Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project

01/05/2026

🌿 We are proud to present this year’s World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) event:
SHOREBIRD IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP: “Hey, What’s That Bird?”

Join us in Penaga, Pulau Pinang, as we welcome regional shorebird expert Dave Bakewell as our invited speaker for this special workshop!

This is a great opportunity to meet Dave, learn directly from his expertise, and engage in meaningful discussions on shorebird identification. Over two days, participants will gain hands-on experience and deeper insights into identifying shorebirds in the field.

✨ Don’t miss this opportunity—invite your friends and colleagues, and join us as we come together to learn, share knowledge, and raise awareness about shorebirds and their conservation.

🕊️ “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!” is the slogan for World Migratory Bird Day 2026, highlighting the important role of community (citizen) science in the conservation of migratory birds.

This event is organised by the Shorebirds Peninsular Malaysia Project (SPMP), in collaboration with the NEST - Nature Educational Society, and supported by the World Migratory Bird Day Small Grant Fund 2026 and the Biji Alam Awards 2025.

🔗 Register here:
https://tinyurl.com/ShorebirdWorkshopRegistration

26/04/2026

Recently, between November 2025 to April 2026, SPMP initiated a small-scale project on the development of artificial roost sites for migratory waterbirds at Teluk Air Tawar–Kuala Muda (TAT-KM). This idea was first proposed by John Howes, an ecology consultant, during his visit in October 2024 when he was invited by SPMP to provide input on the feasibility of establishing a high-tide roost site in the area.

During the visit, three potential approaches were suggested. SPMP opted for the simplest and most cost-effective method: installing ropes between existing poles to increase available roosting surface area. This low-cost intervention proved to be effective in providing additional resting structures for waterbirds during high tide, when natural roosting areas are limited or submerged.

Interestingly, observations from subsequent monitoring indicated that several species utilised these artificial roosts. Among them were Ruddy Turnstone, Whiskered Tern, and Great Crested Tern, all of which were recorded resting on the rope structures during high tide periods.

This project was carried out in collaboration with final-year project students from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), providing both research opportunities and practical conservation experience.

Additionally, monitoring data collected during the monthly survey Nov 2025-Apr 2026, further confirmed the continued use of these artificial roost sites by multiple waterbird species, highlighting the potential of simple, scalable interventions in supporting migratory bird conservation at TAT-KM.

Looking forward to expanding this effort through more initiatives and research in the future.

Checklist for April: https://ebird.org/checklist/S327696269

07/04/2026

Sebuah lagi cerita tentang SPMP dalam segmen wanita dan keluarga, semoga terus menjadi inspirasi buat semua wanita di luar sana. Apa sahaja yang kita lakukan, semoga memberi manfaat kepada semua.

Bacaan lanjut di sini: https://www.bharian.com.my/wanita/keluarga/2026/04/1530420/tidak-kisah-berpanas-demi-cinta-pada-tetamu-pantai

29/01/2026

Alhamdulillah, a story on shorebird protection was featured in The Star last week. We at SPMP are once again grateful for this opportunity, with the hope that more Malaysians will become aware of what is happening in conservation efforts across the country, particularly in Penang. We also hope this serves as an eye-opener for all stakeholders in the area, encouraging continued support and stronger collaboration towards better wetland conservation.

While this coverage is something we truly appreciate, over the past few weeks (11 January 2026), I have been contacted by local fishermen who reported illegal hunting of shorebirds taking place in the TAT–KM area. This came as a surprise, as it is the first time I have received such information from this site. In previous years, I had observed illegal trapping of shorebirds in Kuala Muda, Kedah, which was deeply concerning.

Much more needs to be done. Let us work together, collaborate, and stand united in protecting the precious flora and fauna of our wetland ecosystems.

Read online:
https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2026/01/28/malaysian-ornithologist-advocates-for-the-protection-of-shorebirds

As migratory shorebirds face an imminent threat, Dr Nur Munira Azman heads a research project dedicated to protecting the species and their habitats.

19/01/2026

Berita Wilayah, RTM TV1 | 18 January 2026

I am grateful to RTM for inviting SPMP to share information on migratory shorebirds at Teluk Air Tawar–Kuala Muda (TAT-KM). This feature is an important step in highlighting to the Penang State Government the urgent need to safeguard this highly valuable wetland ecosystem. Protecting TAT-KM is essential not only for migratory shorebirds and biodiversity, but also for sustaining long-term benefits for local communities.

🎥 Watch the segment here:
https://youtu.be/pe8ITfsjRRE?si=Y43XaMYVdAVcmX99

01/01/2026

The Amazing Penaga

31/12/2025

Ecokids: Learn and Care! 🌿🐦

That’s a wrap for 2025! On 14 December 2025, we had a wonderful and meaningful weekend with parents and children from Kids In Nature (KIN), a group based in Kuala Lumpur, observing shorebirds in Kuala Selangor.

This programme brought together a group of my UPSI Ecology students (SBV3013) and Mr Abdul Afiq Abdul Rahman, who served as facilitators throughout the day. It was truly a collaborative and enriching experience for everyone involved.

The objectives of this programme were to expose both children and parents to basic birdwatching techniques, shorebird identification, and fundamental ecology concepts. Over the course of this one-day programme, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the activities. Parents participated in a dedicated session with Dr Munira and Afiq, where they learned about the shorebird life cycle, shorebirds at Kuala Selangor and TAT-KM, and listened to stories of the birds’ incredible migratory journeys. Meanwhile, the children took part in fun and engaging activities such as mangrove (bakau) diorama-making, shorebird and wetland puzzles, and interactive quizzes.

All participants were very happy with this meaningful programme, bringing home not only prizes, but also cherished memories and a deeper appreciation for nature.

Alhamdulillah, may Allah bless all the efforts we have made in 2025 towards shorebird conservation awareness, and may there be many more meaningful initiatives in 2026, inshaAllah.

✨ Happy New Year, everyone! ✨

11/12/2025

If you are around Selangor and the Klang Valley, come and join our EcoKids: Learn and Care programme at Sungai Sembilang, Kuala Selangor. This session welcomes both parents and children.

Meet me, Dr Munira, as I will share with parents about the introduction to shorebirds and their conservation, while the children enjoy fun and engaging activities with facilitators from UPSI. We will also have a birdwatching activity around Pantai Remis, Kuala Selangor.

Lunch will be provided.
Let’s join in!

08/12/2025

CLOSE UP Shorebird Festival 2025: Shorebird Photo Race & Best Photo.

Alhamdulillah, the Shorebird Photo Race was the main highlight of our festival this year. Personally, it was a truly meaningful experience, as this was the first time our SPMP and NEST - Nature Educational Society teams handled this kind of race. We were very fortunate to receive tremendous support from NEST, which has extensive experience in handling bird races. However, this one was quite different—this time we were “hunting” not land birds, but shorebirds!

As organisers, we had to consider many elements: tidal timings, securing boats, identifying suitable areas to cover during the race, and selecting the right experts to serve as judges. It was definitely challenging to sort all of this out within just one month. But Alhamdulillah, with the help of many friends, everything came together smoothly.

My heartfelt thanks to the SPMP team, Nasir Azizan, Dr Aini Hasanah (UMT), Dr Nurul Salmi, NEST team, Mr Sulaiman, Mr Shaiful, Mr Rahman Don, Fidza, Noraini, Fairuz, the MNS team, Mr Muin, Mr Tan Choo Eng, and Mr David Li from the EAAFP Shorebird Working Group. I would also like to express my appreciation to all participants who travelled from various states across Peninsular Malaysia to join this competition. I truly believe that this event has the potential to become one of Penang’s international attractions.

Based on our interview with the participants, many shared that shorebird identification is not easy—but well done, they managed to do it right up to the submission deadline! They also suggested that we organise a shorebird identification workshop next year. That is a wonderful suggestion, and we are definitely looking forward to making it happen.

Once again, congratulations to our first batch of winners:

🏆 Champion: Lifer Hunter x Dendang Selayang
(Afiq, Ridhwan, Atiqah)

🥈 2nd Runner-Up: The Shore Soul
(Ying Hien, Li Li, Ester)

🥉 3rd Runner-Up: Ruddy Rumble
(Qayyum, Haziq, Nik)

📸 Special Category – Best Photo: Ruddy Rumble (Qayyum, Haziq, Nik)

Best wishes,
Coordinator

02/12/2025

Shorebird Festival 2025 | 29–30 November, Penaga, Penang

Alhamdulillah 🌤️ With beautiful weather in Penaga, Penang, we successfully organised the Shorebird Festival 2025 last weekend. With the full support of government agencies (DWNP, Ferestry), NGOs (Nature Sustainable Education Society, NEST, MNS), the fishermen community (PNK), bird enthusiasts, photographers, school children, universities (UPSI, UMT), and industry partners, the festival ran smoothly and meaningfully. Thank you to everyone who made this possible! 💚🌿

More than 300 visitors joined us across the two days, reflecting strong community support for conservation and eco-tourism. The festival was organised by the Shorebird Peninsular Malaysia Project (SPMP), co-hosted by MBSP and Canon Marketing Malaysia, and funded by Biji Alam Awards, with tremendous support from conservation organisations, universities and local partners.

✨ Festival Highlights:

📷 Shorebird Photo Race — 8 teams raced to photograph as many shorebird species as possible within 24 hours, travelling by official boats from Sungai Lahar Endin to Pasir Gebu.

🏞️ Sungai Tembus Photo Contest — 20 participants captured powerful stories of the people and nature of Sungai Tembus.

📸 Canon Photography Workshop — Hands-on learning with professional cameras and lenses, with free equipment loans throughout the festival.

🌱 Ecologist Junior Programme— secondary school students explored mangroves, built dioramas, and learned about shorebird conservation through interactive quizzes and puzzles.

💬 Community Forum — “Teluk Air Tawar–Kuala Muda: Permata Baharu Eko-Pelancongan Berasaskan Komuniti” brought together experts, NGOs and the fishermen community to discuss conservation challenges and future opportunities.

🛶 Booths & Boat Rides — Visitors enjoyed interactive booths from partners and walk-in boat trips for birdwatching and mangrove exploration.

The festival was officiated by YBhg. Dato’ Hj Baderul Amin bin Abdul Hamid, Mayor of Seberang Perai. We were also honoured by an international sharing session from Mr. David Li, Chair of the EAAFP Shorebird Working Group.

🏆 Awards Ceremony
Both photography competitions concluded with prize presentations for the top winners, special categories and consolation prizes — recognising creativity, effort and passion in documenting the unique coastal heritage of Sungai Tembus. Congratulations to all winners!

Thank you once again to all partners, supporters and the community for making the Shorebird Festival 2025 a success.

Let’s continue working together to protect our wetlands, mangroves and migratory shorebird habitats.

For future programmes, workshops and volunteering opportunities, visit www.shorebirds.my

Best Wishes,
Munira
Coordinator SPMP




📸 Photo credit: MBSP, Canon Marketing Malaysia & NEST

28/11/2025

Are you ready? Come and meet us!