Like a busy airport they come and go from all directions. A large heronry of these large Grey Herons, perhaps the largest bird in Singapore is found inside an army camp. There are some 200 nest built high up on several large Casuarinas oblivious to the military activities on ground zero.
Throughout the day, Grey Herons are coming and going. They are graceful in flight gliding in with their long legs swept back until they make a perfect landing on their nest or a nearby branch. Incoming Grey Herons can be seen carrying building materials like big twigs and there seem to be a constant state of home improvement going on. Each of these tall mature trees is laden with scores of nest. Every bit of prime real estate is taken by proud home owners.
Their outgoing flight paths point them towards various feeding places. Surveying the mangrove swamps, beaches along the coast line and the river lines, you will find solitary Grey Herons standing nearly a meter tall stalking with their stilt like legs in shallow water striking every now and then with their spear like bills at small fish, crabs and small crustacean. Back home at the heronry doting Grey Heron parents regurgitate the food into their hungry chicks. The state of the union is strong.
