My Bird Photos of 2024
by a relatively mature birder photographer
This year marks my third year of birding, and I’ve grown quite the expert. Instead of relying solely on social media notifications, I’m focusing on exploring and finding birds on my own. In the past, I’d often take my younger son along on my birding trips, but this year, he’s serving his national service in the Singapore Armed Forces. But guess what? We reunited in the second half of the year, since he’s got more free time on weekends.
Let’s start with my birding equipment I used this year.
I’ve got a micro four-thirds OMDS OM1 (Mk1) camera with a 150–400 mm lens and a MC1.4 teleconverter. This combo gives me a whopping 1,342 mm of zoom reach (400 x 2 x 1.2 x 1.4 mm). That means I can snap some shots of birds from a distance without getting too close. I usually bring my monopod along, so most of my photos are taken without my hands shaking.
Check out this White-bellied Sea Eagle! I was standing on the rooftop of a tall building, trying to capture these majestic birds soaring by. Usually, they circle the area, but sometimes they’ll even fly right above the roof. To get a clear shot, I used Bird AF in my camera. It helps me focus on the bird’s moving body as it flies past me. If you want to try this, you’ll need to take a lot of practice shots, tracing your camera along the bird’s flight path. I spent over an hour there, just waiting for the perfect moment. Make sure you have plenty of storage in your camera, because I usually take around 6 shots per second to avoid having too many.
Here’s a Common Kingfisher! Last year, I took a photo of this guy at the same spot with a fake “stalk” above a lake a few weeks back. This one was taken at Juron Eco Green Park, which is now closed for renovation. It’s a bummer because the kingfisher is a resident at that lake. I hope the bird is still there when the park reopens.
I spotted an Oriental Magpie Robin! It was hopping around looking for food. I had to use my Bird AF and high shutter speed because it kept moving. It has a lovely song, so you’ll know it’s there. To get a close-up shot, you’ll have to wait for it to search the ground. Oh, and guess what? I also met a Magpie!
This is a rare migrant bird, similar to crows, thanks to a tip from social media. I managed to get a good shot of it since it was staying at the same location for a couple of days. Not all migrants stay for extended periods. This bird is significantly larger than the Oriental Magpie Robin.
I found a couple of Asian Glossy Starlings while walking around my neighborhood. I heard their calls and spotted them perched on a tree. One of them was looking for the perfect fruit for the other one (probably the female). They flew off together after accidentally dropping the seeds. Many bird photos can tell a really interesting story.
Meet the Asian Koel, one of the loudest birds in the neighborhood! Their distinctive “uh-uh” calls can travel far and wide. The male birds are all black, but unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of them here.
Pigeons and doves are everywhere, but they often have a hidden beauty that many people miss. Take a look at this Zebra Dove I took near my home. You can also find Spotted Doves around here, and I’m always happy to see them!
Check out this Coppersmith Barbet! It’s busy collecting seeds for its little ones, who are building their nest right here near the tree. I took this shot from eye level, which is pretty tricky to do, especially since I was standing on the second floor of a multi-story car park next to the tree. So, when you get a chance to take a picture of a bird from eye level, don’t miss it!
Check out this Blue-eared kingfisher! I snapped this photo at the Dairy Farm Nature Park. Guess what? A whole family is camping there - two parents and three little ones. They were hanging out just above a small lake, so I was able to get a super close-up shot of one of the parents. Pretty cool, right?
Check out this Munia with its scaly breast! You’ll often spot it munching on the seeds in these grasses. The grass stalks sway in the wind, so you’ll need a fast shutter speed to get a clear shot.
Check out this Common Flame-backed Woodpecker! Its crest looks like it’s got a fiery head. You’ll often see it pecking its bill on a tree branch. That’s how it’s searching for food. It’s incredible how quickly it can peck its head on the tree branch.
Guess what? There’s a whole school of little terns hanging out at Marina East! It’s usually tough to get a good look at the fledglings, but since the parents are out fishing and the fledglings are busy guarding their food, the photographers and I managed to sneak up on them without them noticing.
Check out this Zitting Cisticola I found in Jurong Lake Gardens! We were on the hunt for Nightjar, but this little beauty caught our eye instead. It’s a real flyer, always soaring through the tall grasses and sometimes even swinging up and down with the wind. If you have a wide-angle lens, you’ll get some really cool blurry backgrounds to go with the bird’s portrait.
Guess what we spotted here? A Grey-headed Sea Eagle! It’s not a common sight, but we were lucky enough to see it twice, once in Hampstead Park and again in Labrador Park. Both sea eagles looked super serious, like they were warning us to stay away. Pretty cool, huh?
Check out this Orange-Cheeked Waxbill I spotted at Bidadari Nature Park! This park just opened this year and it’s a birdwatcher’s paradise. I found out later in the year that it’s a hotspot for birds, so I was thrilled to see this little guy.
Check out this Amur Paradise Flycatcher! Sometimes, we might mistake it for the Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher. It’s a gorgeous bird, but it can be tricky to photograph. It often likes to perch on high branches covered in leaves, so you might need to use manual focusing to get a clear shot.
I found this rare Dark-sided flycatcher while searching for other birds in the Seletar West area. Sometimes, the best bird sightings come by luck!
While searching for a raptor at Choa Chua Kang park, we stumbled upon this Brown Shrike. It was perched on a fence with spikes, which might come in handy when hunting. (That’s what Shrikes do).
I went to the Singapore Botanical Garden to see this rare migrant Iron Boy, also known as the ferruginous flycatcher. I waited for a bit, and then it showed up! It flew really fast among the branches. I was lucky enough to get a good shot of it.
Check out this cool migrant bird, the Mugimaki flycatcher! I spotted it at Bidadari Nature Park. It’s super agile, hopping from tree to tree like a little acrobat.
I spotted a Blue-winged Pita at Punggol Park! These birds are usually found on the ground, searching for yummy food. But they are small and good at hiding. So, you’ll need a bit of luck to find them.
I spotted a White-Throated Kingfisher at Bidadari Nature Park. I was hoping to capture a photo of four Kingfishers like a fellow photographer did, but I only managed to get one. Birding is all about luck, you know!
Check out this Amur Stonechat, a super rare bird that just showed up! It was spotted at Lor Halus, a spot of grassland that’s still untouched by development.
I went back to Bidadari Nature Park to see if I could spot any more birds, but guess what I found instead? An Oriental Honey Buzzard! It’s a dark morph version of the bird. These raptors come in different “morphs””, like pale, rufous, and dark.
Guess what? The last bird of the year is this Chestnut-Winged Cuckoo, a rare visitor. I spotted it at Jurong Lake Garden, and it seemed to have just arrived with four of its friends. It’s not one to hide, but it likes to hop from tree to tree. When it takes a break, it hides behind the leaves, making it tough to get a clear shot. But I managed to snap this photo, and I’m so glad I did!
Hope you have enjoyed viewing my bird photo collection for 2024.
