Is A Croc Croc Day

While I am still processing my photos from my last Thailand's trip, I've been reading from various media for the last one week that a large crocodile spotted at Sungei Buluh Wetlands Reserve (SBWR), I decided to pay SBWR another visit. I will continue my blog on Thailand's trip after this post. 

Well, to look for this big cold blooded reptile shouldn't be difficult. Look what I found! A big Saltwater crocodile also known as Estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is warming up his body in the morning sun.

 Is my lucky day, saw another smaller crocodile.

One, two & three! Saw another even smaller crocodile in the water! What a day in the reserve! After happy with the crocodiles, I just made a quick round around the main bridge & main hide as I'm leaving for another appointment soon.

One of the reason could be the massive construction across the Causeway over at Johor, Malaysia. As you can see from the photo, the background of the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is undergoing massive construction. Is possible that the crocodile was driven out by the construction there.

 Didn't see much birds around the Main hide, saw several Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

 About 10 Milky Storks (Mycteria cinerea).

And a very small flock of Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilus).

Breakfast Before Trip to Bung Boraphet

After another day of gulls & terns at Pak Thale, we move to Bung Boraphet for our next birding trip. We arrived at night and didn't expect to have problems getting a room for a night. Most of the hotel at the town area are taken up! We only managed to get a room after 2 hours of hotel hunting!

We wake up early and check out from the hotel at 6.00am. We were driving around to look for breakfast & saw this "kue chap" (broad noodle with soap, 粿雜) 

The ingredient of kue chap including meat & egg.

I get myself a bowl and buy additional "you tiao" （油條）.

Main ingredient of "you tiao" is flour. This scene like this are vanishing from street of Singapore since 70's.

You tiao in Singapore are now mass produce from factory and no longer on the street such as this.

Once the dough are deep fry, is ready to serve. You tiao is best to eat when is still warm & crispy.

After the fulfilling breakfast, we go to Bung Boraphet for our birding trip. The main attraction of Bung Boraphet is the reservoir. You may charter a boat to bird on the reservoir that is as big as Singapore!

Other than the reservoir/lake, there is also a trail that you can explore.

The only know area for White-eye river martin is Bung Boraphet. The ststus of this bird is now unknown and may be extinct.

Write up on the river martin.

SOme of the very nice mural on the monument of River Martin.

What a nice sun-rise over Bung Boraphet. Can't wait to jump onto our boat to explore this beautiful reservoir... (to be continued)

Pak Thale Shorebird Site

After a night of good rest at Highway Star near Bang Ta Boon, we continue our birding to Pak Thale. I was here last year for the Spoon-billed sand piper & I don't mind to come back over & over again.

Even the road sign also use the famous Spoon-billed sand piper.

From the number of fish that was drying under the sun along the road, this show that Pak Thale is also a fishing village.

It was low tide whe we arrived. This will means that the birds will be feeding very far from the shore. We met some fisherman that just came back with their catches.

A variety of fish & prawn on top & some crabs at the bottom.

While walking on the sea shore, I saw a file snake.

Look at what I found on the shore! An apple snail that is bigger than my watch! I don't know how a fresh water snail can end up at the sea shore.

Since the birds are feeding far from the shore, I can only take some flight shots when they flew pass me once a while. A flock of Common terns happens to fly closer to the shore.

Eurasian curlew was quite far from the shore.

Well, looks like is quite common that not every hunting effort is successful. This tern caught a crab and loose it before consuming it.

Finally some birds that allow us to approach slowly & have a clear shot - a whiskered tern.

Common Red Shank.

Marsh sand piper

Common Sandpiper

Grey heron

Mixture of Broad-billed sand piper & Curlew sand piper.

Really need to boost up my knowledge on gulls & terns. Been seeing so many gulls & terns these few days & still having trouble id everyone of them...