NTL2, SBWR, Pulau Punggol 21Aug10

From KH

It's been a "long time" since my local birding! Well, 1 month IS a long time. :) Today, Con, Danny and I went to NTL2 in the morning. NSS was also having one of its weekend outing at the Kranji Marsh. The most interesting bird here was a Rusty-breasted Cuckoo. There were also 2 CHEs (1 calling along NTL2 and 1 dark morph perched on the opposite side of the reservoir) and 1 BWK.

We dropped by NSRCC, but there were no wagtail or ringed plover yet. Next up: SBWR. JS was able to join us for this league of the trip. Right outside the entrance of SBWR, someone showed us an active Olive-backed Sunbird nest. There were 2 chicks in the nest and the parents were busy taking turn to feed them.

We found an Ashy Tailorbird sewing a nest while we were having lunch! We left Con with the SBWR nesting activities and headed to P. Punggol. The Brahminy Kites were no longer gathering over the tall trees, but seemed to prefer the precious sand piles now. Beside the Wild Pig that we flushed, the most interesting find here are about 5 Little Bronze-cuckoos, both male (1st photo) and female (2nd photo).

From Danny

Was at Sg. Buloh on Saturday morning. Main Hide and 1C were flooded, did not see as many waders as reported earlier in the week. Spotted 3 Curlew Sandpipers with one as in pic moulting into non-breeding plumage. The white supercilium is almost done with rufous patches evident at bill base, still some patches of rufous/brownish on scapulars and wing coverts with fresh greyish feathers coming through. On the breast and belly the whites are replacing the rufous plumage. Well, we don't get much time to view breeding plumages (moulting), very soon have to wait till next season.

The photo below shows a single Curlew Sandpiper among Common Redshanks.

For entertainment, refer to 2nd pic about a friendly Estuarine Crocodile and a brave Common Sandpiper. The sandpiper did jump over the croc when it first flew in and probably was thinking whether to wag over the open jaws??