A family that plays together stays together ...

At the lakes ...

The only two images worth sharing (even then, barely) from a short session this morning trying to photograph the birds from the lake.

Lesson of the day : birds have sharp vision! I knew that, the impact was just further impressed on me after this morning. It could actually get quite frustarting if you don't have built-in you fortitude and patience ... mine obviously in short supply that morning.

1. Gropping around in the dark isn't fun, almost backed up into a small pond when parking the car.
2. Fancy airport backpack-cum rollers are not built for outdoor use to carry heavy gear. Yes, they look nice and nice rolling around the airport. They don't roll on ground and does not have proper back support.
3. The wind direction may help you if you stay dowbwind fom your quarry, but they can still see you.
4. The dang insect repellant works for like 15 minutes, you have to keep spraying. And these dang insects by the water body are most persistent and they come in various sizes, the smaller they are the nastier.
5. There's ants too everywhere you think is a good location to rest your derrier.
6. There's always obstruction in your lens's path of vision.
7. Your quarry's circle of fear seems to grow instantly the minute you settle down.
8. Every piece of gear that you think has been screwed down and fastened tight to do the job are not actually screwed down and fastened tight enough to carry the task through.
9. By the time you've finally settled, all your subjects seemed to have dissappearded into thin air.
10. By the time you think you've got it sorted, it's time to run back and feed the kids at home breakfast.

This pursuit takes a lot of Zen ... you've got to be prepared inside.

Peralatan Optik

Good birdwatching tools, so you can appreciate your birds the way all birds are meant to be appreciated.

Sunset

Kuala Baram Swamp, the last site for our quick recce for raptors yesterday with Seng, Carol, Nina and David.

Raptors:

Crested Serpent Eagle, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Northern Marsh Harrier (judge is still out on this one), Black-winged Kite, Brahminy Kite, Osprey. We ran out of time so wasnt able to checkout the nesting White-bellied Sea Eagle. The Peregrine Falcon we picked out last Saturday during AWC didn't make an appearance. The Changeable-Hawk Eagle was also noticeably missing.

Other birds:

Striated Grassbird, Oriental Darter, Oriental Reed Warbler, Wandering Whistling Duck, Cinnamon Bittern, Common Snipe, Pied Thriller, Collared Kingfisher, Tricolored Munia, Pink-necked Pigeon, White-breasted Woodswallow, Dollarbird, Common Greenshank, Kentish Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, White-breasted Waterhen, White-browed Crake.

Please checkout http://miribirding.blogspot.com/

White Knight E200

Hows this for a new bird-mobile? Only $65k n 6.5% interest.

AWC Kuala Baram Prawn Farm 23rd Jan 2010

Maneuvering the logs of a completely clogged up rivermouth.

"RAN Campaign : Stop using oil palm that causes rainforest destruction!"

A reply from US company, General Mills after a targetted email campaign by Rainforest Action Network:

"From:
Communications At GeneralMills


Thank you for your e-mail. Please allow me to respond on behalf of General Mills.

General Mills shares your concern about the role of palm oil expansion in the deforestation of tropical rainforests. We are also concerned about the impact of deforestation on biodiversity and endangered species.

We have analyzed General Mills’ use of palm oil. General Mills does not purchase any palm oil directly. However, we do purchase ingredients produced from palm oil from suppliers. Overall, we calculate that General Mills’ use of palm oil and palm derivatives is modest – approximately .0004% of world exports.

Of course, responsible users of even small amounts of ingredients can impact such issues via principled purchasing practices. General Mills has engaged its suppliers in discussions about palm oil production. Each of our suppliers is also a member and supporter of the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil, and General Mills is further reinforcing the principles of the RSPO by limiting our purchases only to suppliers who demonstrably adhere to those principles.

In your e-mail, you acknowledged our positive position on this issue, including our support for a moratorium on palm oil expansion in tropical rainforests and our direct engagement of suppliers.

As principled purchasers, we agree we must continue to engage and monitor our suppliers on this issue – and we will continue to do so.

Again, thank you for your acknowledgement of our response and commitment - and for sharing your views on this issue.

Sincerely,
Tom Forsythe,
General Mills Communications"

Old gear, new life

Last weekend I was stuck at Keat's Camera for almost an afternoon, the shop was packed with folks looking at new and old gear as well as photogs just hanging out. Had a chance to check out some stuff myself, chat with a few old and new photogs and then discovered Elephoto.

This weekend Raymond brought around an Elephoto to the hotel while stuck in KL. It's a teenie weenie Japanese made adapter to enable the use of Leica R-lenses with Canon EOS cameras. Thus all the R-lenses are brought back to life : 35/2.8, 90/2.8, 100/2.8, 135/2.8 and 180/2.8. They've been cooped up inside the drybox since 2004 and saw their last light of day in Spain back in the summer of 2003.


Aisya stressing a point, Canon 40D+R lens 35/2.8


Aisya, Canon 40D+R lens 35/2.8


Ali and Aisya, Canon 40D+R lens 35/2.8


Leica R7/35/2.0

With the efficacy of 2 systems (Canon and Leica) combined to one, there shouldn't be any further need for any new lenses anymore .... hmmmm except perhaps a superwide.

ERL

To KLIA