Sunday, April 21, 2013

A Very Hard Working Woodpecker

The Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker  (Dendrocopos moluccensis),  is one of the very common bird in Singapore. They can be found in the gardens, parks and even roadsides tree. 

They moves along the tree trunk and branches, peck on the bark to create a small cavity with its sharp bill and uses its tongue to extract the insect.

The Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos moluccensis)

The Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos moluccensis)

The Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos moluccensis)



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Black-Naped Oriole Behave Like Mangrove Pitta

I  saw this juvenile Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis) at Pasir Ris Park behave rather strange. It hop on the ground & look for food from the crabs burrow. This is exactly the same behavior that I observed on a Mangrove pitta. What a coincidence that this is the exact place/spot that I saw my first Mangrove Pitta.
Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)

Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)

Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)

Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)

Black-Naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis)
I have this bird on video too:

Monday, April 8, 2013

Exotic Wild Birds in Singapore

I'm seeing more and more exotic birds from Africa. These birds are believed to be released during certain religious festivals which means these bird have survived in Singapore almost a year now.

First was the waxbills, check out the link here. Now bishop & even whydah.
Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
These very striking colour red bird is Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)
The yellow bird is the Yellow Crowned Bishop (Euplectes afer)
Pin Tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura)

Pin Tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura)
The very beautiful bird with long tail is the Pin Tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura). I'm not sure what impact they posed to native birds here, nevertheless they are beautiful subject to photograph.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Free Buffet

Buffet style restaurant is always one of the popular dining venue as diners serves themselves with what they want & as many as they can eat. Buffet is a very effective way of serving large numbers of people at once.

In nature, this method is also widely used by plants to attract birds to help them disperse their seeds. I visited this fruiting tree near Bukit Timah last month and managed to see many birds that are usually difficult to see or spot. 
Straw Headed Bubul
 The first birds that I saw was this pair of Straw-Headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus)
Asian Fairy Bluebird - female (Irena puella)
 Female Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella). Didn't managed to take the photo of the male.
Thick-Billed Green Pigeon (Treron curvirostra)
 Male Thick-Billed Green Pigeon (Treron curvirostra)
 Purple-backed Starling (Sturnia sturnina)
Even the migratory bird Purple-backed Starling (Sturnia sturnina) find their way here too!
Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia)
 Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia)
Coppersmith barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)
 Coppersmith barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)
Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)
 Female Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)

 Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus)
 Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus)
Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)
 Male Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans)
Lineated Barbet (Megalaima lineata)
Lineated Barbet (Megalaima lineata)

Who don't like buffet?