Yesterday, February 16th 2008, I was with Victor in Brunei and we went Swiftlet birdcall tour ....
During my last trip we went to Tempurong. This time we moved towards Labi.
Victor indicated that Labi is very closed to the Malaysian border and a stone throw from Niah's Cave and Baram river. He was very sure that there will be lots of those cave birds around.
After picking me up at Lumut BLNG we stopped for a quick brunch. After filling up our tummy we started our jouney towards Labi.
The wheather was not very friendly. It have been drizzling and some time rain.
After about 45 minutes drive, he detoured to a hilling area call Bukit Sawat. The roads were okay but lots of broken spots with lots of soft muds. Victor uses his four wheel power to go thru those soft areas.
The cool wheather was ideal to see both the Martins and the "Swiftlets".
We choose about three areas to conduct our birdcall tests. We have with us the medium range gun tweeter and a normal tweeter. We blasted the birdcall sound and waited for some action.
Both three tests received the same response. The birds will fly above the sound just for a few seconds, about 10 to 15 seconds and immediately gone missing.
Only one that came down to do a close check and that was also one loop around the car. Immediately after that it will never come back for a second look.
What are weird response.
We packed out tweeters and moved towards Labi.
This small town is an agricultural areas where there were lots of flat land with Padi fields and other agri businesses.
This was suppossed to be the nearest assessible area in Brunei that is nearest to Niah Cave. We survey the sky and there were many so call "swiftlets" and Martins.
Since we do not wish to disturb the Long House residents we moved about 1 kilometer away and blast our tweeters.
The same result were observed. The "swiftlets", not many, will fly over the car for just a few short seconds and went missing.
The rain starts to be thicker so we packed our tweeters and moved to Labi.
At Labi we found a nice spot in a Padi field near a hut. Parked the 4 wheel drive and blast the tweeters. We managed to sit and watch the action from about a 100 meters away siting under a shelter. It was drizzling though.
The result was still the same as those tests that we did before. A few curious group of "swiftlets" will dropped by for a few precious seconds and off they go.
We did the observations for almost 30 minutes and the response was not that encouranging we moved on. I got a plane to catch.
Overall all the tests conducted gives similar results. A few "swiftlets" will come overhead for about 10 to 15 seconds and off they go without turning back.
I was expecting more then that. My usual expectation is that the birds will zoom in from all sides (360*) and congrugate above the car where those tweeters are located. They will keep circling until we switch off the sound. I was wrong ...
My conclusion is the same like the first visit made to Tempurong north of Seri Bangawan.
I concluded that the "swiftlets" mentioned are all those of Grass Nest Swiftlet the non edible nest makers.
We stopped for dinner along the way and one of the best way to proof our findings is to get hold of suitable birdcall music that will attract only the serinti and grass swiftlets.
How I wish someone who read this blog will give me the lead on how to get one set.....
Some additional pictures taken during the Labi, Brunei Trip:-
A signboard about the Long House in Labi
A Scenic View along the way.
A Red Seed Pod Creaper Plant.
How the Read Seed Pod Looks Like Closeup...
An Old Bailey Bridge Up For Sale (UK Design) Any buyer? .....
Padi Field Area Where We conduct the Birdcall test....
Wild Rattan Tree (Fresh and Tall)...
Wild Bananas In The Thick Forest ....
3 comments:
If you can record seriti calls, maybe the response from the grass nests swiftlets (esculenta) would be better. Esculenta colonies are quieter than fuciphaga. Esculenta go chit-chit-chit while fuciphaga go tak-tak-tak when inside their colonies. However, for external sound I'm not so sure.
Thank U anonymous. If there is any chance of getting a sound that will allow me to differentiate what those "walets" are I will greatly appreciate.
Harry, I met a consultant yesterday. He has a sifu in Medan. He said that a sound system has to meet certain frequency range by using a powerful amplifier. I cannot recall what frequency he said. But I guess this is why a fail test is happening...I did the same before, the result is just not promising even after changing CD. I believe my normal car audio system is not up to par, the sound tend to be broken when the volume is at the highest, I suspect you faced the same problem..
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