Sunday, November 8, 2009

Bird Series 13 - white-throated kingfisher 白胸翡翠

as usual very sensitive bird not easy to get close .....


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The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher[2] which is widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria,[3] Turkey, east through South Asia to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, and may only move short distances.

The first English is the preferred name, since the geographical name is too restrictive for this widespread bird, while its easternmost race lacks a white breast.

This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

#### from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_Kingfisher ########

few capture of this bird

white-throated kingfisher 白胸翡翠

... left ...


... right ...

My very 1st CYLINDRICAL PANORAMAS

I was busy to test on my Manfrotto 303SPH, and today finally I have some free hours (we just missed out the sunrise after heavy mist arrived :( )

I will continue explore the SPHERICAL PANORAMA & CYLINDRICAL PANORAMAS and after I master the skill how to make these.... stay turn I will share out how I make this for sure ....

ok ... 1st one using
1. canon 5dm2
2. canon 1740L@40mm F16
3. Velbon tripod
4. Manfrotto 303SPH

shooting with 19 pictures and merge with "Panorama Maker 4" Pro then convert it to quick time movie file by "Pano2QTVR Gui"


My 1st CYLINDRICAL PANORAMA


for the quicktime movie file click link below

for fast and large format
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/NewProject4.1-large.html

for slow connection
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/NewProject4.1-small.html

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Bird Series 12 - Pacific Golden Plover - 金斑鸻

a bird wal around near pond .. not really shy/sensitive can easily get close . and not really active .....

################ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Golden_Plover ############
The Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) is a medium-sized plover.

The 23–26 cm long breeding adult is spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Its face and neck are black with a white border and it has a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black. In winter, the black is lost and the plover then has a yellowish face and breast, and white underparts.

It is similar to two other golden plovers, Eurasian and American. Pacific Golden Plover is smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than Eurasian Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, which also has white axillary (armpit) feathers. It is more similar to American Golden Plover, Pluvialis dominica, with which it was once considered conspecific (as "Lesser Golden Plover", see Sangster et al., 2002). The Pacific Golden Plover is slimmer than the American species, has a shorter primary projection, and longer legs, and is usually yellower on the back.

The breeding habitat of Pacific Golden Plover is Arctic tundra from northernmost Asia into western Alaska. It nests on the ground in a dry open area.

It is migratory and winters in south Asia and Australasia. A few winter in California and Hawaii, USA. This wader is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

This bird forages for food on tundra, fields, beaches and tidal flats, usually by sight. It eats insects and crustaceans and some berries.
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few pictures for record purpose

Pacific Golden Plover - 金斑鸻 3

Pacific Golden Plover - 金斑鸻 2

Pacific Golden Plover - 金斑鸻 1

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Bird Series 11 - Blue-tailed bee-eater 栗喉峰虎

The Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It breeds in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory.

This species is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, M. persicus.
Blue-tailed Bee-eater from behind, showing the blue rump and tail

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly-coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green; its face has a narrow blue patch with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat; the tail is blue and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 23-26 cm, including the two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike.

This is a bird which breeds in sub-tropical open country, such as farmland, parks or ricefields. It is most often seen near large waterbodies. Like other bee-eaters it predominantly eats insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch.This species probably takes bees and dragonflies in roughly equal numbers. The insect that are caught are beaten on the perch to kill and break the exoskeleton. This habit is seen in many other members of the coraciiformes order.

These bee-eaters are gregarious, nesting colonially in sandy banks or open flat areas. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 5 to 7 spherical white eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs. These birds also feed and roost communally. The call is similar to that of the European Bee-eater.


I am happy they are back and few pictures for 1st week seeing them

My name is Bee-Eater
my name is "Bee-Eater"


white cloud behind
it is back ...

stress straight

so far this is the only bee-eater I have .. hope this year can see more ....

Monday, October 26, 2009

Night Birding ... (my 1st night birding)

I was use to night macro thought it is tough but then compare to night birding, think it is far tough compare to macro ....

my very 1st night birding, it is really tough as the viewfinder is almost totally dark, no AF, and we only able to use torch light direct close to the bird else it will fly off ... use the little available light from torch to get the bird focus is like a "guessing" game :( ... try and error need to make sure my object is focus but then it may have possible to make the bird fly off

few catch from my 1st night birding

this owl just amazing shy/sensititve .. almost not possible get close
... looking back ...

ohhh ... you still found me ...


was lucky got the Owl got the prey :D

... I got my food -1 ...

... I got my food -2 ...

... I got my food -3 ...


more owl collection from me click here

Sunday, October 25, 2009

2009 Oct 23-25 : Belum Rainforest Outing

Was join an outing with 30++ Natural lovers/photographers some introduction for the Belum Rainforest

One of Malaysia's premier eco-tourism destinations. The Belum-Temengor Rainforest is more than 130million years old, encompasses 300,000 hectares of paradise that is home to a vast number of unique species of animals and plants. It remains as one of the largest, untouched forest reserves in the world.

where is it ?


Our destination is more on Tasik Banding (South Belum) compare to the real Belum (Royal/North Belum) but then we still went to both side by boat ....

I will get start with few pictures here and more picture will be add later @http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157622534424943/

We stay @Pulau Belia where 15min boat ride from Banding Jetty and think this is a good place where locate in the middle of the south and north Belum (if we going for 1st time)

At first here was place (5 * room) that I stay for 3 day 2 night ... wow .. I never stay at this type of "room" before and we had 5 people fit in this room :D

"where I sleep ... "
where I sleep ...

"view near our "resort" jetty"
view near our "resort" jetty

4 of my wishes/plan to be there (photography)
i. hornbill (saw few type but still far to capture)
ii. lattern bug ... boat man say .. it is rare :(
iii. Rafflesia ... oh we make it
iv. Star Trail

"macro lenses finally can rest", is big enough that don't need a macro len :D
macro lenses finally can rest

"am I look small ???"
am I look small  ???

my 1st Star Trail, look ok ?
... my very 1st Start Trail ...

Group picture for the Photocamp



ok .. stay tune for more pictures from Belum Rainforest, Tasik Banding
@http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157622534424943/

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

my Macro pictures are published

am busy to pack for 4days 3 nights Belum Trip but think going to share this news before I leave Kuala Lumpur tomorrow morning.

My pictures was sold and use for a Macro Education Book publish @Netherlands

my Macro pictures are published

about 20 pictures used and my profile was share in the book of

Digitale fotografie: Macro by Lars Polder
and available for sale @http://www.pearsoneducation.nl/produkt.asp?isbn=9789043018333&cat=com

even my pictures was use in book before but I am happy for this because my profile is share in a education book for the 1st time .....

bye .. and I will be away for 4 days to Belum Rainforest ... wish me good luck :D