The above paper has just been published. A PDF copy is available HERE.

Birding can be said to have originated in mid-1960s when British birders mist-netted and ringed birds as part of the Migratory Animal Pathological Survey that was then based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The survey was scientific in nature, and the activity yielded important information on bird migration, breeding and moulting data.

When the survey ended, Ng Soon Chye continued ringing activities at the old Serangoon Sludge Treatment Works from 1975-76. There was loose group of birdwatchers then, mostly members of the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch). But it was only about a decade later when Clive Briffett and Chris Hails formed a Bird Group that birdwatching really took off. Clive and Chris tried to encourage birdwatchers to not just look at birds, but observe them as well. They were trying to inject a little science in the local birdwatching scene.

In the 1990s, locals took over the running of the group. Being insular and without the support of expatriate birders who had overseas exposure, the group ended up just looking at birds. Most of our birdwatchers are now great at identifying birds in the field. However, as Slim Sreedharan, once said, regional birders tend to “learn more and more about less and less”.

The arrival of digital bird photographers around 2000s totally changed the equation. Aggressive and persistent, they were suddenly thrust at the forefront of birdwatching to the extent that traditional birders, although initially suspicious of them, are now aggressively courting them for their sighting information and excellent images.

KC Tsang (left) still brings his binoculars when in the field, but most of the time uses his digital camera to record bird behaviour. He is a regularly contributor to this weblog.

The Bird Ecology Study Group has been working closely with photographers for the last few years. We showcase their observations and later publish (1, 2) their findings in scientific journals to make the information easily available to one and all.

So birding in Singapore has come full circle. It started as a scientific activity, became a purely recreational activity and now, science has once again returned to birdwatching.

The white-stemmed button vine (Cissus hastate) is a herbaceous plant with 4-angled stem that is narrowly winged (left). It climbs with the help of its reddish tendrils, scrambling over low vegetation and tall trees, to dangle down from the high branches. The leaves are simple, with an arrow-shaped base that narrows to a pointed tip. The small flowers are in bunches borne along the stem, developing into round berries that turn black on ripening.

Fruiting is profuse, attracting fruit-eating birds like Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis), Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum), Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) and Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) (bottom, clockwise from top left).

This prolific climber can be made to scramble up trees as it adds to the aesthetics with its dangling stems bearing flowers and fruits. Grown in rural areas, the plant would attract many other bird species.

In early August 2008, Lee Tiah Khee witnessed something most birders fail to notice. He was monitoring a pair of Brown-capped Woodpecker (Dendrocopus moluccensis), also known as Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker, when he saw the chick fell out of the nesting cavity (left top).

It was around noon when this unfortunate incident happened. One of the adult responded but there was nothing it could do. The chick tried flying but ended on the ground below the nest (left bottom). The adults were vocalising loudly, possibly encouraging the chick on.

The chick tried hard to climb back to the nest cavity, clawing up the nearby wall. Later it found its way up a tree, managing to climb half way up, calling for its parents all the time (below).

Tiah Khee returned to the site that evening and found the chick clinging to a tree trunk by the nesting tree. An adult flew past it and went to the nest opening to feed the other chick.

Birdlings regularly fall out of their nests. Sometimes they are pushed out by their older siblings. Other times they may try to fledge before they are ready and land on the ground. Usually they can look after themselves, flying short distances before becoming more proficient in flight.

People should refrain from picking fallen chicks and bringing them home. If necessary, pick them up and place them somewhere above the ground, away from stray cats, etc. The adults will invariably return to feed and care for them.

This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.

“Just sharing a picture of a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradisus) with his breakfast - a praying mantis. It was captured after a spectacular mid-air battle between the predator and prey.”

Like other drongos, this bird is basically an insectivore - a sallying, substrate-gleaning insectivore.

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The Pacific Reef Egret (Egretta sacra), also known as Eastern Reef-egret, is an uncommon resident in Singapore. It has been spotted on and off in storm canals, rivers, mangroves, etc. over the past years.

On 31st August the egret was again spotted foraging in a canal and photographed by Mark Chua. This egret is polymorphic, with white and dark grey morphs. The bird spotted is obviously a dark grey morph.

It feeds alone or in pairs, by day or night depending on the tide. Its food is mainly crabs and fish, less often molluscs, insects and lizards. It has also been reported to take tern chicks or force adult terns to regurgitate prey (Martinez-Vilalta & Motis, 1992).

There were a few unconfirmed reports of breeding over the past years. The only confirmed sighting of breeding was on 26th April 1998 at the Anak Bukom heronry (Wells, 2007).

References:
1. Martinez-Vilalta, A. & A. Motis, 1992. Family Ardeidae (Herons)]. In del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J. Sargatal (eds.), Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 1. Ostrich to ducks. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp. 376-429.
2. Wells, D.R. (2007). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London.