Image above shows a Swinhoes / White Faced Plover today at the beach / inter-tidal flats at Penang Island. Firstly I thought I would upload some visual directions in order for any one planning to visit this location in the future. The site can be a little tricky to find if you are alone and or it is your first visit to the area. The Plovers really are worth a look and have an interesting & documented history so if you are passing by / through the area they really are worth a look.
The google earth map / images above and below were sent to me by the ever helpful Dave Bakewell. I have been to this site / location about 4 years ago but what with the construction / development works to the area I was unable to remember the way to the exact spot. The first and last time I visited this site was with Dave and sadly there wasn't any Plovers present that time. I have been fortunate enough to have seen them once before in Ban Pak Thale, Thailand but wanted some more prolonged / better views. Seeing as I was heading northward bound from KL to the flood-zone across the border it seemed ideal to pop in to Penang Island for a few days to try and see the Plovers seeing as I was going right passed the area. For much more detailed and better photos visit: http://digdeep1962.blogspot.com/ As for this interesting species of which the full reports of if it is a full species or not have either been recently published or are due to be published shortly.
Once you are in the area walk along this footpath above and head in the direction of the buildings in the distance.
Once you get close enough you can see the area of beach and walk down to and along the beach which is extremely littered in places.
Be really careful here as I was in flip-flops and luckily looked down as I was walking through the littered area where a hyper-dermic needle was just on the edge of my flip-flop. There are plenty discarded needles as well as many other sharps so be careful here. The edge of the tideline was fine for me for today.
I was fortunate enough to locate 2 different individuals today.
The bird above really does look different and I do not know enough to say if this is sexually or age related. I intend to re-visit the site tomorrow again to try and get more time on these birds.
The sun and heat could only be described as "fierce" today and I decided to seek shelter before sky opened with todays daily monsoon down-pour. More tomorrow (hopefully)
