Limnonectes kuhlii (Tschudi, 1838) (Kuhl's Creek Frog, Kuhl's Wart Frog,)

Another interesting sharing that I have been long waited to share is this photography of a frog species called Kuhl's Creek Frog.  

This species almost certainly represents a complex of more than one species containing many taxa with more restricted distributions. There might even be several species in Borneo alone (R. Inger pers. comm.) (http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/58346/0). It occurs from 200-1,800m asl.

Since 2007 I have photographing at this same site including doing some night photography of frogs. At first I did not notice any difference in the frog photos that I took not until 2010 when I look back at the previous photos and compared them with the one I took in 2010 and the frogs that I thought was the same species looks pretty much different. 

As I am not a herpetologist nor a frog taxonomist it is pretty difficult to say what species this is exactly and it may be the same species but only some coloration and maturity differences.

There have been a lot of research been done about L. kuhlii complex, but for me none have a good physical photograph to show which complex is which in online publication. The reason may be as scientist would say more research needs to be done for this species, but yet it is possibly because I can’t access the paid online journal and that is another reason.

I suspected (left) is Limnonectes kuhlii and (right) is Limnonectes laticeps? but L. laticeps is too small. Both same size (aprox: 4 cm) and taken at same place at same night

Limnonectes kuhlii. Size: Small,up to 4cm maybe a male

Limnonectes kuhlii, super old female with blackish grey back? Size up to 6cm maybe a Female

Additions to my Bird photos

I have seen a pair of Falconet sp recently in my usual hunting ground, my first record of it here of which I am not sure what species yet. Will continue to monitor them closely ad getting better photos of it!

This photo was actually taken in end of March when I found the Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica) was guarding it's nest

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica)

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica) and nest

Macro photography in April

This month I have spend plenty of time out in the forest and taking photos of insects and birds.

Plenty of photos to be shared but will only able to share some of it due to restrictions with my broadband limits.

Enjoy!

Bearded Pig tracks can be easily seen near old logging or plantation roadside

A bright yellow butterfly with nice wing patterns

This Robber fly was kind enough to sit still and be photographed

Ants always amazes me by their complex communication and excellent coordination within the colony

A beautiful damselfly called Coeliccia nigrohamata

Coeliccia nigrohamata is a camera friendly species

Now...I don't have any idea on what this is...maybe a plant hopper?

Binyo Penyilam Information

Finally I am done with my writing on Binyo Penyilam.

Click the Binyo Penyilam button above to read more about Binyo Penyilam and its uniqueness.

The brackish water in Binyo Penyilam is perfect for relection

Odonata Field Work..continued..

More shots of the things I found during the night time at our camp

An unknown Moth

Medium size (8-12cm long) Stick Insect

The next day we woke up early and prepare ourselves for our Odonata collection in a nearby stream that comes from a mountain next to our camp. This will be a whole day walk to the upstream on rocky walls mixed with waterfalls so I would have to forget about bringing my big homemade diffuser and turns to my "emergency" Home made diffuser instead which is a lot smaller and no worries if it is broken in the forest. I also leave some lens behind because it will be such a pain to carry everything while climbing onto wet walls, all I took was the heavy 100-400mm and 50mm lenses with external flash (Plus lunch!)...also just forget about carrying a Tripod.

The whole day was very good, not too hot as the clouds were around most of the time covering us from the sun as we walked through an old abandoned logging road to our target stream.

The easy part of the stream that we go to

Waiting to catch Odonata at the small waterfall with very little room to move around

As we reached the most upper part of the stream it was all rock walls and small waterfalls about 10 - 20 meters high. While our friends were catching dragonflies and damselflies (or Odonata) my task was to find us a route to the top of the waterfalls...and it was series of waterfalls with some reaching up to 30 meters.

Due to the heavy work and my hands were used to kept me holding on to tree roots and rocks most of the time I was only able to take few shots of things I found along the way.

Coeliccia sp.

Neurobasis longipes (Flash Wing)

An unknown Limnonectes sp.

Euphaea subcostalis

Camacina gigantea

After climbing more than 300 meters (very difficult climb!) from where our camp was we turned back and head to our camp as it was already late 4.00 pm. I don't have anymore energy to take out my camera for anything after that tiring journey and just enjoy my dinner then have some small chat with all of the team before heading to sleep. I leave the camp the next day.

Here are some shot of our temporary camp...a nice place to visit with cool clean stream next to it.

View of our camp from the stream

The entrance of our camp

The view from the back of our camp. The rock will be flooded if there is heavy rain.

That's it for now. Until the next photography adventure comes, thanks for viewing.

Odonata field work

I was a bit silent in my blog for March because I was mostly occupied by work.
I was able to join a group for Odonata field work in Sangan, Bintulu for few days and I managed to take some photos during the tired and long journey.

We stay in a nice big temporary camp in Sangan nearby Sungai Redan. Nice, cool clean water and interesting place. The first thing I noticed once I put my foot on the ground was this weird looking Nepenthes that I have never seen before anywhere else in Bintulu.

I quickly realize that it is something I have never found before in the wild and later came to know that it is probably Nepenthes veitchii. I took my zoom lens and start photographing it as it was few meters high on a tree next to the stream.

Nepenthes veitchii

The camp was nicely build and it was next to the stream, something I enjoyed so much. While waiting for the night we sat down having drinks and exchanging ideas at the rocks by the stream before going off for a bath..and the water was cold!.

On for the night we set up nets for bats while waiting for dinner. We only caught one bat species which is Balionycteris maculata (Spotted-Winged Fruit Bat).

A friend holding the Spotted-Winged Fruit Bat

As the night goes and I was walking alone around the camp I managed to see few frog species, which is my favorite subject to photograph. But unfortunately some of the frog species are very shy that night and I end up taking few photos of them only. I managed to take some more photos of things that i found that night before I doze off for a sleep and prepare myself for the odonata collection the next day.

 

To be continued.....

Today was cold and wet

I went back from my workplace today in cold rainy hour

With my camera and lense set up next to my seat in the car I was prepared for anything!...guess what...look at what I was able to snap! snap! snap!

 My very first time seeing this group of Asian-black Hornbill

All in a day's work