June has
now left the building and it was a mixed month. The weather was still unsettled and messed around with my finale with the bee-eaters.
There was however one huge highlight. On the 16th Helen and I celebrated 30 years of marriage. During these years my wife has been the centre of everything. Raising two great girls, cooking fabulous meals and efficiently running a household. In recent years we have seen Nikki graduate as a medical doctor and Dani graduating from Cambridge university. Both highlights in their lives but also in ours.
While we celebrate milestones in a partnership another liaison closes as my 'bird studio' is being repurposed by people who never realised the natural gem that was there. Below is a summary composite of my 200 plus trips to Penanti...where I have seen, wild boar, game poachers, sleeping policemen, rubbish dumpers, palm oil robbers ....and birds
I made a
couple more trips to the ex-motocross track. I was amazed at the
resourcefulness of the remaining bee-eaters. There does not seem to be many around,
but I counted 10 active nests in a small area. They hunt elsewhere and sweep over
the surrounding trees with their cargo and head straight towards their nest
hole. When they leave they are away smartly back over the trees.
A bee-eater
against the rising sun is a poignant reminder of the experience I have had with
the kingfishers and bee-eaters. I am eternally grateful. I can only say I will
always support Bee-eaters united.
On my other
location there is a small population of Langurs....about 6-8. There are two
species; Dusky Langurs and Silvered Langurs. I don’t know how they arrived at
this mangrove forest remnant, but they are interbreeding and there are hybrid
offspring.
The following images are all Dusky Langurs
This is a Selangor Silvered Langur
Below is a hybrid. It has the 'spectacles but no white moustaches and longer fur.
 |
| Mutual grooming...the hybrid and dad |
You can always tell what trees the Langurs are in by the ‘hanging
fruit’
I have also
seen a Blue-winged Pitta pair and a Mangrove Blue Flycatcher in the same location
On sunny
mornings there are always Yellow-bellied Prinias calling for companionship.
On the
computer I am working on an Ebook detailing the Blue-throated Bee-eaters. I will
also put the species details that are included in this book and other books on my blog page
as this is run by Google and will reach a bigger audience. The collective images of the
three species would be the most comprehensive ever published....I think.
At home
Helen continues with her teaching and supporting local arts and drinking in the history.
Nikki is
working long hours as an intern in Lower Hutt hospital. Dani is now into
triathlons as well as launching her website as a personal trainer.
Locally
they are building a bridge across to the nascent island.
On the
house sale front we have had a good stream of viewers, or perhaps a steady
trickle. We had another interested Chinese man and had a visit from his
Fengshui master...who probably played the same role for Ghengis Khan. The
compass and the electronic divining machine however ruled against a sale. Next
time we get an offer I will tell them I have to consult my Committee of
Leprechauns (sorry Rob if you believe).
At times there is more natural history around the house that out in the field.
The butterfly below is appropriately called a Red Helen
We have seen this bird (below) around the house before. It is a Coucal, a member of the Cuckoo fraternity. It is a devious hunter and goes after chicks in nests. He was looking to rob a bulbul nest next door.
Coco continues to enjoy her morning frolic on the beach. She has a friend who sits near the beach
playing his guitar.....he says he is exiled from his house and the crabs and
stray dogs are more appreciative.
On the pub
quiz front in June I see we have covered the bases with a 1st, 2nd,
3rd and 4th,
