Changi, Punggol, Jurong Lake 06Dec08

From KH

Today's birding locations were CC, Punggol and JL.

Unfortunately, CC was closed but fortunately, we were lucky to get Buteo buteo at LP173. SC and JS got some shots. Con was already on the highway then.

After that, SC had to leave and we met up with Con at Punggol. Nothing very interesting here, except for 2 red-vented Sooty-headed Bulbuls, 1 Red-wattled Lapwing and 1 dark morph Changeable Hawk-Eagle. After Con left, a flock of ~200 waders flew in, and so we decided to stay and confirm their ID (having missed their ID last week). They turned out to be Pacific Golden Plovers... There were also ~3 Wood Sandpipers, ~2 Common Sandpipers and 1 Common Greenshank in the vicinity. Also present were ~2 Yellow Wagtails. Satisfied that we got our (JS's and my) shoes and sandals muddy, we packed up for lunch.

During lunch, we got a tip off from Con regarding Blue-and-white Flycatchers (1M, 1F) at JL, so it was off to JL. When we reached, Con was there in the very light drizzle. Nothing special was sighted except for an Asian Drongo Cuckoo. Then it began to rain more heavily, Con left and we decided to wait it out at a nearby kopishop. After coming back, we spotted a few birders/photographers - Sree, Harry, Philip and wife. And then the male BWFC showed up at the fruiting strangling fig. There was also a female BWFC, a female Mugimaki Flycatcher, an Asian Brown Flycatcher, an Arctic Warbler, a Sunda Woodpecker and some other common birds on the tree.

Jia Sheng took these photos at Punggol, but we couldn't id it.

Jia Sheng noted these features:
- Plain belly and head
- Shortish bill
- Darker head compared to the rest of the body with slight orangey throat area (Seen only by me as I am the only one to see the bird flying above me)
- Short body, about 1/3 of wingspan
- Short squarish unforked tail
- Swallow-like appearance but wings are more slender, longer and "bended"