Kudat Nights

A site at the junction to Pantai Bak-bak, stars were brightest for the first minute of our arrival. Unfortunately thick clouds quickly moved in after only a few shots. Definitely a must go back site.

This shot was made in the parking lot of the club by putting the camera on top of our car facing up to the sky. The following shots were made after dinner at the Kudat Golf Club just by the Club's restaurant. The skies were brilliant amidst pollution from the spotlights at the driving range next to the restaurant.

Kudat is looking great for dark sky parties ... there's plenty of secluded but accessible coastline well away from the bright lights with ample foreground interest, rocky shores of Tanjong Simpang Mengayau being one of them and there are no less similarly interesting features around Kudat.

Explore Kudat

Explore Kudat 26th Aug-02nd Sep 2011. Our route around the countryside, wished I had a convertible to zip around the small backlanes, stopping by white-sandy beaches to cool off now and again.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

First day of Aidil Fitri, 30th Aug 2011 Kudat, Sabah.

Choo Tse Chien, Birding Maestro and Buddy

Today, 24th Aug 2011, we lost a birding maestro and good friend, a major player in the Malaysian bird photography scene.

Tse Chien helped us celebrate our first World Migratory Bird Day in Miri, our very first in Sarawak. He has been a constant inspiration to our own birding work here in Miri, supportive and forever ready to coach, goad, instigate and inspire birdwatching and bird photography activities locally. He was with MNS Miri on several occasions traversing rural villages talking to and inspiring little birders with his amazing bird images.

Always remembered as the kind and jovial person by whomever he meets, he helped us set up our very first Bird Photography Exhibition with his enthusiasm and beautiful bird imagery at Borneo Tropical Rainforest Resort on occasion of MNS National AGM 2009 in Miri, also a first such exhibition in Miri if not the Northern Division.

His mark was not only left in Miri. He actively contributed to the first Langkawi Bird Festival together with Irshad Mubarak, MNS Langkawi and others. He was also a regular contributor to the Sabah's Borneo Bird Festival ever since it's inception. He has inspired us and his many other photographer friends to the beauty of birds; turning photographers to birders from Perlis to Sabah. His images are almost always up close, personal and with his signature heavenly bokeh as background.

Choo Tse Chien, buddy, may you rest in peace surrounded by all that is beautiful and heavenly in creation.

We will miss you.

Moon 21st August with Jupiter

Indigo Moon (post-processed).

Two images of the Moon with different exposure (one correct exposure for the moon, the other correct exposure for the sky ie. over exposed moon) stacked together giving the Moon a luminous glow.

The Moon's almost half moon this day 21st August. It's also a day when Jupiter was closest to the moon.

With space objects ad-infinitum circling around the universe since the beginning of time, surely none of them can go off to have a jolly trip out of orbit for the sake of a nutter-blogger bent on making believers of the gullibles amongst us. Even if the nutter has to cowardly attribute the disclosure to the country's top astrophysicist who happens to be the UN Earth's Official Alien Responder ... he's still a nutter, go find something more productive to do.

Starchart 0500-0600hrs 21st Aug 2011 (Sky n Telescope).

Sometime in Tusan

It was so dark that only 30sec, f2.8 and ISO 3200 would do for this brief take.

We zipped over to Tusan Cliffs last night, it was nice and completely dark. Unfortunate for us by the time we set up tripod, laid-down the mat ... dark storm clouds started moving in. After about 6 or so exposures, the dark clouds completely covered the skies. It poured even before we reached home 2330hrs!

Somewhere near Lambir

We left the house at 2130 hrs ... hunted for a dark spot. Bukit Song looked perfect but felts kinda spooky, so we drove on down the hill towards Lambir Hills NP and settled at a spot after the longhouses about 800m from the park. It was dark but up in the clouds you can still see reflected luminosity from Miri.

The skies on the side of Lambir Hills was clear, we peaked at how brilliant the skies were as we drove along. The clouds were drifting in slowly. The skies across the road at our chosen spot looked even better ... only the pylons were criss-crossed the horizon, killing all hope of a good starry nite image . We waited for a lull in traffic and shot a few frames from where we parked.

On the way home approximate 2250 hrs we noticed a bloodshot moon slowly rising. It was huge and red, it would've a great pic with the 400mm. We finally reached an ideal spot, the moon over yonder just above the horizon, still red. We maneuvered the car in place, the dear Moon went and hid herself under some dark clouds.

It never came out.

We thought the tag "Moonhunter" was kinda moronic since there's published charts of the moon's path for everyday of the year. Pick a day ... any day, you'd know where dear Moon would be.

We drove back home almost 2330hrs and fell straight into bed.

Moon 19th August

The Moon this morning approximately at the call to Subuh prayers 19th August, 1/500sec-f8 at ISO400, two shots stacked.

Orion's sword

THE ORION NEBULA glows brilliantly as the middle “star” in Orion’s sword taken with 400mm x1.6crop factor at 1sec (stacked) on ISO 6400 ... still noisy as a fish market.

Sky so blue at Kuala Baram

Conditions looked perfect this morning for a blue-skies picture at Kuala Baram, rushed out and got there just before seven. Cool breeze, brilliant light!

Nightly Escapades

Weekends activities after dark ...

In the early morning hours (circa 2 or 3 am) of 13th Aug 2011, peering into heavens with the naked eye. That night was supposedly to coincide with the peak Perseid meteor shower in the Northern skies. We sat, waited, enjoyed the sometimes cool breeze from the ocean before us and battled with angry and relentless swamp mozzies which perhaps have never had sweet blood at this time of night before for a long while.

Side street astronomy with the eager youngsters of Kpg Masjid, Kuala Baram the same morning about 3 am. More photos at this link on Facebook. We were joined by young folks from a village nearby who were eager to count meteors. They waited with us, battling the same mozzies and with more that enough energy to last until morning time. Thankfully all managed to observe a few meteors streaked through the early morning skies, the children were ecstatic. It was tough peeling them off the roadside for the minder to take them home for sahur.

Figuring our Orion this morning 14th August 2011 at home, just after sahur about 515am. With the aid of Android phone apps, perusing through the nite's star map has never been any easier. Run the program and point to the skies ... now lets see if there's already an app or two to run viewers through a narrated tour of the heavens. "To the right of Bellatrix, approximately ...".

Strolling with my girl

I took time off work yesterday to ferry the kids about for their piano tests; Grade 2 for Ali, Grade 1 for Aisya. Though both kids are not that fond of piano as much as they used to when they were younger, I believed they should have a regular activity to revolve around other than school, tuition and Mandarin. They've stuck with music this far, not sure whether they'd be willing to go further after the test .

With approximately an hour to spare before picking up Ali for his session after sending him to school, Aisya and I went to Kuala Baram for a short stroll. I've been there many times over the years. In the early days after relocating to Miri to take pictures of the changing coastal landscape, later counting migrating waders during migrating season and Asian Waterbirds Census in January.

I have not been there with Aisya, one on one. Initially skeptical as to why we were there at first she slowly warmed up to the place. Most times we are at the beach, it was to run around and splash about. Today, we were just sitting on the rocks watching the clouds go by, peeked at the mudskippers and enjoy the cool morning breeze.

"Papa, I think I like this place! I like the rocks, I like the sounds of the birds, I love the mudskippers ... can we stay here longer!"

Ever since we were back in Miri, when they were still young little tykes, I've taken them to the beach around our home. They've always love it: the running around in the water, splashing each other. Today this is the first time I've heard Aisya profess her fondness for a place such as this. It's wet, it's muddy, crawling with strange creatures ... the fact she likes the place as it is warms up my heart.

This spot can be her special spot too.

Kpg folk crossing the shallow lagoon after an early session of beach-combing, one of my favorite past time.

Nature taking over barren rocks.

Aisya maneuvering her tiny self on the big boulders forming the erosion control barrier.


Sulky fella on a rock.

Big papa mudskipper having a splashing good time in a brackish pond nearby.

House Crow in Kota Kinabalu

House Crow Corvus splendens and it's attempt at nest building. We saw these birds, more common in Klang, in KK right in front of our hotel. Apparently a breeding population have been here in the city since 1997 (Phillip's Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Quentin Phillips and Karen Phillips 2009) with a first record made in Papar back in 1983.

We were told by one of the guys that there are a lot more of these birds over on the islands and that they are actively sought out by locals in some magic money making rituals. We figure he has just the boat to take us out there and make some money out of us too had we taken the bait ... watching the birds in the city was fun enough for us then.

Short weekend in KK

The 30% discount store at KK's latest shopping mall.

It was quite a while ago that I last spent anytime in KK, my most favorite city. At one time I was there almost every quarter if not at least twice a year. So it was with much expectation that I agreed to a weekend in KK amidst a busy month at home.

In KK, a favorite spot has always been the Phillipines market, though much more vibrant before the immigration crackdown, the spot still hold some fond memories for me. There are less street kids but there are still around if you look around with scrutiny, the kids are a part of Sabah's vibrant street life. The nite market at the same spot comes to life immediately after nitefall. You can get anything there, practically.

The view from our hotelroom. My favorite hideaway in KK has to be Hotel Diamond, a $50/nite joint near the old immigration office ... Wisma ???? Cheeky but friendly staff would man the front desk during the day, a burly security fella at nite. Warm water in old Chinese flask is a unique feature, delivered to your room by the chambermaids daily. Outside, street life bustled at all hours of the day. These days I stayed at a slightly posh hotel mingling about with tourists and dull conference attendees ; they moved the immigration office.

A nice stop-over place has to be the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Center at Likas Bay. This place is well hidden amongst the spacious bungalows near Likas town. The mangroves are growing well, and nature taking it's rightful place rather nicely here over the past few years. If you are into birds and any other small mangrove critters, this might be a great break from the all day shopping in the city center.

Green Imperial Pigeon seen roosting the middle of Kota Kinabalu city.

The band playing into the wee hours at the hotel lounge, a more sedate version of the KK nitelife. Most entertainers at lounges similar to this are from a neighbouring country, I like the more respectable attire of these folks here though the songs they play were a tad "sleepy". But then again, there are worst places.

KK and Sabah in general has something for everyone. The islands, the mountains and the streetlife has always been more than a handful for visitors. These days shopping and dining has been added to the list of things to do here too, with less than an hour flying time from Miri, it's no reason not to come around and visit more often.

It's been a good trip.

Images from the famed Gaya Street Sunday Market:

Artwork for sale.

Sea-shells for sale.


Butterflies (paper craft) for sale.


Puppies for sale.


Masseus for hire, there's actually a bee-line queing up for these professionals.

Shooting stars in the backyard.

I got instantly inspired after looking through a friend's recent gallery of the Milky Way made someplace 45mins from home. With a very simple set-up, Sam managed to put into pictures what I had in mind to do for a while now. Getting the right sky is rather tricky, last night was rather clear, so I gave it a shot ... well, let's just say a few.

Not great pictures, but now I'm positive it could be done with merely the tools I already own: a digital camera, a tripod and cable release. One of these nites, the cloud's going to clear up and the heavens will reveal itself sparkling unto me.

Sam Ting's Milky Way pictures on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2091626782458.110065.1598930321

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1389789596967.49494.1598930321&type=1

The Firefly Cruise that got stranded at the bottom of Sg Raan

As a part of our post-AGM activities, fireflyers offered a nite cruise to see fireflies at Sungai Raan the evening of the AGM.

Everyone was looking forward to this Sg Raan river cruise : fireflies, crocodiles and idyllic fishing village setting all along a tiny river by the side of a road which everybody from Miri overlooks on their way south to Bekenu or Bintulu.

We hired three boats in total, as the nite drew on, everybody's anticipation was definitely on the way up. When the boats launched off the jetty, the kids were visibly the most excited.

As we left, there were already a few patches of congregating firefly zones along the river as we moved upriver into Sg Raan. The kids were definitely excited about these little flickering creatures, we knew for sure they'll be even more excited when we reach the stretch with the highest density of display trees just over yonder. Perhaps add a crocodile sighting or two, they'd definitely be filled with adrenaline by the end of the nite.

A loud thud when the boat bottomed out at a section just after Hawaii Beach made our hearts sank, escpecially so for fireflyers ... tonite was meant to be a nite of fireflies for the kids. With the tide not showing any signs of receding, it was confirmed that water wouldn't be rising at least till midnite, we resigned to the fact that we'd be stuck in Sg Raan the nite's knee deep water.

After half an hour or maneuvering and struggling to free the boats, a strenous effort by the boatmen, we decided to call it a nite. With the "bright flickereing" stretch only 10 meters away, we decided to turn back not feeling as high as we'd initially thought we would.

The kids were excited enough about the boat ride and being stuck in the middle of the river; they'd perhaps be even more so if they'd witness the flickering of fireflies all along the river and maybe spot a couple of fickering eyes of a crocodile or two at the water's edge.

The boats finally managed to pull themeselves out after much effort and we headed back to the jetty. The display trees at the start of the streth was still flickering bright when we passed them on the way back.

Stars at Baraya

Nightshots at Baraya laut Resort, 30sec exposure, 11mm/5.6 at ISO 1600.