Blogging and Nature Trekking - July 2014

I have just discovered recently that my blog has been translated into a Russian blog - "ron-nature-adventures.ru" ! So if you have a Russian knocking at your door don't blame me. I have tried using wordpress but it was too depressing that i could not even post anything from there. Don't they have any better things to do!

I have some spare time recently and went for a short birding cum nature walk at this new location. In the jungle you can actually see, feel, hear and smell so many things. You can see things as small as a bug like this one:

or some nice flowers like the ones below:

or a colorful butterfly like the one here.

Danaus melanippus hegesippus

Family: Nymphalidae

Subfamily : Danainae

Genus: Danaus

Species: melanippus

Subspecies: hegesippus

Common Name: "Black Veined Tiger"

Note: Butterfly Circle Group reported that this butterfly can be found near coastal/mangrove areas but this location was certainly far from it.

Amazingly, i have heard squirrels at this location making calls like birds. Unfortunately can't download their calls here.  I have wanted to play the recording from a  rail babbler but decided against it for fear that "benda lain yang keluar nanti" - zombie, pontianak, hantu raya etc !

I have also realised that in order for you to have many "hits" or "likes", you will need  to post nice and sharp photos but unfortunately i can't do that with the birds i have seen here. Reached the location as early as 7am and it was pitch dark. Only the sound of crickets and a dozen of pin-stripped-tit babblers greeted me at this ghostly hour. 

  This owl was the first bird i have spotted. I believed it was a "Collared Owlet"

Black-Browed Barbet

Golden-Throated Barbet

Barbets featured quite prominently at this place, probably due to the abundant of berries which were just about to ripe.

Note: experts were equally surprised to learnt that Golden-Throated Barbet can be seen at this location as they are often associated with upper mountain regions. I guess birds do fly around when their habitat is threatened or when there are abundance of food in a particular area.

Checker-Throated Woodpecker - Male

Little Cuckoo Dove

Long-Tailed Sibia

Took me awhile to id this bird but finally settled for a "Little Pied Flycatcher" - Juvenile

Blyth's Hawk Eagle

On my way out i came across this feather which i believed is a "tail feather" of some large bird - most likely from an eagle or an owl. Any suggestions?

While i am completing this post there were about 298 lives whom have perished for nothing.  Its a pity and a tragedy of an epic proportion.  RiP passengers and crew of MH17 !

LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, PEOPLE !
AND OH YES DON'T FORGET TO PRAY HARD AS WELL!