Sunset from Deer Hill

View of sunset from Deer Hill, Zone C

 After clearing some bushes and treelets at the highest point of Zone C, i.e. at Deer Hill, I noticed a spectacular view of the sunset can be observed there.  Looking towards the western horizon, the varying colours of the sunset looked expansive and overwhelming.   Of course, previously I would view the sunset from Licuala Hill.  The view from Deer Hill is equally awesome.  Below are more pictures that I took a couple of days ago.

Note: The above pictures were also shared earlier in my facebook posting.

After the cutting

View of Zone E , looking south

Zone F, looking west

 The grass cutting operation is regularly done to help change the perception that an oil palm plantation need not look like an uninhabited place, unkempt, dangerous to walk around and of no beauty.  The proceeds from sales of the ffb (fresh fruit bunches) have been instrumental in providing the means to undertake grass cutting works at the park.  This is because the grasses here are never applied with weedicide since day one.  Based on the Kambatik landscape design philosophy and aesthetics, it is indeed a pleasure to work and walk around the park.  After about ten years of development, the natural environment is flourishing well as evidenced by the return of wildlife to the park, chiefly the birds, butterflies and bees.   Here are some photos showing areas of the park taken just after the grass cutting operation at Zone C, E and F.

View of Zone C, near Butterfly Garden, looking east.

View of Zone E, looking north

View of Zone F, looking south

View of Zone E, looking north

View of Zone E, looking west.

View of Zone E, looking south

Little Spiderhunter comes a calling

Little Spiderhunter at the Yellow Ixora bush
Zone C

Date : 27 Aug'16

A lovely Orange-bellied Flowerpecker couple

A pair of Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, the male is more colourful than the female.
Location : Zone C

 It was the moment of truth today.  I was hoping the other day (in a previous posting) that the male would bring along its female counterpart to enjoy the Jackfruit.  My wish was answered today, 30 July'16, when both sexes of the species dropped by the  Jackfruit tree, thereby giving me plenty of opportunities to gather stock photographs of the bird in close range. Unlike the bulbuls, the flowerpecker seemed to be less disturbed to see me.  Indeed the sweet fleshy pulp of the fruit was a major attraction attracting not only the flowerpeckers but also bulbul.  They were too focused on eating the fruit that quite oblivious of my presence.   I noticed that after the squirrels bit off the thick fruit skin the birds would come next enjoying the exposed pulp.  There seemed to be a mutually helpful co-existence between the birds and the squirrels,

the birds at play

A rare chance to see both male and female in a single frame, making my day.

Pandanus dubius

Pandanus dubius ( Syn: Pandanus pacificus) grown at Zone C
Note the plantlets that can be removed for propagation purpose.
Family : Pandanaceae - Pandan family

Making the park 'lived'

Sequence one - grass cutting around the Butterfly Garden
Location : Zone C

 It has been about a fortnight since I have not done any grass cutting maintenance to the park largely because of too much time taken for the Hari Raya holidays.  The holiday season is over and now its gardening time.  The sequence of grass cutting operation is firstly the areas around the chalet, to be followed by access areas for harvesting such as main road, feeder road and footpath on slopes. Today I focus on the front areas of the chalet especially the Butterfly garden area.  I look forward to grass cutting the garden for the exercise it brings, the smell of green green grass of home and a clean view to sooth the soul.  To have one's garden regularly maintained means that the place is 'lived' and many species of wildlife will be attracted to the garden as a result.  This is because many birds are social birds that tend to slowly adjust to human existence by relying on humans for the abundance of food they can get easily in mutual co-existence.  Such birds are like the Magpie-robin, Tree Sparrow, Bulbuls and White-breasted Waterhen which prey on worms, grass seeds, rice grains and tiny  insects that are more readily available after each grass cutting operation.

Grass cutting with a bush cutter at the Butterfly Garden area, in front of chalet.
Location : Zone C

View of garden space in front of chalet.
Location : Zone C

Olive-winged Bulbul

Olive-winged Bulbul (Pyconotus plumosus) - note the beautiful olive wings
Location : Zone C

 Today has been another fruitful birding day.  The abundance  of Eugenia oleina trees that are in various stages of fruiting have kept many species of birds busy at the park for many days now.  The birds that appear in flocks or in small parties visiting the fruiting trees are the Philippines Glossy Starling, Brown Barbet, Yellow-vented Bulbul and today a new surprise visitor dropped by.  It was the Olive-winged Bulbul (see inset).  It has black bill, light brown feet and a beautiful olive plumage.  It is a lifer for me.  It doesn't seem to make any calls and was intent on eating the ripe juicy fruits of the Eugenia.  It looked at me curiously and was not in a hurry to fly-off  upon noticing my presence, thus allowing me to get better and clearer shots of it.

Olive-winged Bulbul and the berries of the Eugenia oleina

( This is a re-posting from a birding blog of mine as in here...>>>>http://mybirdingsarawak.blogspot.my/2016/06/olive-backed-bulbul-enjoying-eugenia.html )

A Many- Coloured Barbet

Red- crowned Barbet or Many-coloured Barbet ( Megalaima rafflesii rafflesii)
Location : Zone C

An artist's palette

I felt very fortunate today for having met one of the most colourful birds that visit this park.  This is my first encounter with the Red-crowned Barbet.  The colours around its face resembles an artist palette.  Striking red crown, blue throat, brilliant yellow at the cheek and a soft pastel green for its underparts and jungle green for its upper parts.  It is a darling when I first saw it, a quiet bird that can remain still for a considerable length of time and did not produce any call.  It is a medium-sized bird and came singly.    Just the other day, it was the duller Brown Barbet that came by and got  me overly excited. Both birds seemed to have a liking of the ripe black berries of the Eugenia oleina. Today's sighting caused me overwhelmed with joy, happiness and amazement at nature's beauty.  Truly the park has attracted many unique Borneo birds which previously I could only see in books.  Today's sighting I hope is a prelude to more surprises and amazement in this humble wildlife sanctuary.

The Many-coloured Barbet taking a rest and remaining still for minutes on the branch of the Eugenia oleina tree.
Zone C

Highlights today at the park - 7 June'16

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
Zone C

Ripe fruits of the  Sealing wax palm
Zone C 

CU of Drunken Sailor ( Quisqualis indica)
Zone C

A Plantain squirrel biting more than it can chew
Zone C

Biting off more than it can chew

Plantain squirrels are seen almost everyday now.  They come in all sort of sizes and age,  They are here much attracted by the presence of oil palm fruits, ripe or otherwise, biting off more than they can chew.

The useful 'Nibong' palm ( Oncosperma tigillarium)

Seen in the middle is a young 'Nibong' palm  (Ocosperma tigillarium)
Location : Zone C

 At the eastern edge of Zone C is a forested area that has big and very tall trees, secondary jungle trees, thickets of ferns and other small shrubs,  At the edge close to the Kruak wetlands (between Zone B and Zone C)  two Nibong trees grow unimpeded.  I have observed them for about three years now and am planning to remove one or two of its off shoots after checking the presence of many a few days ago.  I intend to use more of this palm for landscape use.  One of my pictures on the Nibong palm which is planted in the landscpae area around the  Petronas Twin Towers  in Kuala Lumpur was selected in the image gallery of the online Palm Encycolpedia.  
I have written a fair bit about the uses of the Nibong palm in another blog as in this link...>> http://myussop.blogspot.my/2009/10/nibong-palm-and-its-uses.html

The Nibong palm ( at centre of picture, seen between the big tree trunk at left and the oil palm tree at right) grows here naturally.
Zone C

Black-tipped Archduke

Black-tipped Archduke (Lexias dirtea merguia)
Zone C

Underside wings

 While many butterflies are attracted presently to the nectaring plants that flower profusely at the park especially the Eugenia oleina, the very attractive Black-tipped Archduke is seen favouring the rotting fruits like banana skins,on the forest ground.  I find great pleasure observing the bright and luminous blue colours of the Archduke.  This is in contrast to the dull brown underside wings.  This butterfly can be seen scavenging on the forest floor and move about slowly without being unnecessarily alarmed by human presence, thus my ability to get closer pictures of it.

Up close and personal

Black Tipped Butterfly on damp cement floor
Zone C

Skink on 'Belian' plank.

 In between work I noticed two wildlife close by -  a butterfly and a skink.  I decided to get close and personal with them when I took a brief rest from work later.   The Black Tipped Archduke ( Lexias dirtea merguia) was flying low and moved close to the ground.  When it rested on the damp and littered old cement floor close to where I rested,  it gave me a rare opportunity to get as many pictures I wanted.  The butterfly was in its best form and colours.  On moving to another spot for another brief rest I chanced upon a skink that looked curiously at me.  The skink seemed to be motionless and thus enabled me to get sharper images of it and for stock photography.

Black Tipped Archduke

Skink
Zone C

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