On the 17th of February, 22 participants had joined us to visit mud flats near Kg Sungai Serdang, Kapar. The trip was primarily to observe the shore birds which are wintering along the North Central Selangor Coast area and other species of birds which live in the coastal habitat.
Our day started early as some participants had arrived since the crack of dawn. After having our tummies filled with delicious Nasi Lemak and whole spread of other breakfast items at the nearby warung, we headed out to the mud flats. The low tide had begun for quite some time and the waders were scattering all over the flats. We quickly set up our spotting scopes and stationed ourselves along the bund road.
Waders watching can be frustrating as most birds look more or less similar to one another. However, for the true birders, this is a challenge and one must take on it. Luckily, we were accompanied by veteran birder, Mr Khoo Swee Seng who helped us with tips on how to identify waders. Not to forget, our trusted waders field guide which came in handy.
We had a good variety of waders such as Lesser and Greater Sand Plover; Common, Terek, Curlew, Broad-billed and Marsh Sandpiper; Great Knot; Common Greenshank and Redshank; Bar-tailed Godwit and many more. Several participants also walked around to check the regular species which can be found in the coastal habitat such as Cinereous Tit, Purple Heron, Common Iora, Oriental Magpie-robin, Ashy Tailorbird, Brahminy Kite and others.
As the tide went further and further away, so did the birds. Suddenly, a huge shadow appeared in front of us and, lo and behold, a Lesser Adjutant (listed as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red Book) decided to land right in front us. Surprisingly, the bird didn’t give a hoot about us as its big eyes were fixated on the mud, maybe looking for plump mudskippers or shellfishes. We were totally in awe, and some were busily clicking their cameras, to capture this truly unforgettable moment.
By noon, we concluded the trip as the waders were very far out and the sun was straight above our heads. All in all, Kg Sungai Serdang is a great place to showcase the abundance and diversity of shore birds which use North Central Selangor Coast as the wintering ground. Hope to see you guys again in our future trips and happy birding!
