Naturally at the park

On, off and away!

The male Black Hornbill is seen leading the flight off the perch to be followed by the female of the species later(  seen at the apex of the tree). Note a pair of  Hill Myna birds sharing the same perch at bottom of picture.
Location : Licuala Hill

Highlights today at the park - 10 May'16

Zone C

Zone C

Zone C

Botanic Island Two, Zone E

Zone C

Is it me you're looking for?

In order of appearance:

Yellow-vented Bubul

Chestnut Munia

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Little Green Pigeon

Brown-throated Sunbird (female)

Philippines Glossy Starling (juvenile)

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

What's for lunch?

Kunyit Kacat (Malay) - Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia)
Location : Zone C

She was moving about the Mango tree, branch to branch and to the end of branches.  Within seconds she has a mouthful of a young insect snatched from the underside of a leaf.  It could probably be a juvenile praying mantis or a stick insect.  Well, lunch is served.

Kambatik Park photo journal - 26 October, 2013

Photo journal - 25 October, 2013

Insect watch album - Lantern fly

The species of Lantern fly that I saw today is unique in that it was able to camouflage itself to the bark of a big tall jungle tree.  Its wings, head and 'snout' have colours resembling the hues and tinges of the tree bark.  Its head has a 'snout' that is upturned that may look frighteningly  'horny' to its prey.  It was a perfect mimicry.

Lantern fly (Fulgoridae)

Insect watch album - Red Dragonfly

My observations about the Red Dragonfly is that when they are in abundance there must be some source of unpolluted running water in their immediate vicinity.  They can be watched along the small stream that meanders through the park for about half a kilometer length,  hugging on glass blades or dead twigs for a little rest then hunt for mosquitoes.  Their presence is a live litmus test that the stream water is unpolluted.  The mosquitoes thrive on the swampy grassland areas around the park.

Photoshooting the Crimson Sunbird

 The Crimson Sunbird is not easy to approach.  It would normally run for cover once it catches sight of you.  The male is very colourful with the head and neck is a metallic red sheen.  I managed to get a good photshoot session with it this morning while it was having fun time extracting nectar from the Chinese hat plant (Holmskiolda sanguinea).  The bird moves fast from branch to branch and makes it  more difficult to get a clear shot of it.

Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) - male

Date taken : 18 Sept'13

Born free

 Syawal is the last to leave the nest.  Yesterday I saw Mubarak flying off from the nest leaving Syawal behind.  So I took the opportunity to have the last photoshoot with Syawal before it leaves the nest.  It spread out its wings when approached but could not yet really fly. I will now leave it to nature to take its course...These beautiful  pigeons  have found home at the park and its my wish that they should be here born free.

Saved by the click

Green lizard and green leaf grasshopper (bottom right), Location: Zone C, near stream

Leaf grasshopper

 The green leaf grasshopper was about to be pounced by the green lizard if not for the shutter sound of the camera.  But the lizard was not in a hurry to run away  despite having lost focus of the target.  That gave me lots of opportunity to photoshoot it.