Wednesday 11 August 2010

Pangkor Laut

A quick update from our current residence - Pangkor Laut, a 300 acre island on the West coast of Malaysia - a true heaven on earth. The accommodation is wonderful and the staff are very attentive. Knowing that I was a birder, they've even supplied a field guidebook this morning - albeit from 1950! (The birds of the Malay Peninsula by A.G Glenister)

It's beautiful here, though quiet bird wise.

Keeping me entertained are bold oriental pied hornbill - very tame as they get fed outside the bar! Less tame but mighty impressive are great hornbill - absolutely huge (book states a body length bill - tail of 120cm!). Amazing how they can hide themselves in the tall trees. In flight you can hear their wings - described in a book that the hotel has given me as sounding like a steam train! I'm looking forward to working on some of the hornbill photographs upon our return to the UK.

There are a minimum of 5 white-bellied sea eagle in out bay and at least 4 brahminy kite. Black-naped tern feed off-shore.

I'm still seeing new birds which is good, highlight yesterday was a male asian fairy bluebird in the dense jungle.

In the bay there are otter and monitor lizard, while very cheeky long tailed macaque monkey try their best to open the villa doors to steal fresh fruit!

No watches, no mobile phone to carrry - life is good here...

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