Like minded Birders we met in the Field

Birding Kakis

More than 25 years have passed, and much has changed. With shifting times and trends, bird sightings have become increasingly rare. Encounters with birds now feel like a special occasion. Meanwhile, advancements in photographic equipment have brought about incredible results, pushing the limits of what cameras can achieve.

However, these changes come with pressures from both ends. Bird watching in Malaysia has slowly declined as a popular hobby since the turn of the millennium. Today, only a handful of dedicated individuals continue to pursue this once-noble pastime.

Looking back, the early years between 2003 and 2007 were especially memorable. During that time, I had countless opportunities to meet like-minded individuals and groups in the field, sharing a common passion for birds and nature.

This page isn’t about specific friendships or gatherings. Instead, it’s a collection of cherished memories—snapshots of a bygone era when such privileges and joys were a part of our lives. Unfortunately, they can no longer be recreated.

1. Uncle Foo and Susan Wong -  also look front left-there was  Mr Ting

2. Morten Strange who had written birds' book

3. Jason Ong who handles optical equipments and manage a stall

4. Mike Chong MC-ed the "Bird Race"

5. The Neoh Brothers, following the father's Dr, Neoh footsteps from

5. Our Everlasting Ang from Malacca

6. The late Jimmy Chew leading the Singapore packs

7. Another Singapore icon - Sutari

The segment we dive deep into the golden era of Bird watching -  2003-2007.

These are record of the  people that we met up with.

1. Car parking area just behind the Awana Golf Course

2. David & Alagan -Residents of Gohtong Jaya. Staying in area where the birds were!

3. Anthony Lau - the elder half of the Lau brothers

4. Aziz, - a decent guy holding histhe 400mm.

5. Bernard Lau -Yes! the younger brother

6. Marcus. That's how he looked like before his induction as a full time Bird Watcher

7.K F Chan Another devoted bird chaser

8. Wong Kim Seng handy man serving the MNS

9. Wendy Chin, causal visitor to Old Pump House

10. The "Tohs", Regular morning walkers at the Old Pump House Road joined the fun

11. A trainee we met in Frasers Hills

12. Philip Seow from Singapore - but these two were a common pair seen in the  Awana

13. Mike Chong - "Last of the Mohicans"

14. This was Mary Ooi with Aun Tiah - Surprised to meet me eh!

15. We chatted at the closed gate

16. One for the album

17. Kathy or shy Kate! Working in Straits Times

18. George overlooking at Jimmy Ooi in action

19. At last we met Hum and wife, an anchor for the Penang birders group also friend of our Benny Seow

20. That's Alagan on his home turf

21. By buddy, Choo Boo Cheng - all masked up

22. Another long awaited meeting up with the Ipoh Birders

23. Dr Chan & gang showed us their secret haunt

24. Connie came to Kuala Ganda

25. The walking kakis of Datuk Richard Fong

26. Aun Tiah giving free lesson in the field

27. My good friend Kim without her mum and Uncle

28. Sutari by now very familiar with us all, even though he had to cross the Sraits

28. Uncle Foo leading his group of merry men &one  gal

29. The solitary Dr Kok Mei Ling

32. Ting and wife had an apartment in Gohtong Jaya too

33. The "Tans" who was working with David Wells once

34. Never explained why he inherited that nickname

35. We could only meet up with Dr Chan in his house

36. Dennis Yong.  - today the "boss" in the field. We hardly had chance to meet up with him

36. Dr. Neoh and lovely wife Mei Ling

37. Alagan as usual had large fan group

37. Clive and wife

38. Mansor Poh - legend in negative sense. Custodian of the Parit Java mudflats

39. Adrian eventually built his bungalow in Bukit Tinggi to be with the birds

39. Now you get to see Cheong who had just freshly graduated  from college

40. Wong Kim Seng and his "mirror" lenses

41. Ang too was toying with "Mirror" lenses

43. Here is a close up

49. Finally this was Loke - Looking after the "Old Pump House"

We got around

51. Way up north with the Penang Birders. So kind of them to show usaround  their territory

52. Rest time @ the "Awana Trail"

53. Keeping each other abreast on development

54. This one at Perdik - large group present to catch a bird nesting in a very confined ditch

55. Ampang Recreation Park - Compare my "baby" camera with Cheong's long lenses

56. Wandering the Taiping Lake Garden  - waiting for that Hornbill to appear

57. Perak Birds visited Bukit Lanchang

58. Checking out that picture

59. More picture from the Ulu Paip trip

60. Time to call it a day

61. With Dr Chan and Perak Birders

62. Scene @ Scotts Hill. Taiping

63. Oh! The Hornbill came at last

64. Right in the centre - Jimmy Chew

65. Right in the centre - Uncle Foo

66. I end this series remembering our old days at Awana

Fast Foward 2024

Lim Aun Tiah - now from Australia

My apologies very few and very old record on this page. The hobby of bird watching is long gone and forgotten So happy that I salvage some pictures of this forgotten hobby of Bird watching

 

       With  Will  Will  Wander