Changi, Halus, Pasir Ris Park, Pulau Punggol 22Jan11

From JS

Today, Con, Kok Hui, my dad and I went to Changi Cove (lagoon, grid) , Coney Island (entrance), Lor Halus (grebe pond), Pasir Ris Park and Pulau Punggol.

Summary of sightings for each site:

1) Changi Cove

The first raptor that we saw was the usual Common Buzzard without its fatter buddy - probably the latter is having shift rest. Next, we saw the subadult Chinese Sparrowhawk at its usual spot.

During our journey from LP149 to cove, except for a single perched pale morph adult OHB, we saw only the usual resident raptor species. (3 Brahminy Kites, 2 Black-shouldered Kites and 1 juvenile WBSE).

Due to high tide, the lagoon also yielded nothing special. Notable species counted include 18 Grey Plovers, 2 Kentish Plovers, 14 Malaysian Plovers, 2 Common Sandpipers and 1 Little Egret. The sole consolation is a White-faced Plover. It has fleshy legs and white lores.

After the lagoon, we decided to try our luck at the grid/red clay area. There was a snake, a lone Little Ringed Plover (no prominent wingbar on the upperwing), 5 Paddyfield Pipits, 1 suspected female Siberian Stonechat, 2 Red-rumped Swallows, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Red-throated Pipits heard (including 1 suspected individual seen briefly flying into thick vegetation) and about 10 White-shouldered Starlings.

 
White-shouldered Starling ©Lau JS

Little Ringed Plover ©Lau JS

At the grid, raptor-wise, there was 1 seen for each of the following: subadult Peregrine Falcon (faint brownish neck sides), Black Kite, Brahminy Kite and male Eastern Marsh Harrier.

Black Kite above and OHB below ©Lau JS

OHB ©Lau JS

On the way back, we saw 3 BSKs (including the 2 adult birds that were busy chasing off a pair of dark morph Changeable Hawk Eagle). Additionally, there was an adult pale morph CHE watching the action.

2) Coney Island

Just when we tried to sneak in, we were caught red-handed and left immediately.

3) Lor Halus

We saw 1 Little Grebe and 1 Black-capped Kingfisher at the grebe pond. Raptor-wise, 1 adult and 1 juvenile Brahminy Kite entertained us like how the red ants in the green bottle did.

4) Pasir Ris Park

In a nutshell, we missed the Large Hawk Cuckoo and the Spotted Wood Owl. For my dad, his consolation is 2 Arctic Warblers, 1 Asian Brown Flycatcher and 1 male Common Iora. For me, I had a slightly better deal in the form of a pair of courting Oriental Pied Hornbill and a calling Dark-necked Tailorbird. Besides these birds, we had many Asian Koels and Black-naped Orioles to provide some lively background noise. Kok Hui also saw Golden-bellied Gerygones, Pied Trillers and the male Violet Cuckoo.

Male Violet Cuckoo ©Danny Lau

Female Sunda Woodpecker ©Danny Lau

Raptor-wise, we saw a Brahminy Kite and, additionally, I saw 4 Black Bazas. (2 were seen at Pasir Ris Drive and at TPE before Punggol exit.)

Along the way to Pulau Punggol, I saw a suspected adult Large Hawk Cuckoo flying past the car. It had a rather long broad, rounded tail, darkish upperwing and thick dark bill. Although I didn't see its underparts, it reminded me of the individual that I had photographed in flight inside LP149 recently.

5) Pulau Punggol

Prior to the main action, I saw a juvenile accipiter flying over from Khatib Bongsu. My initial impression of the bird is a juvenile Japanese Sparrowhawk. But, with hindsight, I will not try to identify the juvenile accipiter, given my limited view.

As usual, in the casuarina, we saw the wintering adult male Chinese Sparrowhawk scaring away the doves and the other birds on the casuarina trees. The alarm calls of the dove, as expected, alerted us of the hunter's presence.

Male Chinese Sparrowhawk ©Danny Lau

On the other hand, the other hunter, the Booted Eagles, flew overhead in the forest and took us by surprise. While the pale morph Booted Eagle did not show itself again, the dark morph individual circled and allowed the ill-prepared photographers to snap a few regrettable shots through the foliage. Wasted!

From 6-7 pm, we were treated to a galore of raptors. In short, 9 Brahminy Kites, 1 unid accipiter, 1 Osprey, 2 WBSE (1 juvenile and 1 adult), 1 dark morph Booted Eagle (a different bird from the one seen in the forest.) and 1 adult Peregrine Falcon.

1 dark Booted Eagle with white spot on breast.

We believe it is the same bird that we saw last year. See the composite below.

There was another dark Booted Eagle with 6 full fingers and without the white breast spot.

Initially, KH thought the above shows two different individuals, as the one on the right seems to show more pale underparts. However, after putting them side by side in the same orientation, we can see they are most likely the same individual.

Summary of Raptors seen

1) Changeable Hawk Eagle (3)
2) White-bellied Sea Eagle (>3)
3) Booted Eagle (2 dark morph and 1 pale morph)
4) Black Kite (1)
5) Brahminy Kite (>15)
6) Black-shouldered Kite (>4)
7) Black Baza (4)
8) Common Buzzard (1)
9) Oriental Honey Buzzard (1)
10) Chinese Sparrowhawk (2)
11) Eastern Marsh Harrier (1 Adult Male)
12) Peregrine Falcon (2)
13) Osprey (1)
14) Accipiter sp. (2) 
15) Unid raptor (1)

Con's photo of some of the Changi surveyors.