One sometimes assumes that in order to birdwatch in Singapore, one has to go to Sungei Buloh, Lorong Halus or somewhere away from the urban sprawl. However, nature has a habit of surprising us.

On 16 February 2003, I decided to explore an area just 5 minutes' walk from my house. When I was growing up, the place was a cemetery but today, the graves have long since been exhumed and the area slated for redevelopment. A few years elapsed between the exhumation and the start of redevelopment, allowing the trees and vegetation to take over the area. But recently, an access road was constructed and the place is now a construction site, with excavators and other vehicles making daily appearances. The swathe of land cleared to allow for work access provided good views of the trees on the site.

The 16th was a Sunday and it was the evening so the site was quiet. I proceeded to a public road that runs alongside one edge of the site and separated by a canal. A Little Egret was fishing in the canal. I scanned the canal and noticed a Common Kingfisher perched on a wooden post (aren't they always?). This was an exciting find. I looked around and noticed a White-breasted Kingfisher on a far tree as well. Then I saw a black shape flying into a tree. On closer inspection, it was a Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo entering a nest! By then, the light was fading rapidly but I knew I would be returning to this place very often!

Common Kingfisher

On 22 February 2003, Saturday morning, and before work (sigh I have to work alternate Saturdays), I popped down again. This was the most amazing 30 minutes of birding I've had for some time.

On my side of the road (i.e. across the canal would be the 'other side'), in a tree, there were a pair of Laced Woodpeckers! I clumsily struggled with my camera equipment but they flew off soon after. I then went to photograph the Drongo nest but before I could attach my cable release for a sharper picture, both parents landed next to the nest! I pulled off a hasty shot but have never seen both parents in such a pose again. The light was still relatively dim.

GRT Drongos - both adults at nest

Dollarbird showing the underwing 'silver dollar'

Then suddenly, a pair of Dollarbirds came into view. Their performance provided me with an uncommon glimpse of the underwing 'silver dollar' that gives the bird its name. They were then followed by the unmistakable eeeep eeeep eeep sounds of the Common Flameback. A pair showed up but proved hard to photograph as I ended up with several obstructed shots (they enjoy being on the opposite site of the tree for some reason). Fortunately, I was treated to a good show by a pair of Rufous Woodpeckers, whom I first saw around my place passing through (I assume they're the same pair).

Apart from these 'star attractions', there were also several noisy Red-breasted Parakeets and Tanimbar Corellas. These guys also pass through my estate in the mornings and I guess familiarity breeds contempt.

Unfortunately, it was time to leave for work, but in 30 minutes, I had seen 5 'good' species (from the same position) and they all came in pairs!

Rufous Woodpeckers - The male is in the background (bit of red above his eye)

Subsequent visits gave views of other more common birds - Black-naped Oriole, Magpie Robins (group of 4), Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pink-necked Pigeon and Spotted Dove. Pacific Swallows could be seen overhead. Nothing spectacular, so I didn't make this spot a priority after that. The only attraction was probably waiting for the Drongo babies.

17 Mar 2003
I visited the place again in the evening. I had a fruitless previous weekend looking for the purple and copper throated sunbirds. To my surprise, I saw a raptor apparently giving chase to a small bird in the area. A security guard approached me and told me 'Eagle'. I scanned the area with my binoculars and… well, it was a jaw-dropping experience.

Changeable Hawk-Eagles. One adult in nest, the other adult in a nearby tree and of course, baby!

19 Mar 2003
Finding some time to sneak in birding before going to work, I went back to look at the nest. More of the same as the baby didn't really give me a good view. While waiting, a little bird landed on a branch in a tree next to me. Coppersmith Barbet. I did not have a flash with me but I snapped some shots anyway. Then on the way back to the car, I heard the Dollarbirds again and one of them flew right into a tree.

Noticed a few Blue-throated Bee-eaters flying around as well

Dollarbird in hole in tree :)

22 Mar 2003
I went back and had my first glimpse of the Drongo baby in rather bad light.

I then proceeded to check out the Hawk-eagle's nest, a pair of Coppersmith Barbets appeared at the same tree. Again, I didn't have my flash with me. But what's up with these Barbets? I was already suspecting nesting activity, but I had to go to work.

Adult Drongo feeding baby

Coppersmith Barbet - Why is this guy hanging around?

23 Mar 2003 (am and pm)
Surmised that the Coppersmith Barbets were nesting in the tree next to where I would observe the Hawk-eagles.

Also noticed a flock of Scaly-breasted Munias (all adults - the BG guys seem to be all juvenile).

A fellow Pigeon-holer was informed and he turned up with his big glass in the evening. The Barbet was still returning to the tree. While trying in my usual inept manner to tell him where exactly the Dollarbird tree was, I stumbled upon a long-tailed Parakeet doing the nesting thing as well

Coppersmith Barbet doing house cleaning

Scaly-breasted Munias. 2 more landed and the whole stalk bent out of view

Long-tailed Parakeet doing the nesting thing.

Of course, the 'star' of the show was the Hawk-eagle and the adult was again seen in the nest with the baby. While waiting for the Hawk-eagle, a Magpie Robin decided to take a bath in the canal and a Pied Fantail appeared. I had seen it previously but because it was brown (my impression of it was a black and white bird) I just couldn't figure it out.

Fellow Pigeon-holer also provided useful ID on all those noisy green birds. Specifically, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Rainbow Lorikeets (in addition to the Red-breasted and Long-tailed Parakeets sighted earlier).

Magpie Robin having a bath in front of us while we waited for the Hawk-eagle

Pied Fantail - brown in colour?

Without warning (or at least we couldn't figure how he/she got in there), we noticed the adult together with the baby. The wind was noticeable and the branches were swaying to the extent that one had to time the shot to the sway of the branches otherwise the birds would have been blocked.

28 March 2003

I went down before work at 7.30 am. Noticed many hungry beaks sticking out of the nest! The remaining chicks must have come out over the week. Started photographing in the dim light. When I examined the photos later they revealed a total of 3 chicks in that tiny little nest. When the first chick was born, the adult would still return to sit in the nest so I guessed there were still unhatched eggs remaining. I'm glad I was right. Suddenly, a Brahminy Kite swoops past carrying prey. I get very good views through the binoculars. If its flying that low, it could be coming in for a landing nearby. A Kite nest nearby? A tantalising thought.

Unfortunately at 8 am, a piling machine situated on the canal between the nest tree and myself started up, scaring the adults away. The piling machine must've moved into that position the last few days; definitely wasn't there on my visit the previous week. The sad thought that all this will not be here next year crosses my mind again. As a further reminder of man's incursion into nature, a trailer carrying long concrete beams rumbles past the tree along the carved out access road.

Sensing mum's approach, the babies pop out and open their beaks wide

I packed up and moved to take a look at the Changeable Hawk-eagle. Baby was in the nest and I saw the adult fly in again. It flew off and returned again with a branch. Was it doing nest renovations? It then flew behind and continued making its wheee-wheee-wheee whistle-like call. Snapped a few pictures of the Coppersmith Barbet peering out of its tree trunk nest while I was at it.

Returned in the evening and got slightly better light to shoot those hungry Drongo babies

29 Mar 2003

IPPT in the morning. Got my $200 from the SAF and went again in the late morning. Met fellow Pigeon-holer there.

Watch the Drongoes feeding and the angle seemed good for a Barbet shot with blue sky, so I get a few good pics. The angle was tough though. Saw Pacific Swallows in the canal basin picking at stuff. Was informed that they were most likely obtaining materials for nest.

A little Egret was wandering around the canal too so I decided to have a go at composing a nice shot.

5-10 April 2003

Went back and the Baby Drongoes have flown. Adults were seen flying around as well. I'm really happy for them, hope they have a long and fruitful life :) The usual suspects are still around, including the Changeable Hawk-eagle baby which is putting on some colour as well.

11 April 2003

In preparation for Saturday, I decided to recce after work a wooded area near adjoining the construction site. I remembered that there was actually a road into the old cemetery and a shrine there and I had cycled in once when I was a little kid. The start of the road is still there and proceeded in. Spooked a Cattle Egret which flew off. Soon the road became overgrown and I chained by bike to a tree and proceeded in on foot. To my surprise a flock of White-crested Laughingthrushes made an appearance. They were more skittish than the gregarious bunch at BBNP but I managed a record shot.

Exploring further I didn't see much. Starlings, Black-naped Oriole, with Waterhens heard very clearly. Evenings are generally less fruitful than mornings.

On the way out, I passed again the area I sighted the Laughingthrushes and suddenly a pair of Lineated Barbets flew past and hopped from tree to tree. I managed to get just one shot of them together in difficult conditions. Then they hopped onto a branch different above me giving me 'backside' shots which weren't that aesthetically pleasing :)

Anyway, it the light was fading and I fed a <lot> of mosquitoes despite killing a fair number. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

12 April 2003

Spotted additional GRT Drongoes and another eagle-like nest except that it seemed on the small side. Nest was uninhabited as far as we would tell. Did not see the Lineated Barbets again, but spotted Collared and White-breasted Kingfishers nearby. The White-breasted was kind enough to let me watch from a distance as it dove off its perch to catch insects. It would then return to it perch and bash the insect against the perch before swallowing.

Changeable Hawk-eagle baby was trying to flap its wings. Expect it to venture out to the branches of the tree soon.

First sighting of the Coppersmith Barbet baby. Have to reshoot because I focused on the adult's backside and not the baby (hard to focus because the baby only popped out for a brief moment - but now I have a better idea of where its head is going to be)

13 April 2003

Returned in the morning before church to try and get better shots of the Barbet. Better but with plenty of room for improvement. Rained heavily in the afternoon so no chance to return.

Common Kingfisher
White-breasted Kingfisher
Collared Kingfisher
Little Egret
GRT Drongo (2) ++

Laced Woodpecker (2)
Common Flameback (2)
Rufous Woodpecker (2)
Dollarbird (2)
Black-naped Oriole (3)
Magpie Robin (4)

Blue-throated Bee-eaters (2+)
Changeable Hawk-eagle

Coppersmith Barbet (2)
Lineated Barbet (2)

Little Heron

Pied Fantail

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Scaly-breasted Munias

Pacific Swallow

Red-breasted Parakeets

Tanimbar Corella (2)

Rainbow Lorikeets
Long-tailed Parakeets
Rose-ringed Parakeets