‘A difficult bird to shoot’: Photographer snaps striking Asian paradise flycatcher at Labrador Park

Paradise flycatcher with long white tail spotted in Labrador Park during migration through Singapore

A stunning sighting of a paradise flycatcher with a long white tail in Labrador Park has captivated bird enthusiasts on Facebook.

Source: Kelvin Ng on Facebook

Photographer Kelvin Ng told MS News that on the morning of 5 April, he received a notification in a wildlife group chat about the sighting of an Asian paradise flycatcher with striking white plumage.

He immediately made his way to the location and managed to capture a photo around 10.30am.

One clear shot after half an hour of waiting

Mr Ng said:

This is a difficult bird to shoot.

He explained that the paradise flycatcher was incredibly fast and usually only perched for a few seconds.

Adding to the challenge, the bird often landed in spots where other objects obstructed a clear shot.

The photo he captured was the only clear shot he got after half an hour of waiting, as he had to leave for work soon after.

Despite the brief opportunity, the photo quickly gained traction online, earning over 5,700 likes in the Bird Sightings group and more than 2,500 likes in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings group.

Wildlife enthusiasts in both groups praised both the beauty of the bird and Mr Ng’s impressive shot.

Migratory bird stops over in Singapore

According to the Birds Society of Singapore, paradise flycatchers are migratory birds that rarely visit Singapore.

Mr Ng told MS News that the bird he photographed was on its return journey north for breeding, using Singapore as a stopover to “refuel”.

This marked the fifth time he had photographed a paradise flycatcher with both a white morph and a long tail.

His previous shot was taken back in April 2022 at Jurong Lake Gardens.

Source: Kelvin Ng on Facebook

He also captured another photo at Gardens by the Bay on 27 March 2022.

Source: Kelvin Ng on Facebook

“Happy to see it returning yearly to our shores,” he said.

Also read: Photographer captures peregrine falcon catching & tearing into parakeet while mid-air in Kranji

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Featured image adapted from Kelvin Ng on Facebook.