World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2024 falls on 11th May (and also on 12th October), and the theme for WMBD 2024 is “Insects”. The WMBD is an annual awareness-raising campaign that highlights the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. They also help to raise global awareness of the threats faced by those migratory birds, their importance to the ecological system, and the entire world needs to cooperate and work together to conserve them.
As I started to get more into bird photography a few years back, it was nature/outdoors therapy along with bird/wildlife photography, a 2-in-1 theme. In 2021, I wrote about WMBD 2021, followed by WMBD 2023 May and WMBD 2023 October. Following on with my bird photography, together with my nature and outdoors photography, I am continuing on with my support for WMBD 2024 movement.
WMBD 2024 Theme – Insects
The WMBD 2024 theme – Insects, might not seem that directly linked to WMBD at a start. However, insects are important for migratory birds. The 2024 theme also highlights concerns on decreasing population of insects and natural environments.
A recent Straits Times article published in May 2024, “Migratory bird declines point to large scale ecological changes across Southeast Asia”. Since Singapore is a hub for migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and it’s also a pitstop for birds migrating along the Central Asian Flyway as well. This would definitely be of interest to wildlife scientists and researchers in Singapore and in Southeast Asia region.
Birds play crucial roles in the natural environment, from pollination and pest control. In the context of a lack of insects, the ecosystem would be affected. If certain insects are overpopulated, and without the presence of birds as natural predators, that can also disrupt the ecosystem, causing outbreaks that damage plant health and agriculture.
Singapore – A hub for migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and Central Asian Flyway
Just like Singapore is a global air transit hub for the world with our iconic internationally famous Changi Airport, Singapore is also a hub for migratory birds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, as well for birds migrating along the Central Asian Flyway as well. Singapore is indeed a major migratory bird hub/stopover destination.
Singapore is part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, migratory birds making a pitstop in Singapore, giving bird photographers here in Singapore many opportunities to photograph them in action, the diversity and beauty of those migratory bird species.
Recent research findings over the past few years have also indicated that Singapore’s status as a major migratory bird hub has grown in stature, Singapore now has become the intersection of 2 major flyways, adding the Central Asian-Indian Flyway to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
Singapore, a small country by land size, now can play a bigger and wider international role in the migratory birds journey with those 2 major flyways, a transit hub for migratory birds.
For more information on Singapore has a hub for migratory birds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and Central Asian Flyway, please check out the following articles below:
- NParks article – Feathered Global Ambassadors: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nparksbuzz/issue-42-vol-3-2019/conservation/feathered-global-ambassadors
- Mothership article – New study shows Singapore is a pitstop for migratory birds from 2 major flyways: https://mothership.sg/2020/12/migratory-bird-central-asian-flyway-singapore/
- Nature Portfolio Scientific Reports: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77897-z
- Straits Times article on 1st April 2024 – New Initiative to protect migratory birds and habitats: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-initiative-to-protect-migratory-birds-and-habitats
City in Nature with my birding/wildlife photography and outdoors/nature photography
With my love and passion for nature, green spaces and great outdoors, I am doing my small part in Singapore’s City in Nature, together with my birding/wildlife photography and outdoors/nature photography.
National Parks Board (NParks) in Singapore has the NParks Garden Bird Watch (GBW), a Community in Nature initiative, I am also playing my small part in NParks GBW through my birding and wildlife photography, helping out my friend Belinda who has been very active in NParks GBW Community in Nature initiative.
Singapore Botanic Gardens in Singapore is an important habitat for both resident and migratory birds. This community bird photography exhibition at Singapore Botanic Gardens “A Garden of Birds’ is the best testimonial for it. Do visit this exhibition if you can, taking place from 7th May to 31st October 2024.
With my Canon EOS R6 Mark II and my Sigma 150-600mm telephoto lens, I would share more of my wildlife photography visual storytelling adventures and documentation on Flickr, adding more bird photography photos from various locations in Singapore. As for my bird photography in Singapore, I would continue to photograph and document both local and migratory birds, especially those (local and migratory) bird species that I have yet to photograph and document.
Join me on my City in Nature visual storytelling adventures!
Come join me on my City in Nature visual storytelling adventures! I would update more regularly and upload more wildlife, birds in Singapore, nature and outdoors photography on my Flickr. I hope to play my small role in and do my part for City in Nature initiative in Singapore through my visual storytelling.