Gold Whiskered Barbet, Red-Throated Barbet, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Scarlet Rumped Trogon, Red Bearded Bee Eater, Rufous Backed Kingfisher, Indian Cuckoo, Whiskered Treeswift, Emerald Dove,Crested Serpent Eagle, Blue Winged Pitta, Black and Yelllow Broadbill, Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, Dark Throated Oriole, Scarlet Minivet, Black Naped Monarch, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Grey Headed Canary Flycatcher, White Rumped Sharma, Black Headed Bulbul, Grey Bellied Bulbul, Spectacled Bulbul, Red-Eye Bulbul, Buff-Vented Bulbul, Cream Vented Bulbul, Yellow Bellied Bulbul, Striped-Throated Bulbul, Artic Warbler, White Eye, Striped Tit Babbler, Chestnut Winged Babbler, Scooty-Capped Babbler, Yellow Breasted Flowerpecker, Crimson Breasted Flowerpecker, Ruby-Cheeked Sunbird

What Can YOU do for World Environment Day

MY Garden Birdwatch
What are the species of birds living within your vicinity? In conjunction with World Environment Day, Malaysia Nature Society Selangor Branch Bird Group invites you to participate in “MY Garden Birdwatch”, the first survey of its kind in Malaysia.

"MY Garden Birdwatch” aims to collect data on birds that are found in residential areas, cities, parks, gardens and the kampung. The information you contribute will be used to protect garden birds and their environment.
The Big Garden Birdwatch in United Kingdom has over the past 30 years proven to be a great success. It has been an effective mode to collect data on the dramatic decline of populations of certain common birds. Thanks to survey results, several conservation efforts on the House Sparrow, starlings and song thrushes has been initiated.
MY Garden Birdwatch kicks off this year -- all you need to do is set aside 30 minutes on either 5th or 6th June 2010. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY. ALL IT TAKES IS THE SKILL TO IDENTIFY THE COMMON BIRDS AROUND YOU. IF YOU CANNOT IDENTIFY THEM, SIMPLY TAKE NOTE OF THE BIRD FEATURES OR CAPTURE AN IMAGE OF THE BIRD ON THE CAMERA, AND EMAIL IT TO wcmsusan@gmail.com. I WILL DO MY BEST TO ASSIST YOU. THIS SURVEY GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO BE A CONSERVATIONIST!

How the survey is done
Your survey site should be somewhere accessible -- your garden, playground, or any green area near your house or apartment. Just a 30-minute survey will do -- anytime in the morning 7am – 11am or late afternoon 4pm – 6pm, when the birds are most active. For every bird you see, identify it and take note of how many you saw. DO NOT INCLUDE birds that can be heard but not seen.

If you don't see any birds during your survey duration, your report should indicate zero, plus the condition of the surrounding areas and the weather condition.

With that precious data in hand, email the Count Sheet to chirp@mygardenbirdwatch.com by 20th JUNE 2010 or if preferred, key in your data directly onto the online database BIRD I-Witness www.worldbirds.org/malaysia.
For further details, please email chirp@mygardenbirdwatch.com, or sign up as a counter right away at http://www.mygardenbirdwatch.com/

Tanjung Tuan/Rachado Cape - Important Bird Area

Tanjung Tuan or Rachado Cape as it was formally known. It is with the cor-ordinate of N 02 24 468 E 101 51 130 is the site of the oldest lighthouse in Malaysia.

After Portugal conquered Malacca, Cape Rachado this strategic place was chosen to build a lighthouse facing straits of Malacca to guide it's ships. Sometimes between 1528 and 1529 a lighthouse was built. Till to date this lighthouse is still functioning and it is use to guide the heavy sea traffic at straits of Malacca. Straits of Malacca is a narrow stretch of sea that divide West Malaysia and Indonesia.

Besides being a historical place it is also of the last remaining coastal forest on west coat of Peninsular of Malaysia. It was first gazetted in 1921 with the areas of 80.97. However by year 2002 re gazetted has been made and the actual area were 75.92 hectares.Due to it is situated in the East Asian-Australia flyway for Raptors migrations. This very small remaining patch it is being recognized as an Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The IBA Programme of BirdLife International is a worldwide initiative aimed at identifying and protecting a network of sites, critical for the conservation of the world's birds.
An Important Bird Area (IBA) is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed by Bird Life International. IBA sites are determined by an internationally-agreed set of criteria.

Every year around February till early April on an average each day there are about 1,000 to 2,600 raptors fly past Tanjung Tuan as a seasonal movements from Pulau Rupat (Indonesia).
The reasons they migrate are due to escape from the cold winter where their food sources disappear. Some will wintering along their fly path and the furthest place they choose will be Indonesia. When spring are approaching these Raptors will make their annual migration back to their breeding ground in Japan, Northern China, Siberia, Korea and Mongolia due to the food source to raise their young.

Due to their huge and heavy body is quite a cumbersome task for this annual event that they must undertake, they will choose the easier and most flapping economical methods. Tanjung Tuan facing Pulau Rupat Indonesia is the shortest distance to the next mainland. It is also a small green lung that can provide a brief rest for them if the situation arise.

Importance to Conserve Raptors.
Raptors are good indicators of the health of our ecosystem environment. For example the decline of Brahminy Kite will linked to the disappearance of mangrove forest. The disappearance of mangrove forest will also resulted harm to mankind as there is no protection from the strong tidal waves such as Tsunami. Many raptors diets are rats and snakes therefore they are our natural pest control.

Realising the importance of raptors with the uniqueness migration phenomena at Tanjung Tuan, Malaysia Nature Society Bird conservation council held the first raptor watch week in 2000 to create public awareness and educate the importance of raptors. This annual event that normally held on the 2nd weekend of March since then is also aimed to highlight the importance of conserving Tanjung Tuan as a migration site. The annual Raptor Watch event is also a eco-tourism event and it has attracted foreign and local naturalist and bird watchers to congregate together to witness the beauty and awesome Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black Baza, Grey Faced Buzzard, Chinese Sparrowhawk and Japanese Sparrowhawk as they journey thousand of miles back to their breeding ground.

In line with the other raptor watch sites throughout the world, we also do raptors migrations census at Tanjung tuan to contribute to the study and behaviours of migratory raptors.

As of 4th of April 2010 the final figure is 73,152 raptors
As of 31st of March the total number of raptors 71,000
As of 25th of March the total number of raptors 67,593
As of 19th of March the total number of raptors 55,629
As of 16th of March the total number of raptors 40,656
As of 14th of March the total number of raptors 33,883
As of 13th of March the total number of raptors 31,405
As of 8th of March the total number of raptors 27,210
http://www.raptorwatch.org/raptor_count.htm

My field trip reports
I utilised part of my 7 days brought forward last year annual leave as a raptor counter at Tanjung Tuan from 23rd of March till 29th of March. This past 7 days at the lighthouse is indeed a total switch from the busy schedule at office to the relaxing duties of look out for raptors fly past. Some days where the weather are not favourable there would be no Raptors fly past. Below are some of my photos that I managed to take. I miss a lot of golden photography opportunities cause I discovered that the Auto Focus from my lens is not functioning.

This particular fruiting tree attracted Plantain Squirrels, Black Banded Squirrels, Olive Winged Bulbul, Yellow Vented Bulbul.
During the time of my volunteering for raptor counting is actually near to the tailed end of raptors migratory, therefore we noticed less Oriental Honey Buzzard. We have a few flocks of Black Baza. I do recall we got a surprise as we look through our binoculars cause in one of the flock it is actually a mixture of a few Oriental Honey Buzzard, majorities of Black Baza and a few Chinese Sparrowhawk. Lucky on that particular day we have a few Raptors Counters cause some of us can count on different species.
Oriental Honey Buzzard comes in variant of colours eg Pale morph, Dark Morph.


Occasionally we have a few fly past within a zoom lens reach. We even can noticed the colours of it's eyes as well eg red eyes or yellow eyes. This bird have yellow eyes.
OOps ... AAARgh a long big snake ????While we looking out for raptors in the sky one of our teammates spotted a “long big snake” Look through the binoculars OOOOh My is a crocodile. Sungei Linggi is where crocodile can be found., this being stray one could have cause by disturbance that make it wonder out from it’s cozy home. Have we ever ponder why a wild crocodile need to escape out from it's comfort zone ?


The list of birds I heard and saw at Tg Tuan.
Black Naped Oriole, Purple Throated Sunbird, Olive Backed Sunbird, Black Baza, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Grey-Faced Buzzard, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Frigatebird, Common Tailorbird, Banded Kingfisher, Olive-Winged Bulbul, Yellow-Vented Bulbul, Brahminy Kite, White Bellied Sea Eagle (Adult and Juvenile), Common Myna, Javan Myna, Changeable Hawk Eagle (dark & pale morph), Common Iora, Black Headed Munia, Blue Throated Bee eater, Blue Tailed Bee eater, Red Eyed Bulbul.

My lifer is the Lanceloted Warbler sighted on 24/3/2010 @ 10:16am –field mark

Grey in colour (maybe due it is perched under the shade of leaves), scally back, frontal straight stripe like juvenile asian glossy starling, white eye browed. Call is a cat-cat -cat-cat (continuously), There is no photograph opportunities at that moments.