Happy Moment Continues...

I went back to check on the happy grey heron family last week end and the chicks already fledged and able to look for food themselves. On and off they will still go back to their nest and waiting to be fed b their parents. The parents will continue to feed their chicks for another one to two weeks even after they fledged.
Look at this young grey heron already a fully grown adult! It was sun bathing while waiting for parents.

Another sibling back to the nest and join the wait.
After about 10 minutes, the mother heron came back with foods.The mother feed one at a time, both chicks got their fair share.

After the feeding, the mother heron leave the nest to hunt for food and leave the 2 chicks behind. What a beautiful & happy family.

Happy Moment

I still vividly remember when I was a child, I will wait anxiously every morning for my mum to return from the market. When my mum brought me my favourite peanut pan-cake from the market, I was so happy and contented and those are the momentous occasions that lingers in my memory till today.

I felt the same excitements when I was shooting a heronry at the north of Singapore last month! Seeing the chicks waiting anxiously and suddently jump in joy!
I'm not sure how the chicks knew that their parents is nearby, the chicks will get very excited & active before I even have the visual of the parents. There must be some form of communications that perhaps I didn't realize.
The chicks will rise from sitting and starts jumping and that prompt me that their parents is arriving.

The chicks can't wait to get their food from their parent.

I'm sure the food source is abundant as all the chicks got their fair share of food and they all look about the same size.Wow! This chick got a really huge eel for breakfast!

Is always an enjoyable experience to be able to watch and photograph feeding process. Feeding time means Happy Moment for me. How about you?

First Come First Serve

Traditionally, monsoon period also means that is good time to go for bird watching. Lots of migratory birds will stop over here for the next 3 months to re-fuel their energy after long journey here to avoid the cold winter from the north. Other than Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Central Catchment area, neighbourhood parks are all good place to start. I head to Pulau Ubin last week end to try my luck.
The first thing that I notice is that lots of grey heron (Ardea cinerea)here are changing to the breeding plumage, with their bill changed to orange or reddish colour such as the one on top.
This grey heron first perch on this tree but was fast facing unwanted guests - flock of crows! This poor heron took quite some times to get some peace! However, before the heron able to rest, here comes another guest - a competitor!Unwilling to share this prime area, the heron protest to this uninvited guest by raising up both wings!

Both heron trying to fight for this prime area and unwilling to give way.
Looks like both are really serious and a fight is unavoidable!

The heron on the left seems to be gaining ground, so far no physical contact yet.

For the next 2 minutes, the stand off continues and both heron are trying to scare opponent away without any physical contact.

The saga continue for another minute and the heron on the right show sign of retreat...

The heron on the right finally gave up and flew away and end the saga.

It is very common for birds to fight for 'prime area' especially branches that with good vantage point.

Early Morning Trip to Sungai Buluh Wetland Reserve

I was at SBWR again yesterday (3 Oct 09) morning. In order not to be late for my next appointment at town area by 11am, I only have about 1.5 to 2 hours to spare in the morning. So I go SBWR slightly early, when I arrived at 7.15am, the gate is still close as the door only open at 7.30am from Mon-Sat. The staff must have heard that there are visitors arrive early and proceed to open the gate even before the official opening timing. So I actually only waited for less than a minute. Thank you very much! Automatically, I became the first visitor of the day.

When I arrived the main bridge, I saw a Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) perch at the main bridge. I approach the Grey Heron slowly and this is the nearest I ever approach a Grey heron in the wild.I continue to walk and the Grey heron only flew off when I was about 5m away from the bird.
There are lots of Common Flameback (Dinopium javanense) at the end of the Main Bridge. I managed to take this female bird. This is the male Common Flameback differentiated by the red crown.Since is early even the water monitor lizard is also rest on the trail.

Close up of the lizard.

The blue colour tongue of the lizard. Monitor lizard use their tongue to taste the air for food.

Another 2 shots of the lizard before I leave SBWR for my next appointment.

Grey Heron Nest Building @ Ubin

Today is the last day of the long week end instead of going abroad for holiday, I go 'overseas' to spend this beautiful Sunday morning at Pulau Ubin. I was at Ubin last month taking lots of photos and include grey heron. I decided to spend some times watching Grey Heron (Ardea cinera ) this time round.

The weather today not too hot and are less people on the island as compare to the last time when I visit here perhaps most people spent their long week end out of Singapore?

I saw several nest and all of them are ready to prepare the arrival of their next generations except one.

I saw this heron still building the nest and the nest looks quite new and not as compact as the rest. Perhaps the courtship of this pair took longer than the rest? Photo above showing the female arranging the twig brought back by the male. I shall called this heron Mrs Grey.

On another side of the island, Mr Grey was busy selecting the suitable material for the nest construction.

Mr Grey found one and using his bill twist it and prepare to flew back to his new half built home.

Mr Grey on the way back...Mr Grey land on top of the new home to be...and pass the twig to his Mrs Grey.While Mrs Grey arranging the twig, Mr Grey will preen Mrs Grey. So lovely!Once it is done, Mr Grey will leave again to collect more materials.I lost count on the number of trips that made by Mr Grey. He seems to be very energetic non-stop collecting materials.Mr Grey collecting materials trip after trip and flew back from different directions.After about 3 hours, the newly wed couple inspect their new home together.Either Mr & Mrs Grey happy with their progress or they are hungry, Mr Grey come back with food instead of twig...

For this newly wed couple, wish them all the best and hopefully the next time when I'm back here, I can see their chicks!

After watching this happy couple, I'm happy too! I continue explore other part of Ubin. I shall keep other birds and butterflies that I seen this morning in another posting. :-)