Portsdown Swamp, One-north birding
April 2024, evening, after a heavy rain
In One North, the Silicon Valley of Singapore, amidst the tall buildings housing well-funded tech companies, lies a small green space installed with trees attractive to birds (and also unintentionally and unfortunately, squirrels). In the early dawn and evenings, a variety of bird sounds could be heard all around the space. Next to One North park, a rather unknown small swamp (partially concealed by thick tall grasses) exists in a small grass patch with tall tech company offices in the background. The Portsdown Swamp hosts several avian visitors and residents.
A pretty unassuming small swamp next to a construction site
Trip report
About 35 minutes was spent at the swamp and 15min was spent at one-north park.
I wager the white-throated kingfisher is a resident here. The dead branches poking out of the water are excellent low-lying perches for the kingfisher to watch the water for insects and fishes.
Some gregarious Pied trillers flitting about the tall trees in One-north park looking for worms (and they were quite successful at that)
One scaly-breasted munia came pretty close to my camera to feast on some grass seeds, unperturbed by my towering presence and totally unabashed by his messy eating. It smiled for the camera with mouth full and beak covered with food.
A Lineated Barbet perched at the top of a very tall dead tree in the middle of the swamp. Unfortunately this fella was uncooperative and refused to lower himself to give me a better look.
Yellow Bittern here is probably a resident. This shy fella stayed behind the dead palm leaves the whole time, pretending to be invisible.
A waterhen family with some teenagers in their awkward chick feathers.
Other bird photos not featured: pink-neck green pigeon, black-naped oriole, spotted dove, yellow-vented bulbuls, javan mynahs, rose-ringed parakeets, rock pigeons, laced woodpecker
Waterhens community seemed pretty prosperous around One-north, with some of them sighted far from the swamp.
