Participants learn how to use binoculars, an important tool in bird-watching.
KUCHING: The Ministry of Tourism Sarawak, in collaboration with Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Selangor and Kuching Branches, held a Beginners Bird Watching Workshop for licensed tourist guides from Sarawak Tourist Guides Association and Sarawak Forestry Corporation staff and Park Guides.
The three-day workshop (Aug 22 to 24) took place at Borneo Highlands Resort, a popular birding destination in Sarawak that is also an Important Bird Area.
Twenty-five people took part in the workshop which was aimed at preparing tourist guides and SFC’s Park Guides and staff for birding tourism which is gaining popularity in the state.
With on-going workshops being organised, it is hoped that Sarawak will be ready for birding tourism with a pool of newly trained and enthusiastic birding guides.
With the basic birding skills acquired over the weekend, spending time birding and reading birds field guide books, the workshop trainers from MNS Selangor and Kuching branches assured participants that they should be able to identify birds within a reasonable time.
The trainers were impressed with the participants’ enthusiasm and hoped a few of them would become serious birders.
They hoped participants would grow to love bird-watching, thus leading to protection of their habitat and at the same time, share the state’s bird diversity with keen birders from around the world.
During the workshop, Dr Ron Orenstein gave an inspiring talk on ‘Birding Tourism in Sarawak’ and participants practiced bird-watching at different locations around the Borneo Highlands led by MNS members.
Workshop participants posing for a group photo with their trainers and organising secretariat at the Beginners Bird Watching Workshop for licensed tourist guides and Park Guides.