Malayan Colugo (2)

D700 500mm ISO400 f/60 +1.0EV 1/60

Young Colugos spend the first 6 months of their life clinging to their mother's belly. To protect and transport them, she curls her tail to fold the gliding membrane into a warm and secure pouch.

Malayan Colugo (1)

D700 500mm ISO400 f/6.3 1/30 tripod

A surprise encounter at Lower Pierce Reservoir: a female Malayan Colugo with its young (not visible on picture above - watch this space tomorrow!).

The Colugo is a nocturnal animal that inhabits the rain forests of South East Asia. While it possesses a furry membrane connecting its legs and tail allowing it to glide from tree to tree, the Colugo is closer to primates than bats or squirrels. It is sometimes given the name of flying lemur, but it is not a true lemur.

During the day, it rests on trunk, head up. The Colugo is so confident of the efficiency of its camouflage (see picture below) that it will not move when people pass by. If really disturbed, it will just climb higher or circle the trunk.

Little Egret In Flight

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 -0.7EV 1/1000 tripod

Scaly Breasted Munia

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/320 flash tripod

Second visit of the scaly breasted munia in this blog. Taken at Khatib Bongsu together with the owls, the iora and some egrets in flights.

Common Iora

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/320 flash tripod

As I did not know the name of this bird, I posted a picture of it on the web site of the Nature Photographic Society, Singapore (www.npss.org.sg). I had an identification within 10 minutes! My thanks to the members. Above bird is actually a Common Iora with a male breeding plumage.

Buffy Fish-Owl - A Juvenile

D700 500mm +1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/320 flash +1.0EV tripod

The last post of the buffy fish-owl for this week. This is the second bird on the tree, a juvenile.

Buffy Fish-Owl - A Portrait

D700 500mm +1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1.320 flash +1.0EV tripod

This is a detail of yesterday's picture. I thought that it was worth a post...

Buffy Fish-Owl At Khatib Bongsu

D700 500mm +1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/320 flash +1.0EV tripod

An interesting encounter this morning at Khatib Bongsu: two buffy fish-owls on the same tree. An adult and a juvenile according to a group of bird watching enthusiasts from the Singapore Nature Society who were passing by. This take is of the adult.

Little Spiderhunter

D700 500mm +1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/500 tripod

Spiderhunters are feeding both on nectar and small invertebrates that are attracted to the nectar. Very regular visitor of the torch ginger flowers.

Chinatown - A Spiritual Parenthesis

D700 60mm ISO800 f/3.2 1/15

The light was low but I could not resist taking a picture of this incense holder. I really liked the hazy purple stick forest with the curved dragon in the foreground. A spiritual parenthesis after depicting some rather commercial aspects of Chinatown.

The Temple Doors - Chinatown

D700 60mm ISO400 f/3.2 1/8

Red Lanterns - Chinatown - Singapore

D700 60mm ISO400 f/2.8 1/15

Sweets, Sweets, Sweets

D700 50mm ISO400 f/2.8 1/125

Red Lanterns & Pineapple - Chinatown - Singapore

D700 60mm ISO400 f/2.8 1/30

Chinese New Year paraphernalia: the typical red lanterns and pineapples.

Happy Lunar New Year Of The Tiger !

D700 50mm ISO400 f/2.8 1/60

I wish to all followers of this blog and to their families the best of Health, Happiness and Success for this Chinese New Year of the Tiger!

The Colours of Chinatown

D700 70-300mm zooming ISO400 f/11 1/4

Having fun with this shot, zooming with a low shutter speed. These lanterns just screamed to be captured. The question was how? It was windy and the sky was dark. So I added movement using this technique.

Yellow-Vented Bulbul

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/500 tripod

Another visitor of the Mandai Orchid Garden.

Olive-Backed Sunbird

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.7 1/500 flash -0.3EV tripod

An Olive-Backed Sunbird on an Heliconia. I tested the FP function of the SB900 flash to increase the sync speed to 1/500. It worked well. Watch for flash battery level though, this function uses more power.

Chinese Pond-Heron - A Landing

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

This was my first sighting of a Chinese pond-heron at Khatib Bongsu. At one point in fact, three of these birds were feeding off the mud flats. They all flew away as the tide came back in.

Grey Heron In Flight - II

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

Some cropping applied on the flight shots...

Grey Heron In Flight - I

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

Grey Heron - Another Landing

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

A lot of action... but to catch it, lots of patience is needed, + the occasional sun burn...

Grey Heron - A Landing

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO200 f/6.7 1/1000 tripod

While many photographers were busy at the Singapore air show, tide was low at Khatib Bongsu and the local birds were performing as well. Here was a demonstration of the use of the rear flaps and landing on narrow airstrip by a grey heron.

It is the light that makes this picture.

Water Lily

D700 24mm PC-E ISO200 f/11 1/60 polarizing filter

As the birds were on strike this morning (either absent or staying in the shade), a change of lens was required not to return empty handed.

Brown-Breasted Sunbird On Ginger Flower

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f6.7 1/320 SB400 tripod

A first visit to the Mandai Orchid Garden yielded this picture. Now that I am more familiar with the site and the favorite locations of the little nectar feeders, a second visit should bring better results!

Full Moon

D700 500mm + 1.7 teleconverter ISO400 f/6.4 2000 tripod

Considering that this picture was taken from Singapore, it was surprisingly sharp. Most nights, stars cannot be seen here due to the diffuse reflection of the city lights against the water droplets in suspension in the air.

Full Moon Through The Clouds

D700 70-300mm @ 200 ISO200 f/8 1/4 tripod

Shooting at the moon, just for the fun of it.