Mapping A Bornean Soundscape Project

Where to start? I am trying my BEST to use any of my social networking to promote this research project and hope to get some feedback from my fellow friends and also my Blogger Buddies here. Okay, how to start this post? Let's start with who is Dr. Alison Styring?

Alison Styring is a field biologist with a focus in conservation and ecology. Her area of expertise is Southeast Asian birds. She has studied birds in rainforests and human-modified habitats in West Malaysia and Borneo (East Malaysia and Brunei) since 1998. She has published numerous papers on the ecology and conservation of Southeast Asian birds. Alison works with an incredible team of birders, biologists, tree climbers, and conservationists from the US and Malaysia. -- I quote this info from Kickstarter site and you can click on her name above where i have linked it to the Evergreen State College. 

How i get to know her? It was back in 2006, when i was working with Grand Perfect S/B. It was a very great opportunities to experienced bird's study with her and Dr. Fred Sheldon. I love birds but not as much as after i involved in her research. The first study was on the diversity of birds in tree plantation and habitat surveys. It was really interesting because we went to a different sites in the Planted Forest Zone, Bintulu. That is the first time i learn how to use Binocular correctly (don't laugh at me, coz its true..he he he). I don't know any scientific names for birds and i don't know how to identify birds (so la teruk). She is very generous in knowledge and her expertise, along the trip i learn so much from her. I get excited and excited everyday.

In 2007, i was ask to choose between bird's study and small mammal's study. I am in a big dilemma coz i really want to join bird's field work but it was because i am doing my small mammals project so i've decided to let go the birds study. Sad.

In 2008, i was lucky coz another field trip was organized and this time we will doing dawn chorus, bird's banding and observing bird's behavior. I am back on track with the birds study and this was my last trip because i was decided to left the company end of that year.

So, that is how i get to know Dr. Alison. Here is our random photos that i have from these two trips.

So, now let's talk about the Mapping A Bornean Soundscape Project. This is her latest project and she need fund to make it happen. What is this project about?

Bornean rainforests: an incredibly diverse and poorly understood treasure.  The rainforests of Borneo are among the most species-rich habitats in the world.  Listening to the sounds of these forests is an incredible and overwhelming experience as gibbons, hornbills, tree frogs, cicadas, and hundreds of other species advertise their presence. Our mission is to record and map these sounds while we still can.

The forests of Borneo are under incredible human pressure.  The giant dipterocarp trees that form much of the canopy are extremely valuable timber for furniture and other uses worldwide, and logged-over native forests are increasingly being converted to tree plantation and oil palm as the world demand for pulp wood and palm oil increases. -- Read more at Kickstarter. 

If you are interested to DONATE and SUPPORT this project and you are BIRD'S LOVERS, What you can DO is visit KICKSTARTER website (just click at the link) and read through the site. You will get more information there. There is only 19 DAYS to go and the project only get $1, 235.00 back up, up to today. There were another $18, 765.00 more to go. 

Do Support this Project! Thank you for your generosity. Till then!

Cheers!
Rose Ragai

#6 Walking Through Nature/ Villages

This is my current trip to Ulu Tomani, Tenom. I think i did mention about my work in five villages at Ulu Tomani before. But, what i want to share today is my recent trip to this village. What did i encounter through my walk? What interesting things i want to share with you guys throughout my walk? Yeah... this is cool!

The fruit of Torch Ginger. 

One of the menu for the day. The Torch Ginger fruits. See my previous post on Etlingera eliator about this ginger species. It is very sour and i like it though. Mix up with some chillies, it is delicious. Nyam..nyam..

Preparing coconut milk using the manual method. 

This reminds me of my mum at home. She use the same method to prepare coconut milk. It take some times but this is one way to get the white flesh of the coconut fruit to get the coconut milk (i hope i explain the right info... if not sure then you can Google for info... :-)..)

Indigenous Mustard Green (Sabi) 

I really love this veggie. It is bitter taste but still yummy for me. :-). In Sarawak, this veggie is famous among the Iban ethnic. You can read more about how Iban people prepare the salted Mustard Green here Salted Ensabi.

Learn how to weave.

 Most the activities were weaving. There were visitors from another district to this village during my visit. So, the Murut community at Alutok, Ulu Tomani teach these visitors how to weave. They start to exchange their expertise and it makes me happy. Yay!

Can you see the fish?

This part is the most exciting because the fish is tamer now. We can feed them at our hands. Yah! I love playing with this fish though.. :-)

This one is big now.

So, that is what i found along my walk to this village. I hope you enjoy walking with me. Till then! God bless. 

With Love,

Rose Ragai

Another Birding Activity

On 20th and 21st July 2011, i went for a site visit at our conservation area, Muaya Waterfall. I did some observation of the animals at the field centre. On the morning of 21st July i went for a bird watch. This is my observtaion lists:

1. Tailor bird
2. Little Spiderhunter
3. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
4. Black and Yellow Broadbill
5. Lesser Green Leafbird
6. Black Hornbill
7. Chestnut-rumped Barbler

I still have a few problems on spotting the bird. Maybe i did lost some of my skills so i have to polish it back. I really hope to practice it and spend some time doing more birding.

Till then!

Hunting Sea Treasure

I visited one of the beautiful place to visit in Sabah in February this year, Simpang Mengayau, Kudat, Sabah. It was my first time and i am amazed by the beauty of the scenery. That is not all about it, my desire to explore that place is more strong. With my little digital camera, i walk down to the seaside. There are lots of people too. We are lucky because it is a low tide but the waves become more strong and stronger. Okay, lets see what i hunt there.

Did you see anything in this photo? Something crawling......?

What do you see in the above photo? I saw it from a far. Using my only 3x camera zoom, i can not get a clear picture of it. Yai! A little bit frustrated. My friend got his DSLR but he did not see this guy when i pointed out to him to capture some of it's picture. Still, need an eye like me (opsss.... he he he). 

In a blink of eyes, it disappear........

When i get closer, as usual i lost it. That crab slipped away down into the water. Maybe hiding under the rocks and laugh at me because i couldn't get him close up. Hmmmph.... Disappointed again but still it is exciting. What else i find?

Yes, it is a hole of a rock.....

I saw a hole. A big hole of a rock and got sea water inside it. Must be something interesting can be found inside it though. Something unique maybe. My curiosity sometimes scary but i like to find it out. But still i will not put my hand inside it because i know safety first (not like my early days, just do whatever i like without thinking twice).

Did you see anything? It's like a star inside......

Yep, there is a big size of STARFISH. I am excited but only can take pictures. Not brave enough to take it out besides i don't want to disturb this guy resting inside this hole so called little pond. There were a lot more other living creatures beside this guy, small prawns and fishes, crabs and snails... There are living together in this hole. Nice to see them together even though i am not sure which and which is the prey and predator. 

So, that is my findings for my hunts at the Tip of Borneo. I met Mr. Crab and Mr. Starfish. Quite an interesting and exciting experienced. Till then!

It's Been A While....

Seems to be i am out of ideas when i log in to this blog now. I can not crack on anything interesting to share with you guys, my fellow nature friends. If i do so, i only recall back all the good memories of working with the animals, plants about three years ago. No fresh new stories to be shared. I am very sorry for that. I did promised to share any of my observations while i am trekking inside the forest or villages but till now, i have none. Yep, i did have a while ago but recently not much of new things. I am out of focus with nature now. I am too much on humans (but still it is a good thing, maybe it can make me more humane..ha ha ha.. just joking!).  

Even so, i still once in a while update this blog if i got anything interesting to share. Most of the time i am writing about my current work and some thoughts in my ^-^TRUE CONFESSIONS^-^ blog. So, if you feel to visit me and still to get connected with me do drop by there.

So, this is it. Till then!

Memories

Just to reflects all the good memories i had with my colleagues back in Bintulu a few years back. There is quite an interesting experienced with them. I may say the hard work we had to understand and learn about science. Our superior always told us our work is not Animal Planet shows, it is the real science. So, i believe that and for so long i believe our work will mean something for the sake of science. New discoveries makes us feel excited and worth of doing this tough work.

As i came across my old photo folder i saw some of our field trip photos. Maybe i did post it in my previous posts but i will share it again here. Just a little reminder for myself of what we have been gone through all those years working with wildlife.

Sometimes, the road is very bad and we stuck in the middle of nowhere. 

Sometimes we have to climb up and down the hill just to make sure our work is done.

Sometimes when we are very tired, we take a nap and rest under the acacia trees.

Sometimes when we get back to our camp we are already starving and we need to cook fast.

However, still we enjoy the surroundings of our great camp when doing our work. 

Tadaaaa..... We are SuperMan & SuperWoman!!!

Till then!

Cheers!
Rose Ragai