Singapore in September III

Oriental Magpie-robin (Shikichoシキチョウ) - resident

There was a family of Oriental Magpie-robin at the entrance of a park and the male brought an insect to give to the female, who gave it to the young one. 

 One of the young ones started to sunbath in front of us on the path:)

Malaysian Plover (Kuroeri-shirochidoriクロエリシロチドリ) - uncommon resident

Argh! This is the only pic I managed to take and she was showing her back at us...
She stayed on the shore with some Lesser Sand Plovers and Little Terns.


Pacific Swallow (Ryukyu-tsubameリュウキュウツバメ) - resident

Lots of them were flying over the cut grass and in the parks. Some Barn Swallows were also flying with them but the number was still very small.


Oriental Pied Hornbill (Kitakasasagi-saichoキタカササギサイチョウ) - resident

 

 He (she?) is rather bulky but acrobatic!

 Hooray!

Pin-striped Tit-babber (Munafumushikui-chimedoriムナフムシクイチメドリ) - resident

 He(She?) was about the size of a great tit, moving like a goldcrest, and very vocal.

Purple Heron (Murasakisagiムラサキサギ) - resident

There was a tree with several Purple Herons' nests on it by this water.
This young one flew in a nearby tree and looked rather wobbly with its footing:)

Singapore in September II

Collared Kingfisher (Nanyoshobinナンヨウショウビン) - resident
caught something!

Coconut Lorikeet (Goshikiseigai-inkoゴシキセイガイインコ) - introduced resident

 Argh! blurred!

They are called 'Rainbow Lorikeets' as well.


Common Flameback (Zuaka-miyubigeraズアカミユビゲラ) - resident

a beautiful bird!


Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Kazari-ochuカザリオウチュウ) - resident

This pair seem to be having a chat and they really sounded like they were gossipping:)

They stayed long enough for passers-by to take pictures of them with their phones.


Lineated Barbet (Shiroboshi-oogoshikidoriシロボシオオゴシキドリ) - introduced resident

We only saw them flying when with our guide, but this one just flew into a nearby tree in a park when we were just walking on a non-birding day:)


Little Spiderhunter (Kokumokaridoriコクモカリドリ) - resident

One of the birds I'd really wanted to see and thanks to Kim Seng's hawk eye we were able to observe him quite closely.


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Gardens By the Bay

a closer look at the Supertree

 Marina Bay Sands

Singapore in September I

We have been to Singapore to see a friend of ours and to do some birdwatching again and had a great time (again!).

It is autumn and the autumn migration has started but not many migratory birds have reached Singapore yet, so, many of the birds we observed this time were resident there.

Asian Glossy Starling (Midorikarasumodokiミドリカラスモドキ) - resident

Like Common Starlings, they flock and are very vocal.


Asian Koel (Onikakkoオニカッコウ) - resident, winter visitor

  Both pics are of females. Males look glossy black all over, have a greenish bill and red eyes.

They are a brood parasite of House Crows and Thick-billed Crows in Singapore.


Black-naped Oriole (Korai-uguisuコウライウグイス) - resident

They are absolutely everywhere, seen and heard. Very attractive!


Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot - resident

Can you spot a tiny green bird on top of the tree?

They are the smallest parrots seen in Singapore and normally fly like a bullet, making loud calls. This time, a flock landed in a nearby tree and stayed long enough for us to observe closely:)

The males have a vivid red patch over their throat.

Brown-throated Sunbird (Chanodokobashi-taiyochoチャノドコバシタイヨウチョウ) - resident

They are one of the two most common sunbirds in Singapore.

It is quite hard to get a photo of them as they move quickly among the thick foliage high in the trees. I wish he had been in the light because the male's plumage is stunning!


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Street views in and around Chinatown, Singapore

Peranakan Terrace Houses 

According to Lonely Planet, Peranakan people in Singapore are descendants of immigrants who married local women who were mostly of Malay origin.

Baba House - one of the best preserved Peranakan houses, built in the late 19th century.

Nagore Durgha - a mosque built in the early 19th century by Chulia Muslims from South India

Telok Ayer Street - Nagore Durgha, Thian Hock Keng Temple and Al-Abrar Mosque are on it.

Sri Mariamman Temple - a Hindu Temple, originally built in 1823 then re-built in 1843

Sultan Mosque at night - the most well-known mosque in Singapore - in Arab Street

Azure-winged Magpies

In a small park near where we live, Azure-winged Magpie (Onagaオナガ) chicks have fledged quite recently.

The magpies are colonial breeders and the park was full of their calls:)

The Sumida River

One hot and humid morning (well, it is the norm in Japan in July), I decided to go for a walk on the Sumida River in eastern Tokyo to look for Black-tailed Gulls (Uminekoウミネコ).

A few Black-tailed gulls were flying up and down over the river.

This one was there for a long time, its head against the wind.

Yanagibashi Bridge over the Kandagawa canal

On both sides under the concrete embankment, 2 Grey Herons (Aosagiアオサギ) and a Great Egret (Daisagiダイサギ) were standing still like decoys.

Grey Herons and Cormorants (Kawauカワウ) were resting on a concrete slab.

Two Thick-billed Crow (Hashibutogarasuハシブトガラス) fledglings were waiting for their parent to bring food for them on the girder of the motorway.

A Blue Rock Thrush (Isohiyodoriイソヒヨドリ) fledgling was hunting insects on its own. It still had a little bit of yellow on the side of its beak.

It was really hot (over 30 degrees) but strong winds were blowing over the river and as long as the winds kept blowing it was not too bad for walking.

It looks as if there is no life at all in the hostile-looking environment, but, if you look for it, interesting lives are everywhere!