Date: 09/01/2010
Time start: 9:00am
Time end: 12:00pm
Weather: Sunny
Location: Behind the Singapore Synchrotron Light Source.
Observations: No feeding noted
27 meters apart, today’s location focused on the couple of sites behind the Light Source building that’s just opposite the Native Plant Nursery. 
I was torn between the 2 sites. Both sites had quite a large patch. The only worry I had after 2nd and 3rd thoughts was that if I had to sit and watch frugivory activity, it’s going to be very near the patches. And also this site (especially site 3b) gets the brunt of the whirring from the cooling fans behind the Singapore Synchrotron Light Source.
I am not sure if the sound is a disturbance to the surrounding frugivores or whether it’s my presence that might be the reason but there’s this single Melastoma plant (1.5 – 1.7m in height) growing on the slope (about 28m away) from the on-going whirring. Ripe, open fruits are abundant but there’s not much evidence of it to show that it has been eaten. One or two looked like it might have been pecked but I can’t be too sure. Come Monday, I will try to ascertain frugivory activity.
From where I was going to sit down and observe, the migratory Black Bazas (Aviceda leuphotes) could be seen once more. 5 of them could be soaring above the canopy that stands aloft Kent Ridge. During migration to warmer wintering grounds, bigger birds like raptors, Black Bazas for example, either take advantage of the:
1) hot air (aka thermals) that rise from the ground [1]:
2) or the winds that get deflected when they hit the sides of a ridge (aka updrafts): 
With this they can soar effortlessly and at longer distances. Travelling at such energy-consuming distances, it’s indeed a blessing for the birds when they have the thermals and updrafts to rely upon. Hence, the Black Bazas at Kent Ridge (link). The updraft route which raptors rely upon in Singapore skims along Kent Ridge to the Southern Ridges before reaching the Riau Archipelago in Indonesia.
Anyway, my 9am watch began at Site 3b. I was pretty much staring into silent foliage when I noticed a furry, tickling sensation on my hand. Then on my bag, I saw another culprit of that strange feeling, the tree I was under rained CATERPILLARS! Its spines unnerved me and I flicked my hand vigorously to get it off >_< Notice those needle-like thingies sticking out?
It takes more than 2 caterpillars to rattle my nerves. But it’s a different ball game altogether when one gets into my shirt. Especially Mr. Sea Urchin right here. Because of the lack of anything except caterpillars, I decided to check-out site 3a. There were quite a flurry of movements amongst the tree-tops caused by 3-4 Pink-Necked Green Pigeons (Treron vernans) and a group of Javan Mynas (Acridotheres javanicus). Both groups were feeding on the same tree, but I was sure that the Pink-Necked were feeding on the fruits of that plant. Must remember to snap a picture of the plant next time.
The thin “tsip tsip” calls of the flowerpeckers were heard but none could be seen stopping to feed on anything in particular.
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* Additional notes:
Bird calls heard from 9 – 12pm. (not all)
1) chi・tiup chi・tiup/chi・up chi・up
2) wrree-wrree
- the “wrr” rolled out rather strongly in the call
Reference:
1. Raptors Migration: How Raptors Migrate – Thermals & Updrafts
2. The Mystery of Migration: How do birds migrate such long distances?
