Fascinating caterpillars

 

The hot and humid summer weather in Hong Kong is ideal for insects and caterpillars.  I didn’t have to go very far to find these colourful and interesting looking caterpillars.  

I almost mistook these two for dead tree branches.

 
This ordinary looking one is actually quite extraordinary in these close-up photos.

Goodbye, my beloved dog and best friend---Feizai (Fatboy)

 

On 10 June, 2011, our beloved dog, Feizai (Fatboy), left us forever. 

If you have been to Hong Kong, you might find Feizai looks very familiar, because he was a descendant of stray dogs in Hong Kong. 

Like any stray dog, Feizai had a tough start in life. Although he was lucky to be adopted as a puppy, he was quickly abandoned before his 1st birthday. To add insult to the injury, a few months later, he was badly beaten and left to die on the street by a human being. 

That was when fate brought us together. Despite the pain he suffered at human hands in the first 18 months of his life, he never lost faith in us.

   In the next 12 years of his life, Feizai repaid us not only with unconditional love and loyalty, but also gave us the happiest time of our lives. 

Goodbye, Feizai, we miss you everyday and you will live in our hearts forever.  

Enjoying Sunshine

While most of us prefer to keep cool in the hot weather, some would rather enjoy the heat. The cold blooded lizards, for example, always appreciate a bit of sunshine.

The Changeable Lizard (Oriental Garden Lizard) is often seen sunning itself on tree branches

 or  in open fields.

 

As reflected in its name, the colour of its skin changes from time to time. Normally they look a bit dull.  

During breeding season the male’s head and shoulders turn bright orange and his throat black.

However, sometimes the temptation to sunbathe can be irresistible,  as it was for this Grass Lizard basking in the middle of a road.  

Keeping Cool---Tree Sparrows having a bath

The summer heat in HK sometimes is unbearable not only for humans, but also for the birds. While we humans often head off to the beach, the birds like to find a puddle to cool themselves down. The other day, I saw several Tree Sparrows having a good time by a river bank. 

One of them jumped in first, while its friends were not so sure about the water. 

So they decided to watch. 

I guess their friend must have told them how enjoyable the bath was。

They decided to join in。

I could see that they were having a good time。

A Black-Faced Laughing Thrush couldn’t resist the fun either.

The Spotted Doves, on the other hand,  seemed to be very cautious about the water.