May 24, 2017: Field Work at Pulau Ubin

 A visit to Pulau Ubin with Justin from N. Parks, Joseph, Chris, Linda and Cole.

Ant Mimic Jumping Spider (Myrmarachne sp)

Pyramid log cabin built by a bagworm moth larva

Epeus jumping spider

Juvenile wolf spider, Pardosa pusiola ?

Epeus

Epeus

Pritha

Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 

Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 

Segestridae, "tubeweb spider" 

Spider wasp Pompilidae

Lacewing Larva on the move

Sac spider (female)

Male sac spider

Vicira jumping spider 

Spider wasp (Pompilidae) with  possibly a huntsman

Ant mimic, Myrmarachne sp, eating something

May 4, 2017: Watching a Limpkin make a mussel breakfast

For me, there is nothing more fun that watching behavior - whether human or animal or plant.  I observed the 10 essential steps for making breakfast.  Here  a limpkin skillfully finds a buried mussel shell,  extracts a mussel from its shell, washes it and enjoys a fresh breakfast 

Step 1: Fish for a mussel shell

Step 2: pull the shell to the surface

Step 3: Penetrate the shell interior with your beak

Step 4: Open the shell

Step 5: Open the shell without dropping it

Step 6: Grab the mussel without dropping it

Step 7: Position the mussel for swallowing

Step 8: Fine tune position for optimal swallowing

Step 9: Swallow and enjoy

Step 10: A happy limpkin 

Another iteration: catch the mussel and penetrate the shell

Carefully wash the mussel

Position for swallowing 

Swallow

May 3, 2017: David and Goliath: Red-winged blackbird chases herons

         David and Goliath - Red-winged blackbird chasing herons and egrets            

The chased - invading the red-winged blackbird territory

The chaser: Red-winged Blackbird

The chase -   blackbird chasing the white egret.  I suspect the egret and heron invaded territory that housed a blackbird nest.

Chasing a little blue heron

Close quarter chasing

The heron found there was no way to out maneuver the blackbird

Chasing from above

Taking a turn

This little blackbird is quite persistent