Upper Seletar, Lower Peirce 21Aug21

From KH

Danny, JS & wife, and I went to Upper Seletar for a walk. Nothing too interesting, except for an adult and immature male Blue-winged Leafbirds.

After lunch, I went for a short walk at Lower Peirce. Nice to see a male Blue-eared Kingfisher making dives.

Here are a couple of insects: Traulia azureipennis grasshopper and a Telicota butterfly.

Kranji Marsh 09Aug21

From KH

There is a nice Malaysian Pied-Fantail nest at toilet block at Kranji Marsh. Handphone photo!!

SBWR 05-14Aug21

From Con on 5 Aug

Ruby-cheeked Sunbird male at SBWR near aerie.

Yesterday it was photographed at around 11am.

Today it was seen at around 9am-10:30am.

It should be the same bird that has been around for about a month. First photographed on July 11 around noon at the Mud Experience at SBWR.

From Danny on 5 Aug

Didn't see ruby cheek, just this Common Greenback.

From KH on 7, 9, 14 Aug

No ruby on all 3 attempts. ebird lists:
7 Aug
9 Aug
14 Aug

Venus Drive 23-27Jul21

From Con and Danny

From Con on 23 Jul

The most interesting bird sighting for me today is the nesting Stork-billed Kingfisher high in a tree at Venus Loop. Nesting in a termite nest high in tree. Never knew Storky nests so high, and not in river bank but rather in termite nest!!

From Danny on 24 Jul

SBKF feeding chick around 12:20pm, according to 2 photographers on site, last feeding was around 10am. Food was a small fish.

From Con on 27 Jul

I went back today to the Storky nest at Venus Drive, still very active.

Upper Peirce 25Jul21

From KH

Sonotrella typica

Serangoon Reservoir 24Jul21

From KH

Today is the Mid-year bird census, and as usual I covered Serangoon Reservoir. Bird-wise, there were just the usual ones. The most interesting would be Javan Munias feeding juveniles.

Other than that, there were these 3 Smooth Otters sand bathing. Can't be comfortable with those rocks, right??

Thomson Nature Park 20Jul21

From KH

I went to Thomson Nature Park today, and saw a juvenile Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo fed by its foster parent Pin-striped Tit-Babbler along Old Upper Thomson Road. As my camera has expired permanently, here's a smartphone shot of the cuckoo.

I was walking along the trail in the park when I suddenly realized that there was a Twin-barred Tree Snake in the tree beside me!

The bigger surprise is yet to come. I quickly whipped out my smartphone to video it. Watch the video till the end and you'll see why I said a bigger surprise awaits.

Bt Brown Cemetery 18Jul21

From KH

Not having had enough of the falconet, I went to look for it again, but it really is gone. Oh well.

ebird checklist

Jln Mashhor, Goldhill Ave 17Jul21

From KH

As JS still needs the falconet, we went to Jalan Mashhor, but the bird was not home.

So we then went to Goldhill Ave, where the bird was seen before the Jalan Mashhor sighting, but it was not there either.

Guess JS has something to look forward to in the future.

Pulau Ubin 10Jul21

From KH

Danny and I went to Ubin, but it was rather uneventful, as Green Broadbill wasn't around. There were just the usual birds.

Jln Mashhor 09Jul21

From KH

When new broke of a Black-thighed Falconet sighted at Jalan Mashhor, Con and Danny went for the twitch.

©Danny Lau

I had to wait until knock-off time...

When I reached the spot, initially, people did not notice that the bird was right there on the bare tree, until a young man spotted it. So in just 10 minutes, I was out of the area heading home, satisfied. Thanks, young man!

Orchid Dr 27Jun21

From KH

I took a short walk around Orchid Drive and saw the introduced Livingstone's Turaco. Apparently it has been here for years.

Kranji 26Jun21

From KH

Danny and I joined JS and wife for his Kranji Nature Trail bird census.

Optical illusion: "How many Estuarine Crocodiles can you see?", asked the Great Egret.

After "exciting" optical illusion, it's time for "epic" mechanical failure. This is the day my D60 officially retires. Here's the last photo it took of a male Pink-necked Green-Pigeon. Thanks for a great 12.5 years!

After the lovebirds left, Danny and I went to Kranji Dam to look-see before deciding it's lunchtime.

Orchid Drive 25Jun21

From KH

A short walk around Orchid Drive turned up a family of Pink-necked Green-Pigeons.

And some Eurasian Tree Sparrows.

Upper Seletar, Springleaf 19Jun21

From KH

Danny and I went to Upper Seletar Reservoir Park as a Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler was photographed by Lawrence Cher on 15 Jun.

The bird was not around, but a couple of grasshoppers were - Carinate Locust and Short-winged Rice Grasshopper.

We then went to Springleaf Nature Park and got a few more insects - a female Common Parasol and a Grey Pansy.

As well as a female lynx spider guarding her eggs.

Which eagle's nest is this?

Hougang 13Jun21

From KH

An escaped/released male Mandarin Duck was hanging around at Hougang Ave 10 canal hiding under the bridge. Is he calling for someone?

HNP, BTNR 11Jun21

From KH

Late afternoon walk around Hindhede Nature Park turned up a rather skittish Red-legged Crake.

After that, did my "annual health check" to the Bukit Timah Summit and got down in one piece. I guess I passed.

Goldhill Ave 30May21

From KH

A Black-thighed Falconet was recently spotted at Goldhill Ave on 20 May 2021. I decided to make a trip there today just to take a look. It wasn't around, but here's a high-flying Changeable Hawk-Eagle instead.

Neo Tiew Harvest Lane 23May21

From KH

I went to Neo Tiew Harvest Lane and another escaped/released bird, male Village Weaver, was busy displaying.

So were the usual introduced male Golden-backed Weavers.

Here's a local bird to balance it off - male Pied Triller.

Kranji Marsh 22May21

From KH

I went Kranji Marsh today.

Rusty-breasted Cuckoo was singing.

Male Pink-necked Green-Pigeon was already sitting on a nest with at least 1 chick.

Large-billed Crow was guarding its nest.

Serangoon Tidal Gates 16May21

From KH

I went to Serangoon Tidal Gates to look-see. Nothing much, just the usual birds and an escaped/released male Black-headed Weaver mixed in with the usual introduced Golden-backed Weavers.

Tampines 13May21

From KH

I was at Our Tampines Hub and look who was nesting in the middle of the building! Handphone shots of female Olive-backed Sunbird nesting.