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At the Main Hide, what a treat! A male Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis) was sunning itself near the bund close to the Main Hide. This is the first time I saw the beautiful subtle colours of the Bittern's plumage. After a short time preening, he proceeded to stalk quite energetically on the mudflats. The mudflats were quiet with most of the waders gone. There were a few Pacific Golden Plovers, Pluvialis fulva (about 5), and some other plovers in the distance (about 10). But the local residents were busy hunting on the mudflats: a Little Heron, and White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus). In the air, House Swifts (Apus nepalensis) were swooping everywhere, their white rumps flashing in the sun. The Water Monitor Lizards (Varanus salvator) were out and about. We saw 3 near Platform 1. A large one ambling across the path, a smaller one leisurely climbing up a tree to sun itself, and a tiny one actively foraging for titbits among the rocks of the seawall. On the way to Platform 2, we were greeted by Copperthroated Sunbirds (Nectarina calcostetha), and I managed to snap a shot, if blurry, of the splendid male! We stopped a while at Platform 2 to enjoy the song of some Magpie Robins (Copsychus saularis) before turning back. The tide was just the right height to outline a Giant Mudskipper's hole for a perfect shot (I think so anyway!). And what a palatial hole it was! On the way back, right in front of station 2, we saw a Yellow Bittern bravely patrolling the mud edges out in the open. Later on, a pair of Pied Fantails (Rhipidura javanica) flitted by. From the Main Bridge as we left the Park, the Little Herons and White-breasted Waterhens were busy foraging. But we didn't see any kingfishers. Never mind, perhaps next time. In the undergrowth, there were a few beautiful large spiders in their webs, regularly spaced out; two St. Andrew's Cross Spider (Argiope mangal), three Golden Orb Web Spiders (Nephila maculata 2, and N. antipodiana 1). The big Red Tent Spider (Cyrtophora unicolor) was at her usual place just before Platform 2. Flora events: Near Platform 1, the Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa) is at the tail end of blooming and little fruits have started to develop.  After
Platform 1, a Sonneratia alba was
laden with fruits with their star-shaped sepals, some tinged pink.The Rhizophora apiculata at Platform 2 is blooming profusely too, their small stumpy flowers peeping out everywhere under the leaves. |
 Little Heron  Yellow Bittern sunning  Monitor Lizard climbing a tree  Little Heron  Sonneratia alba branch laden with fruits |
 by ria tan, 2001 |
