Well… after a few months planning on our way and a very, very long flight to Singapore … and as I still remember it – what an incredible place to visit!! Despite all the urbanisation, the traffic and high rise skyscrapers …. Nature and wildlife is all around you and you can’t help feeling its a real shame that some cities don’t follow Singapore’s blueprint instead of fighting Nature just go with with it… make concessions for it … and most of all enjoy it!!! Singapore really is a place where you can’t help admiring what the authorities have done to help Nature and I think Nature has reciprocated and made people happier – it certainly is a place to wonder at and enjoy. In this report I am just going to mention the highlights of our trip not a day to day account.
5th Jan; A short walk round the hotel and nearby local area produced a nice little list and also we got caught up in a massive localised thunderstorm that produced some of the loudest thunder I have ever heard !!!
Birds seen included the following
Eastern Sptd Dove: Hotel Grnds
Ring-tailed Parakeet Parakeet: Hotel Grnds
Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker: Hotel Grnds
Yellow Vented Bulbul: Hotel Grnds
Common Myna: Hotel Grnds
Blue-Tailed B/Eater: Hotel Grnds
Collared Kingfisher: Canal walk
Brahminy Kite: Canal Walk
Tree Sparrow: Canal Walk
6th Jan; Our first full day in Singapore; the weather outside was really sultry and humid -what a change from Manchester. The first birds I saw this morning were Blue-tailed Bee-eaters hawking for food just outside our balcony-completely surreal. Today was going to be great as we were going to one of Singapore’s iconic attractions. This was one place that I was really looking forward to taking my Mrs to, as she loves her garden, flowers and plants so the Orchid Gardens were a must!! And the gardens didn’t disappoint. It is one of those places you can literally get lost in for a day and still go back on your next visit and find something else to marvel over. The garden’s themselves are immaculate and urban birding is at its best with surprises around every corner with birds such as Hornbills,Sunbirds, Kingfishers Bee-eaters and I didn’t include Butterflies and Lizards especially the Water Monitors that can grow to over 5 feet – but they are harmless. As I mentioned earlier don’t forget the Orchid gardens … although the gardens are free there is a small entrance fee for the Orchid gardens –but it is well worth it and the orchids are stunning!!
The bird list was getting better with some amazing sightings today !
House Crow: Hotel Gnds
Asian Koel: Hotel Grnds
White B’d Sea Eagle: Hotel Grnds
Red Junglefowl: Botanic Gardens
C’smith Barbet: Botanic Gardens
Blk Naped Oriole: Botanic Gardens
Himalayan Swiftlet: Botanic Gardens
Crimson Sunbird: Botanic Gardens
CommonTailor Bird: Botanic Gardens
Olive Bkd Sunbird: Botanic Gardens
Bluethroated Bee-eater Botanic Gardens
Malaysian Fantail: Botanic Gardens
Ort. MagpieRobin: Botanic Gardens
WhiteBrstd W’hen: Botanic Gardens
WhiteBrstd K’fisher: Botanic Gardens
