Sg Serangoon, Poyan 15Mar09

Sg Serangoon

Today is the Annual Bird Census (ABC). The weather is fine and the tide is low. Finally, the KPE construction is almost done and the expressway will open in a few days. Unfortunately, the grassland was on fire a few months back. That could be why the weavers and munias are missing. Nonetheless, prinias and a coucal are still present. Only 9 species of waterbirds are counted (3 waders and 6 herons/egrets). Raptor-wise, there are 4 species and this is the first time I have seen the Crested Honey Buzzard here.

The species count this year is two lower than last year. Abundance-wise, this year is significantly more than last year due to the high count of swiftlets. The bee-eater, Ashy Tailorbird, House Swift and Barn Swallow have been missing for two years now. Missing from last year are the resident herons (Purple and Black-crowned Night), Little Tern, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Long-tailed Parakeet, Pink-necked Green Pigeon and Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker. In their place are the White-bellied Sea Eagle, Common Goldenback, Golden-bellied Gerygone and Paddyfield Pipit. Migrant-wise, in place of the 2 kingfishers (Common and Black-capped) are the Asian Brown Flycatcher and Arctic Warbler.

1. Striated Heron 6
2. Grey Heron 9
3. Little Egret 15
4. Great Egret 1
5. Cattle Egret 12
6. Intermediate Egret 1
7. Pacific Golden Plover 1
8. Common Sandpiper 10
9. Common Greenshank 4
10. White-bellied Sea Eagle 2
11. Brahminy Kite 1
12. Black Baza 3
13. Crested Honey Buzzard 1
14. Rock Pigeon 5
15. Spotted Dove 8
16. Zebra Dove 1
17. Collared Kingfisher 4
18. White-throated Kingfisher 3
19. Dollarbird 1
20. Sunda Woodpecker 3
21. Common Goldenback 2
22. Swiftlet 212
23. Asian Koel 6
24. Lesser Coucal 1
25. White-breasted Waterhen 5
26. Javan Myna 35
27. Common Myna 4
28. House Crow 30
29. Black-naped Oriole 6
30. Asian Glossy Starling 20
31. Arctic Warbler 2
32. Olive-backed Sunbird 16
33. Plain-throated Sunbird 3
34. Golden-bellied Gerygone 1
35. Brown Shrike 1
36. Common Tailorbird 4
37. Yellow-vented Bulbul 5
38. Pacific Swallow 12
39. Pied Fantail 4
40. Common Iora 5
41. Yellow-bellied Prinia 5
42. Asian Brown Flycatcher 2
43. Paddyfield Pipit 3
44. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 5
Total No. 480

Poyan

Danny and Con conduct the census as usual at Poyan. The species count is 1 more than last year, but the abundance count is almost doubled. The abundance is mainly due to the spike in numbers of swiftlets, starlings and mynas. This year the following resident birds decided to show up: Sunda Woodpecker, Stork-billed Kingfisher, both bee-eaters, Plaintive Cuckoo, the malkoha, the sea eagle, the prinia and Baya Weaver. However, missing are the Rose-ringed Parakeet, Zebra Dove, Striated Heron, Golden-bellied Gerygone, Common Myna, Brown-throated Sunbird and Scaly-breasted Munia. Migrant-wise, the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Common Snipe and Yellow Bittern, are replaced by Black Baza and Asian Brown Flycatcher.

1. Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker 1
2. Laced Woodpecker 1
3. Common Goldenback 2
4. Lineated Barbet 5
5. Coppersmith Barbet 2
6. Oriental Dollarbird 4
7. Stork-Billed Kingfisher 1
8. White-Throated Kingfisher 4
9. Collared Kingfisher 2
10. Blue-Throated Bee-Eater 1
11. Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater 10
12. Plaintive Cuckoo 1
13. Asian Koel 3
14. Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha 2
15. Greater Coucal 1
16. Lesser Coucal 7
17. Red-Breasted Parakeet 2
18. Long-Tailed Parakeet 11
19. Swiftlet 45
20. Spotted Dove 20
21. Pink-Necked Green Pigeon 19
22. Slaty-Breasted Rail 1
23. hite-Breasted Waterhen 2
24. Black Baza 3
25. Brahminy Kite 1
26. White-Bellied Sea Eagle 1
27. Changeable Hawk-Eagle 1
28. Brown Shrike 4
29. House Crow 4
30. Black-Naped Oriole 12
31. Pied Triller 2
32. Ashy Minivet 5
33. Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo 2
34. Common Iora 11
35. Asian Brown Flycatcher 1
36. Oriental Magpie-Robin 1
37. Asian Glossy Starling 43
38. White-Vented Myna 55
39. Pacific Swallow 1
40. Straw-Headed Bulbul 5
41. Yellow-Vented Bulbul 28
42. Yellow-Bellied Prinia 1
43. Common Tailorbird 2
44. Dark-Necked Tailorbird 2
45. White-Crested Laughingthrush 3
46. Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker 1
47. Olive-Backed Sunbird 2
48. Eurasian Tree Sparrow 5
49. Baya Weaver 20
Total No. 408

Chestnut-bellied Malkoha ©Danny Lau