The definition of insanity
I found myself at the Singapore Botanic Gardens again hoping to sight the Fairy Pitta. The rainforest trail where it was sighted had been closed till further notice due to a fallen tree.
There was one sighting of the Fairy Pitta reported on eBird just 3 days ago at an accessible part of the trail. I waited there for about an hour with nothing to show for. Not wanting to waste the entire morning away, I decided to move on.
I headed to the Learning Forest area where the Malayan Night Heron and Blue-winged Pitta were recently spotted. Unfortunately, I did not find the Heron or Pitta either. I did get to see this Oriental Pied Hornbill fly by.
As for other wildlife, I spotted three Smooth-coated Otters in the lake near the Learning Forest. I spent some time observing them hunt for fish.
This one looks like it’s about to take a large satisfying bite out of it’s catch.
Looking back up in the sky, it was a good day to spot raptors. I counted the Changeable Hawk-eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, two Brahminy Kites and two Crested Honey Buzzards in rapid succession.
The clear, sunny weather was optimal for thermaling – a phenomenon where raptors exploit the updraft created by temperature difference in the air to allow it to gain elevation with minimal effort.
Finally, on the way to the MRT station, I spotted this Asian Openbill looking for snails at the Eco-Lake.
It was thrashing this snail very hard from side to side, presumably to separate the flesh from the shell for consumption.
eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S298553360
The Salaryman Birder 
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