Green shots (4)

Zone B

Keruak wetlands, Zone B

Zone G

Heliconia Valley

Heliconia chartacea 'Sexy Pink'
Location: Heliconia Valley, Zone D.

Heliconia 'Lobster's claw'

The Heliconia variety 'Sexy Pink' is a unique and eye catching species to plant.  It is very easy to propagate and so are many others in the species.  It is to obtain the rare variety that becomes the main challenge.  The heliconia collection at the Heliconia Valley with its initial collection of about a dozen species have become somewhat an 'open nursery' acting as mother plants to produce rhizomes for propagation purposes.  Once removed these shoots can be planted elsewhere in the park.  Some heliconia species love full sun while others prefer filtered or dappled light.  Heliconias are exotic plants, tropical and colourful and a key element in the Kambatik garden.

Heliconia psittacorum

Heliconia Valley, Zone D

Green shots (3)

Zone D

Zone E

Zone E, as viewed from inside Botanic Island Two

Green shots (2)

Zone I, looking west.

Botanic Island Two

Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F

The Autumn Leaf Butterfly is back

Resembling a leaf - the Autumn Leaf Butterfly
Zone C

 The Autumn Leaf Butterfly is seen today after a long absence.  I chased it for a while and stopped after it flew desperately for cover.  But should it?  This butterfly has cryptic or concealing patterns.  The underside is a look-alike of a dead leaf with even a resembling 'mid-rib'.  When it settled on the variegated hibiscus plant I took the opportunity to get some good shots of it.  From a distance or even at closer range it camouflages as a leaf, thus the name 'leaf butterfly'.  They come in various forms with slightly different leaf patterns.

Autumn Leaf Butterfly - Doleschalia bisatide
Zone C

Green shots (1)

Ong Lumok tree at Zone C

Oil palm trees at Zone B

Inside Botanic Island Two

The wild Phaius orchid is flowering

Keruak wetlands at left and back of
picture

 Working at Zone B this morning, I noticed the wild orchid of the Phaius variety is starting to give out flowers.  The last time it produced pods, I did broadcast the spores and to my pleasant surprise have germinated.  There are at least a dozen of new seedlings seen around the main stand now.  I intend to move some of these new seedlings to other locations to study its adaptability and growing success.  This variety of the Phaius orchid seem to prefer  filtered light  and  wet ground with rotting organic biomass.

Wild orchid of the Phaius variety
Nearby the Keruak wetlands area, Zone B.

White spores revealed after the mature pods are opened.
Zone B.

Closer view of the disc

Disc Stag's Horn Fern - Platycerium coronarium
Location : Botanic Island One

Disc Stag's Horn Fern - Platycerium coronarium
Location : Botanic Island One

Green photography. What is it?

Green photography is about jungle colours, greenery landscapes or forest  environment.  Something to think about for today.

Two rare jungle fruits at Botanic Island One

Pandanus affinis with spiky fruits
Location : Botanic Island One

Pandanus affinis at front and in the background is the Anisophyllea disticha.
Location : Botanic Island One

At Botanic Island One recently are seen two species of jungle plants that exhibited their rare fruits.  One is the Pandanus affinis and and secondly the Anisophyllea disticha which the Penans of Sarawak call " Kayu Penahan Badan". I have elsewhere written about the use of the Kayu Penahan Badan as a plant for bodily welfare here.  

Anisophyllea disticha - "Kayu Penahan Badan" ( Penan)

Large birds at the perch

The perch (middle top section of the picture) as seen from Zone C
Note the clump of bamboos, jungle trees and other fruits trees around the perch.

Resting on the perch at Zone G are two Hill Myna birds

Hill Myna or "Tiong" (Malay)

 The perch is an tall dead tree situated at Zone G.  Nearby the perch is a clump of bamboos, a grove of fruit trees and further surrounded by oil palm trees.  The perch is attracting two big types of birds recently viz the "Kenyalang" or Hornbill bird and the Hill Myna birds or "Tiong" (Malay). They would rest a while on the branches to scout the neighbourhood before seeking the relative safety of the jungle trees and other fruit trees to roost.  While the Hill Myna have been seen building their homes at the park and breeding, the Kenyalang has yet to show definite signs of establishing its home here.  The recent sightings of the big Kenyalang bird is a positive sign that the nature park is attracting large birds.

A Black Hornbill perching
Zone G 

Male Black Hornbill

The Black Hronbill and Hill Myna on the same perch
Zone G

I got the big one!

Black Hornbill  - male of the species

 It was only a few weeks ago that I noticed the behaviour of the Black Hornbill.  It was seen more regularly in the early morning and evening times at the park.  This morning  I was given an excellent photoshoot session by the  hornbill and it allowed me to come quite close to the perch.  I suspect that it is trying to identify a suitable tree to establish a home at the park.  The hornbill is to date the biggest type of bird to be seen here and today's photoshoot session is one of the best. At last I got you! The big one!  

Black body, long tail and white bill and casque makes the Black Hornbill easily recognizable from a distance.
Zone G

Leaves laden footpath

Zone D

Zone G

Zone D

Have you seen them?

Caterpillars clustering at the Tongkat Ali leaves
Zone C

In the center in black and white is a hornbill
Zone G

Bulbuls at the tip of the Traveler's Palm leaves
Zone C

Flash flood

The stream overflows in a matter of one hour torrential rain
Zone F

Red Hibiscus after the rain

 It rained just for about an hour between 2 - 3 pm.  The rain came down in a torrential downpour and within one hour swelled the stream and cleared whatever debris that clogged the small stream.  Today's flash floods confirmed that the end of year rainy season has arrived.

Taken on 8 Oct'15, Zone C