Birding at Paya Point

Female Brown-throated Sunbird feeding its young at Paya Point

Female Brown-throated Sunbird

 The birding look out area called Paya Point is located between Zone B and C, covering an area about half an acre.  In Malay 'Paya' means swampy area. The area collects rain water from three hills that are the headland of the swamp.  The area is water-logged and thus the natural vegetation is mainly grasses, creepers and small trees mainly the Simpoh Air (Dillenia suffructicosa).  I have cultivated heliconias somewhere in the middle of the area and these are allowed to grow wild as part of the natural landscaping.  In between the tall leaves of the heliconias can be observed the female Brown-throated Sunbird and clinging on the long grasses are the Chestnut Munia and Dusky Munia.  As added bonus there are  lizards and tree shrews for surprises.  At ground level have been sighted monitor lizards, frogs, White-breasted Waterhen and many species of dragonflies.

View of Paya Point, looking east.  Note the tall heliconia plants in the middle of the swampy area.

Thickets of grasses, ferns and creepers are nesting grounds for Munias, White-breasted Waterhen, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs etc..

In the far background are the round and broad leaves of the Simpoh Air (Dillenia suffructicosa) .  These tall shrubs or small trees are frequented by bulbuls, squirrels, tree shrews, pigeons, sunbirds and flowerpeckers.

Chest-nut Munia foraging for grass seeds at Paya Point