Common Kingfisher by Harlequin (Phillip)

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?s=a42c0bc28d0a79df90564c98fe559932&t=333207

not too sure but that might be a pygmy half beak in the KF's beak (no pun intended!)

Baby Croc @ Pasir Ris Mangrove Swamp by meerkat

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331453 --- Baby Croc @
Pasir Ris Mangrove Swamp

Definitely NOT a monitor lizard!

edit:Thanks to AngHY for graciously allowing the use of the image here. All rights remain AngHY's

Flying Lemur (Cynocephalus variegatus) @ CNR by lenkline

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330059
This one has a nice fur pattern that's like tree bark! (I guess that's a compliment for colugos..)

Thanks to lenkline for graciously allowing use of the images here. all rights belong to lenkline's
you can see more photos of lenkline's at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenkline/

Python captured in Bishan Park

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost6690.aspx --- Python captured in Bishan Park

Sea Slugs @ Kusu isle by Ivan

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3575815#post3575815

nice pics!

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher with crab prey by irfan choo

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325306 ---
Another fantastic bird shot for today!
must see!
can check out other photos by irfan choo at www.irfanchoo.com


Thanks to irfan choo for graciously allowing me reproduce the image here. All rights belong to irfan choo.

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) catching insect prey by DeSwitch

http://clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326182 ---
Someone commented "That's one hell of a series." I have to agree wholeheartedly.. see to believe!

Thanks to Calvin for graciously letting me reproduce his pics here.
See more of Calvin's photos at http://deswitch.multiply.com/

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea eating Alexandra Palm fruits by Kevin

1c Koel eating, originally uploaded by koiyau.

By a stroke of luck I managed to capture this series of a female Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea) swallowing a large Alexandra Palm fruit! (Archontophoenix alexandrae). Actually, I could have been luckier and gotten group shots. I was drawn to the loud calls of the birds (yes pural) as there were two males vying for her attention. strangely it was her that was doing all the calling. It was quite a cacophony of resounding bird calls. At first I had assumed its the males vying for attention from a potential mate. However, it seems like the female was more interested in food.

The whole thing was so fascinating for me. Ha but apparently there are others who are quite angry with the calls of the koel in their estate and wished them gone(can't find the article again). I would think Koels are the least of our noise pollution. Buses have deafening beeps promptly declare to the entire bus that u have paid ur fare. I really can't fathom why.

Do also check out Dr YC Wee's entries on Koels and Alexandra Palms!

To swallow and regurgitate? Not the Yellow-vented Bulbul!

Asian Koel eating Indian cherry">Asian Koel eating Indian cherry

Tigertail Seahorse @ Pulau Hantu

http://www.pulauhantu.org/51/ --- "Finally, everyone's favourite and a gem in Hantu's reef - Tigertail seahorses can be spotted on a regular basis. Similar to slugs, they move slowly (infact, seahorses are the slowest fishes in the sea!) and are easily photographed. Because of that, they are also easily collected for the aquarium trade. Like Black coral, all species of seahorses are prohibited from trade because their use in traditional medicines has severely threatened their survival."

Species might be Hippocampus comes from http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/quickid.shtml

Python @ Potong Pasir by Keith

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/viewPost6267.aspx ---
STOMPer Keith, a Potong Pasir resident, spotted a 12-foot long python that swallowed an animal. It was resting at the Potong Pasir riverside. He took this photo this morning (23 October) and sent it to us via MMS at 8.35am. He told STOMP: "There have been previous sightings of pythons in this area but it's the first time I've seen one that swallowed an animal. "This is along the jogging path beside the river. There is a patch of woodland nearby," he said. He did not see the animal that the python swallowed. He told STOMP that children do not generally play in the area. However, joggers do use the running track along the waterside. STOMP had contacted the Police and the AVA. Both said that they did not receive any call on a python.

Asian Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus@ Chek Jawa by Kevin

Asian Palm Civet, originally uploaded by koiyau.

Was helping out with seagrass survey at a rainy evening at Ubin this Sunday. Guess what I saw??
Wah! Thanks to sharp eyed Ria who spotted this! squeezed off a few lucky shots with a medium zoom but when i came back with a longer zoom it was hiding already :( Ria prob got a nicer shot.. watch out for hers..

Finally got to see the animal behind RMBR's mascot!

edit: See Ria's post and pics! HERE

p.s.
I got the sp name here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Palm_Civet

geotagged this photo on flickr as well. not sure if i got the place right though

anyone seen a Humming Bird Moth?

melvynyeo took these in Xinjiang but he says that they are available locally!
The photos paint a 'better picture' so to speak why they are commonly called humming bird moths.
Fascinating!
Has anyone photographed them locally? would love to post here.
Thanks to melvynyeo for graciously allowing me to reproduce the photos here.
see the orig post here

Read the wikipedia entry on it

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus @ BTNR by Ryan Heah

This post has a slightly blur but IMHO great pic of a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus. The angle is nice and it has a catch in its beak! hmm can't tell what it is though. Do you know?

here's a cropped pic from the forum. So far educated guesses have been flower or butterfly. Even a guess at the butterfly. Post your guess in the comments!

p.s. Thanks to Ryan for graciously allowing me to post the picture here!

Kingfishers @ Japanese garden by Arthur

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=308764

Gerygone feeding Little Bronze Cuckoo @ Chinese Garden by Daniel

"The cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests so that these other parents would take care and feed the cuckoo's young. The adopted parents' original eggs may even be pushed out by the cuckoo. These unknowing parents would merrily keep on feeding their adopted child, even when the kid is bigger than themselves, as seen in this instance." text by laokayu

Thanks to Daniel for allowing me to reproduce his pics here!

Spiders @ Nee Soon by budak

this link is not from Budak's blog but it has a selection of spider pics and a writeup :)

Ant mimicking crab spider @ Labrador Park by tchuanye

Ant mimicking crab spider
Tree Hopper
Leaf Hopper

AMAZING MACROS :)
link

Wild Boar @ NTU by GriGri

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=300618

White Bellied Sea Eagle @ kranji dam by sharkspin

http://forum.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=301565

Oriental Pied Hornbill pair @P.Ubin by Jeff

Male


Female, shown foraging in wild orchids


"From Ubin all the way to Ferry point Jeff heard a chain of loud cackle, yak-yak-yak. These feathers appear to omnipresent. A widespread and fairly common resident throughout most of the region. Rare resident in Singapore.

Came as a pair. Female's casque is smaller and darker than the male's. Shown pair in available evening light only."

Thanks to Jeff for kindly allowing me to reproduce his images here. All rights remain his!
original post

Oliva miniacea RODING, 1798 Cowrie @ Cyrene by Kev

IMG_1604_cowrie, originally uploaded by koiyau.

This cowrie(?) was a fast burrower in sand! I had left it on the sand hoping to take a few shots of it after a few landscape shots but it had nearly disappeared into the sand. After some gentle digging around I found it again. So I placed it on some nice green algae to get my shot then replaced it back into the sandy substrate. Anyone knows what this is?

edit:thanks to wei for the id and the additional info!

Pelagic Crab feeding on algae

IMG_1612_crab_algae-2, originally uploaded by koiyau.

Saw this little critter busy picking at the algae JUST when the tide's coming in and we all had to leave.. snapped a few shots thru the wavy water so the image isn't sharp.. a video would have be nicer...

Sandfish Sea Cucumber (Holothuria scraba) @ Cyrene by Kev

IMG_1608, originally uploaded by koiyau.

Geoff spotted this pretty specimen of a sea cucumber and fondly called it tiger stripes and got it to pose for me. Ha.. need to find out its species name.. it slips my mind for now.. I believe this is the edible variety (post processing of cos)

edit:gosh can't believe it took me so long to find the species name.
I proudly declare its found ha. but am still a little unsure.
erm supporting link here

Various Butterflies

excellent collection of butterfly pics here!

Mating Lesser Grass Blue Butterflies by t7330

View this excellent photo!
link

Dolphins near St John's Island and Lazarus

DOLPHINS! 6-10 wild dolphins in our waters!
photos and clips on the urban forest blog
http://uforest.blogspot.com/2007/06/dolphins.html
and ashira blog
http://ashira.blogspot.com/2007/06/dolphins-in-singapore.html

p.s. sorry for long hiatus in posts! have been trying edit some photos to try to get them out on the blog  stay tuned!

Little Heron feeding by jayyquix

link to CS

Emerald Dove by DeSwitch

"Pardon my blur photo.. 1st time using my new lens then and this dove was so elusive. lierally chasing him around the forest..."

the photo is pretty sharp i feel heh check out this bird it seems to be uncommon in sg
link

Black Tipped Reef Shark @ P. Semakau by Kevin

edit: added this google maps thingy. p.s. click on the satellite pic to see it in full glory!
p.s. coords are inexact now...

WOW! i was like shark??!?!???
haha boy was I lucky to have eagled eyed companions for today's teamseagrass survey. Sharp eyed Robin also identified the black tip which I can only verify later from my shots.
albeit blur and small.. (darn I need an canon IS telephoto zoom!!!)
you can roughly see the shark in mid day!

detailed account:
we were going for a tour of P.Semakau after a tiring seagrass survey and fighting the mozzies on the trail back. Just when we thought that's all the island had to offer us for the day. Someone shouted 'Shark!'. The nice bus driver slowed down the bus and then eventually stopped. Everyone was in disbelief and denial and there were quite a few 'where got??' (add to the fact that we were kinda late for the boat) so nobody really wanted to leave the bus until Robin gave an inspiring shout of " Get off the bus to see clearly lah!"
hahah so that's how i got the shot.. ;p

Dolphins @ St. John's

from wildsingapore:
Dolphins sighted in Singapore! with video clips!
on the habitatnews blog
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/index.php?entry=/marine/20070407-dolphin_video-st_johns.txt

Paradise tree snake eating a gecko @ changi boardwalk by francis

Wow
I haven't seen the snake in the wild before but this lucky guy got it eating a gecko!

thanks to Francis for graciously providing the images for use here. all copyrights remain his :)
link

knobbly seastar Protoreaster nodosus @ Cyrene

IMG_1384_raw seastar transect tape peg, originally uploaded by koiyau.

spotted this knobbly seastar (Protoreaster nodosus) at Cyrene reefs while helping out with teamseagrass surveys. Guess it wanted to join in the survey? haha sorry you are not big enough yet!

p.s. No seastars were moved in this posed shot. gears were surrepitiously moved around it instead lolz

Insects @ Lower Pierce by stevewhy

Thanks to stevewhy for graciously volunteering his images! Will label them when I get more time.

Spider marcos from Henry Park by tchuanye

Stunning macros once again from tchuanye!
there's a green crab spider with a nest and more!
link

Paradise Tree Snake by Daniel Koh

Rather humourous shot of the snake peeking from behind a rock! Must see
link


Thanks for Daniel for graciously allowing his pics to be used here.

Crow-billed Drongo @ P. Ubin by mphil

"P.Ubin's CBD - Crow-billed Drongo

---

Not the business district, but a very shy and elusive bird. Managed to take some pics of this bird that has a beak like a crow and tail feathers of a drongo. There is at least a family of 4 CBDs living on the island. Spotted them several times before but never been able to get a clear shot of them yet."
link

Sunda (brown-capped) Woodpecker Dendrocopus moluccensis by Daniel Koh

Excellent Close up of Sunda Woodpecker by Daniel Koh!
link

Thanks to Daniel for allowing me to reproduce his images here!

Atlas moth @ Sungei Buloh by lovells19

I haven't seen its wings folded up before its antenna is also clearly shown in the pic! Someone posted the larva stage as well. Hmm seem to recall that their appearance is seasonal. Has it been a year already? Time flies
link

Butterfly Common Rose @ Istana Woodneuk by espion

There's a Papilio polytes romulus (Common Mormon) and a Common Rose in the CS thread
link

Baby Clouded Monitor by Hiker (Daniel Koh)

Wow never saw one this small before :)
link

Wild Boar @ Ubin by mphil

Gosh its been a while since i saw one on Ubin and I was thinking they were all caught and eaten already!


Thanks to mphil for graciously providing the images for me to be reproduced here. Picture copyrights remain his!
link

Seahare Bursatella leachii @ Chek Jawa by kevin

Seahare Bursatella leachii @ Chek Jawa by kevin, originally uploaded by koiyau.

The photo looks abit strange in the center cos that's the part of the

seahare poking out of water as it's gliding across a seagrass meadow

:) if you see more clearly you can see other sea hares that I can't

crop out cos they were all clustered together!

Hornbill snacking on a mantis by Allan Teo

Interesting shot!

" The Hornbill not only likes to eat a lot of fruit. It also takes
Lizards, Snakes and Insects..
In this case the Mantis which is still alive , looks shocked that it
has been caught off guard.. This particular mantis is quite
large if you compare it to the size of the Hornbill's beak"
link

LIzards and Monkeys

trying out posting videos as well.. so dun be shy give me ur low res videos as well.. if its a sighting its a sighting..
this particular one i chanced upon from google video :)
the author has this to describe ..
" The first shot is a lizard on the first floor of Jen's mom's condo. Next is a shot of the condo complex over the resevoir and then...nothin' but monkeys!"



I might be digressing too much but seeing postings of commonly seen animals often gets me thinking..

was reading an article in the papers today about expats living in sg. This guy said something about how kids of yonder years could name any tree/ creature but kids now are so divorced from nature they hardly can tell the difference between two. I can substantiate his story with friends (with a Bsc in Biology) who thought that penguins are mammals, whales are fish and other related guffaws..

Perhaps this is the root cause of environmental destruction. When you lack a name for something you kinda of are more detached to it.
case in point?
this report starts with
" Since 1500, more than 150 bird species have disappeared from the world,...."
hmmm 500 years and only 150 extinct? that doesn't sound too bad..

but the full sentence reads
" Since 1500, more than 150 bird species have disappeared from the world, including the much lamented dodo. "

Ah the dodo, I could tell you stories about why it is lamented that the dodo died and if only ppl cared more ....
I wonder if there are 149 more stories like the dodo.. or were there none simply cos too few got to know the animals beyond a scientific name or a given name to care..

Shark, Cuttlefish, Longfin Batfish, SeaHorse @ P.Hantu by Chay Hoon

Wow all these were shot on the same dive!! Amazing huh? I just hope that posting a list of the marine creatures found at Hantu I dun in advertently create a shopping list for unethical marine aquarists. If you poachers just note the details and inform the coast guards!
link

Nudibranches, Octupus @P. Hantu by Ivan

Gosh his pics are gorgeous! I would love to see the bigger res ones tho!
25th Feb sightings

edit: Thanks to Ivan for graciously providing his images for use here. :)
click the link to view more (I have only taken a few to show for lack of space)
Visit his site for deals on dive reference books!
link

Monitor Lizard mistaken for croc @ East Coast by Stomper Gerald

The curious title "Baby croc" spotted at East Coast? made me click on the link. Reading the article confirmed my suspicion that its just a monitor lizard. It isn't the first time that people mistaken it for a croc (which is rather curious when you consider most have not seen a croc in the wild before). Although there are real wild crocs here in sg.

see my previous post for more info on the monitor lizard
link

Huge Nudibranch @ Kusu isle

This one is really BIG.. not kidding you have to see it to believe it...

edit: found this post on seaslug forum about the biggest nudibranch
link

Common Gliding Lizard & Banded Woodpecker @ SBG by meerkat(AngHY)

There are interesting creatures at SBG as well! Happy CNY to you!
link

edit: thanks to AngHY for allowing me to reproduce his images for direct viewing!

OT: Wildlife Photo Contests

Sony Nature (ending 28 Feb hurry!)
http://www.a-click-of-nature.com.sg/aclick/index.htm
Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/Competition/

Sorry for the off topic but thought this might interest you readers.. here's a photo to finish this pseudo post :)

Earth Shots

Photo of the Day: 16 Feb 07

White Crested Laughing Thrush bathing @ BTNR by pacer

Hmm hot weather must have made this pool a popular place
link

Mangrove tree dwelling crab Selatium brockii @Southern Isle by kevin

Mangrove tree dwelling crab Selatium brockii @Southern Isle by kevin
Originally uploaded by koiyau.

This crab was posing quite inanimately on a juvenile mangrove tree. (am tempted to call it Mangrove small tree Clinging for dear life crab) Thanks to the sharp eye of ysf (who was trying to id the tree actually) I could take a close shot of this crab and id it from a BP guidebook from the greenish tinge of the eye. I am guessing the loss of habitat for this crab forced it to find shelter in quite an inappropriate tree size for itself

Male Ornamental tree trunk spider by syazkal

link

Variable squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonisnacking noni fruit by Daniel Koh

Wow haven't even heard of this particular species before. Its also known as Finlayson's squirrel species name is Callosciurus finlaysoni . Id is by Daniel Koh (how does he spot these creatures??) Got the name from Kwok Wai's Wildlife Singapore. Its listed at wikipedia as an introduced species (i can't confirm this. anyone can verify?)

Budak points to this other source that says its introduced

p.s. for more shots of this furry creature check out Daniel's post

Land hermit crab Coenobita purpureus @ Southern Isles by Kevin

Land hermit crab Coenobita cavipes @ Southern Isles by Kevin
Originally uploaded by koiyau.

Ha this poor bloke was housed in a Giant East African snail shell (which is very incongruous with a sea shore). Even though the shell was already pretty large, the Land Hermit Crab still can't hide itself into the shell. Oh well at least the soft bits are protected.

wow thanks felix for digging up this old post!

I based my id on this http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/text/2063.htm

will doublecheck this...

here's relevant links for those interested in the differences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenobita_purpureus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenobita_cavipes