Birdwatching at Gardens by the Bay - Migratory birds

October to March/April are good months for birdwatchers and bird photographers. Some migrants will stop by Singapore for a few weeks in October/November before flying further south to their final destinations for winter. Some will find Singapore good enough for winter and stay here until it is time to return home for summer. Birdwatchers and photographers will be out in full force with their gear, hoping to get a glimpse or photo of these not-so-frequently seen birds.

I love visiting Gardens by the Bay to take bird photographs because it is only about 50 minutes from home by public transport and I get to enjoy breakfast at my favourite stall at Satay by the Bay. Prata and Teh Tarik!

These are some of the birds I have photographed over the last few years and these birds (who knows, they may be the same ones!) still show up every year during the migratory period.

Oriental Reed Warbler.

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher.

Asian Paradise Flycatcher.

Common Kingfisher. Common elsewhere but uncommon in Singapore.

Arctic Warbler.

Asian Brown Flycatcher.

Tiger Shrike.

Barn Swallow.

Juvenile Chinese Pond Heron.

Part of the fun is looking for these birds and in my case, photographing them. Most of them are very shy and the best time to see them easily is before the busloads of tourists start arriving at the Gardens from 9am. I usually go to the quieter areas, stop, and wait for the birds to appear. Seeing bird photographers is also a good sign there are interesting birds nearby. I follow some of the local Facebook bird groups. Some birders are so helpful that they even post the locations online.