Shorebirds of Kuala Selangor - September 2020

From June to August this year, I have been surveying the various shorebirds in the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. I thought a break would be nice but when opportunity came knocking, there is no time to waste. This time the location of survey was along the coastline of Kuala Selangor.

Waiting for the tide to recede

As the tide receded further, the first batch of birds came. These were mainly small 'Calidris' and 'Charadrius' which can be seen at the right side of the photo.

No waders yet but the tide has already more than half way down. Wonder where have they all gone to?

Finally they came in numbers. They were all scattered along the mudflats and not concentrated like those in TAT or Kuala Muda sites. The length of coastline between Kuala Selangor to Klang is about 43km or 27 miles. So I guess they could be anywhere along this coastline.

Here you could see a variety of shorebirds, foraging harmoniously along each other. I guess there are enough food for all at this place. Most of them stayed quite a distance from where we are though.

Nevertheless I did managed to get some decent shots from this trip as well.

Here is a juvenile Lesser Sand Plover showing its typical peech-coloured plumage as described by many literatures. Since its a juvenile, this bird is most likely from the far flung/remote areas of the Far East and not an over-staying individual.

A Lesser Sand Plover - showing new feathers at its scapular area. Most likely a Tibetan race, transiting from breeding to non-breeding plumage.

Another fine looking adult Lesser Sand Plover and a crabby !

Some of them have molted into their winter plumage like this one here.

A comparison of a juvenile Lesser Sand Plover (right) and an adult (left).

Charadrius species of waders are small but they can fly very fast. Not an easy subject for a 'Bird-in-Flight' (BiF) shot.

At times skirmishes can and do happened on mudflats

Here you can see a Lesser Sand Plover approaching another Lesser Sand Plover

Then they started discussing on something.

The one on the left is raising its body to show that it is larger and stronger.

...and suddenly all hell broke loose between them! (note: the victor is the one at the bottom which stood its ground)

Here is an adult Terek Sandpiper. The dark coloured bill and black carpal bar are indicative signs of a breeding Terek SP as described by some books.

When watching waders, it is not easy to get a lifer / a rare bird. But as a consolation, when one sees a bird with a flag or ring, it can be considered an eureka !

The bird on the right spots a "Blue over Yellow" flag. According to the flagging protocol, this Terek Sandpiper has been banded in Bohai Bay, China which is one of the most strategic and important rest area for Artic birds migrating along the EAAF routes.

A close-up on the flags.

A Terek Sandpiper trying to find a spot to land on a 'hostile' land.

 I have yet to see a "Little Stint" but this Red-necked Stint provides a  cool relief.

A comparison of a Red-necked Stint in post breeding plumage (2 cy) and another in winter plumage.

Possibly another wader from the Far East example Siberia. This is a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.

In this trip we saw quite a number of Eurasian Curlews and Common Redshanks too.

This is an Eurasian Curlew showing its clean white underwings, long bill and wing span.

This Eurasian Curlew, however, has a shorter bill.

While this Eurasian Curlew has a shorter wing. Three different profile/variations of a same species.

A Common Redshank flying in

This photo has a lot of "noise" but I think it is still pretty decent though.

A much sharper photo of a Common Redshank

This is more like a common looking Common Redshank.

There were also terns and other interesting shore birds sighted in this trip too.

Common Tern

Unlike the Ssp S.h Longipennis (photo below) which has a dark bill and black legs, this is the Ssp S.h minussensis which shows a red bill with black tip and red colored legs (Allen J & Alan Pearson, 2012). These features are only distinguishable during breeding season. Note also its pinkish belly !

A Common Tern (Ssp S.h Longipennis)

Whiskered Tern

Showing its smudgy looking under belly

Along with "Little Terns", these Whiskered Terns are gregarious birds which like to follow fishermen boats for an easy pick of fishes.

These are Black-winged Stilt which hardly forage in intertidal flats. Seen here for the first time. Local fishermen were equally astonished with their presence.

Love how Dr. Wells described their leg color as putty-pink.

As mentioned earlier, nature can be very unpredictable and hostile if you are not careful.

Here are two mudskippers casually chatting away and seemingly unaware what is coming their way for one of them.

Then out of no where, a Little Egret swooped in to take one of them. Gone in just a few minutes. Nature can be unforgiving at times.

This Grey Heron brought some cheers to the proceedings.

It can be found from the Americas to Europe and right down to India, South East Asia to China and Japan. Truly an international bird.

Another majestic and iconic bird at this place.

Lesser Adjutant aka 'Burung Botak'

Painted Stork

This time we saw 60 of them foraging near the jetty.

THE END !

"The person who starts the story has to finish the story" 

(Jose Mourinho, 2013)

Shorebirds survey (Malaysia) - August 2020

In June 2020 I have surveyed the intertidal flats at Kuala Muda, Peninsular Malaysia and I have another opportunity to conduct a survey again in August 2020. Unfortunately the timing of the tides are not so ideal - the receding tides happened in the early hours of the morning. Hence the waders were at the edge of the shoreline when i reached the place.

Here's an overview of the survey landscape. The furthest I have venture out was the little bush in front.

In watching waders, you will need to be as close as possible in order to get a decent shot of them. Otherwise they will appear like some small specks in your pixel.

Here is a group of waders (mainly Common Redshanks) waiting for the tide to recede.

More joined them as the tide recedes further.

Then the smaller Charadrius flew in.

It was certainly difficult to find a spot in such a crowded field but landed they did.

Then came the bigger waders - here is a flock of Black-tailed Godwits with some Asian Dowitchers on the bottom right of the photo.

Followed by a flock of Asian Dowitcher. I have counted about 50 of them. This number is certainly a far cry from the numbers recorded in Qingkouhe mudflat in China. There the researchers have recorded close to 22K in a day which is equivalent to about 73% of the global population (BirdingAsia # 32). But chances of seeing them are higher in the Northern Peninsular Malaysia as compared to other areas such as the North-Central of Selangor coastline.

It was the same situation on my second visit i.e two days after the earlier one. The waders stayed quite a distance away.

They were mainly scattered everywhere on the mudflat and I have only surveyed about 200 - 300 meters of the total area.

Some did came close like these ones.

Lesser Sand Plovers

This one is almost to its winter plumage. I believe its a juvenile Lesser Sand Plover - highlighted by its peachy wash color on breast and face.

Red-necked Stint
 

This time there were lots of terns

They would prefer the less muddier part of the flats.

When the Brown-headed Gulls arrive in October, they will usually replace them (the terns) at this location.

This Eurasian Curlew is actually handicapped as it lost one of its foot but it was doing just fine.

A pair of Little Egrets 

A Grey Heron casually strolling along the flats. 

A wide angle view of the terns and waders.

They were mainly Common Terns with a few Little Terns (at the bottom) accompanying them.

More terns taking flight.

Once awhile some of them will fly close by.

This is a Common Tern (S.h longipennis)

Here is a small group of Asian Dowitchers together with other waders.

You will never get bored of watching waders/shore birds !