sleeping python, frightened squirrel @ sungei buloh - 21Dec2013

Was on the way out from the SBWR when another visitor pointed out a coiled up reticulated python sitting snugly on a limb of a tree beside the main path into the reserve. This was my first time seeing a python in the reserve but i have heard that the reserve has seen this and other pythons before including an assortment of other snakes, both venemous (like the rarely seen King Cobra and more often seen Pit Vipers) as well as non-venomous snakes. The reserve does also have other large reptiles such as the Malayan Water Monitor and the Estuarine Crocodile (Uh, No we do not have Komodo dragons at the reserve). 

This python was being harassed by a determined plantain squirrel and its mate. The squirrels were in a rather excited state compared to the snake which just sat still without flinching a scale. The squirrels kept calling out with loud pips and swatting their tails.  All the excitement was lost on the snake which carried on its slumber oblivious to the concerns of the squirrels. 

sleeping python, frightened squirrel @ sungei buloh - 21Dec2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

Find out more about these wonderful animals :

http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/snakes/reticulatus.htm

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

white-breasted waterhen & chicks @ Lorong Halus, Singapore - 20Dec2013

The undergrowth was abuzz with chirping as I walked past it and the chirpers soon showed themselves chasing after their parent waterhen as it went about looking for breakfast for its hungry brood of three little jet-black long-legged downy balls.

Two of the chicks seemed to be more dependent on the parent and rarely strayed more than a half a metre from it. The third was however more independent and did not seem to mind being away from the protective wings of the parent bird. The parent bird extended back its wings as if to provide shelter for its brood eventhough the chicks seemed a little big to all fit under the umbrella at the same time.

The parent bird went about picking grass seeds for the chicks which were obviously in a somewhat vertically challenged state.

white-breasted waterhen & chicks @ lorong halus, singapore - 20Dec2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

Find out more about the white-breasted waterhen here :

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-breasted_Waterhen

http://singaporebirds.net/npassers_02/white-breasted_waterhen.html(incl. audio link)

http://www.besgroup.org/2011/03/22/call-of-the-white-breasted-waterhen/ (w. video)

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/white-breasted-waterhen-amaurornis-phoenicurus

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Amaurornis-phoenicurus (incl. audio links)

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/birds/rails.htm

http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-white-breasted-waterhen.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZLv30uzd44 (a nice clip by iHengbok)

cuckoo @ east coast parkway, singapore 24Nov2013

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?

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

  

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.

black baza hungry @ bidadari 9Nov2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

It took about 3 minutes to finish its small meal and then flew off around the tree.

Read more about this migrant bird species :

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

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3329

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Aviceda-leuphotes

http://www.planetofbirds.com/accipitriformes-accipitridae-black-baza-aviceda-leuphotes

http://sgbeachbum.blogspot.sg/2012/02/black-baza-raptor-surprise-lorong-halus.html

Bidadari, a sampler - 15Oct2013

A selection of some of Bidadari's natural residents and seasonal visitors ...

a Bidadari sampler 15Oct2013 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

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?