Friday, August 13, 2010

MNS BCC-Waterbirds Group Vacancy : Field Coordinator


The Malaysian Nature Society – Bird Conservation Council Waterbirds Group will conduct a survey of the entire coastline of the state of Sarawak to identify key waterbird sites and to identify and count waterbird populations during the northern winter period of October 2010 to March 2011.

Position: Field Coordinator

The Field Coordinator position (Part/Full Time) will run from Aug 2010 – July 2011 and can be based either in Kuching or Miri.

Primary duties:

1. Coordinate all aspects of the project, including specific responsibility for:

a) Plan aerial, boat and land-based surveys
b) Set-up and deploy field survey teams
c) Maintain a database of volunteers, survey details, community outreach and training programs
d) Coordinate training and public awareness events
e) Document project
f) Coordinate, store and analyse data
g) Create and maintain good relationship with community representatives within survey sectors
h) Liaise with media and produce press releases, etc
i) Write reports : weekly reports to BCC-WG, coordinate and input to interim reports, final reports
j) Keep accounts for the spending of project funds

2. Answerable and report directly to BCC-WG Chairperson (and/or his representative) on all aspects of the project work

3. Liaise with volunteer bird group coordinators in Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Lawas, Seria and Bandar Seri Begawan ( Brunei )

4. Liaise with agencies, institutions and corporations and potential co-funders within and outside Sarawak (attend relevant meetings workshops, etc)


Requirements:
-Previous experience in environmental field survey work, engaging agencies, institutions and corporations at the highest levels, preferably in Malaysia or Southeast Asia.
-Very good strategic and planning/organizational abilities, with an aptitude to work on own initiative with minimum supervision and to stay on task.
-Malaysian national resident in Sarawak
-University degree in a related field or equivalent practical experience. Good written and oral communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia . Additional languages will be an advantage.
-Good interpersonal and leadership skills, innovative thinking, versatile ability to work in a team and independently.
-Willingness to travel and work outside office environments, as required.
-Ability to work effectively at all levels, with above-mentioned institutions, governments and non-government agencies and build excellent working relationships.
-Familiarity with and interest in waterbirds and wetland habitats an advantage
-Experience in scientific report-writing an advantage
-Computer literate
-Use of GPS in field and storage of GPS data an advantage


Please send your CV to:

Anthony Wong
BQ204, 1st Floor, Batu Kawah New Township (MJC),
Jalan Batu Kawa ,
93250 Kuching,
Sarawak

Tel: 082-463803 Fax:082-462803
Hp: 013-8333163

Email: antwong@sareaga.com

Applications will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Some Waders in Kuala Baram


Assorted waders flying in the morning from its roost.


Waders flying about looking for a suitable sandbar to rest during early morning rising tide.


Waiting out the high tide at Kuala Baram.


Red-necked Stints sporting breeding colors.


All pretty in a row.


A Great Knot at the back, still sporting his summer colors.


Waders spooked by a Collared Kingfisher flying past.


A Malaysian Plover, quite a few of them this season, 10 birds at one time just this week.


Little Tern taking off. We did not see any Great-crested Tern yet this season aside from a very distant view of a group on Pulau Bawai at the beginning of the month.


A Lesser Sandplover on the beach.

Nazeri Abghani/Aug 2010

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Kuala Baram Lagoon August


Waders are back!

Birds today, 02nd August 2010:
Great Crested Terns (40) over on the tip of Bawai.
Greater Sand Plover (30) on this side of the lagoon, some still sporting summer colors
Common Greenshank (4)
Red-necked Stint (10)
Common Sandpiper
Sanderling
Little Egret

Other birds nearby:
Collared Kingfisher busy chasing after fiddler crabs
A pair of Pied Triller feeding two juveniles
Yellow-bellied Prinia
Black-headed Munia
Striated Grassbird
White-breasted Woodswallow

Due to low tide this morning, the birds were quite a distance away.
Birds today, morning of 03rd August 2010 0700-0740hrs:

Terek Sandpiper
Malaysian Plover
Lesser Sandplover
Red-necked Stint
Little Egret
Collared Kingfisher
Chinese Egret
Pacific Reef Egret

Although the conditions is almost ideal, the birds are not in large numbers. The day was overcast with moisture laden rain clouds. Light drizzle. High tide and no wind.

Plenty of waders morning of the 06th Aug, but the weather was a washout ... drizzling the whole morning. Tide was good but wasn't high enough. Because of the rain I din't bring out the scope, the bino however didn't fare too well ... droplets of rain made it difficult to see anything.

Conditions on 07th Aug was perfect. By the time it was 6:30 am, the tide was just peaking. All the birds were clumped at one place. Skies blue and clear. Birds spotted 06:30-09:00AM:

Malaysian Plover
Little Egret
Chinese Egret
Greater Sandplover
Lesser Sandplover
Common Greenshank
Redshank
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint
Little Tern
Great Knot
Grey-tailed Tattler
Collared Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Gull-billed Tern


Some of the birds at the beach today, 07th Aug 2010.

The Common Redshank, Red-necked Stint, Greater Sandplover, Reshank and Great Knot looked stunning in their summer colors. Didn't see a single Great-crested Tern this time around!

Highest tide yet today 09th August, and a couple of new birds to add: Black-tailed Godwit and Asian Dowitcher feeding together!

Birds spotted 06:45-08:30AM:

Malaysian Plover
Little Egret
Chinese Egret
Greater Sandplover
Lesser Sandplover
Common Greenshank
Redshank
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint
Little Tern
Great Knot
Grey-tailed Tattler
Collared Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Gull-billed Tern
Terek Sandpiper


Little Tern, Red-necked Stint, Greater Sandplover, 09th August


Asian Dowitcher, 09th August


Black-tailed Godwit, 09th August


Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Asian Dowitcher, Terek Sandpiper, Malaysian Plover 09th Aug

Great-crested Tern has yet to make an appearance on the beach as of 09th Aug, aside from really distant views made a week ago off the tip of the sandbar off Pulau Bawai.

This morning 10th Aug, the tide level was rather low to start around 06:45am but slowly (very slowly) rises to a peak at 10am. Unfortunately I can't stay that long ... you have to work sometime. It was worth it, another new bird today : Curlew Sandpiper (1) in breeding colors!

The number of Red-necked Stint was also higher than yesterday, all of them frantically feeding in the soft mud about to be submerged, some of them are still in breeding colors. These are "cutest" when resting while waiting out the tides ... head curled in while the body swings a little to the left and just a little right exactly like a tiny clock movement, back and forth, back and forth. Maybe it's a soothing thing for them ... like sucking thumb for some kids.

Birds spotted 06:45-08:30AM:
Malaysian Plover (10 perched on timber)
Little Egret
Chinese Egret
Greater Sandplover
Lesser Sandplover
Common Greenshank
Redshank
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint (many today, close to 30)
Little Tern
Great Knot (1)
Collared Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
Gull-billed Tern (2 at least)
Terek Sandpiper (10)

The tides are looking rather low this weekend, hoping we can venture out to the actual flats to get closer to these fellas this Saturday. We are planning a Wader outing 14th August, 6:30-09:00AM. Expect to get wet and muddy, please email if interested.

Nazeri Abghani/Aug 2010
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