It is now June 2010...time flies again

What has happened in the past two months?

Well, I made a trip to Mexico on 6th April to 13th April - Yucatan peninsular; and had a great time....The main objective was to witness an extraordinary event - the setting of the sun over a pyramid in Mexico called Chichenitza on the 6th April. It was an old Mayan structure. The setting of the sun over the pyramid creates 5 to 6 triangles of light & shadow on the west side of the pyramid...and during Equinox (21st Mar), 7 triangles could be seen. Only on 6th April (and 6th Sep), can the complete 9 triangles be seen. 9 triangles is the most complete of the phenomenon, with eight visible on the staircase and the ninth illuminating the head of Kukulkan.

Why is 6th April so special in the Mayan calendar that a structure is built in such a way as to commemorate it? It is my friend's belief (and I concur) that it was to commemorate the day the believers of Christ in the old America was delivered from death. The unbelievers had threatened to kill all those who had believed that the Savior would be born and signs would be given, if the signs foretold by prophets of old did not come to pass.......The signs did come and the believers were spared from death.....It has been revealed to our dispensation that 6th April was the date of our Savior's birth....

Now, do you think it was just a coincidence that this phenomena in Chichenitza happens on 6th April?

Chitchenitza at 5.40pm - no visible triangles

Chitchenitza at 6.15pm - 3 visible triangles

Chichenitza at 6.50pm - 9 triangles (including the light on Kukulcan)
Kukulcan - Maya serpent god

Now in all my trips, I do get a chance to do some birding, thanks to my friend who supported me in this interest. Some of the pictures for remembrance.

Turqoise-browed mormot
It was an exciting time sighting this bird - wow! a real colorful racquet-tail!!

Brown Pelican
- they are so friendly to cameras
Magnificent Frigatebirds
It was fascinating watching them fish...

Even more fascinating to watch them steal fish one from another in mid-air piracy!
Flamingoes
Lots of other birds images - I need to find out how to create a website that I can display my pictures like in a gallery for people's viewing.....

Met a couple of people in Mexico, mostly friends of Norman....they are so beautiful. I love the shots of these two little girls...

We visited this family....Norman became the Santa ~ all kids crowded to him for Easter eggs and extra candies. This family loves him.
I bought a hammock from them, but could not bring it back to Malaysia due to weight limit...maybe next trip. The Mexican hammock is very nice, very comfortable and I love to sleep in them. In two of our nights there, we slept in hammocks, choosing these over the beds in the rented chalets. The family also let me tried making and baking some tortillas (i think that was what it was called....a corn bread....). Took me more than two tries before I can make a real round looking one...ha ha. I ate my own creation, and it was delicious..:-)

Me getting out of the cooking house, cleaning my hands! Happy & satisfied with my culinary skills....ha ha

One thing I do realised that eversince I took up bird photography, I dont have many pictures of people or scenery of places I go.....maybe my equipment is just too heavy and cumbersome for ad-hoc shooting....or I was afraid to lose them to theft........as such, I did miss out on many memorable shots of everyday sightings.....Maybe I need to get myself one of those little idiot-proof camera, or maybe, i should just hold out a handphone....(if i have one! I am thinking of which hp I should get.....well, that is another story.). Adventures in the US will be my next story, when I get time and mood to write.....

Birding at Bukit Tinggi

Had the opportunity to meet up with my Singapore NPSS photographers in Bukit Tinggi on 13 & 15th March 2010. As the accommodation in Bukit Tinggi was a bit steep for me on my own, I decided to drive from KL to Bukit Tinggi daily. I used the Middle Ring Road and Karak Highway from Cheras ~ took me less than an hour to reach. Toll fee RM5.00.

Anyway, as bird-brain as myself, for this trip, I forgot to bring my tripod along! Most of the shots that I tried to handhold ended up as "trash". For some shots, I tried using a beanbag, though this meant that I have to almost crouch on the floor to see through my viewfinder. Luckily for me, I met up with Con later who happened to have a spare tripod in his car! Phew!!

A few star birds we were after - silver breasted broadbill, mugimaki flycatcher and red bearded bee-eater.

We put out some worm baits to tempt the mugimaki flycatcher to come out of its hiding....but this black and white fellow (magpie-robin), a very common bird, kept stealing the show and our baits!



Luckily, the super star didnt forsake its appearance....(image was underexposed and had to be recovered using Photoshop - resulting in quite some noise on the shadow areas).


I dont have any shots of the broadbill or bee-eater that I am happy with, so I have to think about going for re-shoots. Sharing also images of the female mugimaki flycatcher....taken using beanbag as a support!

The bird was probably peering to see what I was doing lying on the ground....

Back with Birders' friends to Fraser's Hill

Well, I have been away for a long long time from bird-watching with my old birding friends in KL. So it was very lucky for me that I could join one of their overnight trip to Fraser's Hill (26 & 27 feb 2010).

Fraser's bird sightings was rather "dry" that day...was hoping to sight the collared owlet that the group saw the week before, but no such luck for me! Birds were perching way way far away, and even with a 500mm lens, I would never be able to make any great shots. Nevertheless, being able to spend time strolling along the forest edge and enveloped in the Fraser's cool weather is really a joy to behold. And coupled with chatty friends and most yummy homecook food, all these are special bonuses to the trip.

Just sharing two shots to remember this trip by -

I heard this bird first before I could sight it....A mountain bulbul singing its heart away!

For this red-bearded bee-eater, I have to thank Phoon & his gang for sighting this one near our apartment (Silverpark Apartments) and phoning us to come back for some shots. Wished for a better background but no such luck again that day for me.

Red bearded bee-eater

Not sure when I could make my way up to Fraser's again, but hope it will be soon.....as soon as possible. haha!

Common birds

I posted these images in the nature photography singapore society ( www.npss.org.sg) and tease the members to drive 7 hours from Singapore to my area of abode to do bird photography ~ I doubt anyone would for these common birds...ha ha.

Cattle egret @ Ulu Dedap paddyfields - a big flock was following a tractor as it turned up the soil. This egret was lucky to find a juicy meal.

A brahminy kite circling the sky, also hoping for a meal.

A paddyfield pipit (Richard's Pipit) spotted in Kinta Nature Park

Ulu Dedap paddyfields.....

A blue-tailed bee-eater

Just sharing a shot of a bee-eater taken in Ulu Dedap paddy-fields. Our paddy fields can be a treasure mine for birds, and the green paddyfields made such a great background for photography. Initially, I had fear driving my car unto the bunds around the fields, but with Norman by my side, my fears can be set aside. After all, if I get my car into a ditch or whatever, I have someone to shout HELP to.....ha ha.


This bee-eater was flying against the wind, and the wind was so strong that the bird seemed to be hanging there in mid-air not moving...Without the wind to stop its flight, I would never be able to shoot this bird in flight!

Although I am not working at the moment, other commitments at home stopped me from doing much bird photography. Hopefully, more opportunities will come in the near future, so that I can practise more and improve........

Birds shot in Langkawi and Penang

Had fun spending the last days of last year in Langkawi and Penang. Friends from Singapore picked me up in my hometown and we made our way to Penang for 4 days 3 nights...Our itinerary in Langkawi was also 4 days 3 nights but upon chancing on a fruiting fig tree filled with hornbills, we extended one more day! Ha ha....
of all my shots, i loved the chestnut bee-eaters' shots more....

This black-capped kingfisher really made us worked hard to get a shot of him....
All the images (except the raptors' shots) were shot from inside the car using beanbag. Raptors' shots were handheld, from the speedboat. Overall, it was a great bird photography trip....a great end to 2009.

Passing on....

My brother-in-law passed away yesterday, from a heart attack. May he rests in peace and his family comforted....