An Interesting Encounter with a Crimson Sunbird

This afternoon, on June 4th, 2024, I had an intriguing encounter with a Crimson Sunbird while I was photographing it. Typically, these birds are skittish and fly away at the slightest sense of disturbance. However, this time was different.

As I walked along the boardwalk at Keppel Wetland, I noticed a vibrant crimson bird foraging among the flower plants. It hopped around briefly before beginning to drink nectar from the flowers. Seizing the opportunity, I started taking pictures.

The sound of my camera shutter alerted the bird. Instead of flying away, it stopped drinking and turned around to investigate. It looked left and right, up and down, and even straight into the camera lens. Despite the noise, the bird did not see any movement, as I remained still and held my camera steady. I managed to capture a few more shots before pausing.

When the shutter noise ceased, the sunbird resumed its nectar-drinking before eventually flying away. I stood there for a few more minutes, hoping it would return. To my delight, it did. What happened next can be seen in the movie I made from my photos.

It was a fascinating and unexpected encounter, one that I was thrilled to document and share.