Friday, August 6, 2010

MNS Miri Branch August Updates and News

Dear Valued Members,

Our new 2010/2011 EXCO members will sit together this weekend to come up with new and exciting activities for the upcoming months. In the meantime, the following events are currently being scheduled for August.

EVENTS

1. Weekend Wader Vigil

Come with us as we keep vigil for migrant waders and other waterbirds expected to reach our shores by this time of year during their Autumn migration south to Australia. All are invited to checkout the early arrivals, some should probably still be in their vibrant breeding summer colours. Typical waders seen at this time of year are the Lesser and Greater Sandplovers, Greenshanks and Common Redshanks.

Date: 7th August, 14th August 2010
Time: 6.30 - 9.00 am
Location: Meet by the makeshift shack on the main Kuala Baram Road 100 m from the right turn to Crocodile Farm.

2. Rainforest Action Network Film Screening

Join us as we screen two films that tell the story of Indonesia's rainforest (courtesy of the Rainforest Action Network), Green and Orang Rimba.

Green is a highly-acclaimed documentary that tells the emotional story of a female orangutan in Indonesia. You will understand the story of deforestation through her eyes and how the everyday products we buy here at home are affecting the habitats of the beautiful creatures like her.

Date: Wednesday, 11th Aug
Venue : Steve's Residence, 8-9pm, BYO Snacks and Drinks

Orang Rimba tells the story of a group of indigenous people whose lives are also affected by deforestation, deep in the heart of Sumatra. Listen and watch to their version of how their lives have changed with progress.

Date : TBA (September)
Venue : Steve's Residence, 8-9pm, BYO Snacks and Drinks

The date and location of this film screening will be announced soon, so please check the blog for details in the next few days.

3. Lambir Weekend Hikes

Hike with us every Saturday in Lambir Hills National Park. We often go beyond the main trails to venture into the deeper parts of Lambir. Currently, we are building our fitness on the trails with the aim of summitting Bukit Lambir in late September or early October.

4. Bario Wader Merdeka Weekend

Travel with us on a long extended weekend photographing, recording and video-taping all manner of waterbirds in the paddyfields of Bario in their autumn migration. We are expecting Wood Sandpiper, Common Moorhen and other early migrants that regularly make their stopover in Bario this time of year.

These flight options are still available (as of 06th August):
Miri-Bario Sunday, 29th August; Bario-Miri, Wednesday 01st September

MASWings flights Miri-Bario-Miri RM185/return, book your own tickets;
Accomodation RM70/person perday full board at De Plateau Lodge, including airport transfers.

This trip will have a flexible itinerary, main focus will be waterbirds of course.

4. MNS 63rd National Annual General Meeting

This year's AGM will be hosted by MNS Johor Branch 25th September 2010, Taman Rimba Lagenda, Taman Negara Johor, Gunung Ledang.

For more details, please check out MNS AGM Link.


NEWS


We are proud to announce that we have been awarded the MNS Merdeka Fund for two proposed projects:

  1. 'Congregating Firefly Zone Survey for Northern Sarawak' by MNS Miri
  2. 'Waterbirds and Wetland Habitats Survey of the Sarawak Coast' by MNS BCC-Waterbirds Group, MNS Kuching and MNS Miri Branches.
It looks like a very busy year ahead for MNS Miri!


REMINDERS

A quick reminder for the upcoming MNS 63rd Annual Meeting. Interested participants are encouraged to book their tickets to Johor as soon as possible. For more information, kindly follow this link.

The date to our Mount Murud trek in October is fast approaching! We have three more places up for grabs. Those interested in participating will need to pay RM300 deposit to MNS Miri and book their tickets to Ba'kelalan quickly as seats are limited. Please contact us for more details. To our confirmed participants, please get yourselves into shape for the trek. It will certainly not be a 'walk in the park' ;)

To all our Muslim members and friends, MNS Miri wishes you a good and prosperous fasting month ahead.

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