This beautiful little bird flew onto a branch about two metres away and sat there for quite a long moment before flying off to another nearby branch. It did not seem bothered by the presence of a few wandering cotton (and some plastic)-clad bipedalled hominids, a small group of a much larger troubleful species on the planet. Dark-sided flycatchers are a migratory species which visit warmer Singapore during the northern winter months.
Flycatchers, as evident from their names, eat a lot of flies amongst other small insects. They therefore perform a rather useful service getting rid of a variety of small flying insects. No need for insecticides. There was an noticeable lack of mosquitoes within the mangroves but perhaps this is not totally attributable to the prescence of the migratory flycatchers.
Late January seems to be a late stay for this flycatcher as many of its species should be already on their way back up north. It was nevertheless a rare treat for the silly hominids.
Read more about this wonderful little bird :-
and also about Pulau Ubin, Singapore's last public green island :
and oh, ....bipedalled hominids...
