Back to the Botanical Garden

After a 3 hour lecture this morning with only one 5 minute break (these people are crazy) I was eager to get out and do some birding. My first stop was Bukit Timah - it's a nature reserve that includes the highest point in Singapore (a meagre 163.63 meters) - I've heard some locals call it a mountain and warn me against the steep climb! The hot day and many people walking around wasn't the best for birds - I actually only saw 3 individual birds and didn't identify any of them...

However, I did see my first ever wild monkeys (Long-tailed Macaques):

I made my way to the Botanical Gardens again hoping to finally see an Orange-headed Thrush that has been seen there. I didn't see it today but I did see some other decent birds in return.

This Common Kingfisher (same individual that I posted a photo of a few days ago):

Black-naped Orioles are common in Singapore:

Hooded Pitta! The photographers have trained this bird (and fattened it) with worms so it's actually pretty easy to see now and comes out from the undergrowth sometimes:

And a female Siberian Blue-Robin:

The female Blue-Robin is a bland looking bird but the species is hard to see because it skulks around on the ground. Today there were two of them coming to a waterfall bathing and preening themselves.

C. Kingfisher with a fish: