Spotted this bird fly up from the ground nearby to a tree at the edge of the NSRCC Golf Course at the East Coast Parkway. It flew short distances within about 10 to 15 metres to adjacent trees within the space of about 15 minutes whilst i observed it. It seemed to want to stretch out its wings. Probably because of the downpour which the area had then recently experienced.
Which cuckoo is this? The Malaysian or the Hodgson's? or an Indian Cuckoo?
cuckoo @ east coast parkway, Singapore 24Nov2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.
Here are some good reference links for telling apart which cuckoo this bird is...
A link on some cuckoos from Malaysia :-
http://www.malaysianbirds.com/bird-family/cuckoo.htm
The Hawk Cuckoos :-
http://confoley.com/photo-guide-hawk-cuckoos
http://wildbirdsingapore.nss.org.sg/Hodgson's%20Hawk%20Cuckoo.pdf
http://wildbirdsingapore.nss.org.sg/SINAV_Vol_22_No_1_Jan_08%20.pdf
Indian Cuckoos :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Cuckoo
http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_01/indian_cuckoo.html
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/indian-cuckoo-cuculus-micropterus
So which is this bird captured in the video?
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Monday, November 18, 2013
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.
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.htmSaturday, November 9, 2013
black baza hungry @ bidadari 9Nov2013
This lone black baza came into view as it flew from tree to tree. It was hunting.
Probably for a last meal for the day at about 5.45pm. It had been a cold and wet day as the afternoon rains had been heavy.
As it flew around a tree at about 3 to 4 metres above ground level, it made a sudden change to its flightpath and went towards a nearby clump of leaves. It tussled with something on the leaves and flew away to a bare branch a few metres away.
It had caught something small and started despatching it quickly. I could not make out what it had caught but it could have been a small lizard.
From the video clip, the bird's ability to use its feet to hold its food shows it to be very adept at doing so. It took about 3 minutes to finish its small meal and then flew off around the tree.
Probably for a last meal for the day at about 5.45pm. It had been a cold and wet day as the afternoon rains had been heavy.
As it flew around a tree at about 3 to 4 metres above ground level, it made a sudden change to its flightpath and went towards a nearby clump of leaves. It tussled with something on the leaves and flew away to a bare branch a few metres away.
It had caught something small and started despatching it quickly. I could not make out what it had caught but it could have been a small lizard.
From the video clip, the bird's ability to use its feet to hold its food shows it to be very adept at doing so. It took about 3 minutes to finish its small meal and then flew off around the tree.
It took about 3 minutes to finish its small meal and then flew off around the tree.
Read more about this migrant bird species :
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Bidadari, a sampler - 15Oct2013
A selection of some of Bidadari's natural residents and seasonal visitors ...
Last chance to see. Once development of a new housing centre takes place, most, if not all, but a much smaller portion of forest foliage will likely be cleared and the resulting patches of trees and shrubbery will likely not support a similar diversity of birds. The birds will likely find alternative sites. The squirrels and lizards will have to make a run for it.
How many species can you name?
How many species can you name?
Saturday, October 12, 2013
white-bellied sea eagle fishing @ esplanade 11Oct2013
This adult WBSE flew in rather late at about 6.40 pm to do some fishing and on its second pass over the reservoir, managed to find a good sized fish for dinner. It adjusted its flight, dropping almost straight down with a slight swoop before snatching the fish with one leg. Flying off, it secured its grip with a quick look and started flying in a wide spiral to gain height before finally heading off across the Padang.
white-bellied sea eagle fishing @ esplanade 11Oct2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.
(Unavoidable background music recorded with clip)
(Unavoidable background music recorded with clip)
Read more about this magnificent bird :
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/Haliaeetus_leucogaster.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-bellied_Sea_Eagle
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_579_2005-01-05.html
http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_04/white-bellied_sea_eagle.html
http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/106003359/0
http://www.nss.org.sg/report/f494524f-1SingaporeRaptorReportJan11.pdf
http://www.besgroup.org/2010/01/09/white-bellied-sea-eagles-catch-sea-snakes/
http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2006/05/white-bellied-fish-eagle-fishing-rat.html
http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2006/09/white-bellied-sea-eagle-not-just.html
http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/birds/raptors.htm
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
sofa not so good @ Ubin-Jelutong 28Sep2013
Was out for a coastal cleanup along the first part Ubin's Jelutong shore. I had seen two rather unusual items on the second part of the shore (beyond the sluice gates) some weeks ago and wanted to take a closer look since the tide had not been suitable on the earlier occasion.
#1... a weathered yellow leather sofa.
(you can see sofa #2 in the background - to the right - in the pic above)
Turned upside down over a small heap of fishnets.
a closer look at the discarded fishnets below Sofa #1
#2...another weathered yellow leather sofa
within 3 metres of sofa #1 and in a similar upside down position
(What are the odds of this occuring purely at random?)
Where could these sofas have come from?
Who put them there?
The wandering currents?
or a set of hands from nearby?
Where is the nearest human settlement?
Could the nearest human settlement have dumped these sofas on the shore?
If so, why?
P.s. The nearest peopled 'settlements' are from the offshore fishfarms just about 100-150 meters away. And they obviously do not seem to have a trash collection service despite having been where they are for ... decades.!!!!!?
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