JURONG LAKE GARDENS

Is been a while since I last visited Chinese Garden/Japanese Garden which will be part of the Jurong Lake Garden in the near future.

 One of the most distinctive icon in the garden is this 7-storey pagoda.

 If you like lotus flower, this is the right place to visit. I shot this using my mobile.

I always find lotus flower very attractive and give a sense of purity. There is a Chinese idiom 出于泥而不染 basically say it all... it simply mean out of mud and yet did not get soiled or dirty.

Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus) can be seen only during this period as they are migratory bird arrive here to avoid the winter up north.

Another migratory bird in the garden, Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater( Merops philippinus)

 White-Breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) running around near the water edge.

 Perching on the tree over looking the pond below and is hard to spot when it stay motionless - Striated heron (Butorides striatus) also known as Little heron.

Although with the nest, this Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is not with breeding plumage yet. May be soon?

 A very small bird, Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia) can sing very loudly and with many different melodies.

 Brown-Throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis) feeding on the nectar of the flower.

Another bird that can be easily spotted in the garden by simply follow their loud call - Collared kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

A female Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) that without the "pink neck". Only the male show the pink-neck that's how they got their name.

 A very friendly Plantain Squirrel.

Malayan Water Monitor Lizard are protected Singapore and can be found in many gardens in Singapore.

A Walk in St James Park, Londun

This is another long overdue post on my recent trip to London back in May this year. I managed to visit the park that is nearest to my hotel in the morning before leaving for airport back to Singapore.

 It was about 10 minutes walk from my hotel to get to St James Park at Birdcage Walk.

The benefit of visiting new area is that you get to see new things, new animal... such as this Greylag goose.

This may not be my 1st time seeing an Eurasian coot. Is my first time seeing feeding Eurasian coot and such a near distance.

 Not to mention nest of Eurasian coot.

 I can even see their special lobed feet that they use to run on the water surface before taking off.

 Another new bird for me - Egyptian goose

 Canada goose is also my new record.

 I seen Tufted duck in Japan and happy to see them in the wild again.

 Northern pintail is another duck that I seen in Japan before and that was many years ago.

 This Smew is so cute. Good to see them here!

 I have never seen a Goldeneye before too.

 This Common shelduck just sit there watching me busy taking photo.

When I saw Ruddy shelduck at Thailand, all of them are so shy and we have to keep a very big distance. Now I get to see them quite close.

This Grey squirrel just in time to say goodbye to me before I leave to catch my flight. Is a short 30mins walk in the garden, but an really nice walk.

Birds of Amsterdam Part 2

This is the Part 2 of my posting of birds that I saw for my 3 days short stay at Amsterdam.

There are lots of gull around Amsterdam. Some of them too difficult to id so I file them a side. I hope I got this European herring gull right.

 Not difficult to spot this rabbit. I found them just next to the hotel I stay.

 Managed to take a photo of this small bird with my bridge camera - European robin

 One of the very common bird around Amsterdam - European starling

Not easy to see this duck over in Singapore. I'm happy to be able to watch it in such a short distance - Gadwall

 This Great black-backed gull compete with rock pigeon for food right in the middle of Amsterdam.

 This is another new record for me - Great crested grebe

 This is also new record for me - Great tit

Such a big bird how can I not taking a shot. Although I have seen it thousand times in Singapore... Grey heron 

 Another very common bird but uncommon in Singapore - House sparrow

 A pair of Mallard and chicks.

 I believe this is the domesticated/hybrid Muscovy Duck

I have been wanted to see this lapwing for a long time. So happy to be able to see it here - Northern lapwing

A pair of Rose-ringed parakeet found in the middle of Amsterdam.

Birds of Amsterdam Part 1

This post was long overdue due. Well, better be late than never. As mentioned earlier, this is not a pure birding trip, nevertheless, managed to take some wildlife during my free time during my short stay in Amsterdam. All photos was taken back in early May this year.

I have seen Black-tailed godwit many times in Singapore. But this is the first time seeing one with the breeding plumage.

 Looks very similar to the crow in Singapore, however, the Carrion Crow call was much lower pitch.

 Managed to capture this dive shot of the Common tern with my bridge camera.

 Another very common bird that can be found throughout Amsterdam.

 Black beauty of the garden - Eurasian blackbird.

 Is so difficult to see one in Singapore but there are so many Eurasian coot in Amsterdam.

 In fact Eurasian jackdaw is the very first bird that I saw in Amsterdam after check-in to my hotel.

 I saw this Eurasian magpie while I was on the cruise.

 This is my 1st time seeing an Eurasian Oystercatcher.

A very small bird but can sing very loud. Is the call that lead me to it.