2008 December 14 - Pulau Ubin

Nessie, Ian, Freda, Doreen & I arranged to visit Pulau Ubin.
As it was raining, we went for breakfast after meeting at the carpark.
It was still raining after breakfast, so Nessie, Ian & Freda decided to skip the walk.

Despite the rain, Doreen & I managed to record the following species:

1. Oriental Pied Hornbill ##
2. Oriental Dollarbird
3. Stork-billed Kingfisher
4. White-throated Kingfisher
5. Collared Kingfisher
6. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
7. Asian Drongo-cuckoo ##
8. Asian Koel
9. Red-breasted Parakeet
10. Long-tailed Parakeet *
11. Spotted Dove
12. Red Turtle Dove
13. Common Emerald Dove
14. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
15. White-breasted Waterhen
16. Common Sandpiper
17. Black Baza, 1 perched on canopy at Ubin Quarry.
18. White-bellied Sea Eagle, 2 adults perched and calling from canopy at Pekan Quarry at 0845hrs.  A final scan from the jetty before we depart at almost 1400hrs got us 2 adults and 1 immature around the fish farm near Chek Jawa.  The adults may be the same birds seen in the morning.
19. Peregrine Falcon, a fluffed up adult perched on the Telecoms Tower at 1330hrs.
20. Grey Heron ##
21. Yellow-billed Egret
22. Cattle Egret
23. Striated Heron
24. Black-crowned Night Heron ##
25. House Crow
26. Black-naped Oriole
27. Ashy Minivet
28. Common Iora
29. Asian Glossy Starling
30. Common Myna
31. White-vented Myna
32. Pacific Swallow
33. Yellow-vented Bulbul
34. Olive-winged Bulbul
35. Yellow-bellied Prinia
36. Common Tailorbird
37. Brown-throated Sunbird
38. Olive-backed Sunbird
39. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
40. Scaly-breasted Munia
41. Swiftlet spp.

2008 December 7 - Neo Tiew Lane 2

On November 23, we arranged to visit NTL2 on December 7.
It was only on December 6 that we realised Nature Society (Singapore) is also having a walk at the same location and timing.
Not wanting to disappoint some classmates, we went ahead as planned.

Doreen picked me up at our usual pick-up point and we arrived at the meeting place to find a large group of participants for the NSS walk.
We waited for our classmates while the NSS group moved ahead.

Our walk was very slow and leisure. Giving everyone a chance to see the bird whenever it is spotted.
This is the most impressive walk we have had, recording a total of 61 species.
Full list of species recorded:

1. Red Junglefowl ## - heard only
2. Laced Woodpecker – Female
3. Common Goldenback – 1 Male & 2 Females
4. Oriental Dollarbird
5. Common Kingfisher
6. White-throated Kingfisher
7. Blue-throated Bee-eater - juvenile
8. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
9. Asian Koel - Male & Female
10. Greater Coucal
11. Lesser Coucal
12. Red-breasted Parakeet
13. Long-tailed Parakeet * - heard only
14. Spotted Dove
15. Red Turtle Dove - Male
16. Zebra Dove
17. Pink-Necked Green Pigeon
18. White-breasted Waterhen
19. Purple Swamphen #
20. Little Tern ##
21. Osprey
22. Black Baza
23. Black-winged Kite
24. Brahminy Kite
25. White-bellied Sea Eagle
26. Little Egret
27. Grey Heron ##
28. Purple Heron ##
29. Yellow-billed Egret
30. Cattle Egret
31. Yellow Bittern
32. Golden-bellied Gerygone – heard only
33. Tiger Shrike
34. Brown Shrike
35. House Crow
36. Large-billed Crow
37. Black-naped Oriole
38. Pied Triller
39. Ashy Minivet – seen by gang but not me
40. Crow-billed Drongo
41. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo – seen by gang but not me
42. Asian Paradise Flycatcher – seen by gang but not me
43. Common Iora
44. Asian Brown Flycatcher
45. Asian Glossy Starling
46. Common Myna
47. White-vented Myna
48. Barn Swallow
49. Pacific Swallow
50. Yellow-vented Bulbul
51. Zitting Cisticola – heard only
52. Yellow-bellied Prinia
53. Oriental Reed Warbler – heard only
54. Common Tailorbird – heard only
55. Dark-necked Tailorbird – heard only
56. Ashy Tailorbird
57. White-crested Laughingthrush – seen by gang but not me
58. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
59. Olive-backed Sunbird
60. Baya Weaver
61. Swiftlet Spp

Vietnam - 2008 November 25 till December 2

List of birds recorded:

1. Black Kite 黑鸢 Milvus migrans - common at Halong Bay
2. Brown-breasted Bulbul 黄臀鹎 Pycnonotus xanthorrhous - Ham Rong botanical gardens, Sapa
3. Chinese Pond Heron 池鹭 Ardeola bacchus - Halong Bay
4. Common Tailorbird 长尾缝叶莺 Orthotomus sutorius - West Lake, Hanoi; He Kou, Lao Cai-China border
5. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 树麻雀 Passer montanus - common everywhere
6. Great Tit 大山雀 Parus major commixtus - West Lake, Hanoi; He Kou, Lao Cai-China border
7. Japanese White-eye 暗绿绣眼鸟 Zosterops japonicus - fairly common everywhere
8. Large-billed Crow 大嘴乌鸦 Corvus macrorhynchos - common at Halong Bay
9. Little Forktail 小燕尾 Enicurus scouleri - Silver Waterfall, Sapa
10. Oriental Magpie Robin 鹊鸲 Copsychus saularis - male & female at compound of HCM museum, Hanoi
11. Plumbeous Water Redstart 红尾水鸲 Rhyacomis fuliginosus - male & female at Silver Waterfall, Sapa
12. Red-whiskered Bulbul 红耳鹎 Pycnonotus jocosus - common in Hanoi
13. Spotted Dove 珠颈斑鸠 Streptopelia chinensis - compound of HCM museum, Hanoi
14. White-throated Kingfisher 白胸翡翠 Halcyon smyrnensis - Halong Bay
15. Drongo - on the way from Hanoi to Halong Bay
16. Egret - on the way from Hanoi to Halong Bay; on the way from Cat Ba island to Hai Phong
17. Shrike - compound of HCM museum, Hanoi
18. Swift - compound of HCM museum, Hanoi
19. Warbler - West Lake, Hanoi

Silver Waterfall, Sapa, Vietnam

2008 November 28 till 30 - Sapa

Fansipan mountain range and terraced rice fields.

Silver Waterfall, where we saw a Little Forktail and a pair of Plumbeous Water Redstart.

2008 November 27 - Cat Ba island

view from Holiday View Hotel on Cat Ba island, Vietnam.

2008 November 25 - Hanoi, Vietnam

view of Hoan Kiem Lake (还剑湖) from Golden Sun Hotel.

2008 November 15 - MacRitchie

Bird species recorded:

1. Oriental Dollarbird
2. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
3. Grey-headed Fish Eagle ##*
4. House Crow
5. Black-naped Oriole
6. Oriental Magpie-robin ##
7. Asian Glossy Starling
8. Common Hill Myna #
9. Pacific Swallow
10. Yellow-vented Bulbul

2008 November 8 - Changi Boardwalk

Birds recorded:

1. Asian Koel (heard only)
2. Coppersmith Barbet
3. Common Kingfisher
4. Collared Kingfisher
5. Red-breasted Parakeet
6. Common Pigeon
7. Spotted Dove
8. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
9. Little Tern ##
10. Brahminy Kite
11. Grey Heron ##
12. Black-naped Oriole
13. Asian Glossy Starling
14. Common Myna
15. White-vented Myna
16. Pacific Swallow
17. Yellow-vented Bulbul

2008 October 25 - Admiralty Park

Bird species recorded:

1. Oriental Dollarbird
2. Asian Koel
3. Long-tailed Parakeet *
4. Spotted Dove
5. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
6. Little Egret
7. Grey Heron ##
8. Black-naped Oriole
9. Asian Glossy Starling
10. White-vented Myna
11. Pacific Swallow
12. Yellow-vented Bulbul
13. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
14. Brown-throated Sunbird
15. Crimson Sunbird
16. Scaly-breasted Munia
17. Swiftlet spp.

2008 October 12 - Pulau Ubin

Visited Pulau Ubin with 2 friends. We walked through the sensory trail, mangrove trail and headed for Chek Jawa.
Bird species recorded:

1. White-bellied Sea Eagle (2 perched on tower in the morning; 1 circling upwards in the sky in the afternoon)
2. Grey Heron ## (3 perched on tower in the morning; 1 in the afternoon)
3. Oriental Dollarbird (near Changi jetty in the afternoon)
4. Collared Kingfisher
5. Spotted Dove
6. Common Emerald Dove
7. Common Sandpiper
8. Little Tern ## (on islet near Chek Jawa visitor centre)
9. Cattle Egret
10. White-vented Myna
11. Pacific Swallow
12. Yellow-vented Bulbul
13. Olive-winged Bulbul
14. Asian Red-eyed Bulbul ##
15. Dark-necked Tailorbird
16. Brown-throated Sunbird
17. Swiftlet spp.

2008 October 4 - Jurong Lake

Started at 0800hr at Chinese Garden MRT station and walked towards the Chinese Garden gate to find it closed due to Mid Autumn Festival celebration.
Turned right and a short distance away at a lamp-post marked F-4/30, a female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher is perched on a flowering sea-apple tree. In the same bush were Tailorbirds, White-breasted Waterhen, Pink-necked Green Pigeon and a juvenile Tiger Shrike.

About a 100m away, a photographer whom I met earlier, waved for me to approach. It is a Black-crowned Night Heron with a 6 inches long catfish in its beak. We watched for about 10 minutes as the bird moved from branch to branch while holding on to the fish precariously over the water. Then another 2 photographers joined us, and together we watched for another 10 minutes. At times, the bird would hold the fish by its fin and dip it into the water, as if to give it a rinse. Then the bird would align the fish and try to swallow head down. However, at about a quarter lengths of the fish, the bird would spit it out, hold it by the fin, and dip it into the water again. This repeated a few times. And as I was wondering when it will end its antics, the bird swallowed the fish!!!. After a satisfying meal, the heron went further into the branches.

I reached the main entrance of Chinese Garden at about 1030hr. By the side, there is a fruiting fig tree. A female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher in the lower branches, a pair of Asian Koels, 2 adult and 1 juvenile Coppersmith Barbets, a few White-vented Mynas, a male Brown-throated Sunbird, a pair of Common Ioras, a Tailorbird, some Asian Glossy Starlings and a Yellow-vented Bulbul.

Full list of species recorded:
1. Coppersmith Barbet
2. White-throated Kingfisher
3. Asian Koel
4. Lesser Coucal
5. Common Pigeon
6. Spotted Dove
7. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
8. White-breasted Waterhen
9. Brahminy Kite
10. White-bellied Sea Eagle
11. Little Egret
12. Grey Heron ##
13. Purple Heron ##
14. Cattle Egret
15. Striated Heron
16. Black-crowned Night Heron ##
17. Tiger Shrike
18. House Crow
19. Black-naped Oriole
20. Pied Fantail
21. Common Iora
22. Asian Brown Flycatcher
23. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
24. Asian Glossy Starling
25. Common Myna
26. White-vented Myna
27. Pacific Swallow
28. Yellow-vented Bulbul
29. Common Tailorbird
30. Ashy Tailorbird
31. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
32. Brown-throated Sunbird
33. Olive-backed Sunbird
34. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
35. Swiftlet spp

2008 Jul 27 till Aug 3 - Sabah

photos by Doreen Ang

where we stayed at Sepilok, Labuk B&B.
there's a fruiting durian tree on the left.

transfer to Sukau River for boat trip to Kinabatangan Jungle Camp.

dining hall at Kinabatangan Jungle Camp; where, as usual, I was bitten by mosquitoes.

relaxing by the waterfall at Poring.

2008 Aug 2 - has the mountain shrunk?

keychain bought in 1997

signboard on Mount Kinabalu in 2008

2008 July 30 - Sabah

more river cruises in Kinabatangan

everyone busy snapping away when an elephant appeared on the river bank

2008 July 28 - Sabah

Scorpion seen on the trail at Sepilok.

Doreen's breakfast.

Kinabatangan river cruise.

2008 July 19 - Kranji nature trail

Doreen: is that a stork-billed?
me: ya.
Doreen: it's so still.
me: let's scope it. It has a ring on the left foot.
Doreen: let's try to take a photo.

me: it has not moved for more than 10 minutes. Is it real?
Doreen: think it's not real. No movement at all.
me: it has moved!!!
Doreen: quick, take another photo.

2008 July 13 - Changi Beach Park

Article contributed by Doreen Ang.

This is an edited version.

Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo spotted by NK.

AH, NK and I spent two hours in the afternoon of 13 July ... at first trying to i.d. the bird (with the help of two field guides) and later keeping a watchful eye on its movements so as not to lose sight of it while waiting for help, in the form of Kim Chuah, to arrive.

From 1330-1530hrs, it was seen actively searching and picking food from the ground around the logged casuarinas beside the Changi Ferry Terminal car park, sometimes in close proximity with the Zebra Dove. It was smaller than the Zebra Dove.

In between feeding, it preferred to perch on fallen logs or bare dead branches close to the ground. Once we saw it opened its bill to ventilate. Overall, we had good scoped views as the bird did not seem threatened by our presence, maybe because we did not attempt to get close to it. Other times, it made brief low flights to land a short distance away.

The girls counted a total of 13 red as well as brown one-inch worms, which it picked from the ground with much ease. No whacking, swallowed whole after 1-2 seconds of dangling in its bill. The colours of its feathers blended very well with the abundant dried brown leaves and branches lying around, that sometimes we had to take a second look at the same spot to realise that it's there. More so with its back to us.

Throughout our observation, the bird never got to canopy level; it flew thrice to perch on low horizontal bare branches of different acacia trees. Its beautiful rufous outer tail feathers showed well in flight or when it fanned its tail whilst perched. The bird was seen preening between feeds. It remained silent throughout.

Much later in the afternoon, when perched on an acacia as if about to roost (on bended knees), its 'eyelids' got heavy. Good, we thought. Go to sleep, stay that way till Kim Chuah arrives. But sudden loud noises like the turbo engines of an airplane or the loud cackling of a Collared Kingfisher in the vicinity would put the bird on alert. To make matters worse, an adult female Asian Koel decided to land close by ... about 2 feet away. The bigger Koel faced the small cuckoo. Can you guess who got nervous in this face off? Well ... not the cuckoo, but AH, NK and I because after so long, we can't afford to lose sight of it! Our sigh of relief when the Koel flew off to the right was short-lived because the cuckoo flew off to the left!

Anyway, soon Kim Chuah arrived with a beaming face. By which time, we've got the cuckoo back in the scope for the expert to confirm its i.d.

2008 July 6 - Dairy Farm

After the MYBC, Doreen and I went to Dairy Farm.

Heard some noise and we brushed it off as a squirrel. Then a straw-headed bulbul flew out from the bush. It perched on a branch and continued vocalizing with a fruit still in its beak.
I noticed that a yellow-vented bulbul was also in the bush and the 2 birds seemed to be vying for territory.
On another tree, we saw a yellow-vented bulbul feeding 2 fledglings. The young ones look so cuddly.
Along the way, we saw a bluish egg on the ground. On reaching the quarry, Doreen spotted 2 little grebes but I only managed to see 1.
List of species recorded:

1. Laced Woodpecker
2. Common Goldenback
3. Lineated Barbet
4. Blue-throated Bee-eater
5. Spotted Dove
6. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
7. Little Grebe ##
8. Blue-winged Leafbird #
9. Black-naped Oriole
10. Common Iora
11. Asian Glossy Starling
12. White-vented Myna
13. Straw-headed Bulbul ##**
14. Yellow-vented Bulbul
15. Oriental White-eye
16. Dark-necked Tailorbird
17. Striped Tit-babbler
18. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker
19. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
20. Purple-throated Sunbird
21. Olive-backed Sunbird
22. Eurasian Tree Sparrow

2008 July 6 - Lower Seletar Dam

Did mid-year bird census (MYBC) with Doreen and Nessie.

When we have finished the MYBC and were walking towards the starting point, Nessie spotted a little tern skimming the reservoir.
Then we saw 2 white-bellied sea eagles (WBSE) spiralling into the sky. Moments later we saw another WBSE joining them.
All 3 went circling higher and higher.
Suddenly, the highest bird came straight down to attack the lowest bird. The one in the middle joined in and all 3 flew behind the dam building.
Shortly after, 2 birds emerged and begin to spiral upwards again.
The smaller 1 (S1) was flying higher, while the bigger 1 (B1) was ahead.
B1 would occasionally inverse with its talons stretching upwards and almost grabbing the talons of S1.
Finally, B1 managed to grab S1 and both went into a downward spin. Just when it seemed that they were spinning out of control, they break free to gain altitude.
B1 then tried the rituals again several times without success. Eventually they flew inland.

2008 May 17 – Southern Ridges

Started my walk from Canopy Walk, Kent Ridge Park at 0805hr.
Then went down the winding path to HortPark.

Went up the Alexandra Arch at about 0930hr.

While on the Forest Walk, saw a female Common Iora on a rubber tree near exit staircase 3. She has some cotton in her beak. A male was sitting in a nest on a nearby branch.

The male flew out immediately when the female came in. She quickly unloaded the cotton and started to arrange the nest, while the male was vocalizing on another branch.

Went up the Henderson Waves at about 1040hr.

Walking towards Jewel Box, at Mount Faber Road/Loop between lamppost 24 and 25, saw a bird nest on a tree. A Changeable Hawk-eagle was standing on the rim. Think it noticed me when it shifted position to the central and behind a branch. Just then, another Hawk-eagle (pale morph) flew in and landed on a branch to the left. Guess the second bird also noticed me when it turned its back to me while moving higher up the branches. When I shifted position to have a better view, I was distracted by a White-rumped Shama that flew across and that is when I lost both Hawk-eagles.

A dark raptor was perched atop one of the telecoms tower. It was uniformly dark. I could not see any features to identify it.

Went down the Marang Trail and finished my walk at 1205hr.

Full list of species recorded:

1. White-throated Kingfisher
2. Asian Koel
3. Greater Coucal
4. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot
5. Common Pigeon
6. Spotted Dove
7. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
8. White-breasted Waterhen
9. Changeable Hawk-eagle
10. Black-naped Oriole
11. Common Iora
12. White-rumped Shama
13. White-vented Myna
14. Pacific Swallow
15. Straw-headed Bulbul
16. Yellow-vented Bulbul
17. White-crested Laughingthrush
18. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
19. Brown-throated Sunbird
20. Olive-backed Sunbird
21. Crimson Sunbird
    

2008 March 9 - Malcolm Park

On 9th March, 9 classmates from the birdwatching class of 2004 celebrated our 4th anniversary reunion at Jane’s place.

Jane showed us a bird nest in her garden. It has 2 red speckled eggs in it.
Some highlights of the day:
· a pink-necked green pigeon sitting on his nest.
· Nessie spotted a blue-rumped parrot, which is a lifer for all of us except Doreen. It was later learned that Ian and Freda did not get to see it.
· a yellow-crested cockatoo with 3 tanimbar corellas on a tree. The yellow-crested cockatoo looks bigger than the other 3 and seems to be playing the role of a foster parent. One of the tanimbar corella has some black on its chest and belly, while the yellow-crested has pink on its chest.
· a tanimbar corella pruning the leaves of a tall tree. This bird is very efficient, moving from branch to branch and seems very determined to shave the tree clean.

At the end of the walk, we checked on the nest in the garden and found a yellow-vented bulbul sitting snugly in the nest.

Full list of birds recorded (contributed by Ian, Doreen & Jane):

1. Red Junglefowl
2. Banded Woodpecker
3. Laced Woodpecker
4. Common Goldenback
5. Oriental Dollarbird
6. White-throated Kingfisher
7. Collared Kingfisher
8. Blue-tailed Bee-eater
9. Violet Cuckoo
10. Asian Koel
11. Greater Coucal
12. Rainbow Lorikeet
13. Yellow-crested Cockatoo
14. Tanimbar Corella
15. Blue-rumped Parrot
16. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot
17. Rose-ringed Parakeet
18. Red-breasted Parakeet
19. Long-tailed Parakeet
20. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
21. White-breasted Waterhen
22. White-bellied Sea Eagle
23. Changeable Hawk-eagle
24. House Crow
25. Large-billed Crow
26. Black-naped Oriole
27. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
28. Common Iora
29. Asian Brown Flycatcher
30. Asian Glossy Starling
31. White-vented Myna
32. Common Hill Myna
33. Straw-headed Bulbul
34. Yellow-vented Bulbul
35. Olive-winged Bulbul
36. Common Tailorbird
37. Dark-necked Tailorbird
38. Rufous-tailed Tailorbird
39. Arctic Warbler
40. White-crested Laughingthrush
41. Striped Tit-babbler
42. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
43. Brown-throated Sunbird
44. Olive-backed Sunbird
45. Crimson Sunbird
46. African Grey Parrot

monkey business

how do u know the cost of living is going up?

by the fine that is imposed for feeding monkeys