MacRitchie Nature Trail

If you want to start your nature/wildlife photography, Mac Ritchie reservoir is the place that will suit photographer or photographer to be. From landscape, macro to wildlife, you name it, it has it. 

I always like to start my walk here early in the morning. Beside the cooler weather, the reflection on the water when the sun rise is so beautiful.

As I start my walk, this Malayan water monitor lizard is having it's breakfast too. I have no idea what it was but it took the lizard around 5 minutes to swallow it.

One of my favorite stretch is this boardwalk. Whenever I pass this area, there sure to have some surprises for me. I usually spotted birds & snake around this area. This place is also good for Instagram... natural green tunnel!

This is not mirage... but is real. The building at the background is Bishan/Ang Mo Kio area. Isn't it beautiful when this place is still misty? The mist will be gone once the weather get hotter.

Another Instagram hot spot... photo taken on top of the Jelutong tower.

I have no idea what insect is this.

This dragonfly almost invisible as the camouflage is really realistic.

One of the very beautiful and common dragonfly in Singapore - Common Parasol

When there are lots of dragonfly, there will be bee-eater, such as this Blue-tailed bee-eater

A female Pink necked green pigeon

A juvenile Asian glossy starling (Aplonis panayensis) feeding on this fruiting tree.

Saw this very cute & tiny Slender squirrel while I.m on the way out.

Another excitement before I leave the forest is this beautiful Twin-barred tree snake (Chrysopelea pelias).

New Purple Heron Paradise in Singapore

It looks like Bishan Park is another great location to look for Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). 

They are actually not easy to spot when they stay static in the bush. In this case, is just too difficult to miss as there are 2 purple heron so close to each other!

Just few steps away, I can easily spot another 2 so close to each other.

So may of them...

No... this is not Purple heron but a Pond Heron.

Among so many heron is this White-Breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus). Searching for food along the side of the canal.

One of the most common bird in Singapore - Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus)

Apparently, Bishan Park is also a good place to look out for Scaly-Breasted Murnia (Lonchura punctulata).

A not so shy Peaceful Dove (Geopelia striata). They can be seen quite easily in the park too.

Black-Naped Oriole(Oriolus chinensis) a very bright colour bird.

Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator) using their tongue to taste the air to locate for food. They are always mistaken as crocodile especially when they are in the water.

Longkang Birding at Sembawang

Longkang is a Malay word, it means drain. The last time I came here was about a year ago. So much changes have taken place in this narrow park connector. A lot of new HDB flats has been built beside the connector.

Back to the longkang... Simpang Kiri is a canal or a river to be exact.

This canal end at Sembawang beach and I purposely choose this time (low tide) to come here. From experience, more activities can be observed during low tide.

 This Collared Kingfisher perch near the entrance.

 A rather common Spotted Dove walking on the now dry river bed looking for food.

 Another very common bird - Common Sandpiper

 A pair of Little Egret wading in the water try finding a best spot to hunt.

 This Grey Heron taking a break and just watch others busy feeding from the side of the canal.

 Another Collared Kingfisher with either worn out or dirty plumage.

Not far from the Collared Kingfisher, this White-Throated Kingfisher also waiting for best time to hunt.

With the tide going down, this part of the river is now low in salinity thus this myna taking bath in it.

There a lots of myna feeding on the mud flat. Guess what, the migrant - Purple Back Starling also feed side by side with the Javan Myna.

I didn't know Purple Backed Starling other than feeding on insects & fruits, they also feed like waders on the mud flat.

Birds are not the only one that is busy during low tide. Lots of  week end fisherman also taking advantage of the low tide to collect green mussel from the mud flat. Although Singapore is a small country, it is still possible to observe wildlife if you visit at the right time...