Good designing, I like how staircase is neatly isolated.

Don't think it got to do with the acid. More like the amount rotten fruits. IMO, sawit generates more insects than rubber. Also for rubber, obstruction to flying path the main issue. Got to think whether they can circulate around ur bh, more playing ground for them sort of. Anyway, just my guess.

thks.
I was more afraid of some 'inside' knowledge of rubber trees being a threat to swiftlets.
I agree that those tall towering rubber trees poses a challenge.
For my specific case the rubber trees come close to my proposed BH only on 1 side, EAST, thus my LMBs face W & S.

This post has been edited by Cergau: Jul 4 2011, 03:34 PM

To understand why, you may need to do Research on it but I don't have the time but beware of it as many failed BHs are at these areas. Something that I observe that on one side of the road, those BHs in palm oil trees have nests while the other roadside , all BHs failed and all planting rubber trees. So, you have rubber trees plantation and wish to build one in it, remember my saying " Beware the rubber trees" and clear a larger area in the plantation to be safer........ but why do it as rubber fetch a very good price and I rather tap my rubber than to invest into something you can't see.

No intention of cursing anyone's BH@ rubber land but my observation on the matter.

From own observation and little experience on the animal behaviors and swiftlets in particular do concur with your view point.

Wonder have you seen any of them built 5-10ft higher than the rubber trees, what are the results? Have not seen one so no comments. May be the rubber trees too dense most mosquitos congregate having feast/bf/lunch/dinner at the bottom hardly travel above? Sawit still got gap in btw for them to escape?

Probably need a biologist to do a proper research on this. Swiftlets are capable to travel >100km per day, guess your example above means a lot to the investors. Any biologists around? May be investors should spend 1-2% of the investment to engage the biologist on this matter, better than gave it to the con-cum-in-sultants.

A simple check on the type and number of insects flying above variety of tree tops means a lot I suppose.

Similar like fishes, those who do fresh water fishing will understand. Say a big lake, how to catch certain species? Some species prefer to stay near certain type of corner v certain type of vegetation compares to the others. So if you target tat specie, as a regular fisherman one look at the vegetation already know where to throw u bait.

Ok, from now on many con-cum-in-sultants will start claiming in their blogs they can advise v fees where to place ur bhs ...

personal observation on many bird houses... rubber plantation a big No No.. however Ignore risk at your peril.

My BH is in the middle of rubber plantation and it is doing very well.

Also late this evening after rain, a lot of flying termites came out but the swiftlets did not feed on them. Wonder what's the reason?

bro coolandy?
may i know where your bh location ?

All,
Thanks for your words of caution.
I appreciate them all with sincerity.

My proposed BH doesn't sit in a rubber estate, it sits in a durian dusun that's next to a rubber plantation.
It's a 3 acre rectangular strip with
1)1 side facing rubber trees at the same altitude
2)1 side sloping down to belukar
3)2 sides sloping down to newly cleared land planted with napier grass for goats.

I have attached a topo map to illustrate the features around my proposed site.


For discussion...
I may offer a possible lead to the observed disastrous BH performance.
Mature rubber trees are most often taller than any conventional BH you can design and build. The trees will get into any flight path into the BH unless you are willing to sacrifice 'the bird at hand better than those in the bush' as WW expressed.

This post has been edited by Cergau: Jul 5 2011, 05:51 PM

All BHs/Caves starts from zero, new birds becomes old birds when they are populated. For survival,
swiftlets find any places that deemed safe to live in, underground caves or tunnel under the
bridges and man made BHs of today.


Facts about rubber trees found from the web...

Rubber trees:-
In the wilderness, the tree can reach a height of up to 144 feet (44 m) and for commercial
purpose or in plantations, the trees are kept smaller, up to 78 feet (24 m) tall. Can your BH
outgrow these trees to make your swiftlets safe from predators hidden in tree branches?


Flowers:-
As with other members of the genus Ficus, the flowers rely on a specific wasp species to
pollinate it in a co-evolved relationship. Because of this relationship, the rubber plant does
not produce highly colourful or fragrant flowers to attract other pollinators.
The flowers are impossible to see because they are encased in a unique structure called a
syconium, which looks much like a small fig. Can swiftlets find good insects supply on top of
the trees?


Keep as far away as possible from rubber trees if you've to built a BH in it but not so close to
neighbor that some day your neighbour comes to build one to obstruct your fly path. Just my
thought.

This post has been edited by swift4ever: Jul 5 2011, 09:45 PM

Ayah Embong,

Somewhere in the East Coast of Malaya

Taking about Bridges bring me to a joke to share.

Once, a Indo worker who used to build BH for me rang me up and said," Boss, nampat banyak sarang bawah jambatan diKuantan" "Betul kah? Kamu tahu sarang burang walit, was my reply. "Tau Boss, saya banyak buat rumah burung walit; sudah biasa"he said adding that he can send me the nests....and for free. I told him to send some samples of the nests by courier to me and if it's swiftlets nest, I will pay him some money for it.

What do you think he sent me........swallow nests and over 200gm each. If only swiftlets build such big size nests.

Coming to serious matter, as quoted above, the birds left the cave to evolve to our present species and they may one day decide to shift to other location safer and that's the end of our fairy tale of the duck that lay the golden eggs.

Guyz i am new to swiflet farming industry and would love to seek more information from books etc.

I just finished reading Dr Lim book but still in need of more information. Any ideas anyone?"

Sam at klang keep a lot of books.

Sam at klang?

Macam-macam ada kat sana to make Swiftlets happy

As D day for the industry is getting nearer but still many owners blasting their sound as if they have the right to do so without consideration of others feeling.

That's really bad for the trade esp. in the town and it's like giving reasons for the opposition of the industry to fire hard on us. Be kind and considerate to thy neighbours so that where the time come, you may have them for support but at least you got lesser enemies.

Spare some sympathy to those who are going to fight your battle to ensure that you can remain in town by not creating unnecessary sound polution which is the main complaint and disturbance causes in the industry so far and yet we still cannot prevent such uncooperative owners.

I have proven that without bird calls ( internal and external ), I still have healthy growth in my old BH so it's not asking you not to play Birdcalls but to soften it and ensure that nobody is disturb by your BH. This way, you have already help those @ Association who are going to negotiate how best to allow all to remain @ town.

I sympathy and pity those guys who are to battle for you but you aren't cooperating....and for that reason, I quit helping the Association to ensure the safety of the BHs @ town even though mine are also affected. Why should we help if you aren't helping yourself and worst damaging the very chances of getting a better deal for all.

Do ensure all your neighbouring BH owners cooperate by not disturbing the peace and worst, some even dump fertilizer into the drain (never on your own drain but over the other side) when no one looking...............why like that????? Real shame on you if you are one of those!!!!!!!

I LIKE

WW,
There's a likely solution to this.....
1)ENSURE that the PBT's interpretation & implementation is discussed with the local association.
2)DO NOT ALLOW PBTs to come out with blanket ruling/conditions that penalise those in compliance due to behaviour of the delinquent few.
3)ENSURE that those conditions are disseminated to all members and specifically with EMPHASIS that since these conditions were discussed with the association and it's members, as such the assoc will not intervene in cases of PBT action for non-compliance.
We all should work with the PBTs to ensure the public is not inconvenienced.
Privately we each can spread goodwill amongst our neighbors as you have advocated many times.

The above will ensure that the delinquent ones will be shut down and can no longer be free to continue their delinquency under the safety of the assoc.

May not be the only way but just my 2bits.

This post has been edited by Cergau: Jul 10 2011, 09:58 AM

It's easier said than done but if you are the one that help to negotiate the safe passage for the good guys and what's then, the bad ones will get to you cos' the blame on you that they are not allow to stay @ town. then what???? Will the ones that you help to allow to remain @ town help come to your defense if these really mad and unhappy owners are going for your hide for the bad ones aren't going to admit that they cause their own destruction and that you are the culprit that cause their BHs being not allow @ town....they aren't going to think that you have save those who are cooperating and should be allow to stay and convincw the authorities that action is needed to be taken only against the bad ones.

I won't want to be the one to try to save those who follow the recommendations and make peace with the rest of the population cos it shall be my hide at state. My own home being disturbed by the BHs sound pollution an many occasions and even with my close connection with the Association manage to solve the problem for a month but just one month and then what?????? Those A**H*** have no brains and they don't know that by doing so, we are helping them and to ensure them of a chance to remain @ town and they think that it's their Right to remain or all BHs can go to hell (demolished) together!!!!

Only if I be given a legalized torch to burn (007 license) and I will burn down their BHs if they repeat the disturbance after warning so that we will have better chances and leverage in negotiating a better deal with the authorities. Maybe, self control by the Association, lower fees and non interference from the authorities is my agenda.

No offense to anyone in particular but just to speak for all even those who object to the industry. We must appreciate their understanding of our industry but we also must respect their rights to good living!!