I Found A Cute Creture in The Car Park: Swinhoe's White-eye

 

Swinhoe's White-eye in the Car Park - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

It's been a while since the last article I published on Ichi's Garden. I have been busy recently with many things so that I could not write a new article. However, I love writing and I want to always share something that I know, my experiences, knowledge, anything that could give a positive mind for others including this topic where I found a cute creature in the car park. I hope it would give you peace of mind and a little smile for your day! 🤗

Swinhoe's White-eye in the car park - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

For the past few days, we have nice weather where the rain comes. The best thing about is that after it over where I can hear birds sing a song continuously. I did not know where was coming from, but for sure that beautiful sound is from the car park. I failed many times to identify the sound and the bird name that dance in the rain. They are tiny creatures, moreover, the color is the same as the leaves. We could not see them clearly.

Swinhoe's White-eye in the car park - Photographed by RDZ

A few days ago, after the heavy rain over, I felt curious when heard the same sound again in the late afternoon. I saw a pack of tiny birds flew and perched from one tree to another in the car park. From our laundry room, I found about 8-12 green tiny birds sung their song and looked happy. I did not know what were they doing, but I assume they ate something from the young leaves. Minute to minute we observe their behavior, some of them just played around, while others just take a rest and groom. What a cute creature that perfectly blends in this residential area. That is why we like the area where we live where I can see the green views from our windows. Furthermore, I can found some birds that live surrounding. 

A beautiful tiny creature: Swinhoe's White-eye - Photographed Acik Mardhiyanti

What I can see is the bird has a white circle on their eyes, and most of their fur is covered with olive green color on the upper part, lower breast and belly is pale grey, while the throat, upper breast, and forehead are yellow in color. My husband said it looked they are wearing glass or masks. I think it is the reason why Malay people call this bird is Kelicap Kacamata Biasa which means the word "Kacamata" is a glass.😅What a funny expression! If you see them, you would say the same thing. I assume the body size may be the same as Sunbird, but it has an almost round shape, I guess.🤔 They are in a pack not single or couple like Sunbirds. This bird is called Swinhoe's White-eye.

A cute creature: Swinhoe's White-eye - Photographed by RDZ

What they eat exactly? Seeing their beak we can identify them eating small things, specifically flowering trees. No wonder, I saw them busy on some particular tree for example Raintree. Last month our town council did trim all the trees in our residential including in the car park. And now that trees, Raintree, Yellow Flame trees, all of them have many young leaves and start flowering again. I think it is the reason why Swinhoe's White-eye bird comes in a pack, gathering to feed on these flowering trees.

Are you able to find Swinhoe's White-eye among those leaves?😍 - Photographed by RDZ

By watching this bird, we can feel some peace in my mind and smile while taking the videos or their pictures. These activities, somehow, become our new hobby. Even we set a camera to record Sunbird that visits my "garden" every day to take nectar from my Hibiscus flower. Well, nowadays, I have 5 pots of Hibiscus flowers! It sounds like a gas station to represent my "garden" because each day, yes, each day at least 4 Sunbirds come to enjoy the food that I serve for them.🥰 Nature is beautiful with the tiny creatures that will make our day is great! How about you? Are you enjoying nature around you and find a sense of peace? 😊

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti and RDZ
• Do not copy this article without permission
• Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permission

Discovering Beautiful Birds Around Our Home

 

White-collared Kingfisher in the car park, what is he doing in the rain?🤔 - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Living in the bustling city would make many people wonder what it looks like living in this busy city, Singapore. We thought that we could not find or feel nature anymore and possibly impossible to find biodiversity when we knew that most of the people here live in an apartment. However, we were wrong! 

I hadn't imagined that after moving to Singapore would find some fresh nature and a greeny view. For me, personally who love flowers and plants, of course, I would be happy if I can do gardening and create a little community for the nature creature for example bird. I  grew up with a beautiful green view surround where I could hear the birds sing a song every day. So, deciding to stay in Singapore was like having a hard deal. However, soon after set my foot here, I amazed by the nature around me. I can't believe that we live in the busier city yet can feel the green scenery!🤗

Olive-backed Sunbird visited my Hibiscus flower - Video by RDZ, picture taken by Acik Mardhiyanti

I wrote about "spring" and "autumn" in Singapore before. In this article, I want to share about colorful birds that live with us in our residential or the block we live in. In general, from our windows, we can see the green view around us and lots of trees and tiny creatures. The first thing when we decided to choose this location was because the flat has a "television" for my cat, Ichi, so she could enjoy her day by looking through the big window. Whenever she saw the bird, she excited, and sometimes we could hear her meow, not meow, almost like a laugh. That was how she express her happiness when the birds caught her eyes. Well, "spring" and "autumn" is the perfect time to see flowering trees and colorful birds around! That is why we like this particular location.

A couple Olive-backed Sunbird in my "garden" - video by RDZ, picture taken by Acik Mardhiyanti

In general, Sunbirds come to my "garden" to feed themself. Yes, now, I have 3 pots of Hisbiscus flower that actively produce buds. And 1 pot Hibiscus is still growing because I trimmed it. In total, I have 4 Hibiscus plants, 2 red colors, 1 dwarf yellow flower, and another is orange color! We often see the Sunbirds make a visit every day whether a couple or single Sunbird! I have another plant that attracts Sunbird, unfortunately, I have failed to identify this plant, still trying...🙄This plant has a tiny pink flower that has a bird shape. So, it is a cute flower! However, We haven't taken a proper Sunbird picture since they are very sensitive to movement. Instantly they fly away once see a human.😐 So, I would just love to watch them perch, play, and feed, on my plants. They are tiny and cute creatures!😍 Just like their name, Olive-backed Sunbird, the Sunbird that stops by in my "garden" has olive color on the back, meanwhile, their other body is yellow. I wonder, how much their weight since I have always seen them easy to perch at the Hibiscus flower.

A beautiful White-collared Kingfisher. Took this picture when we walked around the park - Photographed by RDZ

The other day while preparing our meal I saw White-collared Kingfisher perched on the Yellow Flame tree in the car park. I did not know what this little guy did in the rain. However, I captured some pictures of him. We can also easily found this bird every day if we carefully look at the trees around our residential. The other day on Sunday, we took a walk at the park. Like I mentioned before, our block is a nearby national park. we found 2 White-collared Kingfishers and took their pictures. We just followed their sound and found them! This bird has a distinctive sound that very loud even though has a tiny body. Sometimes we can hear Kingfisher sound in the early morning. Basically, in the morning and evening, they would sing their song! What we love about this bird is the color they have; it is blue and white! I imagine it like aquamarine blue, just like the ocean! Indeed, Kingfisher eats small fish, but they also eat other small living things such as grasshopper and small lizard.

A beautiful Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot - Video: RDZ, picture taken by Acik Mardhiyanti

Our day is also colorful as the next bird we discover around our block. What is it? It is Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot. Like the name blue-crowned; the head has a small round blue color. Male has the bright one, while female their blue-crowned fade away. Male Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot has also had a red mark on their chest. Yes, overall, this parrot has bright green color; I just imagine a rainbow to associate Blue-crowned Hanging parrot color. This bird eats small seeds and fruit. I think there are trees that produce small seeds around here because not only this particular parrot we found here, but also squirrel as well. Lots of squirrels live on the trees around our block. 

A cute squirrel in the park nearby our home - Photographed by RDZ

The next bird that I want to talk about is the shy one, it is Black-naped Oriole. The bird has a bright yellow color and black on the back. I think male and female are very similar in color, but some said the female has yellow color but little green. They stay on the trees that step away from a parking lot. I often see them flying around in the car park from one tree to another. However, they are shy birds, and hard to take their picture even though we often spot them in the parking lot from our kitchen window or laundry room.

Black-naped Oriole in the rain; I wonder what this little guy doing in the rain?🤔 - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

We had a lucky day when could spot Common Falme-back bird from our laundry room! But this bird is hard to spot in our area. However, if we are lucky enough, the day would come! Like in the morning when my husband did an online meeting in the laundry room, he was able to see a Common Flame-back. I think this bird lives around the park. The one that spotted was a male with a reddish crown on the head. Feeding insects is their behavior. 

Lucky enough to spot this little guy; Common Flame-back bird in the park - Photographed by RDZ

Actually, there is lots of pigeon and Myna bird all across Singapore. In our block, we can easily find pigeons and Myna as well because wherever they find food (human food), they would come. These two birds are common in Singapore. The pigeon breeds are faster than others so that makes them in a high population.

Raven in the car park - Photographed by RDZ

Another bird that I spotted in our block is the crow, but I would like to call them raven. The raven is also a part of the birds that live around our residential. My Japanese friend mentioned that the crow color in Singapore is not black shinny but has a brown color. When I walk to the market or other places around, I often spot them in a particular tree nearby. However, they avoid humans.

That's all the beautiful birds that I have discovered around our home. Maybe there are more of them. This is an unexpected event to find beautiful birds that live around us. However, the reality is wonderful and awesome! That is why I call my life is a wonderful journey!

Note:

• Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
• Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti and RDZ
• Do not copy this article without permission
• Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permission