Ba Kelalan for Birds Lovers

INTRODUCTION:

Ba'kelalan is consist group of nine villages in the Highlands of  Lawas,Limbang Division, Sarawak, about 3,000 feet (910 m) above sea level and 4 km from the border with Indonesian Kalimantan. The villagers belong to the Lun Bawang tribe. The villages are Buduk Nur, Long Langai, Long Lemumut, Long Ritan, Long Rusu, Pa Tawing, Buduk Bui, Buduk Aru and Long Rangat.

The name Ba’Kelalan is derived from the Kelalan River and Ba’ which means rice field in the Lun Bawang language. Its population is about 1203 but as many as 8000 call it home.

 Ba'kelalan Airport has flights to Bario(Thursday) and to Lawas using 19-seater DHT aircraft.

Road access is possible via a 129 km former logging trail from Lawas using four-wheel-drive vehicles, but the road conditions can be particularly bad in the rainy season and the journey takes at least six hours. 

Rice production

Ba'kelalan paddy rice field

With water supply from the Kelalan river, the community have created well-irrigated padi fields  and grow the prized, small-grained “Highland Adan Rice” with fine, sweet grains.

Salt processing

Nearby salt water wells enable the community to produce an average of 40 kg of salt per week. The salt water is brought to the village and evaporated in a tank above a wood-fired stove; they take it in turns to stir the tank continuously for about five days as the crystals form and until the last water has been boiled away.

Home of many Borneo’s endemic species

Common Name                             Scientific Name

Bornean barbet                          – Megalaima eximia

Bornean Green Magpir             – Cissa jefferyi

Bornean Treepie                         – Dendrocitta cinerascens

Blue Banded Pitta                       – Pitta Baundii

Dulit Frogmouth                         – Batrachostomus harterti

Eyebrowed jumgle Flycatcher   – Rhinoyias gularis

Mountain bardet                         – Megalaima eximia

Mountain Wren babbler            – Napothera crasca

Whitehead’s spiderhunter         – Archnothera juliae

White headed’s Broadbill           – Calytomena whiteheadi

Yellow-rumped Flowerpecker    – Prionochilux Xanthopgius

And lot of common birds

                                                     

                                                          The Birders or the...

                                                             The Dulit frogmouth

                                                           Photo by Sang S.

Payah Maga...Long Tuyu Lawas, Limbang

INTRODUCTION:

Payeh Maga, which means  swampy highlands in the Lun Bawang language, has three peaks. They are Gunung Doa which stands at 570m, Gunung Tuyo (1,752m) on the east side and Gunung Matallan (1,828m), the highest peak, on the west quadrant.

Forest Department Sarawak had carry out a survey on the area’s avifauna and the survey showed Payeh Maga has over 180 bird species including 27 endemic bird species, comprising over 50% of the Bornean total.

Among the species endemic to Borneo  found in Payeh Maga are Bornean Banded Pitta Pitta schwaneri,  Black Oriole, Bornean Green Magpie Cissa jefferyi and Bornean Bulbul Pycnonotus montis. Bigger birds such as hornbills and eagles are often spotted soaring in the area as well.

Located at the far northeastern of Sarawak, this area is already known for nature-based activities, particularly bird-watching. Payeh Maga is also situated within the Heart of Borneo (HoB) area of Sarawak. Many waterfalls and rock stream with high aesthetic values for nature-based tourism spots are also found in this place.

Payeh Maga, nearly two hours drive from Lawas town or about 70km through bumpy logging track is an important area for birds and other forms of wildlife.

Visitors to Payeh Maga normally spend a night or two at neighbouring Lun Bawang village called Long Tuyo before putting on their hiking and camping gear the next day. Long Tuyo is 7km away from Payeh Maga. With support from Forest Department Sarawak, villagers have built basic shelters, Camp One located 965m above sea level and Camp Two (1,590m), to cater for researchers who are doing work in this area.


Photo

Matalan Homestay

                                                                       The Trails

                                                                         The Waterfall