No CF card (again!!!)

Someone reported sighting of a milky stork in Japanese Garden. The first I heard about the news was on Monday (?)...anyway, I was very excited and looking forward to Saturday so that I could shoot the bird. (my seminary students were shocked when I said I want to shoot the birds....had to explain my "shooting" is using the camera, and not guns! guns are illegal here anyway..ha ha..)

Anyway, on Friday, i couldnt contained my patience and brought my camera gear to seminary (just the 300mm lens). Headed to Japanese Garden and did a couple of shoots - I didnt like the turnout as I was shooting with short lens and without a tripod.

So, Saturday morning came - I woke up early, and started packing my camera gear. I was a bit kiasu that day, i wanted to bring my 300mm as well as my 500mm lens...my camera bag was so heavy that I decided to take a taxi to japanese garden. Cost me $10 (oh dear)...a train ride would only be in the region of $1.50 i think.

I reached the place where the stork has been sighted - but there was no stork to be found. Undaunted, i set up my equipment - all ready, a thought came to my head - "did I put a memory card into the camera??" Guess what???? I did not!! I have all the equipments ready, and without a camera memory card, I might as well not have any equipment at all....i could kick myself that day!!!

After half an hour (texted a few photographers but none was shooting in Jap Gdn that morning), I packed up and leave - on my way out, I met another photographer - and was very glad that he had spare memory card. Great - I turned back and head back to the original spot. No great photos opportunity that day - well, it is just another adventure and experience for me to learn to check my equipment before heading out for an important shoot. Sharing a pic shot that day....The milky stork didnt turn up ....left the place at about 10am plus and head to Botanical Gardens to join my ward singles' picnic.

Little Heron

Panti forest Johor Malaysia

Image is courtesy of Mike Wong

Just to share a capture by Mike Wong of a group of us photographing a whiskered treeswift high in the tree top....The desire to get keeper shots do require drastic action such as climbing on top of the car to get some vantage point...Ha ha...

Another of birding days...

The following week (1 Aug 2009), I made my way to the spot where the Stork-billed Kingfisher was - I went very early, hoping that I would be able to take my shot before the group arrived, so that I wont be disturbing them...But the SBKF didnt turn up until much later. It turned out to be a blessing as I get time to know the photographers more and even more amazing, when the bird did turn up, the guys let me take my shot first before they took up position.

Stork-billed Kingfisher

I also took many shots of the more common kingfisher here - Collared Kingfisher. The parent (first image) was more difficult to take because it flew away before I can get close, but the juvenile was more easy to approach.

Collared Kingfisher (adult)

Collared Kingfisher (juvenile)

And yesterday (8th Aug 2009) I was very privileged to follow a group of photographers to Panti forest in Johor. Usually, I would just walk along the main road looking for subjects to shoot, but Con, a very seasoned photographer, took me into the forest when he heard the calling of the Rufous-collared Kingfisher. I had difficulty handling my equipment in the thick of forest, but I did ok, and it was a great experience! Con has six leech bites, I was glad that I wore leech socks and could get away with zero leech accident..ha ha...Not a great image, but it is priceless as this is on many photographers 's wish list. :-)

Rufous-collared Kingfisher

Just a bit of update in my life - I changed my mind (two days ago..ha ha..) and decided to continue to live in Singapore for the time being, and try to search for a job to sustain my living expenses. I am still working it out in my mind whether to move out of my comfortable flat for a cheaper place or even downgrade to a room....I will think it over and hopeful that my Heavenly Father will give me the guidance to make the right choices.....As I was quite stressed a bit on trying to make decisions, I finally said to myself - just enjoy the month of september....and park the rest of the problems aside for a while - things will turn out fine. That helped a lot to wash away the anxiety bit, so let's see.......

Life goes on....

I started my calling as a seminary teacher on 7th July 2009. I thought waking up at 4.15am every weekday is a tough deal for me, but surprisingly, it was not so bad after all....It was terrible in the beginning, i tried to get my body to get used to wake up early by doing so a week earlier before my calling start...and i was glad that I did that. For the first two days, i could only wake up the mind, but my body didnt want to get out of bed at all....now, it is okay...i could even wake up early in weekends!

something that i have never been able to achieve in my annual resolution for years "go to bed early and wake up early" using my own strength & resolution - but with the calling and the blessing, i finally able to tick off as "yes, i am doing it now.."

Another of my resolution is to do regular exercise. Well, hopefully, after I leave my company, I will have more time to do birding, and that would be considered "exercise". That would be a fun exercise! ha ha...

A shot of a sunbird in Singapore Botanical Garden with a group of photography students. I was invited to attend along although I have not signed up for the class. I was grateful for the opportunity. I was also very excited because the teacher gave me a grade of "A" for this shot (on the condition that I did some more post-processing) but nevertheless, i was excited. This was shot with D300 camera with a 300mmf4 lens.

Yesterday, I went for my morning photography walk again in Chinese Garden. I met a colleague there which I have never chat with in the office, but yesterday, we had a nice chit chat on camera equipment. Later, I saw another man with long lens, and I greeted him to ask him how his day was. This was followed by another interesting chat on bird photography - but most interesting was, because I chatted him up, he was able to tell me of places where he has seen birds in the Garden. He told me of a resident stork-billed kingfisher nearby. He told me of some less friendly photographers there too. With this additional information, I make my way to the place where the stork-billed KF was sighted. And truly, it was there. I take a few shots of the bird, and saw that a group of photographers have also gathered opposite the small brook and waiting to shoot the bird. I inched closer to the bird and it flew off to another perch. I wanted to inch closer again, but the photographers gave me warning not to get close. Later the bird flew again to a further away from their side of perch, over to my side...And again, I wanted to go closer to the bird (you cant shoot if the bird is too far away!), and i could hear shouts from the other photographers saying "tell her dont go near to the bird". So I stopped in my tracks and just relax...No point shooting from so far away anyway. One guy crossed the brook and came over to me and I greeted him and we chit chat....He apologised for the behavior of the person who shouted at me....what surprised me that as I am being friendly and chit chat with him (these are a group of elderly senior man who were now interested in bird photography), he too started sharing with me things he knew about this bird...its behavior and the time that it would showed up. Another guy came over, and the first guy asked this guy to show his pictures. He took out a clear folder and there were plenty of bird pictures there. Many pictures were birds with fish in their beak. That was what these guys were going after. I complimented the pictures, telling him how good it was...(some were really good)...and soon, he was telling me where I could find these birds - some were eagles even.... Wow...these tips are valuable! ha ha.

They were interested at my camera setup (probably curiosity is what started them to approach me anyway as I was carrying my full 500mm setup, whilst they were handholding 300mm and 400mm...). Soon the place we were standing was rather hot as the sun was right over our heads, and the men tell me to go over to their little island across the brook where it was shady (and where the bird appeared more often). Inside me, I was amazed - by just being friendly and not offended by their initial objection to my presence, I am now even invited to their circle and again they told me of the things that they have observed and shot.....It is just amazing to me. I couldnt find out all these things by myself. I was glad that I spoke to all the three group of people that I met yesterday - speaking to people is new & uncomfortable to me, i dont like to speak much or draw attention..........but i am finding it is quite fun too to speak with people of same interest & I could learn lots! I will try to greet people more often, rather than shying away.

I didnt get a good shot of the stork-billed Kingfisher, but I have had a great day and experience learnt. So, overall, it was a great day for me.

Stork-billed King fisher (above) & Yellow-vented bulbul (below)

Catch up time....

Lallang grass at the fringe of paddy field...shot while waiting for birds to appear...

Oh dear...time moves so fast......What have i been busy about lately? Plenty!! Let me start from the earliest that I could recall.....

End of May - My employer issued me the letter of retrenchment, making it official. My last day with BP is 31 August 2009. Though I have known this fact for quite many months, I still felt "sad" & "down" on the day that I had to sign the letter.... Anyway, sister Brown said it is normal to feel that way after being with BP for 9 years...so I am fine again. Now, I am looking forward to my retirement...ha ha. I signed up for a job placement program (paid by BP) and I was shocked at how some are being retrenched - he worked for a bank - he was called into a meeting room one day, he was handed a letter and was asked to pack immediately and leave the office premise! my gosh...how prepared one could be in this situation??? I am counting my blessings....

In that sense, I am grateful that I can go to the Manila temple on 26 May 2009 for some quiet time, and also to take some photos....A new publisher has approached me for some temple photos for their new temple book - hopefully, one or two will be chosen again....

I have kept myself more than 100% busy on my bird photography - to the extent I think I am now addicted to the bird npss forum...oh dear!! I had spent much time on computer, either to learn of a photo processing software, or learn new photography techniques etc....there are just too many things to learn and I want to learn them all at once...instead of the wiser counsel of line by line..... I hope to start a business in bird photography tours...I dont know how I can do it, but that is my dream........

Two pictures of birds to share - white throated kingfisher from spore botanical garden, and a Scaly-breasted Munia shot outside my home in Malaysia.

So, what do you think Heavenly Father's answer to my addiction? He gave me a new calling, sent through his servants. I have this impression that I should let my stake presidency know that I am leaving Singapore soon, so that they have the time to consider new people to replace my calling with the singles. I somehow added my bishop in the email. To cut story short, my bishop believed the email is his answer to his prayer for a name to a calling....I was called to the stake presidency office...i am waiting to hear the word "you are now released......." instead, i heard the word "we would like to extend a call to you....." That woke me up! ha ha...

Who wants to take a guess what my additional calling is? It is very very engaging that now my time is more balanced btw church and bird photography.....hee hee...

Fraser's Hill trip

Pic - Flowers along the Jelai Waterfall trail

1st May 2009 - 4th May 2009

I went with the Nature Photography Society of Singapore (NPSS) on a 4 days 3 nights trip to Fraser's Hill in Pahang, Malaysia. We set out at 4.30am from Spore which meant that I had to wake up at 3.45am! And for 3 consecutive mornings, i automatically woke up at that time too. ha ha.

Pic - The group, after a sumptuous dinner at Singapore House (courtesy of Han).

It was a wonderful trip and I met many fun and nice people with the same interest ie photography. It must be common everywhere for Canon users will tease the Nikon users and vice versa on who has the better equipment. There were many quite funny moments too - just camera-talk jokes.

Sharing a few of the bird photos taken during the trip. On Sunday, I decided not to go out with the group - however, I have to admit that it was real tempting as I watched others photographed the birds that come to the resort's feeder from the balcony of my room. In this kind of situation, I am glad I have my Book of Mormon with me. 

Pic - Family of Large Niltava (Male, Female & Juvenile)

Many Chestnut-capped Laughing Thrush visited the feeding station. One particular bird, we were laughing at it because instead of eating the mealy worms, it collected them from the ground - should any of the worms dropped from its beak, it will pick the worm up again, balancing the rest still on its beak...funny antics - its final count was 7 worms before it flew away.

Pic - Chestnut-capped Laughing Thrush

Pic - Silver-eared Mesia 

Last but not least, a mammal - this is a Malayan flying lemur (colugo). It stood frozen there (could you see the mozzies biting him??) and I shot almost a hundred shots within the space of one hour - it has two choices for defense - not moving in hope that we would not spot him or to scoot up the tree! I was glad it chose the former and stay put for me to photograph it.

I had fun on this trip - it has been a long while since I went on a bird outing.

My AF Focus is cured!

I have been moaning about my many out-of-focus shots with my 500mm lens. I was clueless why the photos are mostly Out Of Focus (OOF) - I have already eliminated those culprits such as AF mode, AF type, subject motion ( I took shots of a big rock & still turned out OOF !) , camera shake ( there were spots in the picture that were in focus), so what else have I not done?

As I studied my OOF shots last night, I saw "AF Finetune = 0" as part of the EXIF. I surfed the internet and finally struck gold. The search brouught many links which described my problem. What will we do without internet??

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikon_d300_users/discuss/72157603567131829

http://photomatter.com/Reviews/NikonD300b.html

http://www.focustestchart.com/chart.html

Rather than following their steps to do the AF finetuning, I sent all my lens to Nikon service center today since they are still under warranty.

D300 has a function that you can finetune the AF from -20 to 0 to +20. With my 500mm plus TC1.4x, the finetune figure turned up to +17.

Tested my lens today - AF works MUCH better now ..i might still tweaked it a bit as I do more field tests. Some of my photos today of the White breasted waterhen in Singapore Botanical Garden - eco-lake (luckily she turned up..otherwise, I dont have any subject to test my lens...ha ha).

I liked the way she turned her head to look at me...that made this picture sweet.

I wished I had lower my camera so that I could take it at eye level...it would it make a more powerful shot.

cutie one again....

the eye was so sharp, i am impressed, but sad to realise that the beak is not in focus due to motion i think..so, this shot should rank as trash.... :-(