brahminy kite, flying @ Changi - July 2014

Spotted this large raptor sitting on a bare tree branch in the morning sun close to the shore. I had initially thought it was a White-Belllied Sea Eagle but soon realised that it was a Brahminy Kite instead. It was accompanied by another much smaller bird on another bare branch to the left. This looked like an oriental dollarbird but it was too far away to confirm.

The kite soon took off and flew in my direction before i lost track of it above the canopy. Brahminy Kites are known to be masters of flight and frequently catch fish from the surface of water bodies and whereafter they eat their catch on the fly whilst skilfully coasting against the wind. 

Despite being impressive masters of flight, brahminy kites have a cat-like call and one would be easily misled into thinking that there is a meowing cat somewhere in the sky above.

The clip repeats a section run at 10% showing the fluidity of the brahminy kite's flight. 

brahminy kite flying @ changi - July 2014 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

Read more about this locally resident and beautiful bird of prey :

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/Haliastur_indus.htm

http://nusavifauna.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/brahminy-kite/

http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_04/brahminy_kite.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahminy_kite

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_687_2005-01-04.html

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Haliastur-indus

http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-brahminy-kite.html

http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-indus

pied triller, breakfast @ Changi - July 2014

Changi still does have some quiet corners where the birds aren't that afraid of people. I was standing below a huge Flame-of-the-Forest tree when a bird flitting from branch to branch caught my eye.

It was moving actively through the canopy. I soon saw why it was so active. It was looking for its breakfast. It managed to catch and eat quite a number of green caterpillars during the 5 minutes that i was observing it. It was rather quiet but for a few pips from time to time.

pied triller, breakfast @ changi - July 2014 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

This bird is relatively common in Singapore but it is rarely seen as it loves to stay in the canopy layer.

This was my first time observing this bird. The bird looked like it was a female with its grey wing colouration. The males have a 'black n white' colour whereas the females are 'grey n white'.

Read more about these wonderful birds :-

http://nusavifauna.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/pied-triller/

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=5951

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Lalage-nigra

http://www.besgroup.org/2011/07/18/call-of-the-adult-female-pied-triller/

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/pied-triller-lalage-nigra

No flash, No bait, No risk. Just natural photography goodness. :)

Otter @ Changi Creek Mangrove - 17Nov2013

This lone adult otter was spotted cruising up Changi Creek during an evening low tide. It seemed cautious as it swam up the creek occasionally peering around itself. A friend had mentioned that 3 or 4 otters were seen around the creek area about a week or two earlier. The otter dive-swam up the creek and turned into a tributory that led further into the creek. It soon disappeared up the creek. 

Otter @ Changi Creek Mangrove - 17Nov2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

The creek has obviously seen better times. There is a lot of trash all over the sides of the mangrove. There was also a driftnet which could be seen along the right edge of the water and the otter can be seen swimming past it. The driftnet was marked by two plastic bottles used as floats tied to each end of the net. Lots of other trash such as plastic bags and other items could be seen on the muddy banks and stuck on the mangrove trees lining the creek.

The creek also supports two groups of squatters who have taken refuge in the creek. One group use the space below the roadbridge on the left (if one stood facing the airport) side of the creek whilst the other choose to nestle in the thicket of trees on the right side of the creek. These squatters can be seen hanging their driftnets to dry on the mangrove trees and for maintenance. 

Needless to say, these squatters pose a real and serious threat to the safety of the otters. When driftnets are strung across the creek, it is possible that a swimming otter could get entangled in the net and drown. There have been incidents of wading animals getting inadvertently caught in driftnets. See Link 1 (Great-Billed Heron), Link 2 (Crocodile), Link 3 (Horsehoe crabs).

I hope the otter or other animals do not get entangled in the driftnets set up by the squatters.

Find out more about the otters :

http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/mammals/perspicillata.htm

http://blog.nus.edu.sg/sgotters/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth-coated_otter

http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/smooth_otter.htm

  

tree fa// @ changi coastal park - 06may2012

I'll let the video and the pics show you what happened :

Apparently the winds peaked at 78km/hr at about 1.10pm.

The pics and vidclip were taken at about 6.30pm.

at least 4 trees fell across the beach

some snapped mid-way

the central part was most impacted

chopsticks!

the trees which fell here totally covered up the path

some trees were uprooted whereas some were broken like chopsticks

most of the snaps occurred close to the base of the trees

another section of the path totally covered up

this drink kiosk at the end of Carpark 7 narrowly escaped serious damage.

most of the trees which were uprooted or which snapped were Casuarinas.
Read more about Casuarinas here :
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/coastal/casuarina/equisetifolia.htm

More information about the storm and its effects :

http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2012/05/about-100-trees-fall-in-changi-beach.html

Location : the boulevard between Changi Carparks 6 and 7. 

Ghost Crab @ Changi 24Jan2010

Ghost Crab @ Changi from BeachBum on Vimeo.

This ghost crab was seen foraging in broad daylight which is a bit unusual for this species as they are most commonly encountered at night.

The short clip shows the crab's ability to 'disappear' in a burst of speed, hence it's name.

Learn more about this fascinating species here:
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/crab/ocypodoidea/ceratophthalmus.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_crab