guyznewz: January 2017

The year started with the usual display of fireworks at Straits Quay....easily the best in Penang.

It has been a very unusual January….the 6^th in our house in Penang. The weather dictates many things; moods and activities and the weather has been wet and that has certainly curtailed photographic outings .............but some of us remained relaxed.

Helen has resumed her teaching schedule and we have also been steady with guests. They come in all flavours but one American who extended his original two nights with us was a delight to have. Forrest was a man of many parts an accomplished musician and IT expert he was having a break from the US and just following his nose. As the ecological systems know…..we could do with more Forrests. We also had a Chinese family with a small child who had sticky fingers and ‘absent’ parents.

Our friend Elaine, who has looked after Coco for us, had a stroke. Which was a shock, but she seems on her way to recovery. Helen had been out with Elaine and her husband Bill a few days earlier.

On the entertainment front we have had a good run in the Pub Quiz…being in the medals for 6 weeks on the trot….with three first placings.

More Vodka

I have written a separate article on the Maatu Pongal and this month we have Thaipusam that is imbedded within the Chinese New Year celebrations.

My photographic ventures are not at full volume. Normally at this time of the year the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters would be nesting at Penanti. Last year the numbers were heavily reduced and I am afraid they have not really turned up at all this year. Two birds make an appearance like they mean business but do not stay around. They are local birds so must have found another spot to nest.

I have made one trip to Byram and there was some modest return. A wire fence erected several years back has made shooting difficult but this is degenerating and I am sure with some assistance we may be back to normal conditions shortly.

This is a common Tailorbird....we have them around home and they have eluded me for years. They are small, loud and stitch leaves together to make a nest.

My photographic stalwarts again have been my beloved Kingfisher pair. They are going through the same routine prior to nesting that I have seen before. I continue to learn a lot about them as a species; from their feather colour to their relationship. I thought the male was feeding the female who should be about to lay eggs (what a man)……….but I find it is worse…the female is feeding one of last years chicks who is quite capable of feeding himself. She is such a beautiful bird….but with a bad habit

Last years chick is on the right...about to accept free food

Greeting between partners

I have covered details on how this shot came about. The ejected but not extinguished cigarette butt was mistaken by the Kingfisher for a moving insect....it even got a good bashing before the smoking sequence.

My other addiction…sports has been well-served. The World Indoor Bowling champs have just finished in England and all the games were available live on Youtube…..makes my bowling arm very itchy.

The Sydney sevens is currently live on TV as was the one from a depleted series in Wellington. The 6 Nations has also started which is good. I reckoned Ireland may run out series winners but not on last night’s form. Even Scotland look more formidable this year

Locally the Otters apparently have had another brood although it has been difficult to spot them. You can smell them at times when they den along the walkway. The work on the offshore island seems to have slowed down. It is literally going to take years for that to be completed.

At home we got sick of a crappy backyard and a lawn that had many bald patches and ant nests. We therefore had stone paving put down and now only have to worry only about the plethora of dropping leaves. We have also had our existing lawn replaced after the contractor made a mess with something else……sort of guilt payment. The wettish weather has got the fledgling lawn off to a good start and I have also got the irrigation system running properly after it languished for several years with bad programming.

With the film Oscar season approaching we have viewed illicit copies of a number of the contenders.

I personally liked 'Sully', 'Hacksaw Ridge" and 'The Man who knew Affinity'. Interestingly they are all true stories. We saw an older film with Bill Connelly at Straits Quay and really liked it too.