Saturday 16 May 2009

Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail again

So far, this is my BEST ever trip to the AHBT.
I have been waiting so long, and finally, my exams
are over, so I could visit this trail again. When I got
there, as usual, there was a birdwing and a few
common palmflies and chocolate pansies. This
trail, probably has all the species of bush browns.
I found this long branded bush brown, fluttering
around, unfortunately, its hindwing had been
badly chipped. ( below )

There were also roses ( the butterflies ), mormons,
yellows and blues. Here's the exciting part. I
finally entered the trail and headed strait to the
blue and dark glassy tiger's favourite flowering
bush. this is a close up of the blue glassy tiger
( below and not cropped, and my sister took it )
The tiger was clearly not bothered, as when a
tiger or a crow is disturbed, it would extrude a
pair of scent hairs that gives off a strong pungent
odour. While this one, did not. ( below: the tiger
with its wings open, showing a wingspan of 7cm )
the tiger was sure having a nice meal. Maybe it
was already drunk, as it did not feel me stroking
its hind leg !

Just then, a leopard came into view. It was feeding
on lantana. Isn't the leopard beautiful?
Now, butterflies love rotting fruit, especially
mango. It happened that a little bit further,
there were rotting mangoes covering the ground.
On each mango, there were at least three
butterflies. Too bad I scared them off before I
could get their photo. However, this dark branded
bush brown stayed on the mango. I thought that
was a good choice, as I would be happy getting its
photo, and it would be happy too as it could
enjoy some mango. ( below )
I saw many more butterflies, but that's the end of
my post......

Sunday 10 May 2009

Pink necked green pigeons

After the incident of the extraordinary
large tailed nightjar, I thought that I had to go
to the SBG again. This time, there was nothing
to see. Walking in and along the forest trails,
nothing at all. Well, only a chocolate grass
yellow, and a pair of gloves; that is. So, there's
basically just foliage. The day went on, just walking
chasing lesser grass blues. It got late, yes,
so quickly. I could already see the sunset.
Just then, ( okay, all the action is here ) a
pink necked green pigeon male flew into a tree.
I wanted to end the day with some nice bird
pictures, so I went to investigate. There were
many pigeons in the tree. Image. ( below )
The birds were high up in the tree, so I zoomed
in; the reason for the images not being super sharp.

The male birds were displaying their tails to the
female ones. The display was even impressive to
me, as I did not know that they had so many tail
feathers.
Well, it got dark so I left SBG, and headed home.

Monday 4 May 2009

Common urban butterflies of S'pore( part 1 )

Even if you are not very observant, you'll
still have seen some butterflies. Here are
some of the more common urban butterflies
in Singapore.
1 Chocolate Pansy
The chocolate pansy is very abundant here
in S'pore, and is unmistakable. Its flight has
typical gliding flaps. This pansy is dark
brown below, and orange brown on the


upperside. Eye spots can be seen from both
top and below.
2 Lesser grass Blue
If you look carefully, you'll realise that
there are tiny things fluttering above the grass
at roadsides. They are lesser grass blues.

They are very small, so many people, even the
butterfly watchers just walk by them when they
have landed. These butterflies are extremely
common in S'pore, and also very widespread,
found in forest edge, wastelands, grasslands,
roadsides, gardens......................................................
3 Dark branded bush Brown
Although not many non-watchers, but this is
the butterfly that is always straying into car parks
and houses. It is the most common bush brown
in S'pore.


4 common palmfly

In flight this butterfly appears all black
except for the corners of the forewing
( upperside ), which is blue with white spots.
Another common one, found in urban as well
as forested areas.

( p.s. : the lengths of forewings of the
butterflies: (1):29mm,(2):11mm, (3):23mm,
(4):35mm )

Saturday 2 May 2009

Large tailed Nightjar and Cycad blue

Yes, another visit to the SBG. Just walking around
a forested area, a yellow fluttered right in front of me.
Yellows? they are too common, and they rarely
land, so what? Well, this one looked like a chocolate
grass yellow, and the last time I came across one
of these I did not get a very nice image. So, I was
willing to follow it. The butterfly led to a tiny
clearing in the forest. Then the butterfly flew
deeper into the forest. I was so disappointed.
Okay when a butterfly does this, I know it is
leading me to something. So I looked everywhere,
but all I saw was soil and plants. Then I felt something
like an ant biting my foot so I looked down......
A large tailed Nightjar was sitting on the ground
rather close to my feet! ( below )
Yes, it was very close to me. The nightjar was just so
cute. The nightjar from a distance. ( below )
Now, I did not want to disturb it too much so I
moved on. I walked, and walked, and an emigrant,
yes, an emigrant ( butterfly ) bobbed by me. Again,
leading me to something. Just at the spot that it
disappeared, a blue zoomed pass me. It was a
cycad blue, rather common in S'pore. Yes, they
are common, but then why do I call it a highlight?
That's coz' of my photos. At that time, it was rather hot,
so the blue was sunbathing, and I got this shot.( below )

I took many more images, but this was probably my
best. Well, Maybe not. Here's another one ( below )

Okay, this might be a little abrupt, but that's the
end of my post......

Friday 1 May 2009

Maybe the SBG is a better place

Okay, just another trip to the Singapore
Botanic Gardens ( SBG ). So what? I
often go there, and there's the same things,
but always, a surprise. I seemed to love going
there after the incident of the blue winged pitta.
This time, the treat is about butterflies. I was
chasing a chocolate pansy, one of S'pore's most
common butterflies, and got this lovely image
of the pansy. ( sunbathing, below )
The butterfly did come to puddle on my foot,
it felt kind of ticklish. Then not long after, this
skink came into view. ( below )
Okay, all the action starts now. Drawn by a male
common birdwing, the rare and elusive common
rose caught my eye. I looked again, could it just
be the very common common mormon? No! Its
body was orange. I did not manage to get its picture
taken but at least I saw it. Then a common palmfly
fluttered beside me. Well, palmflies are common, but
I have never gotten so close to one. Snap! ( below )
Then, a butterfly distracted me. As I was rather
sweaty it landed near me probably thinking if it
should come and puddle on my head. ( below perching )

The photo was taken from below, and now, again,
a butterfly distracted me. No. It was not only one, it
was a pair of mating grass yellows. I couldn't
identify them as they were quite far away. My
image ( below ) is not sharp coz' of the distance.

Now, time to go. As my sister was evaporating,
yes, she was parched. So, we went home.
If only everyday was like this.......