Yellow-vented Bulbul on Papaya Tree

I saw this Yellow Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) sitting pretty on my papaya tree and just couldn't resist taking some shots.





The sun was blazing hot and it must have taken to the shade to cool off.


The papaya tree was framed by bougainvilleas and heliconias.  Towards the back  and beyond are trees and shrubs on the low hills.


Basking in the filtered and dappled light must have been an enjoyable experience for it stayed for quite a while.

It gave a cursory glance at the direction of the fruits and flowers and was not moved to partake of them.

 

However it shook its posterior vigorously in some ritualistic form of grooming.

When grooming was don, it took flight to ...

a wooden stake nearby.



Another papaya tree next to an Norfolk Island tree.


 

Quisqualis indica and Lantana - Amazing Butterfly Attractants

It is very evident that Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper) and Lantana camara provide plenty of opportunities for viewing beautiful butterflies that flutter into the garden.

 
Double-petaled Quisqualis indica


  It exudes a lovely fragrant smell for a perfumed garden.

 
 A female Hypolimnas bolina jacintha (Jacintha Egg Fly)



The Lesser Gull Butterfly - Cepora Nadina

A butterfly 'painted lady' reposing on the foliage of Quisqualis indica.

A big shrub of  Lantana camara (sunset)






A butterfly 'painted lady' sipping nectar from the numerous florets. She is simply  spoilt for choice,

 
 

Zizula hylax pygmaea (Pygmy Grass Blue)

A male Hypolimnas bolina jacintha (Jacintha Egg Fly)

Clear Wing Moth on leaf of Lantana camara.


Other butterflies love the Lantanas too. This Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe contubernalis) was found perched on the underside of lantana leaf.

Trekking Through Allamandas To Food Haven

I love Allamandas as they are quite resistant to bug infestation. I suppose the white, milky sap has got something to do with the critters and insects' revulsion to it. I'm thankful for this as it allows my Allamandas to bloom and flourish.

Clusters of bright yellow Allamanda cathartica flowers.

 
 

The budding flowers.


I was appreciating how these blooms added to the gaiety of my garden when ...

 

I saw a snail crawled over the tubular part of this bloom without even bothering to sample it. Perhaps it had an inherent sense of which flower is tasty and can be devoured.

The journey which I dubbed as 'the yellow trail' was torturous as it slowly navigated across the flower to reach the nearest leaf.

The nest stage was a purposeful leaf-to-leaf hike as it stretched its foot muscles ...

... towards its coveted sustenance beyond.



It greedily chomped its way across the leaf of  Pseuderanthemum reticulatum.

 My flower bed of Pseuderanthemum reticulatum is often is often laid bare to the gastronomic assault of gastropods.

Heliconia x nickeriensis - The Parakeet Flower

Heliconia x nickeriensis (Parakeet Flower, Parrot's Beak) is a hybrid between H. psittacorum and H. marginata. It can be planted in partial shade to full sun and is almost disease-free. A very vigorous growing plant, it can reach up to about 6 to 8 feet in height and is a prolific bloomer. It likes humidity and with fertilizer, produces blooms throughout the year.
  

 

The more colourful orange parts are actually the bracts. Bracts are orange-red with a yellow border and yellow rachis. The wide stretch of the bract makes an ideal perch for this tiny sunbird.

 

The striking colours make them stand out dramatically against the green foliage. They can also be planted in containers and make excellent cut flowers.

 

Its tall upright lance-like leaves have long leaf stalks that look more like banana leaves. 

A colourful insect bearing the same colours as the bract-flowers purposefully ascends, towards the flower spikes.

  

The 'stem' is actually made up of rolled leaf bases and the flowers emerge from the centre. When the flowers fade, the stems should be pruned off to to encourage new growth and also to generally tidy up for improved appearance.

 

Heliconias are generally invasive. As seen here, it has invaded a flower bed of Allamanda cathartica.

 

Red-green leaves of Dracaena marginata, tiny red flowers of Russelia equisetiformi and Heliconia nickeriensis  growing happily in tight confines.

This series of pictures were taken very early in the morning when it was still not bright.

A female sunbird landed on one of the bracts to ponder the nectar within.

When it was done, it suddenly took flight. I didn't have time to dial up the shutter speed, resulting in a blurred image.

 
 
 
The maturing flower spike.

 
A fully formed bloom with eight tiers of bracts. 

 
  A solitary ant did an investigation of the flower.

 

A bee posturing at the tip of a true flower.  


   An Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) hope from a flower pot onto the ledge of the flower planter box and ... 





rest under the shade of the foliage.