Conservation gone wrong?
Social media was abuzz on Saturday on the sighting of an Asian Dowitcher, a very rare migrant bird to Singapore’s shores. So on, Sunday, I decided to try my own luck at spotting it.
As I walked around, I stopped by Platform 2 to see if there was anything interesting. I spotted two raptors gliding over at low elevation which I had assumed as White-bellied Sea Eagles but it turned out they were Ospreys… and two of them, no less! Definitely an unexpected find.
Circling back to the old bridge area, I saw some birders gathered behind Observation Screen 1.1. Sure enough, they were photographing the Asian Dowitcher… but something seemed off about the bird.
The bird was known to be fitted with a GPS tracker and mini solar panel presumably for scientific research of it’s migration routes. The GPS tracker did not impede the bird’s movement or feeding yesterday. But today, the bird seemed to have gotten it’s bill stuck in the harness of the GPS tracker disrupting the bird’s ability to feed.
Some birders contacted the National Parks Board who promptly had staff down to monitor the bird. They decided to capture the bird to free it’s bill. Only problem was the bird was still mobile enough to fly so catching it was impossible. As far as I know the capture operation failed and the bird was no longer seen the following day.
Spotting a new species had always been a great experience but not under these circumstances. I am left wondering if there are better ways to secure location trackers on migratory birds. I understand the importance of research and conservation but at the cost of a bird’s survivability? It seems too high a price to pay.
On a less depressing note, I observed a peculiar scene where a Smooth-coated Otter abandoned a half-eaten fish on the mudflats, as if it was making an offering to the House Crows that promptly flew in to scavenge what remains of the carcass.
The Otter deliberately carried the fish away from deeper waters and dropped it on the shallow mudflats before swimming away. Almost like it was making an offering to the Crows.
I’ve seen Crows gang up and harass other birds and animals especially if there is food to be won over. I wonder if the Otter had been conditioned to “bribe” the Crows to leave it alone.
eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S401240074
