Otters & Fish Pt 3

After a satisfying meal, is time to go on shore to mark their territory and doing sand bath. 

The mamma otter take the lead by swimming towards the shore.

The babies follow behind.

The otter mark their territory once they are on shore.

Apparently this sand bath behavior is quite common among mammals and also birds. 

Some use sand, some using mud such as elephant & buffalo.

It is believed that animals do that for several reasons.

Either to prevent from insect bites and also helps to remove parasites from their skin.

Now that I seen them do the sand bath and marking of territory, it will be easier for me to look for them again. 😃

Where else can we observe wild otters doing their things right in the middle of highly urbanised city?

No wonder some news channel called it a very special and uniquely Singapore experience...

Otters and Fish Pt 2

With the fish out of water, I can have a good look at the size of the fish...is so huge!!! No wondwer the otter couldn't finish by itself.

The mother otter temporarily keep the fish at the erosion prevention barrier while waiting for the arrival of her babies.

I was too concentrate with the mamma otter and didn't realise where the babies came from.

Two babies came forward and take turn to have their portion.

Look at the baby otter, is so cute.

While the babies is having their meal, the mamma otter is relaxing and stretching and at the same time keep an eye on them.

Otters and Fish

Whether you are local or tourist on holiday in Singapore, is always a good thing to be able to meet Singapore celebrity otters up close. Singapore otters had lately appears in many news channel and media. Is really unusual to see wild otters running around in highly urbanised Singapore.

I am so happy when I saw splashes in the water. Very high chance that the otter is in action and yes, the otter's head pop up from the water.

From the splashes, this could be a big fish that caught by this otter.

Just the look at the dorsal fins, this fish easily measured more than 50cm in length.

After some struggle, the otter managed to secured his meal. The head of the fish is as big as the otter! Possibly a Giant Gourami (Osphronemus goramy).

The otter start eating from the soft part of the fish which is the belly.

The fish is too big to finish by itself and from time to time, the otter will stop eating and make some call. Perhaps calling for her babies?

Due to the size and weight, is really quite hard to handle the fish and eat at the same time in deeper water.

The otter move the fish to shallower place. The size of the fish is as big as the otter!

The otter continue to enjoy her big meal in the shallower water.

Singapore Botanic Garden

After the exciting 9 days of exciting birding trip, I'm kind of having post birding blue... is time to go to Botanic Garden where my birding started.

After entering the garden, this pair of Blue-throated beeeater appear right in front of me.

Follow the loud 'laughing' call, managed to locate this Collared Kingfisher.

Good to see this Oriental Pied Hornbill feeding again and they re-use the same tree for nesting.

Another "die die can see" bird in the garden, White Breasted Water Hen

Another easy target of SBG, Oriental magpie-robin. Just need to follow their call and they are not camera shy too.

Unlike their cousin, this White-throated kingfisher less showy and are more secretive.

Red junglefowl was once near extinction but their number is now on the rise steadily.

A non native bird but are becoming common lately, White Crested Laughing Thrush now can be found in many part of Singapore.

Asian glossy starling top the chart of Singapore birds in terms of highest in numbers.

Plantain squirrel is another animals in the garden that almost never missed. I see them on every trip here.

Brown-throated sunbird

Black-naped oriole is one of the very unique bird in the garden with the whole body in striking yellow colour.

With this pair of Yellow Vented Bulbul, is time to go for lunch. More than 10 species birds in this tiny garden, SBG remained one of my favorite birding place.

Guandu Nature Park

The weather is really good on the last day of my 2019 Taiwan Birding Trip. I took a subway train from Taipei city travel north and exit at Guandu Station. Guandu Nature Park is just 5-10 minutes walking distance from the subway station.

I was slightly early and the park is not yet open.

My first "bird sighting" is this huge Black Wing Stilt.

While on my way to the main bridge, I saw a few Japanese White-eye.

A Common King fisher was seen at the fresh water pond area.

I walk my way to the direction of the Visitor Center and saw this Light-vented Bulbul.

While on the bridge, more birds was seen. First, is this Plain Prinia.

Follow by Yellow -bellied Prinia

and also Black-crowned Night-heron.

This Oriental Turtle-Dove is enjoying the good weather trying to dry it's feathers under the morning sun light.

Spring is coming, new leaves is forming under the clear blue sky.

Instead of going into the Bird Watching Cabin, I decided to check out the pond outside the cabin as the sunlight is directly shine at the cabin window and I can see nothing at all. This place probably best visit in the afternoon. After finding a shelter under a tree, managed to spot this Eastern Spot-billed Duck.

So as the Green-winged Teal.

Spotted a Black-naped Monarch and managed to take a picture before disappear from my sight.

I am so happy to see a fruiting tree just outside the Visitor Center. Saw some movement and and follow the movement, saw this Gray Treepie enjoying the buffet breakfast.

Another one coming to join the feast.

Just before I leave the park, saw another migratory bird - a female Daurian Redstart.

Not sure these 2 dogs is playing with the ducks or trying to catch them. The ducks seem faster than the dogs and manage to flee on time. Hope the dogs are just chasing for fun and not really attack the ducks.

With this Guandu trip, my 2019 Taiwan Winter Birding Trip is "officially" completed. One more day of shopping before my return to Singapore. It has been an exciting week here in Taiwan. Hope to come back here again soon.