N 04° 04.740
E 101° 14.052 (WGS84)
Air Itam Educational Park
As the Crows Flies
Direction -336° -113.26 kms
 from my house
Terrain - Heavily forested wetland Size of Birdable area -20 hectacres Distance to walk -1.5 kms-boardwalk
Birding distance - Binoculars Special attire- nil   Other special mention- nil
Bird's life:- Bird species:- For budding birder :-
 
The place is a small plot of forest about 30 hectares, where 2 rivers formed a confluence wetland. Surrounding it are cultivated rice fields. Tall Figs trees that thrives in such wet hostile environment, are the backbone. It also provided the support for undergrowth, together they make up this very dense forest. It is no wonder that pristine sanctuary, inaccessible to causal visitor, serves as an "oasis" for wild birds in the hinterland. Birding here is slowly and quietly walking along the boardwalk and peeping into the surrounding forest. Don't forget the wetgrounds.       
 
  The view of a the entrance.

There was a small farming community where the ticketing booth and the car park were.

After that at the edges of the Park's perimeters, isolated houses of the farmers. Their farms reached the edge of the wetland and it was not possible to access the boardwalk from any point around its edges.

The entrance across a short suspension bridge and into the wetlands.

 

     
The most impressive structure of the Park, a solid structure of a watch tower.

This tower was not particularly useful. It overlooked over the vast plain on one side and the top of Nipah Palms on the other. The good birding sites were the canopied area where the boardwalk passed by.

                         Watch tower at the border Rice field and wetland.

   
  One tributary was seen where the bridge at the entrance passed over. This picture shows the 2nd tributary. The "Y" shape confluence and perennial floods created this patch of wetland.

Part of  the route of the boardwalk ran beside this river. This stretch was used more often by the fishermen.

 

Another border of the wetland is a river

 

 
Another notable feature was this fairly long suspension bridge. About 750 meters long, birders can discreetly looked down the forest floor or into the 2nd level of the tall trees. Examine the picture, you could make out a boardwalk that transverse this suspension bridge at ground level.

Walking the suspension bridge brings excitement to Park's visitors.

.

 
  Another attraction to those entering the forest, the boardwalk cut through a maze of aerial roots of the Fig tree.

A natural "Arch" on the Boardwalk.

 

     
A portion of boardwalk over uncovered portion of the Park.  The residents you would likely to encounter would be the Lineated Barbets, Chestnut bellied Malkoha and Collared Kingfisher. Good that you could catch up with the Ruddy Kingfisher. The Banded Woodpecker is common while the Great Slaty   is occasionally seen. Others you may see the Mangrove blue Flycatcher and Pitta. Broadbill seen was the Black and Red.

This Boardwalk passed through canopied as well as open area. Here is one part exposed to bright sunlight..

 

   
  The profile of the Boardwalk is "L" shape. The longer leg of the "L" again went on a figure "8" shape. Here is a view of the watch tower as seen from its rear.

Imagine the "L" shape and seeing the scene from the end of the short leg.

Beyond the shaded area of the Fig trees, the natural Nipah forest thrived.

 

   

Below - Looking at the same suspension bridge from a boardwalk


Another VWander pictorial guide page
 

Need to - Go to  Khong's  travel guide