I had seen this flash of black flying past occasionally over the past few months but was fortunate to see it in the open and stationary finally on 01 June 2015. I'm informed that this is a rare spot for this time of the year as this bird is an uncommon migrant and the migratory period ends in March-April each year.
However, i soon realised that there was not one but two black bitterns (both with adult plumage) within about 5 metres of each other. Perhaps these have taken up permanent residence in Singapore. Even a dragonfly thought it was ok to land on the videoed bittern for a short time. I guess the top of the bittern was the safest place to be for a dragonfly. The bittern shook off the unwanted tenant and continued with its morning breakfast hunt for a good many small fish.
Find out more about this rarely seen (in Singapore at the middle of the year) bird :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bittern
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/factsheet/22697334
http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2006/12/black-bittern.html
http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2006/12/black-bittern-hunter.html
http://www.theguardian.com/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/feb/04/4
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