“Lets get wild”: its raptor migration time again , March 2013

“Lets get wild”: I thought this sounded cool and it was the MNS Raptor Watch theme used for the 14^th raptor watch event. In January I started feeling restless and looking at our diary checking and waiting for the time to count raptors (birds of prey). 

Raptor migration starts in mid-February and runs until the end of March. This is when the raptors return to their breeding grounds in the northern hemisphere. Then, just before CNY, the email came from the coordinator to ask all the Volunteers that helped in the past to fill in their dates. This year I wanted to take part in the big MNS event weekend held 9-10 March and therefore we left for Port Dickson on 3 March. It was great seeing all the counters we knew from previous years (its my 3th year) and they were happy to see us again. Some of them have been counting since 2000 when the event began.  

Most volunteers during the week are people who are retired or taking time off work but at the weekends most are  working and have limited time, but all are birders. Some of the experienced birders can see if the flying birds are male, female or juvenile. I can see this only if the birds are very near or on pictures but I keep learning since I find these birds of prey so fascinating.

I spoke with one of the pioneers and he told me that actually he started reading about this phenomenon in ’94 when he had found some old reports from the British time in Malaysia.  In those days there was more forests and mangroves in the Port Dickson area. They found out that counting from the Lighthouse at Tanjung Tuan was the best since you can see the birds flying in from Pulau Rupat (Sumatra) across the Straits of Melaka.

After they got permission they formed a raptor study group in 2004 and from then they have gone to the lighthouse every year counting and keeping a record of the raptors they see. Every day we had to bring enough water, arrange lunch and rush up to set up the umbrellas, chairs, double telescope, single telescopes, binoculars, cameras and counters. Daily we used a score sheet where we added all the info on that day like the wind direction and speed, temperature, cloud cover, visibility, precipitation, the number and species we counted in that hour, not forgetting the time the first group flew in and their direction. This goes from 9.30 to 5pm or later if the raptors are still coming in. The data collected is given to Malaysian Nature Society for research.

The distance that the birds have to fly over the Strait of Melaka is 38 km and since they have no one to monitor the Sumatran site we wait and scan the area to see when the birds are coming; but when they come every one is on their feet, waiting, counting, taking photographs. There is a lot of excitement among us counters and photographers.

The raptors gasp due to fatigue while in the air. You can also tell they are struggling when their beaks are open. “Tanjung Tuan is located along their way, they need trees to take a break from a long journey.”

At Tanjung Tuan, events like Raptor Watch can help the public understand the importance of conserving natural forest, such as the coastal forest at the area. Tanjung Tuan is significant to migrating raptors. The coastal area offers a shorter passage from Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra to Pulau Rupat in Indonesia. From Pulau Rupat, the migrating birds will continue their way to their final destination. Tanjung Tuan is also one of the last remaining coastal rainforests in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

I must say that the raptor watch is something that is catching. You keep on returning and it’s never dull seeing them coming in. One of our best days was counting 5431 Oriental Honey Buzzards. It was awesome seeing them flying in big flocks high up in the sky but also low above the sea.   The Oriental Honey Buzzards started aarriving around 9.45 until late morning they kept coming in from different directions depending on the wind. We kept on clicking our counters until it slowed down.

The whole week we were very lucky and counted more than 10.000 birds, mainly Oriental Honey Buzzards, but also Grey Face Buzzard and few other species like Black Baza, Japanese Sparrow -hawk, Chinese Goshawk. The migrating raptors are going to North Asia, Northeastern Asia, Eastern Siberia, Kamchatka, Northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan and fly along the East Asian Flyway.

It takes them 45 minutes to one hour to cross the Straits and they use the hot air to gain height while circling above us and then they continue their journey. 

The first few days I noticed that there were many swiftlets around;  I think at least a 1000. When we suddenly spotted a Peregrine Falcon with a small bird, probably a swiftlet, in his beak the whole area became  deserted. All flew away until the coast was clear then came back.

Another day when we were checking through our binoculars we saw a raptor coming straight towards us and then suddenly it dived down and we all went to check what happened since we were worried it might end in the water and drown.  But no this was a resident raptor a Changeable Hawk Eagle looking for food. Another resident birds is White-Bellied Sea Eagle and while waiting for the migrating birds we often watched these flying around but other small birds also like the Black-naped Oriole, Doves, sunbirds, and Brahmini Kite. Sometimes monkeys like the Dusky Leaf Monkeys (Langur) came near.

On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10^th MNS had the big event was opened for public including the lighthouse (a first). It was good to take part as Kuching Branch meeting other branches and making new friends. It was very busy with lots of school kids and students and all were interested in seeing raptors and joining the activities too.

Also people from Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines had booths with information. There was much to do including interesting games for the kids to take part, mangrove guided walks, checking bird identification skills for the My Garden Bird Watch another yearly event held in June when we count birds in our gardens. (Check our blog and website).

Pictures taken by Hans Hazebroek

So far 49517 Oriental Honey Buzzards, 1486 Black Bazas, 87 Grey Faced Buzzards, 36 Chinese Goshawks, 18 unidentified accipiters, 9 Japanese Sparrowhawks, 7 Peregrine Falcons, 4 unidentified raptors, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Booted Eagle and 1 unidentified harrier. Total raptors counted as of 18 March: 51167have been counted and the count is going on until end of March.

We had a very nice week and hope that we can join again next year since they are not sure if it will be still on due to manpower and a lack of sponsors. Lets hope it will continue since we have to keep this alive to create awareness about these wonderful birds. 

Some raptors are endangered and the biggest threat for raptors is loss of habitat.

http://mnsraptorwatch.wordpress.com