Pulau Punggol, Lim Chu Kang, Tuas 27Jan07

Danny & JS pick PC, Simon Cockayne and me up from Khatib MRT station. We proceeded to Seletar East. However, the main wild areas in Seletar East were within the army camp itself. So, we went to the canal and coast at Seletar West. Besides the herons (grey, purple, little), there were also raptors (osprey, wbse, brahminy kite), magpie robin and pied fantail.

While walking along the coast we found a road that goes into Pulau Punggol. The first interesting sight was a black snake about a metre long. Then we reached the channel that cuts the island into two halves. Again, ospreys and brahminy kites were seen.

As we went into the forested area, a different raptor caught our attention. Simon, who has been birding in UK and Europe regularly, ID it as the dark morph booted eagle. The upperwings have distinctive pale shoulders, while the underwing was mainly dark. The head was short but stout. We caught views of it several times as it was gliding within the window of the tall trees. At one point, we could see three ospreys, a WBSE and a brahminy kite thermalling above.

Booted Eagle ©Lau JS

Moving on to more open land, we again spotted the booted eagle and more wbses. However, the contractors also spotted us and we were escorted out of the island.

Adult female rufous morph Oriental Honey-buzzard ©Lau JS

By this time, Con was done with his NPSS event and could join us. We headed to Lim Chu Kang. Con brought along Kim and Harry. No Jerdon's baza was sighted, but a rufous morph Oriental honey-buzzard and black bazas were there. Leaving LCK behind, we headed to NTU for lunch. As the rain did not look like it was going to stopped, Con, Kim and Harry left, while the rest of us proceeded to Tuas. We realized that all the snipes were feeding out in the open in the rain!

Pintail Snipe ©Lau JS

Two watercocks were also in the field, as well as a cinnamon bittern.

Watercock ©Lau JS

Other typical birds here were the red-wattled lapwings, wood sandpipers and the lone common greenshank. There were also lesser whistling ducks in the marsh.

Moving on to the coast of Tuas, we saw flocks of PGPs flying in the sky, a huge mixed flock of black-headed and white-headed munias. A few red-rumped swallows were also feeding with the barn swallows in the grass field. Zitting cisticolas and paddyfield pipits were common too. Finally, passing by the Tuas grassland, we stopped to check out the snipes and watercocks again. A male Siberian stonechat was also out in the open. Finally, when we were about to pack up and go, a ruddy-breasted crake came out briefly to bid us farewell.

Siberian Stonechat ©Lau JS