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At Platform 1, we were treated to a close-up view of the Little Heron (Butorides striatus) that usually hunts there at low tide. It walked right up along the platform, so close that we could see its green facial skin and handsome feather on its nape. Near Platform 1, we saw two majestic White-bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster), flying together. One was a juvenile, without the all-white feathers, and it appeared to be badgering an adult, possibly its parent? At Platform 2, the tide was really out, revealing the mudflats where the Giant Mudskippers (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) were happily skipping about. One Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was caught in a pool. It wasn't there when I walked by on the way back..oops. Probably became someone's lunch? Or it might have found it's way back to the stream as the tide was coming in. We stopped by at Hide 1C to see how the Nipah Palm (Nypa fruticans) fruit was developing. It's gotten quite large since it bloomed a few weeks ago. Near the entrance to the hide, we stopped to tickle a Whip Spider (Argyrodes flagellum). On the way to the heronry, we saw a pair of Pied Fantails (Rhipidura javanica), as usual, flitting about too madly to have their portraits taken. Flora events: One male Buta-buta (Excoecaria agallocha) tree near the heronry was blooming. Everywhere, the Common Derris (Derris trifoliata) was beginning to flower. As I was leaving the Park, a serious Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) walked awkwardly and slowly across the entrance road into a patch of grass near the entrance, oblivious to passing traffic! |
 Little Heron walking right up alongside Platform 1  A Tilapia, trapped in a pool at low tide  Pretty pink Derris blossoms |
 by ria tan, 2001 |
