A Fish in Bill Is...

...worth two in the water?

A quick stroll through the Gardens today led to a second encounter with one of its better known denizens, the resident storkbilled kingfisher living around Symphony Lake, and lots of sunshine meant a much clearer picture of the brightly coloured critter.

Photo Ops

I never tire of the Botanic Gardens. There's so much to see and to shoot. I guess that's the good thing about being a newbie - even common birds are a find.

one of many sparrows perched on top of the bushes

my old friend, little heron, resident of Symphony Lake

my first dollarbird, spotted while I was stalking a koel

time to go home

Photography Practice

mynah

and what's that?

a green pigeon, a pink necked one perhaps?

peekaboo - a blacknaped oriole, I believe

The Right Place at the Right Time

Sometimes, it comes down to serendipity, at least it does for a sometime birder like me. Saturday was a good day. Sadly, there aren't gonna be any more for a while, not with term reopening.

Eurasian tree sparrow

The more I look at these chappies up close, the more I like them. Such nice detail. Of course, they are very obliging when it comes to photos...

little heron

I took several photos before I stopped and wondered whether it was in fact a statue. It finally moved after quite a while...

stork-billed kingfisher

This was the best moment. My first kingfisher, and one with its dinner in its mouth too!

Here Birdy Birdy Birdy

This was my only "free" day this week, meaning I did not physically have to be in school, although I was still working at home. This gave me the rare opportunity to head down to the Botanic Gardens while it was still light out, and in fact, be there early enough to catch the birds at their evening feeding routine.

I have to say I'm, like, the world's worst birder/photographer. Most of the birds I manage to spot and/or manage to take a photo of are invariably (and sometimes literally) sitting ducks i.e. they have to be just sitting there, in front of me, on the ground or at eye level. Otherwise, they have to be big and blue. This series of photos attests to that.

spotted dove

Spotted doves are perfect targets for me. They're everywhere, and the ones at the Botanic Gardens have no qualms about strutting right up to people. Media sluts!

whitebreasted waterhen and chick

Again, the waterhens are everywhere. They're not as in your face as the spotted doves, preferring to hide out along the fringes of the ponds but they're easy to locate, thanks to their gurgly calls. This time though the bonus was the chick! What a cute ball of "fur".

lesser tree duck

Now doesn't that look almost like padi fields in Ubud?

asian fairy bluebird

Here's a "rare" find for me. Spotted this fella skimming the surface of the pond next to Swan Lake for something to eat and then returning to perch on the branches of a tree right next to the pond. See, big and blue.

And these are some of Singapore's most common birds...

Eurasian tree sparrow

mynahs, I think

A Chance Find

It was HM who spotted this little fella in the canal next to Great World City.

little heron

Spotted!

a spotted dove at the Botanic Gardens

A Bee in the Bonnet

If this keeps up, should I start a bird blog? Hmm...

radjah shelduck

whitebreasted waterhen

black swans

A Walk in the Park

Tired of being cooped up at home and not actually getting any work done, I took my new camera for a walk. Sunday afternoons are busy periods for the Botanic Gardens, but it was still possible to find some peace and quiet there. It felt good to be out in the sunshine, amongst God's creatures, and then some... (yes it is possible to get weary of fine dining...)

the eponymous residents of Swan Lake (mute swans, sadly named)

"Hmm, I wonder if that's edible..." (pink-necked green pigeon)

"Sometimes one needs to get off the treadmill of life and do some contemplating...y-up..."

He may have a short neck but... (radjah shelduck)

... the girls still flock to him. (ok I'm kidding - those are lesser whistling ducks)

Hey, where's Wally?

not quite birdsong

and then the light faded...

time to head on home

What I wouldn't give to live this close to nature on a daily basis. Ah well, a stint in Ubud will have to do.

(here are more pix of the Botanic Gardens, from a previous visit.)