Yellow Vented Bulbul on Quisqualis indica

Yellow Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), called Merbah Kapur in Malay are common birds in my garden. When there is a handful of them around, the garden is full of their chatter and bird calls. Its face is white with kohl-lined black eyes. The feathers on the underside of the tails (coverts) are yellow while it is light brown on the rest of the underbelly and chest.

This Yellow Vented Bulbul was spotted on a branch of Quisqualis indica.

 The playground for the birds

 It first did a check of its surroundings, before it hopped further down the branch to check out the flowers.

不鸣则已，一鸣惊人
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."  - Chinese proverb


 
Perhaps it finally became aware of my snooping lens and so turned around to show me its butt before ...

 
flying off to a nearby tree.



It fluffed up its feathers ...



and started preening.



When that was done, it got ready to take off again ...




to land on another branch.

PS: I've just acquired a telephoto lens (Nikkor 55-300mm) at a reasonable price. The above photos are the outcome of this session. My hands are a bit shaky with this longer lens, so I probably should consider getting a monopod to assist me in achieving sharper images. On the whole I'm quite happy with the outcome, considering what I have to pay for it.

Daphnis nerrii - Oleander Sphinx Moth

One day, I saw my Madagascar Periwinkle plant with wilting leaves and decided to examine it more closely. It was then that I discovered many wriggling green caterpillars amongst the foliage.


Here this juicy green crawling sausage was seen to be relaxing after enjoying one of its eating binges.

I can see three pairs of spindly legs in front and four more pairs of stumpy legs in the mid-section, where the feet seem to be shod in 'black boots'. At the posterior end, there is another pair (in boots too) to anchor it during movement.

 

They are flexible and can feed in any position. Apparently being upside down is not an issue. At its posterior end a yellow 'tail' is present.


 
They were plump and succulent from chomping greedily on the leaves. However they do not bother with the flowers at all.

 
Its amazing how the feeding frenzy of a tiny caterpillar can cause it ...


to balloon up in a matter of days.

I was watering a dwarf Tabernaemontana orientalis when ...

 I saw this caterpilar on the floor near the plant. It was drenched wet from the shower. The heavy watering must have caused it to be dislodged.

I gingerly transported it to a dry spot on the grass.

It appeared to have a yellow tinge and apparently ready to move to the next stage in its metamorphosis.


Two days after I've placed it in a cardboard box, it turned into a brown shape; its legs no longer visible.  This must be the pupa and looked like a nicely fried sausage. When I moved the box, it flicked from left to right.

 There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly.  ~Richard Buckminster Fuller

The is the newly emerged moth.  Its beautiful green pattern reminds me of   army camouflage material.


Thick feelers and resting with its wings down are some of the distinguishing features of a moth.

Moths are also more furry than butterflies.


It was sprawled almost motionless on the patio floor.

Its red eyes are similiar to that of the Giant Redeye or Gangara thyrsis butterfly.

It later flew off and settled on the wall.

Hooks at the ends of its front legs enable it to hang from the wall.

Solandra grandiflora - Golden Chalice

After patiently waiting for about two years from the time the cuttings took root, my Solandra grandiflora bushes have rewarded me with these amazing blooms. Before this, I've threathened to chop them down many times as I just don't understand why they refused to bloom in my new garden. The mother plant has never stopped blooming. Anyway all is forgiven now and I'm absolutely thrilled with these maiden blooms. 

The flowers of Golden Chalice are dramatic in size and appearance. It measures about eight inches in length and four inches wide.

Chocolate markings run down the whole length of the funnel.

 
A pair of drenched Golden Chalice just after a shower.

 
It has a large and deep funnel which houses five anthers at the ends of curved stamens and a green-headed stigma. 


The stigma protrudes out of the flower away from its own anthers and pollens. 


The flower starts of in a pale cream colour which increases in intensity ...

 
over the next three days into a deep yellow colour.

 
The mouth of this bud popped open the day after.


The rim is frilled.

Three days later, the rim of the chalice starts to droop.

 
 A tree frog has taken refuge on one of the stems.


The second digit of the webbed feet seems to be more pronounced.

 

An icky, yucky critter grazing on the underside of a Golden Chalice leaf.
 

The aftermath is akin to the crop circles seen on fields in certain parts of the world.


A single stalk of Solandra grandiflora makes a dramatic statement.

A plate of Cuttle-fish and Water Convolulus salad (Sotong-kangkong) in sweet, hot chilli sauce and topped with roasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts.

Hibiscus rosa sinensis - The Flower of Malaysia

The so called single-petaled Hibiscus has a single tier of five petals. This red  variety is the national flower of Malaysia. It is robust, carries many blooms and rather disease-free so much so that at one time, it was commonly used as living hedges. Recently there seems to be a revival of  this practice.

 

The hibiscus flower appears to be quite cheeky with its "tongue" sticking out.



 
Small and pointy buds.

 
The petals are seen peeking out, waiting to burst at the seams of the calyx.


The next day it emerged and protruded forwards.

At this stage the bud looks like a stoma; Hello!

When the hibiscus is in full bloom, the petals flare out and curve slightly backwards. The edge of the petals are frilly.  

The staminal tube comprising anthers and five-branched stigmata hangs freely down and sways with the breeze.

With their striking vermilion hue, these Hibiscus flowers overshadow the Bougainvilleas which framed them from above and below. 

This variety has green-white variegated leaves, so is named 'Snowflakes'. 

An ant trekked up one of the five branches of the style and

 scrambled onto the tuft-covered stigma.

"It is easier to go down a hill than up,
but the view is from the top"- Arnold Bennett
 

And the descent down.

The numerous anthers seem to be swollen with their contents. The stigmata are covered with fine filaments.

Later in the day the anthers burst to release fine pollens.

What is left after the petals dropped off the next day.

Given sufficient fertilizer, they bloom non-stop.



Hibiscus hedge just outside the arrival level at Kuala Lumpur international Airport (KLIA ).

 
This bush was transported from another garden in my hometown, then re-potted here in this urban setting where it seems to be thriving. In order to transplant this Hibiscus plant,  I had all the flowers and most of the leaves pruned off.



It was such a waste to dump it so they ended up in a vase.

A simple arrangement where leaves and flower are plonked into a glass globe of water.

A dish of Black Pepper Chicken with Bell Peppers.