9/06/2009
Bird watching
I went on a bird watching trip recently, armed with binoculars and camera, to watch and count the number of birdies in our little island. Many of the old birdies have disappeared. The merboks, the magpies, the Mynars, the nectar feeders etc. Even the sparrows, the most populous and in every roof corners, are hardly seen today.
We were briefed that the bird population has grown with more sanctuaries being set aside as protected territories for migratory birds to nest here. So we counted all day long. As usual, the mynars and sparrows were few. But the numbers of crows, egrets, green pigeons, herons and many that were rarely seen in our island, non residents, are setting roots here and making our sanctuaries their homes.
A thought came to my mind. One day we may see Singaporeans lugging their binos and digiphones in the city looking for Singaporeans and counting Singaporeans. The Singaporeans have gradually become a rare specie, and it takes effort to find them in the crowds of foreigners. There may be conducted tours with well informed tour guides leading groups to look out for Singaporeans. They will be armed with knowledge on Singaporean behavioral patterns, eating habits, slangs, dressing and their favourite haunts, what to look out for to separate them from the foreigners or new Singaporeans.
And I think this will become a new industry. Conducted tours for Singaporean watching, and counting.
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10 comments:
I am more interested in watching the other kind of birdies. What you are watching is for the birds. :-)
I am very thankful for the importation of so many different varieties of birds, not least the mandarin speaking ones. The govt. is really giving us oldies a new meaning in life. Watching birdies keeps us going, gives us the gusto to wake up in the morning with fervent expectation.
Thank you. Thank you sirs, from the bottom of my aging heart.
Hehe.
What old birds and new birds?
Just like the human population, we are welcoming foreign birds, the feathered kind too, while getting rid of habitats belonging to the old birds.
Redbean Sir:
the next buy should be a net
for butterfly catching.
Anything rare is precious,
that includes the dwindling Singaporeans. Maybe the Foreigners
should come to Singapore to nab some Singaporeans home to conserve the Species(Singaporean).
patriot
Hi Redbean, I think your govt is very forward thinking. They say you need the FTs to grow your economy. Why all the doubts and questions? You should be very grateful for such an efficient and clean govt. Singaporeans are blessed and I am sure that the govt will do whatever it takes to make sure the true blue Singaporeans are well protected. So, the way I see it, you must be truly grateful.
hi speed, singaporeans are very grateful for what we have. but we must not be complacent. most ofthe people who gave us what we have today have left us. we have a new team riding on a steam roller. manage the steam roller well, we will get better. manage it badly, it can crash.
being grateful is one thing. being grateful to who is another. many of those in power have yet to show what they can do for singaporeans. and some of the things that they are doing, i am not grateful at all.
we need to know what we are grateful for and not be complacent to think that the past is what the future will be.
Like Wally, I like watching birds. My favourite species are tits and boobies.
I have a few special places (aka "observation vantage points") in Holland V where exotic
Asian Varieties of tits and boobies provide a "spiritual experience" for nature lovers like myself.
Hi Matilah,
Looks like we are both ornithologists of the more exotic kind. :-)
The next time you swing by Singapore looking for prey, get in touch with me and we can have an expeditionary foray into the realm of boobies and tits which also happen to be my favourite species of birds.
Cheers man!
Sure thing Wally. It might be awhile yet - I fly directly to Bkk and KL from Oz these days — cheap fares. I know, I know, I'm cheap ;)
ahem, count me in. i haven't meet matilah since we met in cyberspace all these years.
This is true. Both redbean and myself have been at it for years -- we've probably (he more than I) written hundred of thousands of words over the years -- all nicely preserved for posterity on the internet's plethora of servers... until Geebus comes back and destroys this fun planet full of fun loving sinners.
Truth is I spend more time with the northern neighbours (I'm in KL now in my favourite haunt: Bk Bintang) than I do in S'pore which is more a "transit stop" these days. Fly in, take train into town, kachau a few fellas, go back to Changi International and fuck off north before the shit hits the fan :)
But... one day we shall meet up. Gotta run... the massage beckons!
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