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

"Spring" & "Autumn" in Singapore

 

Yellow Flame in our block car park - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Are you kidding me, spring and autumn in Singapore? Indeed, living in Singapore we only experience a hot day, sweaty a lot, and only have sort of rainy day. To feel spring and autumn, it virtually impossible. However,  we can see "spring" and "autumn" around our neighborhood when the time comes every year.😊

White Trumpet Tree - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

a Male Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot; took this picture and videos from our laundry room - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti and RDZ

For quite some time, we realized our environment around us, observe it, we found something amazing and wonderful that we hadn't imagined before. What is it? Feeling like spring and autumn but still on a hot day, humid, and lots of sweaty. It sounds weird, but when we see the trees around us bloom, some others change their leaves color turn into vivid red and yellow, many beautiful birds fly around, suddenly we can smile and feel peace in our heart. Maybe because I love nature, however, I think lots of people here feel the same. Moreover, we are very, very happy!

"Autumn" in Singapore - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

Capturing the moon from our laundry room - Photographed by RDZ

I think the Rain Tree bloomed in early March when I saw many sunbirds flew around that trees in our car park in our residential. The flower color is pink-white that could cover all its big umbrella-shaped crown. This tree is beautiful in my eyes because every time I see it, I just like saw a painting. In the morning, Sunbirds had a big party at this tree, while others stopped by in my "garden" to take nectar in my Hisbiscus flower. I like their announcement when arriving, we even got the opportunity to take videos! I can see the Rain Tree from our window kitchen and laundry room.

a female Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot; taking this picture from our laundry room - Photographed by RDZ

Yellow Flame in our block - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

a female Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot in the car park - Photographed by RDZ

a Male Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot; they are a couple who build a family and has a nest on the Yellow Flame Tree in the car park where we live - Photographed by RDZ and Acik Mardhiyanti

Another amazing tree is called Yellow Flame. We can see it in our block car park as well. These trees are still flowering now and easy to caught our eyes since the flower is bright yellow. Is not only Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot that uses this tree as their nest to build a family, but the fruit also attracts the squirrel. Yes, we can see this beautiful green small parrot along with White-collared Kingfisher birds! How about the squirrel? Believe me, there are lots of squirrels in our neighborhood that we could easy to spot them. We can see this beautiful bright yellow flower from March to May and September to November! So, I would be ready to capture this moment!

White-collared Kingfisher in the car park - Photographed by RDZ

At the same time, here in my neighborhood, I can have a chance to catch autumn from other countries when Malayan Crape Myrtle Trees turn their leaves into yellow or vivid red/ red. The question is why they turn their leaves color? The regular leaves of this particular tree are green, but, when the temperature cooler which means the rainfall level is higher, those weather activities speed up the shedding process, so that we can see yellow and red/ vivid red leaves here, just like autumn.

Malayan Crape Myrtle Tree in our neighborhood - Photographed by RDZ

While Yellow Flame Tree, Rain Tree, and Malayan Crape Myrtle Tree are showing off their beauty, Trumpet Tree also gives the best moment by showing pink and white its flower. When we see it, instantly feeling like spring in another country. I captured some pictures of Trumpet Trees from our front door. The flower color is white, however, the most popular one is pink that we could find in our neighborhood. By enjoying this beauty, we can't believe that we are in Singapore. Many people call it "Sakura" in Singapore.

Crown in car park; took this picture from our laundry room - Photographed by RDZ

Sunbird visited my "garden" - Photographed RDZ & Acik Mardhiyanti

I also found the Penda tree that blooms at the same time. When it blooms, the bird would come. What kind of birds is that? They are Sunbird, Myna, or Javan Myna. I spotted one Myna and captured the pictures! No wonder that the Sunbird hasn't visited my "garden" for some time to take the nectar of Hibiscus flower because they have lots of food sources out there. That is why I hear their party in this tree along with Myna's song. 

Penda Tree and Myna; took this picture from our front door - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

That's how beautiful our environment around our block. I remember before moved to Singapore, to be honest, I was worried that we could not feel nature again because what had I know about Singapore was a busy and bustling city. But I amazed that I still feel nature, beautiful green view, and even feel "spring" and "autumn" here! Moreover, I found and spot some pretty and beautiful birds that I haven't seen before from the place I came from. So, besides spotting Sunbird, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, White-collared Kingfisher, we also see Crow and The common Flameback or Goldenback bird, Black-naped Oriole, and Asian Koel bird! Actually, there are many more birds in our neighborhood!

Capturing this picture of The common Flameback bird in our block from our laundry room - Photographed by RDZ

Even though we live in an HBD apartment and bustling city (people call it), we still connect with nature and find the wild creatures and live with us in a common resident. Furthermore, I can create a mini "garden" and planting Hibiscus to attract Sunbird. It is my wonderful life! 

Yellow Flame Tree in our block - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

My new article on Ichi's Fusion Recipes; Fried Selar fish: here is the link https://ichi-recipes.blogspot.com/2021/03/quick-simple-and-tasty-recipe-fried.html

See you in my other article, bye for now!

Note:

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

 

Creating a "garden" to feed Sunbirds

 

Olive-backed Sunbird and Cypress plant - photographed by RDZ

Welcome back to Ichi's Garden! It's been a while since the last article that I published. Today I am going to share a new thing in this blog; creating a "garden" to feed Sunbirds. It sounds good and promising to help this bird in city life, isn't it? 

"Garden", why I should call my "garden"? It might be a little bit weird for some of you because of unfamiliar activities who live in an apartment. Generally, people who live in an apartment have never had an interest in gardening for some reason. First, maybe they are not keen on gardening, secondly, people do not have time to do the planting, third, it could be space is the real issue. I think many motives behind why someone does not do gardening. However, for me who is interested in flowers and plants, I intend to do gardening wherever I live. It doesn't matter where I stay, I would grow my flowers and plants even if in a tiny space! That is why I call my garden is "garden" because I do gardening in such a little space which is my corridor in the HDB apartment.

Dwarf yellow Hibiscus flower from my garden that attracts Sunbird - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti

To be honest, I had grown my cypress vine or also known as the little trumpet flower, a few years ago. Back then I was trying to plant it because I liked a tiny red little flower that this plant has. So, I bought the Cypress vine flower seeds at a hypermarket nearby while shopping for my groceries. What happened next was I realized that this kind of flower easy to grow and low maintenance. Moreover, It grew fast and attracted a tiny little bird that has a beautiful song. Not only me, my cat, Ichi, she liked to sit tight at her TV window and started sing to while saw these birds stopped by. What a beautiful and peaceful harmony. 

Unfortunately, we had to move and said goodbye to my tiny red flowers. And someday without any warning, I saw a tiny sprout of Cypress vine flower in my Betel leaves. It was last year actually. After dormant for about 2 or 3 years, this tiny seed of Cypress awakens from the ground! What an intriguing event and made me have a big question, "does Cypress vine seed can grow after a few years?" It looks like the seeds from old plants do not want to leave behind and wants to go with me and left some seeds on the pot where betel leaf has been grown.

It has been a few months since this little red flower grows. I moved it to another pot with sticks. Now, they are blooming with the red tiny flower that I could account for. You can see there are lots of pods seed there and ready to make the pot crowded. Every day my Cypress vine grows and produces buds daily. Even though I do not give it fertilizer and haven't given it proper pot soil but this flowering plant looks to adapt to the environment surrounding quickly. This indicates that the Cypress vine flower is low maintenance and easy to grow.

The intriguing event is the fact that Cypress vine attracts Sunbird. This bird often passes by in my "garden" to take the nectar inside. Not only Cypress but Hibiscus flower also makes Sunbirds daily visiting my tiny "garden" with their beautiful sounds. We have red color and yellow Hisbiscus flowers. Another plant that captivates this bird is a green leafy plant with a small pink flower. The pink flower shape is like a bird. When the weather is perfect, the flower will bloom and engage Sunbird. I am still figuring out the name of this plant. 

Olive-backed Sunbird perched on my Jasmine flower - Photographed by RDZ

The Sunbird that visiting my "garden" is Olive-Backed Sunbird. Sunbird has some interesting color and I think has a cute look. I wish I am a researcher who studies this bird. However, it is not easy to take their pictures, once they notice someone watching them, instantly these birds will fly away. 2 days ago was our lucky day, a couple Olive-backed Sunbird perched on Cypress vine stick and stayed for a while on my Jasmine flower and played a little bit on my kaffir lime soil. It looked like they had a little fun and took a rest for the day. So, we had a chance to take pictures. I wish we did a video, unluckily forgot about it.

I think creating a little "garden" in the apartment could provide food for this tiny creature. First thing, I love flowers and plants so I want to grow some or many flowers in my corridor. But who's knows, when I do gardening will create tiny wildlife or give hope to the Sunbird to live in the city. Sometimes butterfly flies around too. So, for me, gardening is not a hobby like most people say that this activity is a part of hobbies. Personally, by planting flowers or plants at least it could give benefits not only me but also tiny creature such as birds or butterfly to live, and other people. You do not know, last time when I grew sunflower, my neighbor granddaughter was very happy to see it. Seeing other people I feel that I am happy too to give them an opportunity to see how beautiful flowers are.

Thank you for reading my article. I hope I could publish another article on Ichi's Garden blog. But I can't promise about it because I have another work to do. Anyway, I am glad that I could write this article to all of you. Bye for now 🖐🙂

Note:

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