Thank you for the sweet nectar

Little S[iderhunter at the Yellow Ixora flowers
Zone C

 It's early in the morning and the first visitor at the Yellow Ixora sbrub was the Little Spiderhunter.  It was intent of getting a taste of the sweet nectar.  I would normally pull the stigma and style slowly out of the long tube.  The long style and especially the bottom tip of it tastes sweet.  The style is as thin as a needle and as such Malays call the ixora flower as 'Bunga Jarum' (Needle flower).  I makes me wonder whether the Little Spiderhunter pulls out the style or just applies its suction power from its beak and tonque to collect the nectar.

Today's highlights - 29 Sept'14

Oriental Magpie-robin

Ashy Tailorbird

Dragonfly

Hill Myna birds

Watching the whistling Tiongs

 At the birding point which I called the 'Sunset point' at Zone I (near Provinsi Licuala ) I watched the two Tiongs (Hill Myna) whistling their time away.  There were three perches which they used exchangeably to rest and preen themselves.  While perching they would make loud whistling calls familiar to most Sarawakian that can be heard kilometers away.  However it is the tallest tree around the Sunset point that they call home because it has a hole that they adopt as their nest.  Here's more pictures taken today of the two Tiongs....

Watchout the witches flying above!!

 This afternoon we took the day off to see the yearly festival of kite-flying held at the old Bintulu airport.  The place was full of people and kites.  This is the 10th year running for the festival and next year this festival will be carried out as a national tourism event.  For more pictures of the kites please check it out at my other blog here ...>>>> http://mybintuluclicks.blogspot.com/2014/09/final-day-of-10th-borneo-international.html

Nature can jolt our heavy limbs

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - Bunga Raya (Malay)
Zone C

Yellow-vented Bulbul

 Nature sure has a pretty way to lighten up the morning.  The red hibiscus gives out a hot jolt, makes my steps lighter as I began to make rounds at the park.  The Yellow-vented Bulbul, high on the Cempedak perch broadcasts its bubbling calls throughout the land.  The ripe fruits of the ficus species, Ficus grossulariodes - called 'Lengkan' by the Ibans have enough berries to attract birds to enjoy them and then spread the seeds around the land.  The fruits are edible and the young leaves are cooked as vegetables. Before calling off the brisk morning walk (and climb) I spotted the Pink-necked Pigeon and The Oriental Magpie-robin sharing the perch at the Cempedak Hill. Looks like its gonna be a fine day.  I'll be back blogging later as I would like to take time off to see the 'big kites' at the Bintulu International Kite Festival later in the day....                                              

Ficus grossulariodes - Lengkan (Iban)
Zone I

Pink-necked Pigeon (left) and Oriental Magpie-robin (right) perching on Cempedak branch
Zone G

Highlights today at the park (27 Sept'14)

Mating dragonfly....

Still very young...and just learning to fly away
Is it a flowerpecker or a sunbird?

Photoshoot session with the Brown-throated Sunbird

 The tiny Brown-throated Sunbird was a bundle of joy when it showed itself this morning.  It was continuously making calls but I did not see any female of the species coming close to it.   It is a very colourful bird here with colours all over the top half of the body.   What is most interesting is to watch the metallic blue colours of its upper parts and the brownish throat.  Below are more pictures from today's photoshoot session...

Rain at the park

 It was a wet morning.  It had  rain very heavily since dawn till about  half of the morning. As usual when it rained in heavy downpours  even for about three hours a flash flood would normally ensues. Later the floods quickly subsided and the stream returned to its normal self. Despite the rain I walked about the park, sheltered by an umbrella to check out if anything abnormal happened.  Well, nothing extra ordinary took place.

The Punai Daun or Little Green Pigeon were seen perching at their favourite cempedak tree though at his time around  they were all drenched wet.   The Phalaenopsis orchid looked healthy in bright yellow and brown colours.  At Zone E I saw some oil palm fruits bearing  signs that they were being nimbled by the squirrel  It has not been raining even mildly for the last two weeks.  Today's rain was a real blessing to the park.

Photoshoot session with the Green-crested Lizard

 Today I was given a rare opportunity by the Green-crested Lizard for a photoshoot session.  Enjoy the beauty of nature and its wildlife....

A morning of wildlife

 It has been a morning of wildlife.  There's so much to see and discover.  A short walk in the park at Zone B, close to the Provinsi Yellow Palm was where the action was.  A Little Spiderhunter, two types of dragonfly and a butterfly decided to come out in the open.  The area is a little bit marshy and walking through it has made my feet wet.  Well, sometimes it is a good feeling to have your feet stuck in the mud while patiently taking aim at the wildlife.

Highlights today at the park (22 Sept'14)

A Crimson Sunbird rests a while on a busy schedule sipping nectar
Zone C

A fern head eagerly opens itself to a new world.
Zone D

Early in the morning, a cricket balances itself on a grass blade.
Zone D

The two Tiongs are still around

 The two Tiongs or Hill Myna birds are still around at their favourite tree.  They have been here for more than a month now.  They seem to love the tall tree from which they often see me climb the hill to have a close and personal contact with them.  Today they chose to come closer to me .....

Not so great Celcom! We are online only after 4 hours of uploading time!!

For the last 10 days, Celcom service at the park is like a snail pace.  If not for the passion for wildlife we'll never be seen reported..... Malaysia Oh Malaysia!!

Seeds of power

Tongkat Ali tree next to oil palm
Zone C

 With plenty of Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia) fruits harvested I guess its time to start propagating this magical and wonderful tree.  It grows well at the park and bears flowers as well as fruits.  Elsewhere,  I have called this tree as the 'Tree of Power'.  I consider it a good ornamental tree as well and so I'm thinking of planting more of them around the park.

Ripe fruits are red and very ripe ones turn black

Flowering spike showing lots of buds

Higlights today at the park - 9 Sept'14

Little Spiderhunter at the yellow Ixora coccinea shrub

Letup (Malay) - Passiflora foetida

Senduduk (Melastoma malabathricum)

Lime Butterfly at the Clerodendrum x speciosum flowers

Female of the Eastern Crimson Sunbird - in joyful mood