This put up was initially printed on Could 25, 2013. It’s republished in our new “From the Archives” sequence, by which we need to draw consideration to our huge again catalogue of greater than 10,000 birding-related posts printed during the last 15 years or so.
Mike’s feedback relating to his current stopover in Japan struck a chord that has been resonating inside me for per week or two. Redgannet was initially conceived as a approach to encourage my colleagues (in case you haven’t learn the profile, I work as a flight attendant for a global airline) out of the retailers and their resort rooms to expertise one thing that the native pure scene has to supply. My success on this respect has been very modest, however Mike triggered me assume that as a substitute of attempting to tug folks from their beds, I ought to be sharing with people who find themselves passing by way of, both in transit or on a layover.
I often write about websites accessible from the cities that I go to, however seldom make any point out of websites that may be reached from the airport. For passengers passing by way of with transit occasions of greater than a few hours, such a chance could possibly be simply what they’re on the lookout for. Maybe I’ve missed my calling.
Let’s take Singapore’s Changi Worldwide Airport for example; it’s a big hub airport with giant numbers of individuals passing by way of in transit to Australia, Indonesia and south-east Asia. Anybody with greater than a few hours to kill might simply make a fast birding foray out from the airport. The clear, straightforward and fashionable Subway/Metro system right here is called the SMRT (map, and fare/time calculator hyperlink) and there’s a station on the airport (Google Earth lower and paste ref; 1°21’27.49″N 103°59’20.64″E (Should you don’t have already got Google Earth, it may be downloaded without cost at this hyperlink)). Alternatively, taxis are low cost and plentiful.
Asian Shiny Starling
Listed below are two websites that I go to frequently which may simply be reached from the airport by SMRT or taxi cab and given a cursory look inside a few hours. Should you knew there was an Asian Shiny Starling shut by wouldn’t you need to go on the lookout for it? However, keep in mind to be again in loads of time to your onward flight!
A while administration ideas;
It might take a while to disembark and fulfill the formalities. Enable 30-40 minutes from touchdown to getting out of the airport and return to the airport with a minimal of an hour earlier than your subsequent flight.
Examine your maintain baggage all over out of your airport of origin to your vacation spot and acquire a boarding card to your subsequent sector on the identical time. It will depart you much less time careworn in your return to the airport.
Should you want to depart the airport throughout your transit, you have to to current a touchdown card to immigration. Request a card and full it on-board to benefit from your time.
Have a small quantity of Singaporean {dollars} to pay for taxis, trains and drinks. A taxi from the airport to Singapore Botanic Gardens might price S$20 – 30 relying on site visitors, so carry not less than S$60 (Trade fee calculator). Should you don’t get to spend it, you should use it on board, or change it again later.
Taxi v SMRT – The SMRT is the superb, clear, protected, dependable, low cost transport system of Singapore. It can price simply over S$2 per passenger for a similar journey to the Botanic Gardens. The SMRT is predicted to take 50 minutes to the gardens, however a cab would most likely handle it in half-hour. Taxis can often be discovered rapidly and simply until it’s raining.
Don’t carry an excessive amount of hand baggage. You’ll both have to depart it on the airport and acquire it later (utilizing up treasured time), or carry it with you in sizzling, humid situations.
Beneath are particulars for Paser Ris and Singapore Botanic Gardens.
My favorite website in Singapore is Paser Ris. It’s straightforward to get to and from and really straightforward to get round. The birding just isn’t distinctive, however you possibly can simply see a few of Singapore’s and South-east Asia’s extra widespread species and it does throw up the occasional jewel. Sometimes there are days like this!
Paser Ris is a small park inside 10kms of the airport, most likely about 15 minutes in a cab. Taxis are straightforward to seek out from the airport and can be straightforward to seek out to get again once more. It’s inside 500m of Paser Ris SMRT Station (Google Earth lower and paste ref; 1°22’22.77″N 103°56’58.54″E), simply 5 stops (with one change) from the Changi Airport SMRT Station (Fare/time calculator predicts that it’s going to price S$1.9 and take 23 minutes).
My private listing for Paser Ris runs to 75 birds over 15 visits that common out at round 25 species per outing.
The generally seen birds, in response to their season, are; Grey Heron, Nice Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Striated Heron, Black-crowned Night time-heron, Brahminy Kite, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, White-breasted Waterhen, Little Ringed Plover, Widespread Sandpiper, Widespread Redshank, Whimbrel, Noticed Dove, Zebra Dove, Pink-necked Pigeon, Purple-breasted Parakeet, Lengthy-tailed Parakeet, Asian Koel, Widespread Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Brown-capped Woodpecker, Laced Woodpecker, Widespread Flameback, Widespread Iora, Tiger Shrike, Brown Shrike, Black-naped Oriole, Pied Fantail, Home Crow, Massive-billed Crow, Pacific Swallow, Purple-whiskered Bulbul, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Widespread Tailorbird, Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, Ashy Tailorbird, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie-robin, Asian Shiny Starling, Crested Myna, Javan Myna, Widespread Myna, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Plain-throated Sunbird, Copper-throated Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Home Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Nutmeg Mannikin, White-headed Munia.
Noticed Wooden-owl
A couple of of the highlights embody; Black Baza, Crested Serpent-eagle, Blue-rumped Parrot, Better Coucal, Noticed Wooden-owl , Dollarbird, Oriental Pied-hornbill, Mangrove Pitta, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Pied Triller, Ashy Minivet, Olive-winged Bulbul, Arctic Warbler.
Options of the park embody a small, tidal river (Sungei Tampines), lawns, timber and seashore. The park could be walked round in lower than an hour, however there are just a few options that may trigger the birder to linger. Its greatest draw for birders would most likely be the mangrove boardwalk and the 4 storey chicken viewing tower.
There’s a concrete gutter between the tidal a part of the river and the growth which maintains water ranges upstream. You will discover this the place the highway crosses the river at Google Earth ref; 1°22’30.66″N 103°57’9.79″E.
You may additionally discover acquainted faces. Black-crowned Night time Heron
From the bridge right here you can see herons, egrets and kingfishers. The trail alongside the precise (east) financial institution of the river leads alongside a cycle path with Asian Koels, Yellow-vented Bulbuls, Laced Woodpeckers and Oriental Magpie Robins all doubtless.
Take the left (west) path down the left financial institution of the river and you’ll rapidly end up on a boardwalk amongst the mangroves. There’s a viewing platform constructed out over the river and the birding tower could be discovered additional alongside. Orioles, bulbuls and sunbirds are prone to be seen from right here.
Whichever manner you go, you’ll quickly end up on the shore and the mouth of the river, or the seashore will give a small number of wading birds relying on the season and the state of the tide.
The frivolously wooded lawns carry flycatchers, pigeons and doves. There’s at all times the prospect of an over-flying raptor with Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea-eagle generally seen.
Amenities at Paser Ris embody bathrooms and consuming fountains within the park itself. Close to the practice station, inside 500m are retailers and eating places.
You may additionally use the SMRT to go to Singapore Botanic Gardens. There’s a devoted station, appropriately named, Botanic Backyard.
My private listing for the gardens runs to 60 birds over 9 visits. It’s open from early morning to late night and is busy at any time of day. If you’re not birdwatching, you could want to take part with the musical Tai Chi classes. There’s an official web site with opening hours and occasions at http://www.sbg.org.sg/index.asp
The next species are generally seen right here; Lesser Whistling Duck, Yellow Bittern, Striated Heron, Brahminy Kite, White-breasted Waterhen, Noticed Dove, Zebra Dove, Pink-necked Inexperienced Pigeon, Lengthy-tailed Parakeet, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Asian Koel, Asian Palm Swift, White-throated Kingfisher, Collared Kingfisher, Blue-throated Bee-eater, Banded Woodpecker, Black-naped Oriole, Black Drongo, Pacific Swallow, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Oriental Magpie Robin, Asian Shiny Starling, Javan Myna, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Plain-throated Sunbird, Olive-backed Sunbird, Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
Different highlights may embody; Black Baza, Purple-legged Crake, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Lineated Barbet, Jap Crimson Sunbird.
Stork-billed Kingfisher
The SMRT station is situated near the north gate. Simply right here is Ecopond, a small lake with tough edges and a small palm-congested island. Search for Pink-necked Inexperienced Pigeons, Yellow-vented Bulbuls and Asian Shiny Starlings on the island’s palms. Across the edges you may even see White-breasted Waterhens, Yellow Bitterns and Lesser Whistling Geese.
Yellow Bittern
Head into the gardens and you’ll quickly discover Heliconia Stroll. That is my favorite a part of the park which permits actually shut views of Sunbirds that come right down to feed within the flower beds.
Heliconia Stroll overlooks Symphony Lake, one other great place to search for Yellow Bittern. An island hosts the orchestra stage and a few towering palms. Examine the tops of the palms for Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot and look ahead to White-breasted Kingfishers on any outstanding function.
Olive-backed Sunbird
In case your time is restricted you could not be capable to familiarize yourself with the swiflets that flock above the lawns and lakes. Should you do handle to establish them, please drop me a line and inform me what they’re.
There’s a small forested space with a boardwalk in order that it’s satisfactory even within the moist. Forest species are prone to embody the Banded Woodpecker and Black Drongo.
The Botanic Gardens are farther from the airport than Paser Ris. 15 stops and a pair of modifications might sound fairly difficult, however the system may be very person pleasant and all indicators are in English. The calculator reckons that the journey will take 50 minutes and price simply over S$2.
On the guests space of the gardens, eating places, bathrooms and a present store could also be discovered.
Should you do enterprise out, might I like to recommend the New Holland Subject Information by Craig Robson to the Birds of South-east Asia.
There isn’t any Malaria threat in Singapore, however there are nonetheless biting bugs and repellent will likely be helpful round daybreak and nightfall.
Lastly, in the event you do not need time to flee the airport, go to the butterfly backyard within the terminal.