Twenty years ago, I acquired a comprehensive report, complete with sketches, detailing the sizes of various remaining mangrove forest patches in Peninsula Malaysia. The report focused on the status of conservation efforts, and since then, I have closely monitored changes in these ecosystems. Over the years, I have observed a positive trend, with the remaining forested patches showing resilience and not shrinking as rapidly as before.

Nevertheless, the surviving mangrove forests are now limited to pockets of trees, typically forming narrow belts of wetland along the coast. These areas are often deemed economically unviable by developers. Unfortunately, the bird life within these sanctuaries has significantly declined.

Today, my focus is on bird watching along a short stretch of the Selangor coastline, specifically in the southern edge of Selangor State. To preserve what could be salvaged, the government has constructed a continuous seawall along this coastline. This initiative serves to demarcate the area and helps maintain the integrity of the shoreline. Many sections feature a distinct coastal track built atop an earth bund. This new environment has led to the creation of breeding ponds for fish and prawns, protected by the barrier. However, some farmers found this undertaking unsustainable, resulting in the abandonment of unproductive ponds.

Bird watchers, exploring one such abandoned farm, discovered ponds reverting to their natural state, with overgrown weeds. As this wilderness matured and became the sole sanctuary amidst vast stretches of waste and farmlands, birds began to congregate in the area.

Encouraged by these field observations, we embarked on a trip to assess the region. Our initial visit revealed four distinct birding habitats: wetlands, secondary forest, mangrove forest, and mudflats. The sparsely populated region instilled confidence that investing effort in visiting these areas at different times would yield valuable insights, particularly considering reports of raptor migration along the pathway.

Returning to our work, our findings from the first couple of visits suggest that the abandoned ponds are highly conducive to birdlife. To provide you with a more accurate assessment, we have compiled a series of photographs. You can verify our evaluation by clicking this link and perusing our collection of shot