Serendipitous Encounters at Sungei Buloh

The moment we stepped out of our car at the Sungei Buloh parking lot on a May day morning, the distinctive call of the white-bellied sea eagles welcomed us with a melodious "aah aah aah aah." It was a delightful surprise to witness these majestic birds rebuilding their nest in the towering tree near the visitor center, especially considering it had been destroyed in a storm back in June 2023.

Gazing upwards, I spotted a juvenile white-bellied sea eagle, distinguished by its brownish plumage and dark-feathered head, perched on a branch overlooking the nest. As we ambled around the pond, the young eagle took flight, but to our joy, the entire family soon returned! Four magnificent creatures graced us with their presence—two adults with grey plumage and white heads, accompanied by two juveniles. They perched on branches beneath the nest, resting and preening, before filling the air with their signature calls. It was a rare sight to behold, witnessing a complete family of sea eagles together for the first time.

The white bellied sea eagles

Our exploration continued along the Kranji coastal trail, where the calls of collared kingfishers and crows provided a familiar soundtrack. Yet, what captivated us were the giant spiders and their intricate webs, encountered no less than four times along the trail. Each spider boasted unique colors and patterns, with one even tending to her brood of baby spiders—an enchanting display of nature's diversity.

there are two small spiders to the right of the big spider

A particularly notable event awaited us at the observation pier in the Buloh Besar River, a site opened for the first time in three years. At low tide, numerous egrets, herons, and painted storks gathered along the shallow river, engaged in a silent fishing frenzy. We witnessed remarkable feats of hunting prowess, including a stork devouring multiple small fish in a single gulp and another triumphantly claiming a sizable catch, and moved on to the river bank to enjoy its meal.

one bite 4 fishes

the caught fish was bleeding!

However, the highlight of our day came in the form of an unexpected spectacle—four crocodiles congregated in the area. From the observation pier, we observed these formidable creatures, with one nearly submerged on the east bank and another, a colossal specimen reminiscent of a whale, commanding attention. 

What made the scene tantalizing was that a great heron flew to the east bank, where the two crocodiles were, and casually walked towards the big crocodile! The heron got really close to the big crocodile, and actually made a catch. However the heron was far enough from the croc, the croc did not even move.

 

 

While our hike through the wetland reserve typically offered familiar sights of herons, egrets, storks, and kingfishers, we were greeted by a delightful surprise—an ash tailorbird, a tiny creature no larger than a tree leaf. Further along the trail, our encounter with two playful otters marked a first for us at the reserve. It was a pleasure to watch them frolic in the sand on the trail before gracefully slipping into the river.

an ash tailor preening itself

As we neared the conclusion of our journey, a troupe of monkeys, led by an alpha male, crossed our path, providing an amusing spectacle, albeit with a humorous moment caught on camera. It was our first sighting of monkeys at the reserve, adding yet another memorable experience to our adventure.

 

Exiting the wetland reserve, we ventured onto the Mangrove boardwalk, where the sight of photographers gathered around a hanging bird's nest piqued our curiosity. Patiently waiting, we were rewarded as the birds returned to their nest, likely an olive-backed sunbird, though the chicks remained elusive from our view.

Truly, serendipity was on our side on this fine day of outdoor exploration, as we reveled in the wonders of Sungei Buloh and the myriad marvels it had to offer.