Pontian, Tanjung Piai 27Sep08

From KH

Thanks to SC for showing us around his hometown. I got a few lifers from this trip! The 3 Lesser Adjutants early in the morning already made my day as I missed the Parit Jawa trip previously.

Besides the thick bill and mask, note the shallow forked tail ©Lau JS

Spot the Greater Sand-plover behind the Gull-billed Tern ©Lau JS

Then at the construction site, entered my lifer #2 - a single Gull-billed Tern. It was also lots of fun trying to single out possible Greater Sand-plovers from the hundreds of Lesser Sand-plovers. Of course not to forget the supporting cast of Common Sandpipers, PGPs, Common Redshanks, Terek Sandpipers, 2 Whimbrels and 1 Common Kingfisher. Also interesting were the Little Terns forming flocks of 10-20 to follow fishing boats out to the sea and returning once the boats reached deeper water - a behaviour you'll never see in Singapore!

Here are 2 photos of the Greater Sand-plovers. 1st was the one found by Danny, the 2nd was seen by Con and I while Con skillfully drove pass the plovers without flashing them ©Fang SC

Another GSP and zooming in on its head and bill ©Fang SC

Tanjung Piai offered cool breeze, more Whimbels and Terek Sandpipers, as well as my lifer #3 - a pair of Greater Flamebacks. A couple of very responsive Golden-bellied Gerygones keep us busy for a while. The OHB flushed at the entrance added to the tally of interesting sightings today. Last but not least, thanks SC for the breakfast!

Pontian (0700-1000)
1 Red Junglefowl (domestic)
2 Striated Heron
3 Grey Heron
4 Little Egret >2
5 Great Egret >5
6 Lesser Adjutant 3
7 Whimbrel 2
8 Common Redshank >50
9 Common Sandpiper >10
10 Terek Sandpiper >25
11 Pacific Golden-plover >5
12 Lesser Sand-plover >300
13 Greater Sand-plover >5
14 Little Tern >100
15 Gull-billed Tern 1
16 Brahminy Kite 1
17 Common Kingfisher 1
18 Collared Kingfisher
19 Blue-tailed Bee-eater 2
20 Spotted Dove
21 Swiftlet
22 House Crow
23 Large-billed Crow >10
24 White-vented Myna
25 Common Myna
26 Pacific Swallow
27 Barn Swallow
28 Ashy Tailorbird
29 Eurasian Tree Sparrow
30 Paddyfield Pipit 1

Tanjung Piai (1100-1400)
1 Lesser Adjutant 1
2 Whimbrel >15
3 Common Sandpiper >5
4 Terek Sandpiper >15
5 Little Tern >10
6 Brahminy Kite 1
7 Oriental Honey-buzzard 1
8 White-throated Kingfisher
9 Collared Kingfisher
10 Greater Flameback 1M1F
11 Swiftlet
12 White-breasted Waterhen
13 Golden-bellied Gerygone
14 Common Iora
15 Pacific Swallow
16 Red-rumped Swallow 1
17 Ashy Tailorbird
18 Arctic Warbler 3
19 Plain-throated Sunbird

From Con

Some photos from the weekend. According to Wells distribution map and text, the Greater Goldenback is confined to West Coast mangrove swamps in Peninsular Malaysia, but at about the Thai border moves further inland. So if Wells is correct, it would be pretty tough to see at Panti Forest, but some vagrants might turn up in Singapore.

The Black-tailed Godwit was still at SBWR around 11am today, Hide 1.11. Quite far away and sometimes it was sitting down among the other waders making it almost impossible to find, but once it is up and walking around, it is quite obvious. The Godwit stretched its wings showing the characteristic bold white band on black flight feathers confirming the ID as Black-tailed Godwit.

Gull-billed Tern in flight.

Just to show a comparison, the first link is Common Goldenbacks taken in Singapore. The second link is Common Goldenbacks taken in Palawan. As you can see they look a bit different, instead of a white stripes between the crown and black stripe the Palawan bird has more of a brown stripe.

Altogether, 3 lifers for me too this weekend.