Celebrating g’s age? It’s great that you have a long-standing friend so near at hand.

Bill will be mad at me but I’ll beat him to the punch here. Black crowned night heron, a bird we also have over here.

Cheers, Bill.
I've just read they sometimes use that forked prong to flip other males over.
Maybe those grooves in the bark are their handiwork, as it seems they feed on sap.

I took one, but it didn't make the cut... the lighting above the table wasn't right - too much glare on the wood. I think mashed banana on toast (or bagel) it's a Welsh thing.

Japanese rhinoceros beetle matches your photo. Nice!

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Japanese_rhinoceros_beetle

The banana, the fork, the bagel,the dribblings of honey... I want pictures!

I hoped you’d take time to take a snap, and you didn’t disappoint. Looks like Pac-man is taking his share too.

Praying mantis. According to one website there are about 21 different species in Taiwan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantidae

Cheers, Scott

I need my cake and Debbie knows that... bless her.

Happy birthday, old guy! Great that Debbie came through with a chocolate cake for you.

Thanks, Suzanne

I spent a night in Xiamen a few years ago after getting an overnight ferry from Taiwan. Arriving by boat, the cityscape looked quite impressive, with numerous high-rises looming skywards.

If it wasn't for cycling, it's doubtful I would be taking many photos of my locale.

Cheers, Keith

I reckon lockdown will continue for a while here - there are a few cases of the Delta variant now. In early July I will get my second jab. It's a hot one today and it'll be hard to ride far until summer is in the rear-view mirror.

The good news is I will now get my UK pension!

Happy Birthday, Graham! I'm enjoying your excellent photos of everyday road scenes in your area. Feeling a bit nostalgic since they are somewhat reminiscent of Xiamen where I taught at the university many years ago. I wasn't much into cycling or photography then. A missed opportunity.

Happy birthday Graham!
I hope lockdown ends soon, but you’ve done a good job of keeping us entertained despite the inconvenience. Stay safe.
Cheers,
Keith

Many thanks... I did a quick online search, but failed to spot it. It may not be seriously poisonous - and from what I read, none in Taiwan are. It still looks scary though!