It is a snake hit by a vehicle, pity
It turn out to be a Cobra - I bet this small cobra had been hit by a motorbike, but somehow it manage to slither to the roadside and die here, I'm planning to take the head but someone waiting for me. Better hurry, so after I move the dead snake body - I continue riding my motorbike to the promised location.
In the middle of my ride, my phone ringing and I know I had to hurry and I manage to arrive on 0503 at the mosque. In Dave car's we went to Tanjung Dawai.
The fishing boat with two loving dolphin greet us as usual - while we boarding the new boat...
View of the new boat front deck from the captain's room - this vessel had 4 storeys with the length of 120 feet, the largest anchovy boat in Tanjung Dawai.
With the great vessel come the great crew - those band of old boys and some of them is the important crews
for this vessel.
This is PokYa from Besut, Terengganu, he is the vice-captain and net supervisor of the vessel.
Our trip began as all the vessel crew especially those band of old boys assemble on the boat. We leave Tanjung Dawai at 0655 in the morning.
Behind us - Gunung Jerai look foggy, Sungai Merbok look dark
Well, weather look promising as the sky show some 'overcast' character - but you'll never know what out there.
We were greeted by some swift, egret and heron action before we leave the estuary of Sungai Merbok entering the Kedah water.
First few terns moving north - most of the birds cocsist of Bridled Tern
The boat captain make a call and Mr Harom, ready to launch the net for the day first catch
The net that had been launched - two crew will make a drumming sound in front of the boat to create panic to the fish do that they won't move down.
Attracted to the activities, terns gather near the net to feed on the fish - Bridled Tern make up the biggest proportion of tern in Tanjung Dawai today
Lesser Crested Tern - Not so common during this time of year in Tanjung Dawai
This bird look elegant - the orange bill with black-capped
Comparison between Lesser-crested Tern and Common Tern, the number of Common Tern today decreases slightly where no more than 10 individuals seen
A Skua try to approach the boat - but leave as soon as it get the food from the tern
It turn out to be a Long-tail Skua/Jaeger - They are still numerous compared to last week and other Skua/Jaeger in Malaysian water.
Today is the first time I seen all three Skua/Jaeger species in Tanjung Dawai - although had seen that in Mersing, my opinion is Mersing is a better places for Skua/Jaeger compare to Tanjung Dawai.
The main attractor bird in Tanjong Dawai is the Short-tailed Shearwater, which whenever it fly past the boat some of the crew will shout to us - offering a better chance to take picture of this tubenose.
It fly very close to the sea surface - thus the less choppy condition of sea would offer a better chances to observe this magnificent bird.
On the second net launch, the shearwater come close and sit on the water within the net's buoy ring - offering good opportunity to observed this bird closely
It dip it's head into the water - peeping for fish to feed on or shy?
...And Short-tail Shearwater performing this at least 6 round during the second net launch.
After the second catch, the captain decide to go back as the catch was not so good today. However, since some of the crew claim that Sunday and Monday are the best day to observe sea bird, I decide I will come back for the pelagic trip this Sunday - Still hoping for any first record. Anyway the sighting of shearwater and all 3 Skua species please me for this trip and a bonus:
A mixed school of Indo-pacific Bottlenose Dolphin and Humpback Dolphin to make up a good day.
The final count of the day are:
Bridled Tern 450
Common Tern 8
Lesser Crested Tern 2
White-winged Tern 2
Sooty Tern 1
Long Tail Skua 6
Pomarine Skua 1
Arctic Skua 1
Short-tailed Shearwater 6
Bottlenose Dolphin 4
Humpback Dolphin 2
