Changi, SBWR, KNT 22Oct11

From JS

Covering the area within LP149, Changi Water Treatment Plant and SBWR (including Kranji mangrove boardwalk), 1 Common Buzzard, who may be the same duty personnel as previous years, 3 OHBs and 1 Chinese Sparrowhawk. Due to good thermalling conditions and low-hanging cloud formations, we didn't really have the views needed to sex or age the sparrowhawks but could still figure out their id by the wing shape.

In case you are wondering how a 5-pixels-sized accipiter on the camera sensor could be conclusively identified, I have to admit that those five-pixels are, thankfully, just enough to make out the diagnostic wing shapes of each accipiter sp. The 7 positively-id Japanese Sparrowhawks showed distinctive rounded wings (aka bulging secondaries) with protruding 4 outer primaries while the Chinese Sparrowhawk nearly slipped by and was only recorded because it had left behind a 5-mp on my camera sensor that adequately showed the diagnostic pointed underwings with black tips.

Unlike the accipiters, the OHBs were more grounded with 3 posing nicely on the treetop at 3 different location.

As usual, the immature Brahminy Kites misled my father and I many times and had it not been Kok Hui's good call, we would had wasted more time.

In short, below is the list of raptors sighted.

1) Changeable Hawk Eagle (3, including 1 adult dark morph, 1 2nd yr(?) pale morph and 1 juvenile)
2) White-bellied Sea-Eagle (>3, including 1 juvenile)
3) Osprey (1)
4) Brahminy Kite (>5)
5) Black-winged Kite (4)
6) Japanese Sparrowhawk (>7, including a flock of 6 thermalling individuals and 1 female)
7) Chinese Sparrowhawk (1)
8) Common Buzzard (1)
9) Oriental Honey Buzzard (3, including 2 males)

In addition to the above sightings, I have a 5-mp-sized photo of a raptor which I am not sure of its id. Its size misled us to think that it was a crossing brahminy kite, one of the 4 that was heading towards the airport from the Cove. However, it lacked dark secondaries and carpals. In my opinion, it fits the id of an OHB but I would need your verification. If it is, this would be OHB no. 4.

From Danny

After Changi Cove we went over to SBWR, the rightful place to bird in the rain. We were pretty bored at KNT boardwalk until Jia Sheng whistled down a family of Golden-bellied Gerygone and started a mini bird wave. The interesting bird of the day is the Eastern Crowned Warbler seen well at both locations within 0.5 km from the coast. Personally think these were fresh arrivals and doubt they stay long unlike those in the Central Catchment.

Location: Kranji Nature Trail
Time: 4.00 pm to 5.05 pm
Tide: receding

1) Little Egret - 3
2) Little Heron - 2
3) Grey Heron - 6
4) Common Sandpiper - 3
5) Sunda woodpecker - 1
6) Lesser crested Tern - 2
7) Collared Kingfisher - 2
8) Great Egret - 4
9) Osprey - 1
10) WBSE - 2
11) Common Flameback - 2
12) Golden-bellied Gerygone - 3 (1 adult, 2 juv)
13) Eastern Crowned Warbler - >1
14) Arctic Warbler - 1
15) Pied Triller - 2
16) Brown throated sunbird - 1
17) Eclipse Olive-backed sunbird - 1
18) Stork-billed Kingfisher - 1
19) Large-billed crow - 5
20) Oriental white-eye - 6
21) Asian Paradise Flycatcher - 2
22) Asian Brown Flycatcher - 2
23) Dollarbird - 2
24) Common Redshanks - 6 in flight