Singapore Botanic Gardens 06-17Feb06

A report on rare bird sightings brought about a craze of birders and photographers to the SBG for the weeks that follow. The star birds were the red-legged crake, blue-winged pitta and orange-headed thrush. Con captured all the 3 star birds (see photos below). Sree also managed to get all 3. Danny and I were just contented with seeing them.

Blue-winged Pitta

Orange-headed Thrush

Red-legged Crake

From Danny on 14 Feb

After a wonderful Valentine evening, went to SBG this evening with Kok Hui, met Sree, Jimmy and a few birders. Thx to Sree, we located the tree where the Pitta roosts. Follow the photographers you'll get to spot the OH Thrush w/o much effort & of course the RL Crake is as punctual as usual on its bathing routine at 7.22 pm (wonder what timepiece it uses).

However what's new is the fruiting tree near the Cluny Park Rd entrance (2nd car park off Cluny Park Road; gravel car lots) to the pond at back of Symphony Stage. It seems like all the parrots and lorikeets are gathered there for a feast. We could see the blue-crowned hanging parrots at eye level (watch out the steep slope below the tree). The exotic parrots around are the rainbow lorikeets and red lories.

Go for it b4 the fruiting ends. There's at least one Wandering whistling duck in the pond - which usually don't mix with the omni present Lesser whistling ducks. Starting at 6 pm from Cluny Park Road end should be able to round off at Ginger Garden to complete the Grand Slam by 7.35 pm.

From Sree on 16 Feb

RL Crake show-time can begin as early as 7.00 pm. On Tuesday (14 Feb) it was an extra long show, maybe 10 minutes or more. Yesterday (15 Feb) there were two short shows, with a 3 minute “intermission”.

From KH on 17 Feb

On the 17 Feb, Sree, Danny and I were at SBG again. This time the stars were the parrots at the fruiting tree. Today, Sree managed to get the hanging parrots and the lorikeets. The red lories were nowhere to be seen, but the long-tailed parakeets were there to substitute. When night falls, we were on the look out for the spotted wood owl and large-tailed nightjars, but both were nowhere to be seen too...