Malaysian Plovers of Mersing

Malaysian Plover, one pair of male (left of picture above) and female (right of picture) was finally sighted and an inexplicable wave of joy washed all over me. Whether it was pure joy or just the heat of the Saturday afternoon sun bearing down on me, it didn't matter. All that mattered was finally being able to see what was most probably the cutest pair of plovers on the shores of Mersing beach in Johor, Malaysia! Lesser Sand Plovers, Common Sandpiper and Little Egrets were the most visible out in the beach and sandy shores when we first arrived in Mersing Jetty from Panti Forest. The Malaysian Plover was slightly smaller than the Lesser Sand Plover and seeing this pair scurry around the sandier shores of the beach was pure delight. It has such pale pinkish white legs and creamy white throat and chest.

  Malaysian Plover (male) on the lookout for tasty morsels such as crabs!

The Male Malaysian Plover (pictured above and below) with its distinctive black dot on its head. Proud mascot and official bird of the Wild Bird Club of Malaysia:)

The Terek Sandpiper was quite far out hunting for food in the muddier parts of beach (pic below). Orangy legs and long bill were the features which stood out for me.

The Malaysian Plover stoops its head to almost same level as its body when it hunts for food (pic below).

The female Malaysian Plover (pictured below) had browner scalloped feathers compared to the Male.

There were Whimbrels and other waders feeding on the beach of Mersing but they were really far out since the tides were low. The Sanderling, Grey-tailed Tattler and Ruddy Turnstone were sighted earlier on the beach by Wader Sifu Ang, Mr and Mrs Liew and Raj. But these wader species were missing in action that Saturday afternoon. The identification features of the Malaysian Plover, its range map, photos and videos (including two videos shot in Jason Bay, Johor by Del Hoyo) are available HERE.
     It was blazing hot when we reached Mersing beach that Saturday afternoon.

Low tide and no signs of Malaysian Plovers when we first arrived. Learning the preferred habitat was a pre-requisite in order to successfully spot these small-sized waders!

Checklist submitted to eBird Malaysia for Mersing, Johor is available HERE. Ontario's Piping Plovers Conservation Program is quite interesting and can be read HERE. 

Panti which I read and heard about so much in the past as as being THE place to see the Malaysian Rail-Babbler and other forest birds, did not live up to its reputation. The number of lorries and trucks passing through the inner road, leading to the trails inside the forest could be one of the major factors leading to its declining status as a hotspot for birdwatching.