It was a cool evening. The sky was overcast with light rumblings that continued for nearly an hour. But there was no rain, not even a slight drizzle. Strangely, this brought out plentiful birds that flew to the flowering Golden Penda (Xanthostemon chrysanthus) trees that line the road. The birds kept on flying in and out of the trees at regular intervals, feeding feverishly on the flower nectar.
Javan Mynas (Acridotheres javanicus) dominated the scene. They flew in, fed feverishly on the flower nectar and flew off (above, video below). Others took their place, coming singly, in pairs or even in threes.
Normally few Javan Mynas can be seen feeding on the flower nectar, but not this time. There were more than the usual few.
There were also Yellow-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus goiavier) and Red-whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus) (video above). These were not as plentiful as the mynas and they flew in between visits by the mynas. The Olive-backed Sunbirds (Cinnyris jugularis) was another species that fed on the flower nectar. They made their presence known by their rapid chirping. These sunbirds zoomed in and out of the foliage at a rapid pace.
YC Wee
Singapore
19th December 2018