Swiftlet Farmers Handbooks

Preamble to what's in store.

The idea of a Swiftlet Farmers Handbook was mooted more than a year ago. I procrastinated over it on and off wondering if it is worthwhile.

What the hack, does it matter? "Just do it".. and let time prove its worth!














An online medium is the most convenient means for access, materials may be added gradually over time and regular updates. Rather than compile under one umbrella, technical contents are spread into 3 broad categories under:

1) Bird House Design Fundamentals
http://bird-house-design.blogspot.com

1. Thermal basics
- Measurement of thermal energy
- Specific heat capacity
- Thermal insulation/conduction
- Latent Heat
- Properties of air
- Properties of water
- Thermal Energy stored in air, water and water vapor
- Concept of BH Thermal Model
- Thermal Conduction through walls

2. Designs for Shop Units conversion
Case studies of well designed BH + members contribution

3. Designs of Standalone Farms
Case studies of well designed BH + members contribution

4. New Design Concepts


2) Swiftlet Sound System Fundamentals
http://swiftlet-sound-system.blogspot.com

Objectives: (Details as in previous blog)
1. Empowers you audit your sound system & improve its design
2. Empowers you to upgrade your sound system components and its maintenance
3. Knowledge of what constitute a quality tweeter and how to test it
4. Choosing tweeters: cost vs. performance - Fit for use criteria?
5. Getting more out the internal sound system with fake nest/Styrofoam


3) Bird House Management Handbook
http://bird-house-management.blogspot.com

1. Temperature/Humidity monitoring instruments
Application - selection criteria & set up

2. Types of Humidifiers
Application - selection criteria & set up

3. Light Level measurements

4. Sound Level measurements

5. Aromas

6. Bird Sounds (internal, external, pulling)

7. Locations of fake nests/Styrofoam pads

8. Growth rate monitoring

9. Pests Control

10. Harvesting

11. Security issues

12. Remote monitoring

13. Other maintenance related issues
- Routine Hygrostat calibration

14. Innovative experiments

I don't compare with the new BH Design book costing US$200+, its value no doubt will exceeds that many times.

A Brain Teaser

Question:

Can we do away with the roving room?

What is your take, learned friends out there?

I leave this as open topic to all.. take your time to think it over!

Question of Clockwise vs Anti-clockwise?

This is a classic example of "Truth, 1/2 truth, myth & misleading ideas" all confounded and floating out there.

It is also a case of established "knowledge" can be challenged.














Question was raised by Janson:

Does a swiftlet colony fly in one direction only (Clockwise or CC)? Read in a book by famous guy in the industry that it is so.
- My observation from the successful farm told me it couldn't be so as my main entrance to 2nd (floor) is counter clockwise, and staircase to lower floor is clockwise. And lower floor is densely populated. However, I don't know if they might have a dominant/preferred direction."

First he saw a contradiction to his observations. The conflict raises a doubt, so what is true?

My answer:
I don't subscribe the CW or CC theory too. Come in CW also means going out CC isn't it? Just that when the bird come in one direction it continue circle in same direction, rather to made abrupt change, which they are well capable of too.

His response:
Your example is precise enough, didn't cross my mind earlier.

In my limited readings, there is no claim a colony fly in one direction only (I take as in general flights). So this statement can be "misleading". Or as Eugene says some consultants preach one direction only. How true is that? Can be just as misleading.

There are implications in books (though not explicitly) some birds are CC and CW. Does it also imply birds are either one or other, just like us human - left handed and right handed?

When you see illustration in books drawing circles CC and CW all over, looks impressive but there is little content actually. The author need to pad it up, doesn't he?

When such "information" (won't refer as knowledge) floats and regurgitate by many over and over .. perpetuates a myth eventually. Then through perception as reality.

So what is 1/2 truth?
Yes, we see birds flying both in CC and CW direction in the roving/nesting rooms continuously.

Then what is the truth?
Got it yet? Take a clue from Janson's remark:

"if you see how swiftlets maneuver along the small lanes during the evening, they're better than any jet plane pilots around"

What is more true than:
These birds are amazing flying creatures!

Have you watch them making "about-turn" in mid air along a narrow passage?

They are unafraid of large predator birds in the sky.. knowing they can out maneuver them. So does the idea of CW & CC hold as Eugene states.. out there they fly in all directions with ease! Why are they call swiftlets in the first place?

In open sky while gliding, turning is simple movement in shifting wings elevation and body weight. So is there a left-wing/right wing tendency? I doubt so, correct me if I am wrong.

When birds fly into tighter space such as roving room, max. speed is to circle around the boundary (like us taking corners on the roads, right?) Or one can explain with Newton's laws of motion & momentum.

Where is the need to reverse suddenly unless threatened?
A same bird may well come in CC and next time CW while exploring the BH. Once they are settled, they are 'programmed' with the fastest route in/out, dependent on nesting location. So logically from this perspective, a colony would take the same path in/out. CC or CW can be a random mix among the population from different nesting spots. Did you see juveniles doing "figure 8" in the BH?

Above are my take to elaborate.. of course, there can still be "Truths, 1/2 truths, myths and misleading ideas" embedded within!

I begin to feel an "Open Learning Network" can actually work.
What have I learned in this exercise? Pick a topic from a member and bring into focus - one at a time. Agree?

A BH Design related question

A question was posed to me the other day.

"Questions on design
Does a swiftlet colony fly in one direction only (Clockwise or CC)? Read in a book by famous guy in the industry that it is so.
- My observation from the successful farm told me it couldn't be so as my main entrance to 2nd (floor) is counter clockwise, and staircase to lower floor is clockwise. And lower floor is densely populated. However, I don't know if they might have a dominant/preferred direction."

Answer being sought in consideration of the above to the internal layout of BH.

I have given opinion in response. To readers out there, anybody care to comment?

Let's see if this is a good test case of group synergy.

A Chemistry Experiment

A reader wrote with this opening line, "I would think that a flood of swiftlet farmers would make a beeline to join your network."

To which my response was, "As for participants, I keep my fingers crossed. I deliberated on this for weeks - in the end I treat this as another experiment. What I want to do I am doing it anyhow, with group participation or not." Here, I am not an optimist!

I listened to Professor Peter Singer, a philosopher at Princeton University, delivered an address on "Ethics and Evolution" at Sydney University the other day.











In the lecture, he contents that "altruism", a human trait is part of human evolution, as a survival skill. "You help me and I'll help you in return. You scratched my back, I'll scratch yours. If I helped someone and it wasn't reciprocated, then why should I do it again?" Sure, we behave like that, don't we?

He went on, "Since it is a survival skill, it can be faked to better one's personal agenda." Sure again, don't we see such characters in our midst too?

There are all sorts of people around us. In cyberspace, people's behavior are accentuate further (or amplified) under anonymity.

Often there are emails or comments dropped in from the cold. I would normally acknowledge and respond to them. Soon as people get the information wanted, you don't hear from them again. Some may not even leave a word of appreciation.

At the other end, there are generous people who are willing to share what they have, even a little.

In between the spectrum, there are the "sincere impostors", with footprints everywhere, to befriend for the sole objective of "sucking" knowledge. I choose not to ruffle more feathers here. One takes time to observe before making judgment.

So what's the experiment?

A lesson from Chemistry... solutions are often clear, can't tell between acidic or alkaline. The test is simple - a litmus test (remember?). Pink or Blue, you can tell instantly after one dip.













In the first premise, intention is to give back something to people who offered their generosity. So what is a better test than this?

It is a good filter. At the end of the day.. it will show up PINK or BLUE, the count is irrelevant and doesn't matter.

Art of BH Design

Just as I deliberate on this topic, a reader wrote and summed up his thoughts with this line:

"I think swiftlet farming is not only science but also art as well."

I can't agree more. Yes, in every aspect of it. A good case to illustrate is architecture - beneath its creative expression in form spans a diverse engineering knowledge across many disciplines.












A "green roof" to provide thermal insulation and breed insects is not a bad idea, as somebody implemented already.















Allow me to rephrase as:

"Understanding is science, application is an art."

BH designs need not to be alike. There are certainly common denominators among successful designs.

Some examples of group synergy in knowledge sharing:
1) A reader suggested earlier a topic on "effective design" - that is a valid point in addition to functional & economical considerations. To me the added perspective is towards a "minimal energy" BH design.

In natural caves, there is no "energy input" to its maintenance. While our "artificial caves" habitat require energy input & technology to regulate its application.

The "minimum energy" measure is how effective a design is - i.e. close to the ideal.

To this end, my starting point is the concept of thermal model. If one has a clear understanding from this perspective, there is a lot of clarity in trouble shooting and improving the micro-environment too.

It probably served me well as I lost power for 2 months not long after the new BH began operation. It could have been worse if not for the considerations in its design.

For those who are using exhaust fans/sun screens for their BH, only if they could understand the basics better, their solution would be different.

2) Another reader informs of his intention to build a new BH, to which I responded:

"Hi W..., before you proceed building your new BH, take a trip to Thailand. I'll walk you through what's the state of art here. Perhaps review your design. You'll find it worthwhile."

3) I did several design reviews over time, all on goodwill basis. As of now, a reader invite opinion in his BH extension with "open roof" design. I recommended the use SketchUp to model the layout and his reply:

"Thanks for the recommendation of the Software. Yes, it's a very powerful and good one. Manage to sketch something out of it. Hope the design is easier to see."

And further advice:
"Actually I intend to do 3-D models in new BH Design blog, including open roof designs, for benefit of members.

I have use SketchUp right from the beginning. You can model in exact dimension with as much details as you want. What's more you can place 3-D model on Google Earth on scale 1:1, orientate its placement.. wonderful!

You can use this model to check on flight paths obstruction if model accurately. Worth the extra effort."

I went through these in early days. Used it to adjust position of entrance hole in relation to both light and flight paths into roving room and nesting areas.

Finally, have we learn "all there is to know" on this subject?
There is certainly sufficient knowledge around to build good bird houses. To make it better.. there are still plenty room for advancements.

For the new BH Design book by Drs. Arief Budiman, at hefty price of Rp 2,500,000 (US$232), surely there are new knowledge in there (being an optimist). But how much is "new knowledge" and how much is "rehash of existing knowledge", I am eager to find out too.

As mentioned before, if I am to do it over again from a blank sheet, it is going to be different.

Sound System fundamentals

Simple stuff, isn't it? The system was set up and works fine a long time, what's more to do/know?

Points to ponder:

1) Aware simple laws such as above.. the spread of sound power intensity?

2) Able to audit/assess the quality of the system set-up and improve further?

3) How would you overlay additional "pulling sound" circuit to the BH?

4) To increase the tweeter density, can the amplifier handle?

5) Are there redundancy to ensure only partial system failure when an amplifier fails?

6) Amplifier replacement - confident to replace with other models/brand?

7) When there is power failure, how to stretch the operating time of back up system?

8) Choosing tweeters: cost vs. performance - what's the fit for use criteria?

9) Getting more out the internal sound system with fake nest/Styrofoam

As I went about designing my sound system 2 years back, thought there is enough material on the subject to put together. My design is a flexible and robust configuration not seen in the BH so far.

The list of topics drafted:

1. Personal safety & tools

2. Electrical wiring & overload isolation

3. Speaker Wires & wiring configurations

4. Dual & Redundant System

5. Wiring Maintenance & sound level deterioration

6. Installing fake nests & Styrofoam pads

7. Understanding sound basics - frequency range, frequency response & harmonics

8. Tweeter performance test

9. Internal tweeters - piezo & cone types

10. Nesting Modules (new idea to test)

11. How loud should the internal sound level be?

12. External sound: tweeters, horns & hexagon

13. Long range calling sound - bazookas, parabolic speaker

14. Sound players: CD, SD & USB, sound changers

15. Amplifier selection & replacement

16. Know your system power consumption?

17. Battery back-up operation - deep-cycle battery, mains inverter/charger, Solar power