Category Archives: Birds

A mini comparison of RAW photos development

I recently downloaded a trial version of DxO PhotoLab 8 to explore its capabilities and compare it to my current RAW file converter, Adobe Lightroom Classic, along with the camera manufacturers’ own RAW converters. For this comparison, I used RAW files from five different camera bodies, all of which I have owned at some point.

Test Objective

The primary goal of this test is to evaluate the colour and tonality of each processed images. Since I frequently shoot using auto-ISO, my exposure settings can vary. To ensure a fairer comparison, I made necessary adjustments to only exposure, colour temperature, and tint. Other than cropping (done in Lightroom for consistency) and applying noise reduction for some DxO PhotoLab’s processed images, I avoided additional edits like contrast correction, highlight recovery, saturation boosts, or any others to keep the comparisons straightforward.

These adjustments reflect my personal taste, and everyone’s preferences for colour and tonal balance may differ. The conclusions here are hence purely my own. You also can download the zipped file at the end of this article to view all the processed files and form your own opinions.

Theese comparisons are organised by camera models.

Canon EOS 1DX Mark II

This is the oldest camera in this comparison. For Adobe Lightroom, I used both the Adobe Color profile and a custom colour profile. For comparison, I used Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (DPP) with the Fine Detail Picture Style, and DxO PhotoLab 8 with its default camera profile.

Pink-necked Green Pigeon

Black-backed Kingfisher

King Quail

Nikon D500

The second-oldest camera in this comparison. For Adobe Lightroom, I used both the Adobe Color profile and the Camera Neutral profile. For comparison, I used Nikon NX Studio with the Neutral Picture Control, and DxO PhotoLab 8 with its default camera profile. The Camera Neutral profile in Adobe Lightroom closely matches Nikon’s in-camera Neutral Picture Control in NX Studio.

Thick-billed Green Pigeon

Black-naped Oriole

Tiger Shrike

Sony A9

This camera is often considered challenging in terms of colour rendering. However, with the right adjustments to colour balance (temperature and tint), it can produce good results with the right software. For Adobe Lightroom, I used both the Adobe Color profile and a custom colour profile. For comparison, I used Sony Imaging Edge Desktop with the Standard Creative Look, and DxO PhotoLab 8 with its default camera profile.

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Straw-headed Bulbul

Coconut Lorikeet

Canon R5

This is my underutilised backup camera, and I haven’t taken many photos with it. For Adobe Lightroom, I used both the Adobe Color profile and a custom colour profile. For comparison, I used Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (DPP) with the Fine Detail Picture Style, and DxO PhotoLab 8 with its default camera profile.

Stork-billed Kingfisher

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Narcissus Flycatcher

Sony A1

This is my current main camera. For Adobe Lightroom, I used both the Adobe Color profile and a custom colour profile. For comparison, I used Sony Imaging Edge Desktop with the Standard Creative Look, and DxO PhotoLab 8 with its default camera profile.

Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot

Blue-eared Kingfisher

Rufous-tailed Tailorbird

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager

Discussion

Processing 17 images using four different methods each has been quite a challenge. While some images could be tweaked for better results, I’ve imposed a deadline for this review. I chose more challenging images with varying dynamic range, exposure, and colour balance issues across several camera models. For the more contrasty scenes, I chose to keep the scene a bit underexposed so as not to have too much highlights blown out, so as not to overly penalise the converters that have a higher contrast starting point.

After reviewing the images, my initial impression is that getting colour temperature, tint, and exposure within an acceptable range is more crucial than the choice of RAW converter itself. In the end, the final conversions are not ALL that different from each other in feel to be honest, although I have clear favourites.

The manufacturers’ software offers good colour and tonality as expected, but their controls can be unintuitive and lack the ability to easily revert experimental changes, although the RAW files remain unaffected. Despite these limitations, they provide a solid starting point for further processing.

DxO PhotoLab produces consistently pleasing results. While I can’t measure what the “correct” colours are in this comparison, the outcomes look natural and satisfying. I’m quite impressed with DxO’s feature set, particularly its RAW conversion, denoising, and lens correction capabilities. It’s a mature software package, and I can see myself using it for more challenging conversions.

Adobe Lightroom conversions, particularly with the Adobe Color profile, don’t excite me. This profile is too contrasty in many situation although that can be adjusted. It seems to have trouble with rendering very saturated colours that are present in some birds, regardless of contrast adjustments. However, for the Nikon D500, I’m content with the Camera Neutral profile.

Ultimately, colour and tone preferences are personal, and what works for one person may not work for another. Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop dominate the RAW conversion space, and most users are satisfied with their rendering, so perhaps my dissatisfaction is more of a “me” issue.

If you’re curious, you can download the original processed files in zip format for closer inspection here (48.5Mb).

A short guide for new birders in Singapore – 2024

Welcome to the World of Birding!

Firstly, welcome to the exciting world of birding! Birding in Singapore offers a unique experience. Despite its small size, Singapore boasts rich biodiversity, giving birders the chance to encounter an impressive variety of species. The island’s size, combined with its excellent infrastructure, makes it easy to reach birding locations anywhere quickly. The comparatively large birding community, and advanced tools for sharing bird information, further enhance the experience. Not only is it easy to find and photograph birds, but it’s also easy to connect with like-minded people in the community.

1. Choosing the Right Equipment

One of the biggest challenges for new bird photographers is deciding what gear to invest in. A camera that can shoot birds from a distance is essential, but this doesn’t mean you need the most expensive gear to start.

  • Camera Options: For beginners, starting with an affordable, easy-to-use camera is wise. The Sony RX10 IV, though compact, provides excellent mobility and decent zoom (up to 600mm equivalent). It’s user-friendly and produces high-quality images in good light. For those willing to invest more, an APS-C mirrorless camera like the Canon R7, paired with the RF 200-800mm lens, offers greater versatility and range. Another option is the Sony A6700 with a 200-600mm lens. These combinations allow room for upgrades as you progress in your photography journey. Lastly if budget is a severe constraint but you still want an interchangeable lens camera system, consider buying a pre-owned Nikon D500 coupled with the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 200-500mm zoom lens.
  • Lens Focal Length: The lens is arguably the most important part of your bird photography kit. For distant birds, a telephoto lens with at least a 300mm focal length is the bare minimum. More focal length is always welcome, but bear in mind that longer telephoto lenses tend to be heavier and harder to carry during long walks. A focal length between 500-600mm is a good sweet spot for many wild birds.
  • Tripods and Monopods: Stability is crucial, especially when using heavy telephoto lenses. A tripod can be useful when photographing birds in one location for extended periods, while a monopod is more portable and helpful for tracking birds on the move. Consider more affordable brands like Benro, Sirui and Leofoto for your first tripod/monopod. The overall weight of your camera and lens determine the optimal setup.
  • Binoculars: Even if you’re primarily interested in bird photography, a good pair of binoculars, such as the Nikon MONARCH M5 8×42 series, is invaluable. Binoculars help you locate birds and study their behaviour from a distance before deciding on the perfect shot.

2. Bird Identification

After spotting or photographing a bird, how do you know what species it is? Fortunately in 2024, there are several excellent resources that can assist you.

  • Merlin Bird ID App: This free app is a fantastic resource for identifying birds using photos or song recordings. It’s especially useful for beginners who may not be familiar with bird species. You can download it here.
  • Online Birding Communities: Facebook groups like Bird Sightings or Telegram groups (here or here) dedicated to birdwatching are great platforms for connecting with fellow birders. These communities can assist with identification, birding tips, and local sightings. Additionally, as you know more birding friends, you may get added to private WhatsApp groups that discuss sightings in smaller, more focused settings.
  • Books and Field Guides: Once you’ve identified around 80-100 birds, I recommend investing in a field guide. Before that, you can pretty much rely on the community for assistance. Once your each that number, I think it’s time to learn more comprehensively about the birds, and field guides are excellent learning material, if a bit dated with many other free online sites available for basically the same function. A good review can be found here

3. Other Resources for Birds

  • eBird: eBird is your best friend when it comes to discovering rare bird sightings in Singapore, finding popular birding locations, and recording your own sightings. You can find it here.
  • Birds of Singapore website: This website provides a comprehensive account of all wild bird species in Singapore. It includes photos, descriptions, and links to external resources. Visit Birds of Singapore for more information.
  • Xeno-canto: A great resource for bird sound recordings. You can access it here.

4. Learning Bird Photography and Camera Settings

Technical mastery is key in bird and wildlife photography, as birds are fast-moving subjects often found in challenging lighting conditions. Here are a few tips:

  • Shutter Speed: For perched birds, a speed of 1/500 sec is often enough. For birds in flight, 1/2000 sec is a good starting point and you adjust lower or higher depending on the speed and distance of the bird. Burst mode helps capture multiple frames in quick succession.
  • Aperture: A wide aperture (low f-stop) like f/4 or f/5.6 helps create a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and making the bird stand out. Use the widest aperture available for most shots unless specific needs arise.
  • ISO: Lower ISOs (e.g., ISO 100-400) yield better image quality with less noise. However, in low light, increase ISO to maintain a viable shutter speed. Most modern cameras handle higher ISOs well, so don’t be afraid to push it to ISO 800 or higher if needed.
  • Autofocus: Continuous autofocus (AF-C or AI Servo) is recommended for moving subjects. Many cameras have subject-tracking modes that help the camera lock onto and follow a bird’s movements. If you camera comes with bird subject detection mode, use the “Wide” or “Zone” settings, but in trickier conditions, learn to quickly switch to single focus point for manual subject detection.
Coppersmith Barbet at Ghim Moh Link

Coppersmith Barbet breeding pair at Ghim Moh Link. Settings: 840mm, 1/500s, f/5.6, ISO 500

5. Learning the Basics of Composition

Composition elevates your photos from snapshots to compelling images. Here are just a few tips that may help

  • Backgrounds: Pay attention to the background. A clean, uncluttered background helps the bird stand out. Changing your angle slightly can make a big difference.
  • Action Shots: Capture moments of movement, like birds taking off, feeding, or interacting with their environment. These moments bring life to your photos and tell a story.
  • Eyes in Focus: The eye should always be sharp and in focus. The viewer naturally connects with the eyes of the bird, so having them clear and focused makes for a more engaging image.
  • Use of Light: Lighting is critical to any type of photography, including bird photography. Soft, natural light (early morning or late afternoon) is ideal for bird photography as it casts a warm glow, enhances colours, and reduces harsh shadows. Also be aware of the position of the sun, as that also determine the quality of the light.
  • Negative Space: This refers to the area around your subject. In bird photography, leaving a larger portion of the frame empty is often preferable than a frame filling shot. Sometimes you may want to show the environment in which the bird reside, and therefore the bird should only be a smaller part of the frame.
  • Perspective and Angles: Try varying your shooting angle to change the feel of your photograph. Shoot at eye-level with the bird for a more intimate perspective, or shoot from below for a more majestic or imposing view.

6. Post-Processing Tips

Editing your photos is important, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start simple:

  • Basic Edits: Programs like Photoshop, Lightroom, or Capture One are popular among photographers coming from other photographic genre, but beginners to photography can start with the software provided by your camera manufacturer. Begin with the simplest edits—cropping for better composition. Adjusting exposure, colour balance and contrast can significantly improve the final result too. Just avoid over-editing.
  • RAW vs JPEG: If you’re new, shoot in JPEG, as the camera processes the images for you. As you progress, perhaps switch to RAW for more detailed, flexible editing. Please understand that for the majority of bird photographers, JPEGs are sufficient for high quality photos. It is after all a steep learning curve to learn how to process a RAW file to exceed the quality of the in-camera JPEG.
Adult Black-winged Stilt at Tuas South

Black-winged Stilt at Tuas South. Settings: 600mm, 1/800s, f/4.0, ISO 250

7. Where to Go Birding in Singapore

The birding community you join will guide you to the best spots for birdwatching. However, if you’re just want to photograph a few birds quickly, here are a few beginner-friendly locations:

  • Parks and Gardens:. Depending on where you stay, there is always a suitable birding site nearby. Try Jurong Lake Gardens if you stay in the west, Pasir Ris Park if you stay in the east and Singapore Botanic Gardens if you are looking for a more central location. Look out for garden birds like sunbirds, flowerpeckers, orioles, ioras, cuckoos, crakes, junglefowls and a whole lot more in these popular spots.
  • Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve: This location is perfect for shorebirds and migratory species, especially during migration seasons.
  • Windsor Nature Park: Located next to our largest nature reserve, you’ll find more forest birds in location, including bulbuls, parrots, woodpeckers, barbets, owls and others
  • Singapore’s Abandoned Quarries: Singapore Quarry and Hindhede Quarry are great places for photographing kingfishers, eagles, swiftlets, and bee-eaters.

8. Advice

  • Be mindful: It’s OK to be excited about a bird you have never seen before. But look at where you are walking to avoid hazard. Look at where the rest of the bird photographers are positioned, so as not to block anyone’s views. Observe where the experienced photographers are placing themselves, because they are likely to have found a better shooting position. Don’t just simply shoot the bird at first sight unless you think it’s flying away in an instant. Observe their behaviour, understand them to anticipate what they are going to do next.
  • Gear Acquisition Syndrome: As you improve, beware of the desire to constantly upgrade your gear. It’s an expensive path, so be mindful of your purchases.
  • Social Media: Posting your bird photos on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be rewarding, but it’s too easy to get caught up in the chase for likes, follows and shares. Balance your time spent online with time spent enjoying the hobby.
  • Travel: Singapore’s bird species are only a small fraction of the world’s birdlife. Consider travelling to broaden your experience and deepen your appreciation of the world (and birding).
  • Passion Over Clout and Profit: Pursue it for the love of the hobby and the joy it brings you. If you’re no longer enjoying it, it’s okay to explore other interests.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to seek help when needed. Every experienced birder started as a beginner, and the birding community thrives on mutual support. As you gain experience, you’ll have the chance to pay it forward by helping others. Good luck, and happy birding!

P.S. I am not affiliated to any of the equipment and brands I recommend. Please feel free to shop around for the things you like, and get the best bargain.

From forum sites to Merlin Bird ID app

I’ll like to take a different approach to this story and meander a bit first. When my daughter was born, I developed a keen interest in photographing her, eager to document her growth over the weeks, months, and years. Back in the early 2000s, capturing every moment of life with a mobile phone was not the norm. At that time, compact digital cameras were the primary means of photography. My first digital camera was a Fujifilm MX-500, which I purchased in 1998. By the time my daughter arrived, this was the camera I used to take her first few photos. However, it was outdated by then, so I quickly upgraded to a Canon Digital IXUS 400. This was a significant improvement, but as my daughter became more active, I realised I needed a better camera to capture her in action.

That’s when I upgraded to a Canon EOS 300D. A more sophisticated camera like that required actual skill, so I turned to a local forum called ClubSNAP to learn more about the technology and techniques for taking better photos. Through browsing this forum, I was introduced to the world of nature photography, particularly the stunning bird photography that was displayed in one of the subforum. I thought to myself then that one day, I would explore that genre.

Fast forward to 2010. With more time on my hands, I decided to buy a Canon EOS 7D and an EF 300mm f/4 L IS lens to start photographing butterflies and birds around my neighbourhood in Punggol. I took numerous photos of birds, but I had no idea which species they were! When starting a hobby like bird photography, one doesn’t begin with all the necessary resources in hand. Just as I had done when I bought the Canon EOS 300D for my daughter’s photos, I returned to ClubSNAP. I soon discovered that, over the intervening years, the go-to place for bird photography discussion had shifted to another forum, NaturePixels (now defunct).

Amidst all the beautiful photos and photography topics posted, there was a Bird Identification subforum where one could ask for bird identification help, and more experienced birders would respond. I made it my mission to identify all the birds I had photographed, and over the next 2-3 years, I asked numerous ID questions. One person stood out in answering them: his forum nickname was jiaolong, and he was exceptionally patient and knowledgeable. I must have asked more than 100 separate bird identification questions in total.

By November 2010, based on some forum posts about interesting rarities spotted there, I made my way up to Bukit Timah summit. I met a few fellow photographers, took more bird photos, and struck up conversations. One of them clued me in on two things. Firstly, I should explore Bidadari, which had already become a popular topic at the NaturePixels forum. Secondly, I should join a Facebook group called Birders Group. This was a revelation. I started actively participating in that group and got to know more bird photographers in real life. As I became more acquainted with people, I was invited to join my first birding-related WhatsApp chat groups.

Around the same time, I also stumbled upon another site: a Yahoo Group called wildbirdSingapore (now defunct). Yahoo Groups was an old-fashioned online discussion board/mailing list hybrid, and wildbirdSingapore was one of the boards where local birdwatchers and birders from NSS had been active since around 1999. Clunky and outdated as it was, joining and participating in this group helped me connect with birdwatchers rather than bird photographers. Interacting with this community quickly made me realise their expertise in all things related to local birds. To keep up, I began buying bird field guides and doing the hard work of learning not just how to photograph birds, but also about their identification details, their habitat, behaviour, and more.

At the end of 2011, the birdwatchers at NSS were interested in holding an official Big Year for 2012. I think they were quite surprised when a photographer joined, especially one with barely a year and a half of experience. I decided that part of my education would be to challenge and benchmark myself against these birders, so there was no shame if I performed poorly. My birding buddy See Toh joined as well. Part of the Big Year involved updating our periodic scores in a Facebook group called SG Big Year Birders. I decided to ask everyone participating in the Big Year to join a WhatsApp chat group too. Inadvertently, this catalysed a significant change in Singapore’s birding culture. While the birders were more experienced and could find and identify birds on their own, I was already deeply embedded in other WhatsApp chat groups and Facebook groups. I even created and managed a Facebook group for bird photographers called SG Birders. These groups and their participants were my eyes and ears on the ground, so I had far more information about rarities than anyone else. By sharing this information quickly in the Big Year WhatsApp chat group, common etiquette dictated that some of these initially hesitant birders began to reciprocate by sharing their own rarity sightings.

I performed very well in the Big Year 2012. In many ways, I demonstrated that a sufficiently motivated new bird photographer could excel in this endeavour, provided one is willing to think outside the box, know how to crowdsource important information, and persuade others that it’s in their best interest to share. But the first Big Year also revealed something else to me: the gap in bird-related knowledge between the average bird photographer and birdwatcher needed to narrow for the community to move forward together. I knew many bird photographers wanted to know where to find and photograph rarer birds. If only there were a place where one could discuss where the rare birds were, as well as a place where discussions about bird identification were not only welcomed but encouraged. On the birdwatcher side, they also realised their own dwindling numbers contrasted with the ever-increasing number of bird photographers, and these bird photographers served as valuable eyes and ears on the ground. In 2013, I started Bird Sightings Facebook group to bring these two groups together for what I considered a win-win situation. I thought it would be a small group, but an effective one. In retrospect, the smaller group size allowed for better communication than a larger one that now exists.

In 2016, I started the Singapore Birds Project, with one of the aims being to complement the Bird Sightings group in helping to raise the standard of knowledge about local birds. I believe both the Facebook group and the project achieved their aims. There are now many talented birders and bird photographers who are knowledgeable about birds and helpful to each other, especially to those just starting out, thanks in part to the resources provided in the past. Many are also now hybrid birdwatchers/bird photographers, so the old classifications and divisions based on the equipment used are no longer as relevant.

However, let’s take a closer look at the situation now in 2024. A new birder might still join Bird Sightings or use the Birds of Singapore website. Or they might not. Their first experience in identifying a bird might be through the Merlin Bird ID app, or by joining large Telegram groups dedicated to instant bird sightings. They may check eBird for the latest rarities and as a way to find out more information about the birds they’ve seen. Or they may still use larger WhatsApp chat groups or join Instagram to communicate and share with their community there. These newer tools, and others that will inevitably emerge, together with the affordability and improvement in cameras technology have lowered the barriers to entry into our hobby even more and that’s a good thing. The lowered barrier of entry has resulted in Singapore’s birding community becoming much more diverse. This diversity in the community is a strength. A broader range of people with different skillsets, abilities, and experience will result in a community being more adaptable to new challenges. A diverse community often comes up with better, more creative, and innovative solutions to problems, as well as to opportunities, leading to better outcomes for everyone within it. The challenge from the perspective of the community as a whole, as always, lies in organising itself to work towards common goals rather than splintering off when things don’t align perfectly.

Looking back at the changes over the past 14 years or so, it’s clear that it wasn’t just technology being replaced. The ways in which birding groups organised themselves and their members in the past no longer seem relevant, and the value proposition for joining them has diminished. If incumbent community groups become complacent or fail to adapt to evolving birding norms, it could lead to newcomers or segments of the community bypassing them and organise themselves differently. Nature abhors a vacuum, and eventually most of the community will inevitably move to those with fresh approaches and leadership.

P.S. I realise that blogs like this have seen their heyday, and most birders I know now favor Facebook posts. But I prefer this medium, where I can write without worrying about reach or likability. Peace!

Bidadari Park Revisited

When I first took up birding in 2010, Bidadari, once a cemetery, had become a hotspot for birds and birdwatchers. It was a migrant trap that attracted a lot of migratory species of birds that stayed for a day or two, much to the delight of birdwatchers and bird photographers then. You can read more about the historical place and the birds here.

We always knew the place was slated for development even when it was at its prime.  There were proposals to save the area and even a Facebook Group that I co-moderated trying to advocate for its conservation. Though the group eventually fell into inactivity, it was once a vibrant online community with many fascinating posts about the site and its birdlife.

Returning to Bidadari, ultimately the development got the green light to proceed, but with some concession to preserve a small part that was referred to as the hillock.  Bulldozers soon arrived, and today, a new HDB estate stands where Bidadari once flourished.

On 3 September 2024, Bidadari Park which was the redevelopment of a park within the new Bidadari HDB estate was officially open to public. The hillock, likely the last remnant of Bidadari’s original vegetation, still stands. This area, affectionately dubbed “Bida Studio” by birders, was once a prime spot, with small bushes and fallen branches attracting flycatchers, cuckoos, kingfishers, and shrikes. The birds emerging from the foliage often offered great views.

I haven’t visited the new park yet, but I’ve heard that migrant birds have started to appear, and I’m eager to explore it once the crowds thin out.

New birders might wonder how the new park compares to the old Bidadari. While the green space may still serve as a migrant trap, the old and new locations share little physical overlap. Below are Google Earth images from 2014 and the latest from 2024, with a thin yellow line roughly outlining the border of the old Bidadari.

Singapore’s Scops Owl – Revisited

Ten years ago in 2014, I wrote about the possibility of the resident scops owl in Singapore being a distinct species on its own. The conclusion by our local ornithologist was that it’s probably not, and more work needs to be done to further understand the relationship and territorial delineation between all the closely related (Sunda/Collared/Indian) Scops owls.

While updating my own Singapore bird checklist recently, I noticed that there was an update that I initially missed out. In turns out that cnephaeus subspecies from Malaysia and Singapore has been reassigned from Sunda Scops Owl to Collared Scops Owl. A closer scrutiny showed that the paper that prompted this revision was published in the Avian Research journal titled  “Continent-wide vocal leapfrog pattern in Collared Scops Owls obfuscates species boundaries“, co-authored by Meng Yue Wu and Assoc Prof. Frank E. Rheindt. The latter being the same person I quoted in the original article that many years ago!

You can find versions of that paper here and here.

They did the work using publicly available song recordings from xeno-canto. The research paper is interesting and some of the conclusions drawn are also noteworthy. Please go and read. I’ll copy a long paragraph here for the most pertinent one to our local scops owl’s species assignment:

Many tropical Asian bird species complexes are divided into an equatorial rainforest species centred around the western Indonesian Archipelago and a closely related monsoon-forest inhabiting species from the Asian mainland (Eaton et al., 2021). Whenever birds display such a biogeographic constellation, the Sundaic species virtually always extends north to the Thai-Malay Peninsula and reaches its northern limit at the Isthmus of Kra, where the range of the continental monsoon species takes over. Owls of the Collared Scops Owl complex were long thought to follow this geographic pattern, with cnephaeus from the Thai-Malay Peninsula invariably assigned to O. lempiji from Indonesia. However, our bioacoustics-based reassignment of cnephaeus to O. lettia suggests that these scops owls defy this biogeographic pattern, as the continental O. lettia extends south all the way to Singapore.

I’m not interested in editorialising too much, but I think the best lessons I have learned from this:

  1. Crowd-sourced birding information (photos, videos, audio recordings, GPS coordinates) continue to be useful tools in doing real and interesting science.
  2. Unlike what most may imagine, scientific advancement need not always be about expensive tools and techniques; ideas are equally important.
  3. Empirical data lead us to sometimes unexpected conclusions, but that’s rather characteristic of scientific progress.

Birding update on November 2018

I am still indulging in this hobby after all this while! Nothing much have changed, but most postings and activities have shifted to Facebook groups.

It is getting progressively harder to find new bird species, but there is no real timeline to achieve any goals these days. I have settled on a routine of visiting certain places regularly with my camera. Mostly I get to see more common species. On bad days, I just get rained out. On very good days, I get the thrill of seeing something new and get reminded why I still lug my heavy equipment to the field.

So here’s a collage of all the wild bird species I have seen so far in Singapore since I started 8 and a half years ago. 331 species seen and photographed. Not a milestone, just a snapshot of my birding progress. Seen from afar, the collage is mostly small birds with blue sky and sea, green foliage and earthy tones. Just the way I like them!

Special Ks

It’s been almost nine years since I was diagnosed with keratoconus, a degenerative eye condition that result in blurred vision and acute astigmatism. Both my eyes are affected, with my left eye having a severe case that cannot be corrected by eyeglasses. That left me with my right eye (with a milder form that is correctable to a greater degree) to take care of all this vision thing that almost everyone else take for granted.

A recent check in November with an eye specialist revealed no substantial worsening or improvement on the condition. What prompted the visit was however more interesting, as I had a lump growing rapidly at the corner of my left eye. That resulted in a visit to the hospital and hence the check with eye specialists, and subsequently a day surgery. After the removal of the lump, histopathology test revealed that I have another condition called Kimura’s disease, a rare but benign chronic inflammatory disorder. There are still remnants of the lump after surgery but for now, the proliferation of the cells have abated. I should be thankful that things are what they are, and I can continue to go about my life somewhat normally. Not having good eyesight certainly have not stopped me from indulging in birding as a hobby, but getting a health scare does make one evaluate things a bit.

2016 was a relatively relaxed year for birding, similar to what it was in 2015. I’ve settled on routine weekly walkabouts at my regular birding spots, a few overseas jaunt, and the occasional scrambling when a local bird rarity appears. Since my last post a few months back, I’ve photographed a couple of new birds. The count is now 318 bird species photographed in Singapore. I reckon if I keep at this pace, 330 birds should not be a problem in the next few years. The goal now have shifted to getting better photographs of existing birds.

Last year, together with some birding friends, we started a community project to better document the bird species found in Singapore. The Singapore Bird Project website was launched with write-ups and photos of birds from a bunch of top bird photographers in Singapore. This informal group also went on to organize a few pelagic trips, resulting in the addition of a new bird species for the Singapore checklist, the Bulwer’s Petrel. The website itself is growing stronger with increased monthly readership over time.

Another new initiative in 2016 was to set up a new Facebook Group, Wildlife of MacRitchie & Central Catchment to showcase and raise awareness of the diversity of wildlife at MacRitchie and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve in Singapore.

To complement my existing personal Facebook Page, I have also set up an Instagram account to post photos of birds I have seen along the way. So all in all, it has been a very busy and productive year despite the special Ks getting in the way.

Let me end by posting a few photos taken in 2016. Here’s hoping 2017 will be an even more eventful year!

Six years of birding

The blog is still pretty much dormant since the last time I wrote. I’m still birding but more and more, the pictures and stories are shared in Facebook or Instagram. There are still stories to be told, birds behaviour to note down in longer format, and in more details, but I’ll leave that for another day.

I’ve just completed my 6th year of birding today. Travelled overseas a bit more this year and saw a few more local birds. Pretty happy with the hobby and hope I can continue further.

Below is a collage of all the bird species I have photographed locally in Singapore so far. All 310 species of them. All taken in tiny Singapore. Larger photos with description at my Google Photo album.

Singapore birds shot between April 2010 to April 2016.

Singapore birds shot between April 2010 to April 2016.

The quest for 300 Singapore birds

When I first purchased a telephoto lens and camera in April 2010, the main goal was to have a walk around set up in the neighbourhood and documenting the wildlife that inhabit it. Soon my focus turned specifically to birds.

Years ago, when I bought a DSLR to photograph my growing child, I had started learning about photographic techniques in a local photographic forum. I must have browsed through many photos in the forum looking for inspiration. Among them were truly well taken photos of birds from a small group of local wildlife photographers that travelled around the entire island looking for our feathered friends. I wished then that I had that luxury of time to pursue such a hobby.

Once I started focussing on birds myself, it was not long before I started doing the same chase. Neighbourhood walks turned to long car drives and then long treks. A handful of birds turned into 50 and then 100 birds within a few months. Months soon turned to years and my photo collection grew. Five and a half years later, I have photographed 303 wild bird species.

That’s not a big number. In Peru, a team of committed and well prepared birders saw a total of 354 species in a day! Nonetheless, I am pleased to break the 300 species mark in Singapore itself. There is no big celebration or announcement. I have participated in two Big Year competition against other birders in 2012 and in 2014, but this one was different. It’s a quiet personal journey with no definite time frame. I hope to and will work on seeing more birds in the future, one new species at a time.

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Indian Pond Heron at Bidadari

The Indian Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii) is a common heron that is found breeding in the Indian subcontinent ranging to Iran. Its alternate name is paddybird, which is derived probably from its preferred habitat, marshy wetlands or in cases where these have been cultivated by human, paddy fields.

Indian Pond Heron
(The Indian Pond Heron standing still looking for its prey. Taken on 18 April 2015)

In the official checklist of the Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group, there are two species of pond herons found in Singapore. The more common Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus) and the rarer Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa) both which are closely related to the Indian Pond Heron. In fact, in non-breeding season, all three pond herons are indistinguishable from each other. It is only when they change into their breeding plumage that each of these species are easily separated visually. However this changeover into breeding plumage also signal their return to their breeding grounds away from Singapore. So there is only a small window in the season when they are around for us to ascertain their identity locally. In the case of the Indian Pond Heron, there have only been two prior records of their sightings in Singapore, one in Senoko and another in Pasir Ris Farmway 1. For some reasons, these sightings have not resulted in the Indian Pond Heron being included in the checklist yet.

So it came as a shock to me that I recognise this bird species while perusing through my friend Er Bong Siong’s pictures taken at Bidadari on 17 April 2015. As it was late in the evening when I first came upon them, I only managed to go to Bidadari the next morning after running some family errands. By that time, there was a already a group of avid birders and photographers searching for the bird and they managed to locate it before my arrival.

I managed to see the bird first resting on a tree, and subsequently perched on a bare branch before coming down to hunt for food on a grass patch below. Unfortunately it only stayed around until the early afternoon. The noise from tree cutting nearby and the presence of more people probably resulted in its early departure.

Indian Pond Heron
(Perching on a bare tree branch just next to the carpark at Bidadari)

Indian Pond Heron
(Stalking a prey on a grassy patch at Bidadari)

All in all, I managed to get some pretty clear photos and video of the pond heron. Hopefully this sighting and the previous ones will result in the acceptance of this species into our checklist. My opinion is that although rarer than the other two species of pond herons, part of the reason for the lack of records is due to the fact that most people overlook this species. The non-breeding and breeding plumages of these three ponds herons are confusing unless a birder knows what field marks to look out for.

Lastly, I just want to note that Bidadari, a place slated for development soon seems to continue to surprise everyone with the constant appearances of locally rare migrant bird species, underlining once again its importance as a stopover/refuelling point for many bird species in this region.

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