South of Banten is Manuk Island, the Isle of Birds. This coral haven offers an enchanting scene with the ebb tide. The receding waters reveal a green expanse of seaweed, like a golf course with hundreds of holes.
“We’re sort of walking on grassland destined by nature,” said Sibud, 31, a local resident and bird conservationist on the island.
It’s a major spot of temporary stay for hundreds of migratory birds. “Normally they migrate in the middle of the year. This year, the birds from the Northern Hemisphere arrived in August,” Sibud said.
Endemic birds such as herons and wild ducks are always easy to find. Many of their nests rest at the peak of the island. For a closer look at the local birds, one has to be braced for a tough hike.
The time that nature allows us to watch the wet savanna is indeed limited. Usually the ebb tide begins at 3 p.m. and the flood tide submerges the grass at 7 p.m. After that, with savanna in hiding, Manuk Island only flaunts its solid coral terrain.
The green carpet is actually the only way to access Manuk Island, which is within reach on foot.
Wet savanna: The expanse of seaweed surfaces as the tide is ebbing. It’s like a wet savanna.
New generations: A pair of 3-week-old heron chicks
New land: Manuk Island forms a small strait on the coast at low tide.
— Photos by Adi NW
No comments:
Post a Comment