Feeling Buloh

Our flight out of Singapore doesn't leave until 5:20 in the afternoon, so we decided to go to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Using public transportation. A little after 8 am, we paid the entrance fee of S$.0.50 each (we're both senior citizens, so we were able to avoid the exorbitant S$1.00 per fee).

As we entered the trails, I was immediately reminded of the Smith Oaks area in High Island, Texas. The layout was almost the same, minus the hordes of Roseate Spoonbills and Egrets. Migration being almost over, all we saw on the mudflats was a single CommonRedshank.


We then focused our attention on the forest birds whose trillings and twitterings filled the humid air. This turned out to be quite a frustrating affair. How do you get good photographs of tiny objects that are constantly moving within the dark confines of leafy trees? Each time Cynthia and I would check the results of our photographic endeavors, a loud "aaargh!" would emanate from our lips. We would find another bird and the same thing would happen. This hurts even more so because the blurry shots we got were lifers and some of which are quite colorful - like the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker or Ashy Tailorbird. One consolation though was that Cynthia who's got a steadier hand and quicker reflexes nailed a Crimson Sunbird!


Sungei Buloh is a great place to go birding. Photography-wise, it left me feeling blue. My dear wife always has a consoling statement on occasions like this: "We have a reason to come back."

Wise words, don't you think?