Announcement: Nature Camp Ulu Geroh

There is a 2 days 1 night nature camp that will be held in Gopeng Resort on 4th and 5th Feb. This is a combined activity of MNS Perak and MNS Penang. We intend to have carving in Gua Tempurung, Jungle trekking (to Rafflesia-trail for the biggest flower in Malaysia) in Ulu Geroh and visit Orang Asli-Semai settlement, bird watching and slide show. We intend to have only 30 participants. Those who are above 12 years old are welcome to take part. Application for this camp will close on 28 Jan. Those who are interested, please contact Lee Yuat Wah (tel no: 017-5775641) or email to leeyuatwah@yahoo.com as soon as possible.

MNS received Perak Tourism Award 2011

A congratulations to MNS for receiving the Perak Tourism Award 2011, Innovative Organization Category, the presentation was held at Royal Perak Golf Club, on 30th December 2011. The award was presented by the MB of Perak.

Also a special thanks to all the members that had put in their efforts as well as those who had continued to support MNS that has helped MNS to reach this success.

MNS winning the Perak Tourism Award 2011

Prof Maketab, MNS President and Lee, MNS Perak President receive the award from the Perak MB

TAIPING RAPTOR FESTIVAL 2011 successfully launched

The first Taiping Raptor Watch was organized for members in 2001 and subsequently this event became an annual Branch activity. In 2010, MNS Perak obtained the Merdeka Fund grant to carry out a full season count of migrant raptors in Taiping. As one of its deliverable is “to promote public awareness and interest in raptor migration at Taiping”, the Branch organized the inaugural Taiping Raptor Festival 2011 on 29 (Saturday) and 30 (Sunday) October 2011.

The venue was at Taiping Sentral, a mall located at the foot of Scott’s Hill where raptors pass over on their autumn passage to regions in the south. Three marquees were set up at the parking bays outside the mall for registration of visitors, display of posters, sales tables and children’s activities. The location for watching migrating raptors was in the grounds of nearby Taiping Villa (adjacent to Scott’s Hill), a gated property. Interested visitors were given vehicle passes to drive into Taiping Villa for raptor-watching.

Banners and buntings were put up a week before the event along roads leading to the venue and also in Taiping Sentral Mall area. A newspaper distributor was paid to insert 600 flyers in the STAR and Sin Chew Jit Poh newspapers. Announcements of the event were sent to the print media, various bird groups and put up in the Branch blog and mailing list.

The programmes for 29 Oct (Saturday) and 30 Oct (Sunday) was as follows:

9.30am – 5.00pm: Taiping Sentral Mall car park – registration of visitors, door gifts, posters on raptors and migration, activities for children, sales of MNS items, lucky draw, promotion of birdwatching equipment
9.30am – 1.00pm: Raptor watching at Taiping Villa ground
8.00pm – 9.00pm (Saturday only): Slide presentation on “Raptors of Malaysia” at Taiping Zoo seminar room
8.00am – 9.30am (Sunday only): Public birdwatching in Taiping Lake Gardens

The response from the public and MNS members was very encouraging. Most of the people of Taiping were unaware of the annual spectacle of migration over the town and many were thrilled to see flocks of Black Bazas passing over Scott’s Hill. Below is a summary of the statistics for the event:

No. of registered visitors:
132 (20 members) (Sat); 89 (12 members) (Sun)

New members who signed up to join MNS:
10
No. of raptors counted at Scott’s Hill:
1881 (Sat) and 461 (Sun)

No. of participants who attended the talk on raptors:
34 (21 members)

No of participants who joined the birdwatching walk:
30 (mostly locals)

No. of vehicle passes for Taiping Villa raptor watch site:
18 (Sat) and 29 (Sun)

Yang Dipertua of Majlis Perbandaran Taiping visited Taiping Villa raptor watch site on Sat 29 Oct STAR and NST reported the event:

STAR: http://thestar.com.my:80/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F11%2F14%2Fmetroperak%2F9891785&sec=metroperak
NST: http://www.nst.com.my:80/streets/northern/aerial-treat-from-migratory-raptors-1.3707

The Taiping Raptor Festival 2011 owes its successful debut to the following sponsors and supporters:

• Schmidt Marketing, KL for financial support and donation of a pair of Minox binoculars for the lucky draw
• Ngan Yin Groundnut Factory, Ipoh for financial support
• United Educational Supplier and Ideal Enterprise, Taiping for donating hampers for the lucky draw
• Taiping Sentral Mall for providing the venue, marquees and permission for access into Taiping Villa
• Majlis Perbandaran Taiping for exempting fees for putting up buntings, loaning display boards and for free use of campsite for students and seminar room for the talk
• Dr Neoh Chin Boon and Mr Ooi Beng Yean for donating desk calendars and books for the lucky draw
• Volunteers from MNS Perak and MNS Selangor Bird Group

The marquee at Taiping Sentral, Taiping Raptor Festival

Talk on "Birds of Malaysia" well attended by the locals

Various posters about raptors are available for the public to view

The real deal - watching raptors on Scott's Hill

The festival has many diversed activities, including "Games"

Childrens that were brought to the event by their parents equally enjoyed the games provided

Some participants having fun with Black Baza suit

MNS Perak President Lee Ping Kong giving out prizes to the lucky draw winner

Some participants are joining the birdwatching event at Taiping Lake Gardens

Reported by:

Lim Kim Chye
Chairman
Organising Committee for Taiping Raptor Festival 2011

Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC) 2012

Dates: 7 – 22 January 2012
Place: Various locations in Perak (see sites listed below)

The Asian Waterfowl Census is an annual waterbird census carried out every January throughout Asia by volunteers at their local sites. In Malaysia, this citizen science project is co-ordinated by MNS, with participation by birders from the various MNS Bird Groups. Analysis of data collected during AWC help Wetlands International, the organizer, in long term conservation planning of waterbirds and their wetland habitats. The data is also a useful tool for decision-makers when planning development projects.

The following sites will be surveyed on a date to be fixed by the respective count leaders (name and contact in brackets):

• Ulu Dedap ricefields, Kg. Gajah
  (Ooi Beng Yean 017-508 2206 bengyean@gmail.com)
• Sg. Buaya ricefields, Kg. Gajah
  (Dr Chan Kai Soon 012 5315670 chankaisoon@hotmail.com)
• Kinta Nature Park, Batu Gajah
  (Dr Chan Kai Soon (012 5315670 chankaisoon@hotmail.com)
• Kamunting ex-mining lands, Taiping
  (Lim Kim Chye 016-5538431 spizaetus08@gmail.com)
• Kuala Gula, Matang Forest Reserve
  (PERHILITAN & Lim Kim Chye 016-5538431 spizaetus08@gmail.com)
• Malim Nawar ex-mining lands
  (Tan Ah Lai 012 5181929 cotana@streamyx.com)
• Taiping Lake Gardens
  (Ng Kok Keong 012 5147188 kkng_07@yahoo.com)

Those interested to pick up the finer points of waterbird identification and to help with the counting, please contact the above persons to confirm participation. Note that the trips are for waterbird surveys and not for pleasure birding.

Announcement

Taiping Raptor Watch 2011

Overnight trip in Cameron Highlands

MNS Perak is organizing a rare treat of 2 day 1 night field trip in Cameron Highlands for all members. Program includes visitation to organic vegetable farm, bee farm, butterfly garden, tea plantation and trekking a mossy forest trail.

Date: 12-13th Nov, 2011
Accommodation: BPH Tanah Rata, individual bed for each person
Age group: Only suitable for kids above 10 yrs old
Cost: RM70 member, RM80 non-member (child/adult)
Transfer: Car-pooling charges are to be paid directly to drivers.

Cost covers accommodation, entrance fee, guide fees, selected meals and activities. As beds are limited, bookings are on first pay first served basis. A pre-trip briefing will be held at 8pm on 7th Nov Monday at No.5, Jalan Gopeng, Ipoh (see map). For bookings, kindly contact Lee Ping Kong at lpk682@yahoo.com or call 016 5655682.