Changi 07Jan06

From KH

It was a rainy day. Due to changes at the Changi reclaimed land, our entry point into the area was at LP165 instead of the usual 149. The road from 149 has become ridden with potholes. They had opened up 165 instead. When we reach destination, Kong and Chee Wai's cars were already there. We were pleasantly surprised when a little girl came out of Chee Wai's car, that's his daughter. Con then drove to 149 to ask the guard when the gate at 165 will be opened. The guard told us 8 am. So we drove back to 165 and soon after Danny's car arrived. We waited for some time and Con decided to drive back to 149 to offer sending the gate-keeper over. It was then that we found that actually the gate will not be opened on weekends... So we drove back to 165 to inform the rest of the bad news. Then Sree arrived. While Sree and Chee Wai went to look for alternative entrance, we stayed put and saw a Brahminy Kite, a White-bellied Sea-eagle and a possible Pied Harrier. Soon after a lorry came and a guard with his sidekick stepped out. After some persuasion and Sree's "we're nothing to do during the weekend", we were allowed entry. BTW Sree's 4-wheeler managed to enter though an alternative entrance.

Our destination was sandy beach #2, so we would only stop for uncommon birds in the grassland. The first such bird was a Common Buzzard.

Common Buzzard ©Con Foley

Common Buzzard ©Fong CW

Blue-tailed Bee-eater ©Fong CW

When we reached the runway, there was a Black Kite perched on the fence. Three shots from Chee Wai below.

There were also some wagtails to excite us. These were Yellow Wagtails, with the diagnostic greenish back.

Yellow Wagtail with diagnostic olive back ©Con Foley

Soon Con's car reached the sandy canal and we saw Grey Plovers, a Whimbrel, a Common Greenshank and a Grey Heron in the canal. There was also a noisy warbler call from the bush on the opposite bank. Soon after, Sree's car arrived. They were behind us because they were looking for the Red-throated Pipit.

Grey Plovers hanging out ©Con Foley

Soon we were all on sandy beach #2 looking at the flock of Lesser Sand-plovers, with a few Malaysian Plovers and Grey Plovers.

Malaysian Plovers - male right, female left ©Con Foley

Barn Swallow ©Fong CW

There was a man in jumpsuit walking in the shallow of the beach. Soon it started pouring and we had to retreat. Next up was sandy beach #1. Again, Lesser Sand-plovers. This time with 2 Ruddy Turnstones and a few Malaysian Plovers. At a distance, a pair of immature White-bellied Sea-eagles were flying over the grassland. Con's car took the lead to the rocky beach. Seeing there was nothing of interest there, we moved towards Changi Cove. But we lost Sree's car and had to backtrack to meet up with them. However, it was near lunchtime and so we decided to head for 165. Upon reaching 165, we called the guard to help us open the gate but he had to take 1/2 hr to reach 165. So we had a little siesta in the rain in the comfort of the air-conditioned cars of course.

Photos from Con and Marisol:

The rest proceeded to the Changi Yacht Club for lunch while I hitched a ride from Chee Wai back. It was a fruitful day with a good number of species of raptors.

01 House crow
02 Javan myna
03 Common myna
04 Barn swallow
05 Black-naped oriole
06 Paddyfield pipit
07 Zitting cisticola
08 White-throated kingfisher
09 Black-capped kingfisher
10 Blue-tailed bee-eater
11 Common flameback
12 Little egret
13 Grey heron
14 Scaly-breasted munia
15 Yellow wagtail
16 Eurasian tree sparrow
17 Red collared dove
18 Spotted dove
19 Pink-necked green-pigeon
20 Brahminy kite
21 Black-winged kite
22 White-bellied sea-eagle
23 Pied harrier
24 Common buzzard
25 Black kite
26 Common sandpiper
27 Lesser sand-plover
28 Marsh sandpiper
29 Common greenshank
30 Little ringed plover
31 Malaysian plover
32 Pacific golden-plover
33 Grey plover
34 Whimbrel
35 Ruddy turnstone
36 Asian koel (heard)