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

Kickstarting my migratory bird photography adventures 2024 on World Migratory Bird Day 2024 (12th October)

It’s the start of a new migratory bird season in October 2024, I am kickstarting my migratory bird photography adventures 2024 on World Migratory Bird Day 2024 (12th October) with a rare migrant bird – Northern Boobook at Healing Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens, photographed on 12th October 2024.

There are still a number of migratory birds and local birds as well, that I haven’t managed to photograph. Along with my migratory bird photography adventures, I would continue to do so, updating and uploading my bird photography collections into this Flickr photo album. 

I am combining bird photography and outdoors/nature photography in nature reserves, parks, coastal areas. Outdoors, nature and bird/wildlife photography, always great therapeutic visual storytelling adventure for me. 

Like this gaze and look from this Crested Goshawk (shot at Healing Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens on 12th October 2024) telling you (my followers and readers) on my behalf, “Come follow me on bird/wildlife photography, outdoors and nature visual storytelling adventures!”

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