We are a month into 2013 Nikki will start medical school in a few days and Dani is freezing her nether regions in ice cold England. Dani stayed with us for several weeks after the new year, which is always pleasant....and good for pub quizzes.
Both Helen and I have had a weekend in Singapore to catch up with friends and complete some clerical matters. I attended the wedding of my ultimate student Daniel, which was a pleasant occasion. Singapore never stands still and there is always some spectacular new building that has risen in the landscape (Star Vista below)
Back in Penang the normally hot and dry weather has been replaced by an indifferent month, ranging from hot afternoons to wet mornings.
The weather has slightly curtailed the local photographic expeditions but the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters are currently drilling nesting holes. I also located a fruiting tree which attracted 10 different species of fruit-eating birds.
I am also keeping a weary eye on the local Otter pair that have a holt in the rocks near the playground along the Promenade at Straits Quay. The visiting shore-birds can also entertain but are hard to get close to.
I was also a witness to an event that got birders in Singapore and Malaysia abuzz, the first-time, mass migration south of Asian Openbill Storks. A cloud of 300-350 passed overhead riding a thermal when I was shooting the bee-eaters. Some descended on paddyfields near Malacca and 6 in Singapore, mistakenly thinking an open field might be yielding rice. This species particularly likes to eat a snail that is a pest in rice crops.
Coco has attained eight months of age and has reached adulthood in doing so, She had a trip to the vet to celebrate and to have her plumbing rearranged. She has recovered well.
I have had some of my best images put into two photo-books.
They can be previewed here with the selection being divided in to horizontal and vertical; Nature in Action and Nature in Action (2
We approach the peak nesting season and the Yellow-vented Bulbuls, who already have 5 nests around our property are at it again.
Both Helen and I have had a weekend in Singapore to catch up with friends and complete some clerical matters. I attended the wedding of my ultimate student Daniel, which was a pleasant occasion. Singapore never stands still and there is always some spectacular new building that has risen in the landscape (Star Vista below)
Back in Penang the normally hot and dry weather has been replaced by an indifferent month, ranging from hot afternoons to wet mornings.
The weather has slightly curtailed the local photographic expeditions but the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters are currently drilling nesting holes. I also located a fruiting tree which attracted 10 different species of fruit-eating birds.
I am also keeping a weary eye on the local Otter pair that have a holt in the rocks near the playground along the Promenade at Straits Quay. The visiting shore-birds can also entertain but are hard to get close to.
I was also a witness to an event that got birders in Singapore and Malaysia abuzz, the first-time, mass migration south of Asian Openbill Storks. A cloud of 300-350 passed overhead riding a thermal when I was shooting the bee-eaters. Some descended on paddyfields near Malacca and 6 in Singapore, mistakenly thinking an open field might be yielding rice. This species particularly likes to eat a snail that is a pest in rice crops.
Coco has attained eight months of age and has reached adulthood in doing so, She had a trip to the vet to celebrate and to have her plumbing rearranged. She has recovered well.
I have had some of my best images put into two photo-books.
They can be previewed here with the selection being divided in to horizontal and vertical; Nature in Action and Nature in Action (2
We approach the peak nesting season and the Yellow-vented Bulbuls, who already have 5 nests around our property are at it again.
