Fort Canning Green

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Perched high above the sloping fields of Fort Canning Green is a family of nesting White Bellied Sea Eagles. Within sight (just barely) of all the exercise enthusiasts below, the parents can be seen flying in and out. Many of regulars I have spoken to say that they have been spotted a few weeks ago, and I have waited equally long before posting in the hope that the young has fledged. But you can try your luck to spot the birds. Just bring a pair of binoculars.
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Blue-throated Bee Eater at Punggol End

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This was one of the first spots I went to shoot when I was starting off my bird photography hobby. The place at Punggol End is now a bit hard to get to and even harder to find a parking spot. With all the construction around the area, the direct access road is now blocked and you will have to detour a fair bit in order to get there.


The bee-eaters will fly in from the open field (belonging to the Outbound School) with their prized catch and rest on the branch. There they will smash and break away all the inedible bits of the insects such as the wings. They then fly back towards the field to feed their young in nests built on the ground.

Blue-throated Bee Eater with its prized catch

One photo-taking technique you can try out is to shoot a sequence of high-speed shots as the birds are flying in and create a photo-montage.
Photo montage of the flight of the Blue-throated Bee Eater

To achieve this effect, place your camera on a steady tripod. Next pre-focus your camera at the branch and spend some time to observe the flight paths of the bee-eater. Once you get a good idea of the flight trajectories, frame your camera so as to be able to capture a series of in-coming or out-going flights.In the example above, I framed the camera towards the right of the branch.

The trick now is to use a cable release or remote trigger release rather than constantly looking through your camera's viewfinder. Keep constant vigil for any movement or indication of any in-coming projectiles. That way you can press the shutter release way before the bird reaches the branch. 

You can then use Adobe Photoshop or any good photo-editing software to create the montage.





Location: Punggol Point Rd, Singapore

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