The monsoon rains and cloudy skies have arrived in time

 The monsoon winds and torrential rains it bring are consistently on schedule this year and so is the end of year durian season. Sarawak, on this big island called Borneo is pounded yearly since ancient times by the monsoon winds bringing a brief period of flooding in some areas and rejuvenation of life in the overall physical environment. Here this short wet period is called "Landas' and since ancient times it come and go from November till February annually. For that reason we are able to live under a green envelope called the evergreen tropical rainforest. On the ground level I saw the Tiong bird (Hill Myna) and the Prevost's squirrel sharing a tall tree. They were happily playing and hunting for little preys on the branches and leaves.It seems every creature on earth needs the rains. For that matter I can't imagine myself living in the Sahara. Borneo- I love you.

A day in the park ( 28 Aug'16)

Great Mormon butterfly at the Yellow Ixora bush, Zone C.

Wild red ginger flower
Licuala Hill, Zone I

 A day in the park could be a many splendoured thing.  I started the morning walk early and was greeted by the Great Mormon butterfly which was busy siphoning the nectar from the flowers of the Yellow Ixora.  I walked further into Zone I to check out the jungle trails there.  At the western slope of the Licuala Hill I stumbled upon a rare find that kind of made my day.  This is the first time ever that I come across a really wild red ginger flower.  It rose from beneath the ground (inset) and there were traces around the area that the stems were bitten or eaten by some kind of animals.   My wild guess is the Sambar deer's doing. The flowers produced some nice fragrance.  I spent a good half an hour around the site and cleared the trail properly.  Should I call it the wild red ginger trail?  Next to the wild ginger plant was a flushing treelet showing really attractive red young leaves.  I had on an earlier occasion trimmed this treelet to enable it to produce new branches which today I saw it did produce new branches and new flushes.  After the morning walk, I decided to pluck some fresh ferns (miding) at the Keruak wetlands of which I obtained sufficient quantity for lunch.  Yes, lunch was served with miding mixed with bamboo shoots cooked in coconut milk.  The cooking was done perfectly by my wife.  All of the vegetables were harvested freely and freshly from the park, the kind of healthy food I like.  Well, after lunch it was business as usual with harvesting of the oil palm fresh fruit bunches.  What kept me excited about working today was the abnormally high price of the ffb currently i.e. at RM 430/ton. Compared with last year the price of ffb was a meagre RM 330 on average (ramp price or at middleman's collection centre). For much of the period since January this year, the average price has been hovering around RM430/ton for many reasons which I will write in future postings.  Therefore, this year is a lot happier year in terms of the oil palm small holder.  I have read in some reports that the price of ffb will probably rise further throughout 2017.  Well, all this would be excellent news for the park as more money means more funds available for better amenities and care of the park.    After harvesting and before night falls I climbed the Licuala Hill again to catch a glimpse of the Tiong birds and witness the sunset from the hill.  I was rewarded by a good sunset but I thought I direct my camera lens instead  on the the wild grass flowers and view the sunset through them which produced a beautiful photographic capture.

Jungle treelet with red flushes, a potential for landscaping plant.

Fresh and free 'miding' young fronds for lunch

A lunch plate of mixed vegetables - miding combine with bamboo shoots cooked in 'santan' or coconut milk.

Oil palm fruit bunches in close up.  This month of August the price of oil palm ffb (fresh fruit bunches) has hit an average of RM 430/ton at collection centre or ramp price. 

It's harvesting time.

Before the day ends the Tiong birds (Hill Myna) perched on a tall dead tree at Licuala Hill

An artistic view of the sunset

Tiongs in loving gesture

Tiong (Malay) - Hill Myna
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Loving gesture

 In the distance I could see the Tiongs broadcasting their regular calls  over the neighbourhood.  Their calls would normally alert me to go to Zone I especially to the tall dead tree which is becoming their penthouse. Before the sunset,  I slowly  climbed up the Licuala Hill to catch a better glimpse of the couple.  Once at my hideout I took my camera from the bag and started to aim.  Today it seemed to me they were very loving.  Apparently they did not see me in my hideout and this enabled me to observe their behaviour closely.  They were seen preening  and grooming one another.  They were in playful mood and were eager to return to their nest before the night falls.  It's another happy day for me to see them back at the park.

The Tiong's penthouse - a hole in a tall dead tree
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Hiding from the Tiongs

Perching at one of the tall trees at Licuala Hill area

Closer view of the Tiong

I have to hide among the bushes and ferns to get a closer view of the Tiongs (Hill Myna).  From a distance of about 50 meters from the tall dead tree situated at Licuala Hill, I waited for the birds to show up.  At around 6 pm as if by appointment they flew into frame.  In order not to scare them away I had to hide and remained quiet.  Unaware of my presence  they took time to roost, check out the 'nest' and made calls that rang loud and sharp over the neighbourhood.  After seeing them comfortable perching, I then started to shoot them with my camera. Here are today's shots....

The 'nest' is a hole in the tree.  A Tiong bird perching next to the nest.

View of the tall dead tree from my hideout.

Location : Licuala Hill

The Tiongs are amidst the leaves

A pair of Tiong at Zone D
3 Oct'15 

One of the tallest trees
at the park, Zone I

 I had a field day this morning  chasing after two pairs of Hill Myna birds or 'Burung Tiong' ( Malay).  They were flying all over the zones of the park and immersed well to the surrounding greenery when they stopped for a while to rest and play on the branches and twigs.  For about two weeks now they are regularly seen and heard, especially early in the morning.  Their presence makes for some welcome music at the park.

At Zone E

Resting on the Durian tree at Zone G

Resting on one of the tallest jungle trees  at Zone I

FB Cover page featuring Kambatik park - June 2013

23 June'13 - Kambatik Park FB cover

23 June'13 - Kambatik Park FB cover

A pair of Tiong in silhouette

A pair of Hill Myna bird.
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Hill Myna or Burung Tiong (Malay)

The Tiong bird through the maze of leaves
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

The Tiong nesting couple is back

The two Tiongs are back at their favourite perch
Location : Licuala Hill, Zone I

Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)

 It has been quite a while since the Tiong birds dropped by at the park.  Today a pair of the Hill Myna bird or 'Tiong' in Malay checked in at their favourite 5 star hotel at the Licuala Hill.  It was about 6 pm when I made the climb to catch a better glimpse of them.  With an unexpected perfect lighting conditions I was able to obtain a clearer shot of them.  In order to get close to them I had to walk slowly and discreetly among the shrubs while on the way up the hill.  I was bent on having a good shot of them this time around.  Below are more shots of the Tiongs and the sunset during the photography session.

The Bintulu sunset as seen from Licuala Hill.
Zone I

The talking birds of the park

The Tiongs (Hill Myna bird) at their 'temporary home' against the December clouds
View from Sunset Point, Zone I

Grackle or Hill Myna
Gracula religiosa

Despite the dark clouds of December, the two Tiongs were seen together at their favourite perch playing and preening.  They knew I was a cimbing up the tall Licuala Hill, where their nest - a hole in the tree was located.  I imitated their calls loudly and they reacted by flying to and fro from the nest to a nearby tree in many rounds but always ending up at their nest.  They were playful today.    Over the years many pairs of Tiongs have shared the hole and I am indeed blessed to have them as temporary residents of the park.  This bird is one of the most sought after pet bird in Sarawak because it can be 'taught' to speak, sing melodious tunes or chuckle in hard rock style, thus the English name 'Grackle'. More pictures taken today....

Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)
Location : Zone I

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....

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 .....