Sungei Simpang Kiri

Is been a while since I last visited Sungei Simpang Kiri. Situated just next to Sembawang Park and can be reached by Sembawang Park Connector Network (PCN) all the way from Gambas Avenue/Admiralty.

 I arrived around 4pm initially plan to wait for the tide to go down and saw my first bird - a Little egret.

 I didn't know Little egret doing tip-toe too!

 There are a few Common Sandpiper near the water edge.

 Joining the feeding was this Common Green Shank.

This Grey Heron still in breeding plumage. Where could it came from? Probably just feeding here & the nest (heronry) could be a distance away.

Before I could reach the shore, the sky started to pour heavily. I will have to come back again some time to explore the river mouth...

Special Gifts From Overseas

Is been a wonderful year of travel for me in 2013. With close to another 200 new species of animals seen this year, I'm all set and looking for another year of great travel in 2014.

With the year 2013 coming to an end soon, I received some really great gifts that provide me with more inspirations of where to go & what to see in 2014!

I received 2 books on birds of Taiwan & a very special calendar self-printed using photos from my friends first travel to Borneo. She was amazed by the beauty & the abundance of wild life there. I been there twice  & its just doesn't seem to have enough time no matter how long I've planned to stay there. You can read about my friend's - Euphtw first travel experience to Borneo on her blog at 蔚藍手札. Haha... is time for me to re-visit Borneo in 2014?

 I just love this very colourful book on birds of Taiwan -  台灣鳥四季

I have been to Taiwan and seen some of the birds as drawn. The drawing just amplify the main characteristic of the birds & made spotting and recognising the birds so easy. Isn't the drawing cute?

This book just give me all the information that I needed to get started on my new planning of birding in Taiwan.

All the birding hot spot in Taiwan with a brief description on what to expect. A very useful information indeed.

What a privilege to receive this "Not for sale" personal calendar. Let's have another good birding/traveling year in 2014.

Another calendar that I received is all the way from "Middle Earth". My colleague brought this back for me from New Zealand. I have really never do a proper birding in NZ. Another potential place to visit for 2014!

Opportunistic Storks

I was at Sungei Buluh Wetlands Reserve (SBWR) last month & saw this Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) caught a big fish. 

 This otter move to the shallow part of the pond prepare to enjoy the big catch.

Just when the otter prepare to enjoy this big fish, a Milky stork (Mycteria cinerea) appear uninvited. This Milky stork is trying his luck.

With the fish in mouth, the otter move away from the stork.

 Two more storks join in trying their luck to have a share of the fish.

As the storks move closer, feeling the threats, one of the other fight back. The otter chase the stork away like a hunting dog!

The otters may appear cute, but when defending their food security, they are not taking chance. They really will not hesitate to drive any intruders away.

 The otter chase one after another.

While the storks being chase away, the otter cross over to the other side of the pond and starts to consume the fish.

The temptation is just too big to ignore. The Milky storks can't resist and  follow the otters but keep a distance.

The opportunistic behavior proof that is working. The storks got the bit & pieces of the fish that drop behind by the otters.

This is the first time seeing this opportunistic behavior on Milky storks. I'm sure the storks must have notice the otters will leave bits & pieces when they tear the fish to smaller bite size before consuming it.

Flying Fox Temple at Sara Buli, Thailand

After my boat trip at Bung Boraphet, is time for a change. I'm going to Sara Buli province for flying fox watching. Flying fox is actually one of the largest species of fruit bats with a wing span of up to 2 meters. 

If you are wondering if you are on the right track... yes you are! 4km more to Flying Foxes.

It looks like raptor on the sky from a distance away. The flag on the road side also means that there are some kind of festival going on not far from here. Hope is not at our destination.

We finally arrived at our destination - Wat Se Da or temple Se da. The temple is having a festival and they are playing loud music. The flying foxes are know to roost around the tree in this temple. However, we didn't see any. Must be the loud music drive them out from their favorite roosting place.

Since we can't find any flying fox in the temple, we drive around the temple to try our luck. As we drive out of the temple, we saw some movement across the paddy field.

On a closer look, bingo! We found the flying foxes!

Since they are nocturnal, this explain why most of them have their face covered by their wing. They are suppose to be sleeping now but was forced to move out from their usual roosting place.

They are so near yet so difficult to look for one that have a full view of this beautiful animal.

Hanged upside down on one leg and with their face(eyes) covered. Must be so uncomfortable to sleep under the hot sun.

Finally some of them take flight trying to move to a sheltered perch. This provide me to have a full view of this beautiful animal.

They looks just like some one on the paragliding when in the air.

What a beautiful animal. Well, times fly. After so many days of bird watching in Thailand. This is the 2nd last day in Thailand for this trip. I will stop by Khao Yai tomorrow morning before on route to catch my flight at airport.

Birding on Boat at Bung Boraphet

This is my second trip to Bung Boraphet. However, I didn't get to see the sea of lotus this time round.

When I was here last year, there are lotus flower every where. The whole place turn pink with the lotus flower brooming.

Well, this must be the season of Black-capped kingfisher. We seem to see this winter visitor every where.

Most of the time, we often heard than seeing Zitting Cisticola.

Streak weaver fly among Zitting cisticola and the Baya weavers.

An Asian Pied Starling come out to peep at us when our boat pass by.

Purple Swamp Hen with different colour shading when the morning sun shine on it.

Bronze-winged Jacana running on top of water effortlessly.

Pheasant-Tailed Jacana with not so long tail without the breeding plumage.

Cotton Pygmy Goose

Little Grebe with 3 chicks. At times the chick will ride on top of their mother.

This reservoir provide an important food source for the people living around this area.

While on the boat, is a good time to capture flight shots of Barn Swallow otherwise very challenging.

Not sure why this nocturnal Black Crowned Night Heron are out in the open.

Darter are perching high up the tree and get their feathers dry under the sun.

Great Egret and Pond heron are some of the very common birds here too.

When we are done with the boat trip, we saw this wagtail at the carpark. Another day well spent birding at Bung Boraphet!