A Lesser Big Year - for Kit&Herman 2020

[Kitsafari]

136: Little Tern, Pasir Ris Canal

 

This was one of the days I brought only my binos, and gosh, was I glad I didn't bring the camera to distract me. The little tern hovered right in front of me above the river, waiting to pounce down for a fish. Without the camera to distract me, I watched in awe and admiration at such beauty - the sun shining through its wings and tails as its white body shimmered. I could swear there was a feathered angel right in front of me! But we all missed the chance to get great shots of those split seconds,and thereafter we were just chasing the white body flying past us and teasing us. 

This is one of two resident tern species but only comes inland once in a while, we suspect, when it is nesting. 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

137 : Pin-tailed Whydah, Punggol Barat

 

The pin-tailed whyday of Africa has embraced Singapore as a home! It keeps appearing once a year when it does its courtship dances, and entertains us. We think there's  more than one male; last year (or was it the year before?) there were 2 males.

 

female: 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Kitsafari

[PeterHG]

A wonderful set of additions with so many great photos! Those vinous-breasted Starlings are really beautiful.

[Galana]

Welcome back. Loved the Little Tern and Starlings. What;s Netflix?

[Soukous]

Lovely Plaintive Cuckoo and Vinous-breasted Starlings

[Soukous]

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

gosh, was I glad I didn't bring the camera to distract me.

 

Luckily Herman had brought his camera

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful shots of the Tern and the Whydahs!

[TonyQ]

Beautiful additions. The photos of the Cisticola are superb!

[xelas]

Beautiful birds, Netflix can not compete with them!

[Kitsafari]

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

 

we were back at Jurong Lake gardens yesterday, and the plaintive cuckoo was out again, entertaining us with its lilting calls. I thought I'd share it here. (try to shut out that loud woman's voice in the background!) 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

And some shots of birds already in the count and other creatures seen:

 

 

[Kitsafari]

On 7/19/2020 at 11:44 PM, Soukous said:

 

Luckily Herman had brought his camera

 

 

absolutely! better he than me since his photos are superior to mine. (good excuse for me - heh)

[Kitsafari]

138 : Banded Woodpecker, Baker Street

 

Found from Thailand through Malaysia down to Java and to Borneo, it is an uncommon resident in Singapore, not easy to see and found mainly in wooded areas. This particular one was nesting, so it made regular appearances.

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

139 : Rufous Woodpecker, Changi Business Park

 

Another uncommon resident in Singapore, it is seen mainly in forested/ wooded parks. It is distributed from Indian sub-continent to southern China, through southeast Asia and greater Sunda islands. 

 

[Kitsafari]

140 : Asian Golden Weaver, Tampines Eco-Green

 

this is an introduced species to Singapore but has settled down and have bred for many years. It looks like Africa's golden backed weavers which have also become resident breeders here, except the black covers only the face of the Asian golden weaver, and not the whole head as that in the African species. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

141 : Dark-necked tailorbird, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

a common resident in Singapore, this tailorbird is almost indistinguishable from the common tailorbird except for the dark breast. 

 

adult

 

juvenile

[Galana]

Good to see you still active. Loved the Plaintive Cuckoo sequence. Sounds like it needed a drop of oil! (and that lady needed to wear her mask tighter!)

Nice Woodpeckers.

[Kitsafari]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

Good to see you still active. Loved the Plaintive Cuckoo sequence. Sounds like it needed a drop of oil! (and that lady needed to wear her mask tighter!)

Nice Woodpeckers.

 

 

i thought that lady needed mufflers over her mouth! 

[Kitsafari]

142 : Black-naped tern, Pasir Ris Park

 

The black naped tern is an uncommon resident and nationally endangered, so it is great that it is breeding. A bit of history tied to Great Britain - it was one of the bird species identified and named by Stamford Raffles in 1822. sadlym, its breeding sites have been slowly destroyed, hence the declining numbers. 

 

 

Adult feeding juves

[Kitsafari]

143 : Mute Swan, SIngapore Botanic Gardens

 

No introduction needed surely

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

144 : Milky Stork, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserves

 

This is an endangered wading bird in Southeast Asia, although those in Singapore parks came from the bird park but has been breeding among themselves as well as creating hybrids with the more widespread cousins = the painted storks.

 

[Kitsafari]

145 : Pied Imperial Pigeon, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

This is an introduced but long-staying resident pigeon. A large bird and not commonly seen, the pied pigeon is found in the Nicobar Islands to New GUinea and Australia. it is quite a regal bird - quite fitting for a title imperial pigeon!

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

146 : Monk Parakeet, Pasir Ris Park

 

The monk parakeets were far from their native homes in South America, but since they were forced to live in cages and survived after escaping, they have adapted and done fairly well in Singapore. There is a nesting colony at the top of a floodlight in the eastern part of Singapore. 

 

[elefromoz]

@Kitsafari, goodness you have been busy since you turned off Netflix, it's so easy to get caught up and binge those series. You've been rewarded though with all those nice Birds, great photos too.

[PeterHG]

 Beautiful additions! I love the sound of that Cuckoo.