Saturday, November 14, 2009

Branch (Early) December Updates and News

Dear Members,

With the risk of being regarded as SPAM, I'd like to apologise to members for this 2 weeks earlier that usual December update.

A. PAST EVENTS

1. Birdwatching Walkabout in Curtin, October
Curtin students were extremely busy with exams and now they are all ready to go on break! Wish them all good grades!

This event is now officially taken off the list until further notice.

2. Birdwatching in Niah, 01st November
A small troupe went to check out the trails alongside the river. Several great sightings especially of teh colorful Scarlet Minivet, Diard's Trogon and Scarlet-rumped Trogon as well as the not so colorful but interesting Chestnut-winged Babbler with chicks.

Checkout the write-up :
3. Nature Camp for Children in Lambir, 07th November
Cancelled until further notice, we did not managed to rake up the number of participants to run this camp.

4. Branch Committee Meeting, 11th November
Main discussions were events leading up MNS 70th Anniversary, 70th Anniversary Constitution Roadshow, 70th Anniversary Coffeetable Book. Sara Wong is our appointed liasson for all items related to the MNS 70th Anniversary. Members are encouraged to contribute articles, pictures and write-ups to the international congress exhibition as part of the anniversary celebration as well as for the coffee table book.

Read more about it here:
We also discussed AWC 2010 coming up as well as several other major events in the next 6 months including our "KK Birdwatching, Astronomy, Climbing Do" end April. You'll hear more of this soonish.

Those interested to climb KK around May, please email us.

B. UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Discussions on MNS Miri Strategic Plans 2010-2012, 18th Nov 2009
Members are invited to discuss MNS Miri Strategic Plans in line with the MNS Strategic 12 year Plan. An opportunity to focus our efforts and initiatives in Sarawak.

Date : 18th November 2009
Venue : Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum
Time : 1730-1900 hrs

Read up on our proposed (draft) strategies and plans and our objectives for having one:
All members are welcomed.

2. Presentation to members, "Blood in the Water-Mini Expedition to Ulu Baram"
We sent Tony and Rabani on a 10 day mini expedition to Penan Country to check out the last remaining intact virgin rainforest up in Ulu Baram. They've come back with first impressions and photographs from a place not many have been to before.

Venue : Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum
Date : Wednesday, 2nd December 2009
Time : 1800-2000hrs

The slideshow will be presented by Nazeri.

3. Talk and Slideshow " Introduction to Coral Reefs in Miri", 05th Dec
Some of our members are avid divers with PBC Diving, and they have been working with Reefcheck to check out and survey the reefs off the coast of Miri. This is the first of their planned community outreach programs as part of the proposed MNS Miri-Reefcheck program.

Venue : Pustaka Miri, Audio-visual Room
Date : Saturday, 05th December 2009
Time : 1400-1600 hrs

Amer, Tisha and Kumar will be presenting. This event is brought to you by MNS Miri and Pustaka Miri.

4. Fireflies Survey and Training, Kuching, 5-6th Dec
We are sending Musa on a fireflies training in Kuching with Sonny from our Conservation Division. Hopefully upon successfull completion Musa can help us get more intimate with fireflies and conduct surveys in and around Miri.

Announcement and program:
http://mnsmiri.blogspot.com/2009/10/mns-firefly-survey-in-kuching-5-6th.html

5. AWC 2010 Recce Bungai Swamps, 6th Dec
an early to to AWC 2010, this is our first recce of a new AWC candidate site. The area is located just behind the high tide water mark at Bungai Beach. Involves a bit of beachwalking at low-tide and trudging amongst tall grass, could be wet.

Meeting place : Taman Awam
Date : 06th December 2009
Time : 06:00-10:00 hrs

We will met at Taman Awam and promtly leave for Bungai Beach, late starters might want to meet up at Bungai Chalet before 0700 hrs. Please bring your hat bino, birdbooks, plenty of drinking water and snacks.

We are expecting to see egrets, darters and other waterbirds.

6. Basic Photoshop and Web-publishing Workshop For Committee and Members
An informal introduction to image processing with photo-shop or any one of your favorite imaging tools, facebook, blogspot and the rest. This is meant as a sharing session between members to encourage more sharing of images, articles and write-up on the new media.

Venue : Kelab Rekreasi Petroleum
Date : 09th December 2009
Time : 1800-2000hrs

Bring your laptop, your favorite imaging software and images ... we'll postproc it, crop it, enhance it, flickr it, fb it and blog about it. A session on reaching out with the new media.

7. Bakakalan Short Jaunt, 12-14th Dec
To those who've got their tickets, we'll see you at the airport 12th December bright and early.

8. Long Lamai X-Mas and New Year, 26th Dec-03rd Jan
We are flying to Long Banga after Xmas and checkout the surrounding area, amking new friends, enjying new sights and sounds. There'll be trekking, photography and birdwatching.

We will be flying in to Long Banga 26th Dec, return 03rd Jan. The 2nd group will fly in 29th Dec and fly out 03rd January.

Several routes are being planned at the moment, and this will be shared with participants.

If you are interested to go, please book your MASWINGS tickets now. And yes, fruit salad WILL NOT be on the menu in all those 7 days.

This event replaces initially proposed Niah-Suai Walk and Camp over the same period.

9. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Go-Kart Lakes, 9-10th January
10. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Curtin Lakes, 16-17th January
11. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Kpg Masjid Prawn Farms, 23-24th January
12. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Kuala Baram, 30-31st January
13. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Sundar, Lawas, 5-8th February
14. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Loagan Bunut, 13-14th February
15. [Tentative] AWC 2010 Pulau Bawai Camping, 27-28th February

16. [Tentative] Long Weekend at a Longhouse along Batang Baram
One of our member has extended an ivitation to members of MNS Miri to visit a longhouse along Batang Baram for a quiet weekend. Expressions of interest is duly sought from members who'd like to spend a couple days relaxing with a longhouse community by the riverside, the Tuai Rumah will be our host.

Since the dates have not yet been set, members can specify "best" dates based on their preferences.

OTHERS:

1. A big THANK YOU to members who've taken the time to renew their membership.

Those who haven't, please do so at your earliest convenience. Please revert to this email if you require assistance or more information on how to renew your membership painlessly and hassle free. You can now bank in to either MNS Maybank or HSBC accounts.

Membership for the following members are expiring 31st October:
Adrienne Marcus Raja
Bejay Ugon
Jia Jiun Law
Nurhazwani Abdul Munaf
Elisabet Wee Siew Siew
Yong Kah Hian
Sim Yuh Thin

Membership of the following members are expiring 30th November:
Ellen Macarthur,
Richard Kho,
Lucas Johny

Membership of the following members are expiring 31st December:
Anura Dason,
Samantha Kwan
Charlie Lee,
Musa Musbah,
Nurziana Abdullah Sani,
Rosie Kassim

We will be updating our mailing list to reflect current membership 01st Jan 2010. Your Society needs your continued support.

2. Keep updated with Branch activities via our blog
(http://mnsmiri.blogspot.com) and Facebook (search for "MNS Miri").

We need writers and pictures for our blogs, Pencinta Alam, Malaysian Naturalists ... contributors welcomed. If you've articles, write-ups and pictures to share on our blog, please send them to us.

Please email any comments, suggestions to mnsmiri@yahoo.com or leave a comment below.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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