Suai River Firefly Night Time Assessment

Suai River Firefly Night Time Assessment
Observers Name : Musa and Suria.

Jety/Berth Location: Coastal Road Suai Bridge. Location Location “A”: N3 45.375 E113 32.088

Survey River: Along Suai River from Suai Coastal Bridge Up river.

The 13 Km boat track of Suai River and Display trees of Firefly survey.

Suria and me planned to go for freshwater prawn fishing at Suai river on the 26 of February. According to our fishing info the prawn are already feeding and they are huge one to be caught. The huge are called “Apek” or “Agang”. However, during this time the difficulty of renting boat is clear due to a lot of demand. Normally we would go as early as possible to get hold of the boat. Then we either sleep in a boat or some preferred fishing at night, while waiting for the day light.
We started our journey at 6:00pm and reached Niah at 7:00:pm. We need to borrow anchor from my uncle, we forgotten to bring ours. Then we go to Suai bridge and reach it at 8:00 pm.
We off our fishing gear and set to go up river. Due to salt water coming into the river, this time around we should going up to get fresher water, where those “Apek” resides.

Just before we turu up river a few feet from our berthing place there is a firefly display between the Nipah palm. We go there and scoop a single firefly. When I want to put the firefly into a sampling bottle, there were 2 fireflies in the net. Then we set off to do the fireflies survey going up river on the left side of the river. The Right side is already cut for oil palm plantation.

The first WPt is at 515 with some 30 individuals. We went along the river that recording the fireflies display trees. Along the river there are many people spearing prawn.

We finishes our survey at WPT573 at 22:54. We move on there is no more display tree. We stopped at WPT574 and set up anchor to do prawn fishing. Not within minutes we already caught one “Apek”. I was not keen to do night fishing and goes to sleep. Suria fished the whole night and keep awake to watch for crocodile. I sleep like a rock just to wake up when I heard hornbill calling.

Black horn bill close to where we fish.

Along the fishing trip we encounter 7 Black horn-bills, five emperor green pigeons.


Pwawn caught.

We fished the whole day and caught some 2 kg of prawn. The day is too hot that I have a heat stock.The air temperature is 34.8° C. Then we have to fish under a shade that is not very good fishing area. We set off to the jetty and along the way taking photographs of the display tree. We set to go home at 5:30 and marked the coordinate of last night firefly display tree.

These two hornbills woke me up.

We have a drink at the canteen and set off to Telong Lake. We want to do snakehead casting there. We reach Telong and do snakehead casting for half an hour. There are few motorcyclist just finished casting and caught a number of snakehead fish. We caught none and go back to Sepupok Niah to return the Anchor.

Imperial green piegion seen far in the tree

At Sepupok we have a dinner at the foodstall. The people there told us no today not good prawn fishing. We wait for the darkness because I plan to go to Kuala Sibuti feeder road/. I have noted an area of potential firefly display.

It was 7:47pm and the sky was still bright. There is a full moon shining.. We went all the way into Kuala Subuti Kampong and there is no fireflies display found. When we go back out of kuala Sibuti we started to see fireflies display. We saw a lot of fireflies but the moon light hide the. We stop just after the small bride and there are plenty of fireflies displays and they are considered the best I have ever seen. Nearly every foot of the area is lighted by fireflies. This area is about 100 meres long along the road.

We stay there for a while and set home at 9:30pm.

Date : 25th. Feb 2010

Field work START Time: 20:21
Field work FINISH Time: 22:54

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

a. Moon Phase
13th day, nearly full.

Moon Light : Bright, later after 22:00 hr is blocked by cloud.

b. Weather
Bright cloudless sky, cloud covered at late night.

Relative Humidity: Low
Temperature: Warm.
Water temperature 28.6 ° C
Air temperature 27.6 ° C

Wind : Slight breeze.

Haze : No

c. River Condition
Current: Slowly moving down, Clear Sea water
A lot of people do spearing prawn.

Boat used : Yamaha 3.3 hp.
Survey Average Speed 6.5 Km/hr.
Tide: High

Time : 19:45 sighted first single firefly at the left side of the jetty . At WPT580 did not log the WPT, until the next day. +20 individual firefly. Caught one and became two in the net.
The first location of firefly found.

WPT580 Time: 16:29 Loc: N3 45.374 E113 32.092
+20 individual firefly.

WPT515 Time: 20:54 Loc: N3 45.242 E113 32.348
+30 individual fireflies

WPT516 Time: 20:54 Loc: N3 45.245 E113 32.385
+40 individual fireflies


WPT517 Time: 20:55 Loc: N3 45.249 E113 32.421
+20 individual fireflies


WPT518 Time: 20:56 Loc: N3 45.247 E113 32.447
+10 individual fireflies

WPT519 Time: 20:56 Loc: N3 45.242 E113 32.463
+20 individual fireflies

WPT520 Time: 20:57 Loc: N3 45.228 E113 32.488
+50 individual fireflies


WPT521 Time: 20:57 Loc: N3 45.224 E113 32.498
+40 individual fireflies


WPT522 Time: 20:58 Loc: N3 45.206 E113 32.513
+30 individual fireflies

WPT523 Time: 20:58 Loc: N3 45.197 E113 32.520
+20 individual fireflies


WPT524 Time: 20:59 Loc: N3 45.186 E113 32.527
+30 individual fireflies

WPT525 Time: 20:59 Loc: N3 45.176 E113 32.530
+40 individual fireflies


WPT526 Time: 21:01 Loc: N3 45.067 E113 32.553
+60 individual fireflies


WPT527 Time: 21:06 Loc: N3 44.819 E113 32.620
+30 individual fireflies


WPT528 Time: 21:07 Loc: N3 44.794 E113 32.703
+20 individual fireflies


WPT529 Time: 21:10 Loc: N3 44.770 E113 32.830
Nipah palm tree display. +30 individual fireflies


WPT530 Time: 21:19 Loc: N3 44.978 E113 33.220
+50 individual fireflies


WPT531 Time: 21:22 Loc: N3 45.115 E113 33.200
+50 individual fireflies

WPT532 Time: 21:25 Loc: N3 45.317 E113 33.197
+50 individual fireflies

WPT533 Time: 21:25 Loc: N3 45.324 E113 33.200
+50 individual fireflies

WPT534 Time: 21:29 Loc: N3 45.479 E113 33.290
+50 individual fireflies

WPT535 Time: 21:32 Loc: N3 45.647 E113 33.216
Huge tree display.
+200 individual fireflies

WPT536 Time: 21:37 Loc: N3 45.895 E113 33.210
On right side of river fireflies display can be seen from far. Cannot count.


WPT537 Time: 21:41 Loc: N3 46.104 E113 33.232
Long house at left side of river.

WPT538 Time: 21:47 Loc: N3 46.412 E113 33.338
Nipah palm tree display. +20 individual fireflies

WPT539 Time: 21:51 Loc: N3 46.407 E113 33.570
+30 individual fireflies

WPT540 Time: 21:52 Loc: N3 46.389 E113 33.603
Nipah palm tree display. +40 individual fireflies
Check air temperature Air temperature 27.6 ° C

WPT541 Time: 21:58 Loc: N3 46.301 E113 33.939
+20 individual fireflies

WPT542 Time: 21:59 Loc: N3 46.299 E113 33.953
Huge tree display +200 individual fireflies. Moon light dimmed by cloud.

WPT543 Time: 22:00 Loc: N3 46.295 E113 34.012
+20 individual fireflies

WPT544 Time: 22:04 Loc: N3 46.237 E113 34.272
Tall tree display +150 individual fireflies

WPT545 Time: 22:07 Loc: N3 46.201 E113 34.411
+20 individual fireflies

WPT546 Time: 22:08 Loc: N3 46.203 E113 34.446
+30 individual fireflies

WPT547 Time: 22:09 Loc: N3 46.198 E113 34.520
+10 individual fireflies

WPT548 Time: 22:11 Loc: N3 46.184 E113 34.579
+10 individual fireflies

WPT549 Time: 22:11 Loc: N3 46.175 E113 34.607
+50 individual fireflies

WPT550 Time: 22:12 Loc: N3 46.150 E113 34.651
+20 individual fireflies

WPT551 Time: 22:13 Loc: N3 46.142 E113 34.665
Tall flowering tree. +200 individual fireflies, Check Air temperature 27.5 ° C


WPT552 Time: 22:14 Loc: N3 46.127 E113 34.689
+30 individual fireflies

WPT553 Time: 22:14 Loc: N3 46.119 E113 34.697
+10 individual fireflies

WPT554 Time: 22:19 Loc: N3 45.942 E113 34.881
+40 individual fireflies

WPT555 Time: 22:20 Loc: N3 45.879 E113 34.933
At right side of river tall tree, cannot count. Bright display.

WPT556 Time: 22:23 Loc: N3 45.766 E113 35.078
+30 individual fireflies

WPT557 Time: 22:24 Loc: N3 45.736 E113 35.130
+10 individual fireflies

WPT558 Time: 22:25 Loc: N3 45.693 E113 35.175
+30 individual fireflies

WPT559 Time: 22:27 Loc: N3 45.602 E113 35.208
At right side of river tall tree, cannot count. Bright display.

WPT560 Time: 22:27 Loc: N3 45.569 E113 35.213
At right side of river tall tree, cannot count.

WPT561 Time: 22:28 Loc: N3 45.525 E113 35.219
+30 individual fireflies

WPT562 Time: 22:28 Loc: N3 45.515 E113 35.222
+20 individual fireflies, Air temperature 27.6 ° C

WPT563 Time: 22:29 Loc: N3 45.481 E113 35.238
At right side of river tall tree, cannot count.

WPT564 Time: 22:32 Loc: N3 45.378 E113 35.345
Nipah palm display. +60 individual fireflies

WPT565 Time: 22:33 Loc: N3 45.354 E113 35.400
+40 individual fireflies

WPT566 Time: 22:36 Loc: N3 45.356 E113 35.600
+20 individual fireflies, slightly windy.

WPT567 Time: 22:38 Loc: N3 45.395 E113 35.696
Nipah palm display. +30 individual fireflies

WPT568 Time: 22:40 Loc: N3 45.429 E113 35.779
Nipah palm display. +20 individual fireflies

WPT569 Time: 22:46 Loc: N3 45.572 E113 36.114
Nipah palm display. +30 individual fireflies

WPT570 Time: 22:47 Loc: N3 45.608 E113 36.145
+20 individual fireflies

WPT571 Time: 22:53 Loc: N3 45.953 E113 36.207
At right side of river tall tree, cannot count.

WPT572 Time: 22:54 Loc: N3 45.970 E113 36.214
Nipah palm display. +50 individual fireflies

WPT573 Time: 22:54 Loc: N3 45.992 E113 36.226
Nipah palm display. +30 individual fireflies

Remarks:
This area is a good CFZ but it been treatrned by oilpalm and human activities.
The fact that the fireflies display in Nipah palm is that they are trying to adapt to the changes. But soon or later it just goes extinct like the other area.

Punang River Firefly Night Time Assessment

Punang River Firefly Night Time Assessment

Observers Name : Musa (writer) , Sara, Norzie , Shaban and Musli.

Jetty/Berth Location: Kampung Punang Jaya. Location Location “A”: N4 53.129 E115 20.760

Survey River: Along Sungai Punang, Lawas, From Punang Jaya Jetty up river.


The Track 2.1 Km of Punang River and Display trees of Firefly survey.

Date :6th. Feb 2010

Field work START Time: 19:30 Field work FINISH Time: 20:20

MNS Miri made a trip to Sundar to conduct the Asian Waterbird Census 2010. We took the opportunity to do a quick night fireflies assessment along Punang River. This river is not a Sonneratia caseolaris populated forest, but of a regrowth of a previously harvested bakau swamp forest.

The survey was conducted by 5 persons on board one boat.

Our boat driver, Musli steered the boat and kept watch for logs and the surrounding. Sara scanned the river and pointed with a green laser any trees that has fireflies. Once she pointed to a display tree, I would log the coordinate and counted the fireflies using a night-vision scope. Norzie took notes of the GPS waypoints and number of fireflies counted. Shaban also took note trying to pickout what firefly watching is about.

The air was cool and with slight breeze blowing. We decided to do survey on the right side of the river first, this side is not populated by people. On the left side of the river we could see some display tree too. We decided not to count it, and would do it on the return trip. We went up river and the first display tree was at WPT 477 that had some 50 individuals. We took note of the display tree and it's WPT.

The firefly flashing color was green and the rate was noted to be a flash per two seconds and in synchronisation.

We also found individual fireflies flying along the river. Though the wind was blowing intermittently the fireflies did show up. There were no mosquitoes that nite and only few moths were flitting about.

We went up river until WPT 496 when the wind started to blow hard.

We back tracked and as we returned to the display trees that we noted a slightly reduced number of fireflies flashing. On some trees, the fireflies stopped flashing altogether. We only noted 7 trees on the left of the river.

We concluded with some 26-display trees of along the survey area. A few trees had +100 individuals.

We completed our assessment at 8:20 pm.

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

a. Moon Phase
Last Quarter.

Moon Light : None.

b. Weather
Dark sky, with rain cloud hanging, Lightning in the distance at South East. Distance thunder.
Relative Humidity: Low
Temperature: cool.
Water temperature 29.7 ° C
Air temperature 29.3 ° C

Wind : Slight breeze, and windy at the end of the survey.
Haze : No

c. River Condition
Current: Slowly moving down

Boat used : Yamaha 40 hp.
Survey Average Speed 9.5 Km/hr.
Tide: High

Time : 19:30 sighted first single firefly at the starting Point at WPT 477.

WPT 477 Time : 19:45:42
+50 individual fireflies
Our first encounter a Display tree at WPT 477.

WPT 478 Time : 19:47:21
+50 individual fireflies

WPT 479 Time : 19:48:02
+50 individual fireflies

WPT 480 Time : 19:50:08
Three close together trees average of +50 individual fireflies per tree.

WPT 481 Time : 19:50:08
+150 Individual fireflies.

WPT 482 Time : 19:51:46
+200 Individual fireflies
Watch a synchronised flashing of around 2 seconds per flash.

WPT 483 Time : 19:51:46
+30 Individual fireflies

WPT 484 Time : 19:52:47
+100 Individual fireflies

WPT 485 Time : 19:54:23
+30 Individual fireflies

WPT 486 Time : 19:54:30
+20 Individual fireflies

WPT 487 Time : 19:55:21
+15 Individual fireflies

WPT 488 Time : 19:56:21
+15 Individual fireflies

WPT 489 Time : 19:56:54
+15 Individual fireflies

WPT 490 Time : 19:58:47
+200 Individual fireflies

WPT 491 Time : 20:00:01
+10 Individual fireflies

WPT 492 Time : 20:01:54
+50 Individual fireflies

WPT 493 Time : 20:02:34
+20 Individual fireflies

WPT 494 Time : 20:03:58
+10 Individual fireflies

WPT 495 Time : 20:04:22
+20 Individual fireflies

WPT 496 Time : 20:07:06
+30 Individual fireflies

WPT 497 Time : 20:08:04
+30 Individual fireflies

WPT 498 Time : 20:09:16
+100 Individual fireflies
Display in High tree.

WPT 499 Time : 20:13:00
+50 Individual fireflies

WPT 500 Time : 20:14:52
+20 Individual fireflies

WPT 501 Time : 20:16:01
+200 Individual fireflies

WPT 502 Time : 20:20:01
+10 Individual fireflies

WPT 503 Time : 20:21:37
+20 Individual fireflies

End of survey: Location "B" N4 52.357 E115 20.951 Time : 20:07

We decided to return and stop the survey when the wind started blowing even harder. On our way back, we still observed some fireflies on the display trees, but only 7 trees at the left side of the river.

We reached the Jetty at 20:45.

Observation:
The area was once a huge bakau forest and had been harvested to make charcoal and pilling. Now there are newly growing bakau and Sonneratia caseolaris trees. According to the locals, the area around Awat-awat and Sundar River has greater number of fireflies.

The fireflies of Punang is probably trying to make a come back, that is if present situation wrt the mangroves continues to improve. As it is there much less mangroves left between the coast at the oil palm plantation compared to when there wasn't any plantations.


Overview of Punang River Map.

Musa Musbah, February 2010