Nature-Singapore: 3. Ferns and orchids growing on wayside trees
The story of ferns and orchids growing on the trunks and branches of our wayside trees is a sort of love-hate relationship. Staghorn Ferns growing along the trunk of a jungle tree at the southern boundary of the Bukit Timah … Continued
Nature-Singapore: 2. Killer fig trees
Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina), Peradeniya Botanic Gardens, Sri Lanka. Of the many fig species found in Singapore, three are common stranglers that cause problems to our wayside trees. These are the Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamina) (above), the Bodhi Tree (F. … Continued
Birding trip ( October 2022 ) to Warrnambool, Australia
During this trip I was fortunate to meet about 27 interesting bird species, some commonly seen, some rarely seen. The birds were seen in the vicinity of Warrnambool, Port Fairy which I visited on a very wet day and around … Continued
Two-striped Telamonia ( Telamonia dimidiata)
Soh Kam Yung spotted a two-striped Telamonia, Telamonia dimidiata, at Pasir Ris Park on 10 Dec 2022. A common jumping spider; this one was willing to stay relatively still while these shots (Images 1 – 4) were being taken. On … Continued
Nature-Singapore: 1. Singapore? In harmony with nature?
Singapore? In Harmony with Nature? In 1990 I was invited to Kuala Lumpur to deliver a talk to the Malayan Nature Society audience. The title was “Singapore? In harmony with Nature?”. It was a hilarious talk. Singapore was teeming with … Continued
Buff-rumped Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tristis) Nest Building
I saw a pair of Buff-rumped Woodpecker (Meiglyptes tristis) on 7th February 2023 at a forest reserve outside of Ipoh (see image 1). This section of the forest has been partly logged decades ago, with strong re-growth and primary forest on … Continued
Puff-throated Babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps) Nest Building
It was a dark morning at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve on 9th February 2023 but I decided to visit as this, now threatened green lung, that stretches from near Papan to Chemor has an enormous diversity of bird life. … Continued
Montane Birds that Visit the Lowlands
There are some montane species that often visit the lowlands, flying long distances to feed at fruiting trees. Two that I am familiar with are the Mountain Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula badia) and the Little Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia ruficeps). I saw … Continued
Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) Call Behaviour
I arrived very early at the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, Perak on 2nd February 2023; it was still dark at 7.00am. There was a male Large-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus macrurus) calling out while perched on the electrical wires, with some street … Continued
Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker (Prionochilus percussus) collecting spider webs for nest construction
I was at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve on 30th January 2023 when I spotted this female Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker (Prionochilus percussus) collecting spider webs for nest construction. It was not looking for spider prey. It would extend the body forward, open … Continued
