Sunday Walk at Singapore Botanic Garden

I take a break from inter-tidal to Singapore Botanic Garden last Sunday. As usual, the garden was packed with people doing their yoga, jogging & picnic. I was here to meet up with Ling and friends to test out the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500MM F/5.6E ED VR lens. Since Ling own one, I will borrow from her to have a hands on experience of this lens. The photos below are all taken with her lens.

I took this picture just at the right time before the pigeon made the landing.

3 in a row, the one in the middle get the focus.

This Spotted Dove is very slim probably an sub-adult.

One of the most common bird of Singapore, a Yellow Vented Bulbul with food in mouth.

Olive Wing Bulbul that usually found in forest show up in the garden too.

I have no problem getting the bees in focus.

Another fast moving object to test the lens, managed to make a shot of this squirrel before she jump to another branch.

The real challenge is this photo of Large Tailed Nightjar, Hand held in low light condition. I quite like this lens and I'm sure this will be my next lens to get in future.  :)

Eastern Shore of Singapore

Month of May is a good time to visit inter-tidal area as the low tide during this period usually around 7-9am. 

 I arrived at the shore around 7am and the tide is already quite low.

This may looks like a football field but are sea grass lagoon. They are only exposed during spring low tide.

 This bivalves did not burrow fast enough before the tide gone down and is now stuck.

 This sea star trying to turn itself after the wave swept it upside down.

 This sea star will have to wait for at least another 2 hours before the tide return.

 This elbow crab almost impossible to spot if it was not on top of the sea grass.

 Likewise this stone crab, away from the rock they are easily spotted.

 One of the less colourful anemone that was spotted today.

 This is the much colourful one as compare to the previous one.

 Different from the sea hare I saw last month, this is Hairy Sea Hare (Bursatella leachii).

 Sea cucumber of all shape and colour are spotted today. Such as this thorny one.

 Another funny shape, ball sea cucumber.

 This reddish Thorny Sea Cucumber is still busy feeding.

 Saw lots of Noble volute today too. This one about to burrow into the sand.

 I like the patterns on their shell. It looks like a Chinese painting.

 This hermit crab is taking over this empty shell as resident.

This swimming crab is enjoying his breakfast. Slowly munching on one end of this bristleworms while the other end try to swim away!

 Several white sea urchin was spotted in the sea grass area.

Not often to spot common sea star at this area, they are very common at the off-shore island. It must be my luck day for me.

Yes! Is my lucky day. See what I found! This huge iconic sea star is found in off-shore island. But I saw so many of them today!

Saw another big one almost as big as this huge carpet anemones!

Cute Squirrels of KKC

When birding in KKC, the cutest mammals is no other than Western striped squirrels.

 They are also known as Himalayan Striped Squirrel or the Burmese Striped Squirrel.

Since they are so small and with stripes on their back serves as good camouflage, they are often overlook.

 They have no problem climbing up and down the tree trunk.

 Even upside down.

 They hardly stop at one place for too long and always on the move.

Is a good 'half-time' break during birding in between bird waves...   just never get bored looking at their cute appearance.

Breakfast cum Birding Day 3

We are going to KKC again for birding on Day 3 of our trip. After a good rest last night, we wake up early and bird around our hotel after a quick breakfast.

 A nice Red Collared Dove was our first bird of the day.

 Follow by one of the very common bird of Thailand,  Ashy Wood-swallow.

 Found the 3rd nest of our trip, an Ashy Wood-swallow nest.  Can't wait to go to KKC again soon...

Kaeng Krachan National Park Birding Trip Day 2

I have been to KKC several time, just not my luck to have a good photo of Stump-tailed macaque. They are very shy compare to Northern pig-tailed macaque that always looking for visitors that carry plastic bag with them in Khao Yai National Park.

Never had a chance for the clear photo, this is all that I manage to photograph. Just their back in the bush.

Saw several Blue Bearded Bee Eater at a distance. This photo was taken using my mobile phone  shoot through the telescope.

Heard the calls of Hill myna but didn't really pay much attention. Almost miss this Golden-crested myna that looks very similar. A very smart way of mixing themselves among other birds.

 This is the Hill myna that confuse me and I almost miss the Golden-crested myna!

 Happy to see this Black & Red Broadbill busy at work.

Is a pleasant surprise to see this Forest Wagtail in the middle of the road. I usually spot them in the forest trail rather than in the open.

We arrived just the right time to capture this beautiful Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher that pose nicely for us.

As we proceed to look for Red Bearded Bee Eater, it started to rain and rain very heavily. I got myself wet from head to toe for this beautiful bee-eater.

Birding during or after heavy rain sometimes has it's perks. I like this photo of Chinese Pond Heron with water droplets still on top of the back.  The feathers repeal water quite good.

 Flock of Great Hornbill sharing the same tree with Thick Bill Green Pigeon just before sun set.

One of the last bird that we saw before leaving KKC is this female Greater Flameback. No luck this time, the male didn't show up instead the male Common Flameback was seen nearby.