Sepang Besar River Bird Survey - A Day Trip to Sepang Goldcoast on 17th December 2016, Saturday

One last birding trip, I thought, just before resuming work would be the best closure for the year 2016, signed up and drove to Sepang Goldcoast on Saturday, 17^th December 2016. It took me around an hour and ten minutes from Cheras to reach Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort. Since I arrived seven minutes late at the meeting point, the early birds decided that I should be the one to write the report for this survey. Well, here it goes.

Seven birders, three gentlemen and four lovely ladies from Wild Bird Club Malaysia (WBCM) participated the survey assisted by awesome guide Mr. Sindi from Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort. All 7 members of the Wild Bird Club Malaysia (WBCM) gathered at the lobby of Avani Resort, Sepang Goldcoast, around 8.10am on Saturday morning, briefed by Mr.Sindi from Avani Resort and our WBCM President Mr. Andy Lee.

After the briefing, we took a short drive to the nearby jetty to board our boat arranged especially for the WBCM members by the Resort’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr MC Wong. The Resort had also arranged our transportation to the Jetty overlooking the Sepang Besar River. The count was started at 8.30 am and done by boat along the river, I never realised birding can be so easy, “just sit and wait for the bird to come to you”.

As we started, we were greeted by a White-Throated Kingfisher, and shortly after that was my very first Jungle fowl in the wild, sitting on a tree top branch facing the river and showcased its flying abilities before disappearing into the forest. Now, who said a chicken can’t fly?

From the jetty the boat took us inland (upstream) till Taman Murni Sepang Town Jetty before turning back. We stopped at Taman Murni Sepang Town Jetty at 10.40 am and this is where we did a 20 minutes birding on foot where we saw the Cinereous (Great) Tit, Artic Warbler, Storkbilled Kingfisher, Oriental Magpie Robin and 4 different raptors circling up in the sky – Black Shouldered Kite, Crested Serpent Eagle, Oriental Honey Buzzard and Brahminy Kite.

  Collared Kingfisher and Stork-Billed Kingfisher

  Brahminy Kite and White-Bellied Sea Eagle
 

White-Bellied Sea Eagle (Juvenile)

On our return journey, we were tailing an Accipiter which was flying from one side of the river to the other. After a while the Accipiter flew further into the forest never to be seen again. Our downstream journey took us till the Straits of Malacca where the scenic view of the sky and the sea was breathtaking.

Osprey with a very quizzical gaze (Picture by Valle Sinniah)

Overall, the journey upstream and downstream was very much quiet. There were long gaps before another bird is spotted. Mr. Sindi explained, that this could be the outcome of fishermen on fishing boats ahead of us that probably scared the birds away. There were many fishing boats and fishing huts seen along the river.

After the count we were taken back to the resort and treated with lunch of our own choice. Food was awesome.

by Valle Sinniah, WBCM Member

Pictures by Andy Lee