RWS Photo Blog - Splendour pictures of Borneo

Two caterpillars - Series #17

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Green Angle-wing Katydid

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Exotic photo of green grasshopper or Angle-wing Katydid. The family Tettigoniidae, known in American English as katydids and in British English as bush-crickets, contains more than 6,400 species. It is part of the suborder Ensifera and the only family in the superfamily Tettigonioidea. They are also known as long-horned grasshoppers, although they are more closely related to crickets than to grasshoppers. Many tettigoniids exhibit mimicry and camouflage, commonly with shapes and colors similar to leaves.

Tettigoniids may be distinguished from grasshoppers by the length of their filamentous antennae, which may exceed their own body length, while grasshoppers' antennae are always relatively short and thickened.

The males of tettigoniids have sound-producing organs (via stridulation) located on the hind angles of their front wings. In some species females are also capable of stridulation.

Related posts:
* Mating Locusts, Series #4
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #3

nature | photo

Tallest Bougainvillea In Miri

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:30:00 +0000

Photo of the tallest Bougainvillea (pokok bunga kertas) plant in full bloom. The photo was taken from a room at Park Hotel, Miri.

The tall Bouganinvillea used a pine tree as a support. The pine tree could be over 100ft tall.

From far, the pine tree look like it was infest with a blooming parasite plant.

Above: Shot taken from underneath the plant.

About Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea (pronounced /ˌbuːɡɨnˈvɪliə/) is a genus of flowering plants native to South America from Brazil west to Peru and south to southern Argentina (Chubut Province). Different authors accept between four and 18 species in the genus. The plant was discovered in Brazil in 1768, by Philibert Commerçon, French Botanist accompanying French Navy admiral and explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville during his voyage of circumnavigation.

They are thorny, woody vines growing anywhere from 1-12 meters tall, scrambling over other plants with their hooked thorns. The thorns are tipped with a black, waxy substance. They are evergreen where rainfall occurs all year, or deciduous if there is a dry season. The leaves are alternate, simple ovate-acuminate, 4-13 cm long and 2-6 cm broad. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colors associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. Bougainvillea glabra is sometimes referred to as "paper flower" because the bracts are thin and papery. The fruit is a narrow five-lobed achene.

nature | photo

Borneo Beetle - Series #5

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Photo of an unidentified beetle from Borneo crawling on a young flower pod.

Related posts:
* Tropical Orange Blister Beetle - Nemognatha
* Black Blister Beetle | Nemognatha Photo
* Tropical Luminous Bug
* Wild Sex - Leave Beetle Mating

nature | photo

Common Huntsman Spider - Series #6

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:41:00 +0000

A photo of a tropical common Huntsman Spider underneath a leave mat.

Related posts:
* Spider with missing limbs
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

nature | photo

Coop Fest 2009 Sarawak

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Photo collection of cultural dance performed during the launching of the Cooperative Fest 2009 in Kuching, Sarawak. The event was organized by Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM) Sarawak and officiated by YB Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie, Menteri Muda Pertanian Negeri Sarawak.

The Cooperative festival logo.

The cultural troupe from the local performing arts school.

Left: A girl in a traditional Bidayuh costume. Right: A girl in a traditional Orang Ulu costume. Her elongated ears are fake.

The Ngajat dance led by the Iban warrior.

Iban maiden in a graceful dance.

An Indian lass.

A Malay lass.

Left: Orang Ulu maiden. Right: Malay maiden.

Orang Ulu dance.

The photos above refer to the cultural show before the event was officiate by the Minister. During this event, various activities was held near the Kuching Waterfront, which include Cooperatives exhibition, cooking competition, flowers arrangement competition, poco-poco, stage show, Traditional Ratu Kebaya pageant, etc.

The Coop Fest 2009, Sarawak was held from August 07 until August 09, 2009.

nature | photo

Mating Locusts, Series #4

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:02:00 +0000

This is the 4th series on topical locusts. Shown below is a mating locust couple. Different postures, different places but the same couple.

Smaller male on top.

Note the tiny spike on their limbs.

Mating locusts on a fern stem.

Related posts:
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #3
* Tropical Giant Locust, Series #2
* Tropical locust

nature | photo

Surau at the Sarawak Dun Complex

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Photos of Surau at the new Sarawak DUN Complex.

The Surau, an annex building of the new Sarawak DUN Complex. Photo by HPE.

The Surau ceiling top. Photo by HPE.

The Surau architectural designs. Photo by HPE.

The Surau wall. Photo by HPE.

nature | photo

Borneo Frogmouth Owl

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:09:00 +0000

Photo of mysterious tropical Borneo Bird. The bird is probably a family of falcon, eagle or the Borneon Bristlehead. The bird for unknown reason build a nest on a jackfruit branch which is expose to the weather element .

UPDATES:
* Responses from my Flickr gallery confirmed that this bird is a juvenile FrogMouth Owl (or Bornean Frogmouth - Batrachostomus mixtus).

Video clip of the mysterious bird

Lucky Bird

My mum informed me that she spotted this bird and try to explain that is look like an OWL but not exactly an owl. This mysterious bird is definitely not an owl. Anyway, after taking a few shots of the bird, I buy some 4Digit lottery on the number 0310 (imagine O=0, W=3, L=1 and a 0) and it strike first prize ! yay ! Enough prize money to buy a few units of DSLR or smartphones.

So now it's time to pamper myself. Should I treat myself with a new unit of NIKON D90, a BlackBerry or purchase another 1,000 Gaharu seedlings?

SEO: Juvenile Owl | Frogmouth Owl

nature | photo

Sarawak Rivers Board

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:23:00 +0000

Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) or locally known as Lembaga Sungai Sungai Sarawak (LSSB) the care taker of Sarawak Rivers is seriously lagging in dissemination of information to the public. Fortunately, the information I referred to is non critical but related to the recent activities held at Sarawak River, namely the Sarawak Regatta as well as the Sarawak River Night Floats.

NOTES:
If you have Googled for "Sarawak Rivers Board" home page and instead landed in this blog, you should be heading to their home page at http://www.srb.sarawak.gov.my/Home_page.htm. Oh yeah, forget about srb.com.my (their webmaster forgot to redirect the page to srb.sarawak.gov.my).

Up until July 27, 2009, there is no information on the mentioned events which were very important considering that the events was held to mark the opening of the new Sarawak State Legislative Building (DUN) and the sitting of the Malaysian Rulers Conference.

SRB (or LSSB) was the organizing body for the two big events that warrants more publicity to the local public as well as international audience. It is necessary for them to update their website with the upcoming events considering that the participants from various government bodies spent thousand of ringgit decorating their floats or training their regatta teams.

See the image on the right. Their last update on the website was on March 2009. Based on Google result page, their official website is positioned on the lower part of the first page. Let's see if this post can hijacked that position.

Related posts:
* River of Garbage in Asia

SEO: Laman web Lembaga Sungai Sungai Sarawak | Sarawak River Board website | Sarawak Rivers Board | SRB.GOV.MY |

nature | photo

Fireworks during Sarawak DUN Complex opening

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:13:00 +0000

Photo of fireworks during the opening of new Sarawak DUN Complex. The fireworks display was the finale after the end of procession by various kind of decorative boat float.

A cute float from Kuching Port Authority, which graced the front page of Borneo Post.

Sarawak DUN FireWork - Photo by smilephotowork.blogspot.com

Sarawak DUN Fireworks - Photo by smilephotowork.blogspot.com

Video clip of the fireworks display during the opening ceremony of the new Sarawak DUN.

SEO: Pertunjukan Bunga api Sarawak DUN | Firework waterfront | Firework and float

Sarawak Regatta 2009

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:07:00 +0000

Sarawak River Regatta 2009 will be held on Monday July 2009. On the same day, the new Sarawak DUN complex will convene it first state assembly meeting followed by the Sarawak River Float to be held in the evening.

More photos will be uploaded after the event.

This Sarawak Regatta 2009 was organized by the Sarawak Rivers Board.

SEO: gambar regatta sarawak | sarawak regatta picture | koleksi regatta | album regatta | kuching regatta | regatta sungai sarawak

Sarawak River Float 2009

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:44:00 +0000

Sarawak River Float 2009 will be organized on July 27, 2009 to commemorate the official opening of the new Sarawak DUN Building by the Agung and in conjunction with the sitting of Malaysia Ruler's Conference in Kuching.

The River Float will starts from the Toll Bridge (Tun Sallehuddin Bridge at Tanah Puteh) passing the new DUN Building and the Astana. The best viewing point will be from the Kuching Waterfront. Be there before 8pm on the 27th of July 2009.

Various organizations will participate in the events, including Kuching Port Authority, ASSAR, Sarawak Energy (SESCO), Samling Group. Naim Cendera.

Float from Sarawak Energy (SESCO). Their theme is of course, electricity power grid in addition to the alternative energy, i.e. wind power (turbine). On the side of the boat is an Iban motif.

Float from the ASSAR group. The float motto is "Sarawak's Premier Oil, Gas & Chemical Integrator Corporation". On their boat, you can see gas tank, laboratory tubes, and oil tanks.

Float from Kuching Port Authority. At the bow of the boat is decorative hornbill head, hornbill wings at side of the boat and at the stern, a cat (which represents Kuching).

Float from Naim Cendera promoting their housing product Naim Homes. Photo from PhotoBorneo.com

Photos to be uploaded soon.

About Sarawak

The Sarawak River or Sungai Sarawak is a river in Sarawak state of Malaysia. It is an important source of water and transportation for the inhabitants in southwestern Sarawak. It is also used in water-related sport activities such as the annual Sarawak Regatta which attract tourists from all over the world.

The Astana, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Governor of Sarawak, is located on the north bank of the river.

SEO: bot hiasan sarawak | Perarakan Bot Berhias Sarawak

Photo of Sarawak DUN Building

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:42:00 +0000

Photo of Sarawak new Dewan Undangan Negri (DUN) Building (Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Hall), the latest landmark in Kuching.

The new Sarawak DUN Building is costing the state government about RM296.5 million.

Entrance to Sarawak DUN Complex ~ BinaPuri

The majestic Sarawak DUN complex ~ BinaPuri

Atrium of Sarawak DUN ~ BinaPuri

Sarawak DUN Chamber ~ BinaPuri

Construction of Sarawak DUN Complex - CMSB

Night shot of Sarawak DUN Complex.

The new Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. Photo by Rafiq Mirza

Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Sarawak. Photo by canonreflex

Sarawak Parliament. Photo by Asif Imtiaz

Perahu Tambang. Showcasing the old and the ultra modern. Photo by famptoP

DUN under the bright blue sky. Photo by framptoP

SEO: Koleksi Gambar DUN Sarawak | Galleri Gambar DUN Sarawak | DUN baru Sarawak | Komplex DUN Sarawak |

Night Photography Without Flash

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:23:00 +0000

Finally: a flash camera without all the usual problems, especially for night photography. By using a flashbulb that emits ultraviolet and infrared light (neither of which the human eye can detect) instead of visible light, New York University's Dilip Krishnan and Rob Fergus have come up with dark photography that will neither blind your subject nor produce the unwanted glare of a harsh flash in the developed photo.

Dark photography uses a camera that takes photos with an invisible flash of infrared and ultraviolet light points to a smarter way to take photos in the dark.

On their own, IR and UV exposures produce photos that have strange, unrealistic coloring. But Krishnan and Fergus have taken care of that as well. Their system processes IR and UV exposures into true color, by combining two photos taken in quick succession into a superior final image.

Their camera first takes a photo with an IR/UV flash, which produces an image that has clearly illuminated detail, but the wrong color palette. Following this first shot, the camera immediately takes a second shot with no flash; this one gives the camera the right coloring, but, without enough illumination, has a grainy, blurry look. Finally, Krishnan and Fergus's software merges the two photos into an image that has both fine detail and correct hues.

Moth on a tropical red ginger plant

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Photo of a brown moth on a tropical red ginger plant.

Related posts:
* Wild sex - Mating moths photo
* Trapped moth
* Moth on a rambutan fruit, Series #6
* Moth on a Ginger Flower
* Yellow moth with black stripes

Spider with missing limbs

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:30:00 +0000

Photo of a tropical spider with missing limbs.

Related posts:
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

Lady's finger - Okra

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Photo of water droplets on an Okra, or Lady's finger.

Okra (pronounced US: /ˈoʊkrə/, UK: /ˈɒkrə/), known by many others names, is a flowering plant in the mallow family (along with such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus), valued for its edible green fruits. Okra's scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus; it is occasionally referred to by the synonym, Hibiscus esculentus L.

Okra is often known as Lady's Fingers outside of the United States, and gumbo in parts of the United States and English-speaking Caribbean, based on a corruption of the Portuguese word "quingombo," which is in turn a corruption of the word "quillobo," the word for the plant in some parts of eastern Africa.

The name "okra" is of West African origin and is cognate with "ọ́kụ̀rụ̀" in Igbo, a language spoken in Nigeria. In various Bantu languages, okra is called "kingombo" or a variant thereof, and this is the origin of its name in Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French. The Arabic "bāmyah" is the basis of the names in the Middle East, the Balkans, Iran, Afghanistan, Greece, North Africa and Russia. In Southern Asia, its name is usually a variant of "bhindi" or "vendi."

In Borneo, the Malay called Okra as Kacang Mior or Kacang Bendi or simply Kacang Lendir (slime).

Furry caterpillar - Series #16

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:43:00 +0000

Newborn Kittens

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Photo of little newborn kittens. The newborn kittens were only couple of days old and their eyes are still shut close.

Look at the claws.

The nose seems a little bit big.

Notice the newborn whiskers.

Related posts:
* Two cats and a string
* Mix Breed Siamese Cats Napping

Tropical Cyan Dragonfly - Series #4

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:43:00 +0000

A tropical cyan dragonfly. Most dragonfly's wings are see-through.

Below: cropped photo of the dragonfly big eyes. Click image for larger view.

Related posts:
* Dragon Fly - Series#3
* Tropical Dragonfly - - Series #2
* Tropical Red Dragonfly - Series #1

Tropical Mud Crab

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Photos of a tropical mud crab crossing a tarmac road at Kpg Sebayor, Semarahan.

Close up photo of a tropical crab. Look at those red pincers. Click the photo for a larger view.

Crossing pincers.

Crab photo a further distance.

Common Huntsman Spider - Series #3

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:51:00 +0000

A photo collection of tropical common Huntsman Spider caught with a bounty, a dead butterfly. Click on the photo for an enlarged view.

The Huntsman guarding its catch.

Dead butterfly beneath the Huntsman

Huntsman moving away with a dead butterfly

Similar posts:
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Largest Huntsman Spider
* Wasp spider of Borneo - Argiope bruennichi
* Common Huntsman Spider - Series #2
* Tropical spider - Series #1

Split Headed Piglet - Photo

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Pig with one head (look like a split headed to me), two mouths, two noses and three eyes

Farmer Liu Shuping presents a newly born piglet with one head, two mouths, two noses, and three eyes in Xi’an, China, on March 7, 2007.

Related posts:
* Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Pig
* Monkey-faced Piglet - Photo
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Pig

Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Calf

noreply@blogger.com (BlogTactic) — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:13:00 +0000

A seven-legged calf was born at Steamboat Veterinary Hospital. The Black Angus calf was delivered by Caesarean section. The calf lived only 10 minutes. One of the seven legs had two hooves. The calf had two spines but just one head. Photo by Matt Stensland

Related posts:
* Animal Oddity: Photo of Seven-Legged Pig
* Animal Oddity - Photo of Two-headed Pig