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Saturday, December 15, 2012

More Birds During Full Moon !!!


(His BH after some modification)



An interesting email from a newbie who happened to be my blog reader.

He wanted to share his experiences.

He came to KL to meet me in person and I gave him my opinions about his problematic BH.

He got a good selection of those sounds and attended my Seminar in KK.

Now he is a new charged person.

This was what I wish every person will be after meeting me.

What I like about this email is his observation during full moon.  The number of birds seems to be affected by it.

I hope there is a proper explanation but at the moment I have no idea or reasons to make:


Hi Harry,

How are you doing?  Hope you remember me Mr B from Sdk (Sandakan). The last time we met when you brought me to collect fig trees cutting and visit you Kepong BH. Here I would like to share some of my BH progress, the BH design is not the ideal design  expected but I manage to turn the environment to be swiftlet friendly.

My BH went through major revamp on April 2012 after personally meet you and join your seminar (at KK) and it took 3 months to complete revamp deal to uncertain of weather, 1  major adjustment of solar power system to maximize the power storage to carry the 120 tweeters and 2 sound system adjustment to optimize between power usage and volume control to attract wild swiftlet. There are a lot obstacle that I have to went through to improve the BH environment, sound system and the safety of BH (after being sabotage by intruder by throwing rock to spoil the speaker)

The performance up to August 2012, only 3 pairs of swiftlet live in the BH by observing the dropping spot .  another minor adjustment being done and servicing on the BH environment.

  1. Cover 70% of the ventilation holes because the BH location was at the top of the hill the movement of air causes the RH and temperature fluctuated very drastically. RH 70%~90% temperature 27°~30°
  2. increase water piling to increase humidity ( Humidifier usage unable to utilize because limitation of power supply)
  3. applying the wall with Mutiara Aroma and Pheromone
  4. applying the last tango system

All these system have been stable up until now.

Sharing some of my  observation result (at least around my BH):

  1. The birds come back late when full moon. Through my observation it comeback 30 minutes after the sky totally dark. ( probably insect activity increase when full moon)
  2. The birds prefer to chase one another through one entrance to another entrance in the monkey house before dive in to the roving area and the nesting area.
  3. The birds attracted to changes of sound volume, they will come and inspect every time the volume being tune up or tune down.

  1. The latest discovery I observe. My sound system is kind like below setting:


    1. Internal system playing internal sound for 24hrs none stop ( sound tune nod to 9 o’clock)
    2. External  system 1 playing external sound from 6.30am to 10.30am continue 12noon to 7.00pm (sound tune nod to 9.30 o’clock * external tune turn of for 1hr 30 minute to allow solar charge battery)
    3. External system 2 playing external sound from 3pm to 6.30pm ( sound tune nod 10 o’clock * act as the last tango system but kind an early tango)

The systems have been running for 3 months now and the number of bird increase week after week from 6 birds to 16 birds.

Last Friday there is lack of activity on the monkey house only 3 or 4 birds chasing each other near the monkey. Acting on my curiosity I go and check out the system and all the system is okay; I waited until the day getting dark *around 6pm (which normally birds will come home) and not many turn out near the monkey house. So I went into the control room to check the system again, and this time I accidentally trip off the 2ndexternal sound system (last tango) and the sound stop. In my mind say ~oh boy, I mess thing up~. Surprisingly what happen is an eyes opening for me. All the sudden I heard  flocks of swiftlet calling each other in the  sky around the monkey house and I can see all those birds coming back from all direction flock near to the monkey house entrance waiting turn to getting in as if they being chase by predator. Apparently those birds were still searching for insect around the forest and the pond near by. The sound has become their homing point while their searching for insect 50 to 80 meter away. When the sound suddenly stop before 6.30pm those bird get scare and wanted to go back to safety as  fast as they can.

Now I know the number of birds staying in my BH increase more the 20 birds. Is not a big population, by the increase of number of birds provided me indication that the BH environment has improve. Now inside have 3 full cup nest, 4 new nest marks, and multiple new spot of dropping. I hope next service I could improve more on the solar power system to upgrade the external sound system 1 to operate none stop for 13 hours.

 Every BH has their unique problem and solution as long as owner willing to learn more. And I hope I could learn more  and also share more of my observation.

Thank you

Mr. B

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