CFZ Firefly Survey Miri River 10th July 2010

Miri Firefly Night Time Assessment
Observers Name : Faye, Aju, Salam, Faiz Nasir, FaiZ Djamil, and Musa.

15 km of Miri River survey on 10 July 2010.

Jetty/Berth Location: Mat Shah Jetty. Location: 4°27'42.84"N 114° 0'40.26"E

This time around I make a Firefly survey with the MNS and Curtin Students. The MNS Miri is represented by Faye and me. Where as Curtin student are Aju, Salam, Faiz Nasir, and Faiz Djamil. I reach Mat Shah’s house at 5:20pm. I have actually paid up down payment of RM100 to use his boat. He rented his boat for me to use for RM200. He then shows his boat to me and let me to handle it for this trip. He quickly taught me how to operate the steering, throttle, forward and reverse gear. It been years I have not handle a powerboat.
Soon I have got the boat along side the jetty. Faye called if she reaches to the right place.

Faye, Aju and his friends.

Aju and his three friends are also coming just in time.
We boarded the 20footer fiberglass boat with a hefty 44hp engine. We done our life jackets, do a quick safety briefing and giving off each person of his or her task in this survey.
Faye has been given a task to record on paper. Aju is to mark wpt of display trees. Both of them have to do a visual estimate count of the fireflies. Salam is to point in advance any display trees, so that Aju could record the wpt in the gps. Faiz Nasir is to get random water samples for it temperature and specific gravity. Faiz Djamil is to help to light on a spot light when it becomes necessary. I drive the boat.

Black-crowned Nite Heron





After all have been assigned their task, we took water samples and record it specific gravity and temperature. It already 6:pm and we set off up river. I decided we go to the Taniku ferry point where the oil palm plantation is.

Not up to a kilometer into our journey. There is a cute grey heron on the right side of the river. I make a U-turn and come close to have our team member to take photo. This heron is not afraid of our presence, and just not to waste our time move off to Taniku Ferry point.
As we cruse fast along the river I notice that there are still a lot of berembang trees along the river bank, where it was no inhabited by house. This is a potential Display tree, I was thinking that the fireflies would not be in the trees, most probably being disturbed by the housing light.


Faye Manual record as back up if digital GPS reading failed.


The river flow is not so fast and I could drive along broken off floating plants. There is not many rubbish in the river at this time. It is well known that there is plenty of rubbish in the river. The rain that fall a few days ago could have push off all the rubbish out to the sea. The specific gravity of 1 indicated the rain also have diluted the river.

We reached Taniku at 7:00 pm. The twilight is still bright at this time. We decided to go along with the river flow.

By 7:09 we saw the first Display tree at WPT7 at 7:09 pm. The light is still bright but we could see the fireflies. We could not estimate the number due to the fireflies we saw on our side of the view. That is being block by the sun rays from the other side. The surrounding is still bright. After we passed the 32nd trees, we then could see the fireflies display tree in darkness, and at this point we could estimate the individual counts.

The fireflies’ display are red and non synchronising type. The display trees are very high. We could not take samples due to it located not close to us, and very high in the tree.

Curtin Students taking reading of SG and pH of Miri's river water sample.

We saw a huge trees with plenty of fireflies display. As we passed the Datok Perpaisuri area the fireflies display are at low trees and the display is a synchronised and flashing green color. Then I decided not to sample them because I have done so in my first trip where we got our out boat engine broke it prop pin. Beside that the boat is too big and it hard to control. I am not familiar yet handling this big boat.

My previous survey I saw plenty of fireflies in this huge binjai tree. In this survey it also have plenty.


From far we saw a bright swift farm security light. This is the area is being threatened by this light. Actually as we passed the swift farm there are also display trees, despite the bright light.
We passed Pujut corner and entering Adong area. The Adong area toward Pujut 7 bridge surprisingly have fireflies display trees.

I was mesmerised by light that came far out in front, thinking it was the Sea Survival Training jetty. I actually ram the riverbank thinking it a straight line into the main river. It was lucky that we are moving at slow speed. Just a sway from side to side move us out of the sand bank. We went slowly but in the middle of the river this time as the bent is a bit too sharp. About 100 meter from us on the right side of the river there is a crocodile eye reflecting the light from the spot light. We might have miss most of the crocodile as we are about 90% traveling without light.

Then we came along the populated area around Kpg Pengkalan, this area there are few display trees. As we passed Lutong bridge we came to an area of small berembang trees and these trees did have a lot of fireflies display.
At this point we are already close tour jetty. I check the fuel is just one inch from the base. I was thinking to go toward old Lutong airport, where I suspected there could be more display tree. Because we could run out of fuel, then I decided to call it a day at this point. We concluded our survey at 20:40 pm.

Our Finding about Miri River Fireflies.


Upper Part of the Survey.


Lower Part of the survey.



1. There are still fireflies in Miri river despite big development.

2. The starting place is a ferry point for Oil-palm plantation. The goggle

map is not uptodate. Around this area there still fireflies. Because the

area is not been cut.

3. We did not enter Sungai Maloi in this survey.

4. Area that have no housing at the side of the river have fireflies

display.
5. Miri river distributaries such as Pengkalan River, Adong river, and

Maloi, Taniku and Kabali have not been survey yet. This could potentially

have fireflies.
6. Our last survey indicated Sungai Dalam have fireflies despite development

of Industrial and Golf course.
7. The lower part as from Mat Shah to the river mouth have not been survey.

The potential area is the Piasau Camp to Lutong Airport.
8. The fireflies are threatened by swift farm security lighting.
9. Two bridges crosses Miri river. Lutong bridge area have no fireflies

because both end have man activity clearing. Pujut 7, bridge have fire flies

on the other side, but the other side have housing settlement.


Field notes Sungai Miri CFZ Firefly Survey
Date : 10th. July 2010


River Water Property:
Specific gravity 1.000
Water temperature of 28.8° C
Air temperature is 28.5° C.

We set off from the jetty 18:00hrs.

START Time: 19:00
COMPLETION Time: 20:40

PHYSICAL CONDITION:

a. Moon
No moon

b. Weather
50% Cloud covered sky, few stars visible.

Relative Humidity: Low
Temperature: Warm.
Water pH : 6


Wind : No Wind, No Haze

c. River Condition
Current: Slow moving down, red tanning river water.

Boat used: Yamaha 40 hp.
Survey Speed 6 -10 Km/hr.
Tide: Low

Summary Observation log:
WPT Time Co-ordinate Estimated Counts
7 19:07 N4 24.779 E114 03.549 Not possible to count still bright
8 19:07 N4 24.779 E114 03.547 Not possible to count still bright
9 19:08 N4 24.767 E114 03.533 Not possible to count still bright
10 19:09 N4 24.731 E114 03.501 Not possible to count still bright
11 19:10 N4 24.725 E114 03.477 Not possible to count still bright
12 19:11 N4 24.716 E114 03.457 Not possible to count still bright
13 19:11 N4 24.715 E114 03.442 Not possible to count still bright
14 19:11 N4 24.717 E114 03.428 Not possible to count still bright
15 19:12 N4 24.719 E114 03.420 Not possible to count still bright
16 19:12 N4 24.722 E114 03.409 Not possible to count still bright
17 19:12 N4 24.721 E114 03.402 Not possible to count still bright
18 19:13 N4 24.724 E114 03.387 Not possible to count still bright
19 19:13 N4 24.722 E114 03.374 Not possible to count still bright
20 19:13 N4 24.719 E114 03.361 Not possible to count still bright
21 19:13 N4 24.716 E114 03.354 Not possible to count still bright
22 19:15 N4 24.700 E114 03.320 Not possible to count still bright
23 19:15 N4 24.681 E114 03.312 Not possible to count still bright
24 19:15 N4 24.670 E114 03.313 Not possible to count still bright
25 19:16 N4 24.648 E114 03.326 Not possible to count still bright
26 19:16 N4 24.634 E114 03.335 Not possible to count still bright
27 19:17 N4 24.618 E114 03.343 Not possible to count still bright
28 19:17 N4 24.609 E114 03.347 Not possible to count still bright
29 19:17 N4 24.598 E114 03.346 Not possible to count still bright
30 19:18 N4 24.572 E114 03.336 Not possible to count still bright
31 19:18 N4 24.560 E114 03.320 Not possible to count still bright
32 19:18 N4 24.558 E114 03.311 Not possible to count still bright
33 19:18 N4 24.556 E114 03.303 Not possible to count still bright
34 19:18 N4 24.556 E114 03.301 Not possible to count still bright
35 19:19 N4 24.581 E114 03.262 Not possible to count still bright
36 19:20 N4 24.603 E114 03.242 Not possible to count still bright
37 19:20 N4 24.612 E114 03.229 Not possible to count still bright
38 19:20 N4 24.621 E114 03.214 Not possible to count still bright
39 19:20 N4 24.627 E114 03.201 200 individual (estimated)
40 19:21 N4 24.623 E114 03.168 100 individual (estimated)
41 19:22 N4 24.587 E114 03.150 50 individual (estimated)
42 19:22 N4 24.573 E114 03.152 70 individual (estimated)
43 19:22 N4 24.567 E114 03.154 100 individual (estimated)
44 19:22 N4 24.560 E114 03.156 200 individual (estimated)
45 19:23 N4 24.520 E114 03.164 300 individual (estimated)
46 19:23 N4 24.481 E114 03.171 20 individual (estimated)
47 19:24 N4 24.452 E114 03.162 500 individual (estimated)
48 19:25 N4 24.399 E114 03.121 30 individual (estimated)
49 19:25 N4 24.381 E114 03.101 100 individual (estimated)
50 19:26 N4 24.370 E114 03.078 100 individual (estimated)
51 19:26 N4 24.370 E114 03.061 300 individual (estimated)
52 19:27 N4 24.385 E114 03.035 30 individual (estimated)
53 19:27 N4 24.410 E114 03.020 200 individual (estimated)
54 19:27 N4 24.427 E114 03.007 50 individual (estimated)
55 19:27 N4 24.436 E114 03.001 100 individual (estimated)
56 19:28 N4 24.447 E114 02.993 100 individual (estimated)
57 19:28 N4 24.463 E114 02.976 200 individual (estimated)
58 19:28 N4 24.484 E114 02.961 500 individual (estimated)
59 19:29 N4 24.506 E114 02.949 50 individual (estimated)
60 19:29 N4 24.537 E114 02.939 100 individual (estimated)
61 19:30 N4 24.559 E114 02.941 300 individual (estimated)
62 19:30 N4 24.583 E114 02.950 50 individual (estimated)
63 19:31 N4 24.609 E114 02.956 300 individual (estimated)
64 19:31 N4 24.623 E114 02.957 250 individual (estimated)
65 19:31 N4 24.635 E114 02.959 300 individual (estimated)
66 19:32 N4 24.663 E114 02.944 100 individual (estimated)
67 19:32 N4 24.668 E114 02.903 400 individual (estimated)
68 19:33 N4 24.656 E114 02.888 100 individual (estimated)
69 19:33 N4 24.644 E114 02.881 250 individual (estimated)
70 19:33 N4 24.629 E114 02.872 100 individual (estimated)
71 19:34 N4 24.598 E114 02.854 20 individual (estimated)
72 19:34 N4 24.584 E114 02.843 180 individual (estimated)
73 19:34 N4 24.578 E114 02.838 250 individual (estimated)
74 19:34 N4 24.576 E114 02.835 300 individual (estimated)
75 19:34 N4 24.567 E114 02.808 30 individual (estimated)
76 19:35 N4 24.568 E114 02.787 100 individual (estimated)
77 19:36 N4 24.575 E114 02.693 200 individual (estimated)
78 19:36 N4 24.573 E114 02.681 500 individual (estimated)
79 19:36 N4 24.563 E114 02.658 500 individual (estimated)
80 19:37 N4 24.551 E114 02.621 100 individual (estimated)
81 19:37 N4 24.543 E114 02.579 500 individual (estimated)
82 19:38 N4 24.547 E114 02.564 100 individual (estimated)
83 19:38 N4 24.564 E114 02.531 300 individual (estimated)
84 19:38 N4 24.578 E114 02.524 100 individual (estimated)
85 19:39 N4 24.592 E114 02.521 50 individual (estimated)
86 19:39 N4 24.621 E114 02.521 100 individual (estimated)
87 19:40 N4 24.665 E114 02.520 500 individual (estimated)
88 19:40 N4 24.688 E114 02.524 500 individual (estimated)
89 19:40 N4 24.719 E114 02.524 50 individual (estimated)
90 19:40 N4 24.723 E114 02.524 50 individual (estimated)
91 19:41 N4 24.745 E114 02.520 100 individual (estimated)
92 19:41 N4 24.770 E114 02.511 100 individual (estimated)
93 19:41 N4 24.791 E114 02.501 200 individual (estimated)
94 19:42 N4 24.843 E114 02.451 50 individual (estimated)
95 19:43 N4 24.851 E114 02.431 500 individual (estimated)
96 19:43 N4 24.854 E114 02.399 100 individual (estimated)
97 19:43 N4 24.855 E114 02.355 500 individual (estimated)
98 19:44 N4 24.852 E114 02.326 300 individual (estimated)
99 19:44 N4 24.852 E114 02.284 200 individual (estimated)
100 19:45 N4 24.877 E114 02.236 50 individual (estimated)
101 19:46 N4 24.906 E114 02.199 200 individual (estimated)
102 19:46 N4 24.914 E114 02.184 50 individual (estimated)
103 19:46 N4 24.922 E114 02.122 300 individual (estimated)
104 19:47 N4 24.917 E114 02.102 50 individual (estimated)
105 19:47 N4 24.885 E114 02.037 150 individual (estimated)
106 19:48 N4 24.851 E114 02.005 100 individual (estimated)
107 19:48 N4 24.846 E114 02.000 200 individual (estimated)
108 19:49 N4 24.811 E114 01.964 250 individual (estimated)
109 19:49 N4 24.802 E114 01.951 100 individual (estimated)
110 19:50 N4 24.792 E114 01.939 20 individual (estimated)
111 19:50 N4 24.778 E114 01.900 200 individual (estimated)
112 19:51 N4 24.771 E114 01.879 100 individual (estimated)
113 19:51 N4 24.759 E114 01.816 300 individual (estimated)
114 19:52 N4 24.740 E114 01.745 100 individual (estimated)
115 19:53 N4 24.723 E114 01.706 100 individual (estimated)
116 19:54 N4 24.700 E114 01.622 100 individual (estimated)
117 19:54 N4 24.702 E114 01.601 50 individual (estimated)
118 19:55 N4 24.701 E114 01.546 200 individual (estimated)
119 19:56 N4 24.685 E114 01.408 200 individual (estimated)
120 19:56 N4 24.682 E114 01.385 100 individual (estimated)
121 20:00 N4 24.886 E114 01.214 200 individual (estimated)
122 20:00 N4 24.928 E114 01.228 300 individual (estimated)
123 20:01 N4 24.947 E114 01.235 300 individual (estimated)
124 20:01 N4 24.959 E114 01.242 50 individual (estimated)
125 20:01 N4 24.975 E114 01.249 50 individual (estimated)
126 20:02 N4 25.053 E114 01.292 80 individual (estimated)
127 20:02 N4 25.078 E114 01.300 100 individual (estimated)
128 20:02 N4 25.104 E114 01.307 50 individual (estimated)
129 20:03 N4 25.142 E114 01.317 50 individual (estimated)
130 20:03 N4 25.215 E114 01.340 50 individual (estimated)
131 20:04 N4 25.283 E114 01.363 50 individual (estimated)
132 20:06 N4 25.433 E114 01.455 50 individual (estimated)
133 20:06 N4 25.444 E114 01.463 200 individual (estimated)
134 20:06 N4 25.457 E114 01.473 200 individual (estimated)
135 20:10 N4 25.842 E114 01.516 100 individual (estimated)
136 20:11 N4 25.968 E114 01.520 200 individual (estimated)
229 20:11 N4 26.014 E114 01.515 300 individual (estimated)
261 20:11 N4 26.042 E114 01.512 200 individual (estimated)
262 20:12 N4 26.087 E114 01.508 300 individual (estimated)
263 20:12 N4 26.144 E114 01.499 100 individual (estimated)
264 20:13 N4 26.188 E114 01.490 100 individual (estimated)
265 20:14 N4 26.353 E114 01.467 100 individual (estimated)
266 20:15 N4 26.390 E114 01.460 100 individual (estimated)
267 20:15 N4 26.421 E114 01.453 100 individual (estimated)
268 20:15 N4 26.439 E114 01.448 50 individual (estimated)
269 20:15 N4 26.461 E114 01.442 30 individual (estimated)
270 20:15 N4 26.481 E114 01.434 50 individual (estimated)
271 20:16 N4 26.571 E114 01.389 50 individual (estimated)
272 20:17 N4 26.671 E114 01.321 100 individual (estimated)
273 20:18 N4 26.704 E114 01.302 50 individual (estimated)
274 20:18 N4 26.721 E114 01.294 100 individual (estimated)
275 20:18 N4 26.751 E114 01.284 50 individual (estimated)
276 20:18 N4 26.771 E114 01.276 50 individual (estimated)
277 20:19 N4 26.853 E114 01.272 20 individual (estimated)
278 20:20 N4 26.974 E114 01.306 300 individual (estimated)
279 20:20 N4 27.013 E114 01.313 100 individual (estimated)
280 20:21 N4 27.086 E114 01.322 200 individual (estimated)
281 20:22 N4 27.253 E114 01.321 50 individual (estimated)
282 20:23 N4 27.304 E114 01.318 100 individual (estimated)
283 20:23 N4 27.318 E114 01.314 30 individual (estimated)
284 20:24 N4 27.331 E114 01.307 200 individual (estimated)
285 20:26 N4 27.356 E114 01.184 200 individual (estimated)
286 20:35 N4 28.101 E114 00.629 30 individual (estimated)
287 20:35 N4 28.030 E114 00.563 30 individual (estimated)
288 20:36 N4 27.972 E114 00.548 250 individual (estimated)
289 20:36 N4 27.942 E114 00.552 50 individual (estimated)
290 20:37 N4 27.906 E114 00.556 50 individual (estimated)