Singapore Botanic Gardens 14Jan06

From KH

Con and Chee Wai organized this event for NPSS members, whereas Danny and I were just here for birding. Marisol was here helping out and giving us name tags. Seeing that we are in the wrong crowd, Danny and I left to scout around. Peck Chan reached after we left, so we did not meet each other. We took the forest trail hoping to see the Blue-winged Pitta, but there was not a single bird there... Out of the forest trail, in the open we could see the typical birds like Black-naped Oriole and Pink-necked Green-pigeon around. Then a raptor flew high overhead. There were prominent black wing tips, distinguishing feature of the Chinese Sparrowhawk.

We walked to the Swan Lake and saw White-throated Kingfisher, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker and Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo.

Male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

We went on to traverse the perimeter of the Swan Lake. The Mute Swan and Goose were here as usual, but there was one swan instead of the usual two. We walked to the end of the lake near the road and saw some big white birds flying overhead - Tanimbar Cockatoos. As we continue walking round the lake, we came back to the bridge at the lake. There were lots of activities here, mainly from the smaller birds like the Common Tailorbird, Common Iora, Plain-throated Sunbird, Oriental Magpie-robin and Yellow-vented Bulbul. We were surprised to see so much activities here! To surprise us even further, a Black Baza flew across and landed on the top of a tree straight in front of us! It was there for more than 10 secs.

Oriental Magpie-robin

Leaving Swan Lake behind, we walked towards the Symphony Lake. As we walked pass the Ginger Garden, we saw a Crimson Sunbird high up on a faraway perch and an Oriental Honey-buzzard (with its distinctly smallish head) soaring overhead.

Oriental Honey-buzzard

Then further down the track another raptor was spotted in the sky, this time it wasn't as easy to identify. There were big prominent white patches on outer wing and the 'fingers' (long primaries) were obvious. It couldn't be a Common Buzzard, which have rounded wings. My bet is Changeable Hawk-eagle. As we walked along, a Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo was right above us.

Geater Racket-tailed Drongo

Then two Hill Mynas flew pass. There were Grey-rumped Treeswifts criss-crossing in the sky. A Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot flew across chattering away. In the Symphony Lake were the usual Lesser Whistling Ducks.

Leaving Symphony Lake behind, we continued to the Eco Lake. The Eco Lake also had much bird activities going on. There were an Oriental Magpie Robin, a Sunda Woodpecker, an Asian Brown Flycatcher, Blue-tailed Bee-eaters and an Oriental Reed Warbler. There was also a flock of small birds that flew out of the reed.

Sunda Woodpecker. Asian Brown Flycatcher

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Common Flying Lizard flew in and landed on a branch.

Common Flying Lizard

Of course, not forgetting the live ornaments of the lake - the Black Swans and the Radjah Shelduck. The Mandarin Duck was missing though.

Black Swan. Radjah Shelduck

Near the bridge was a family of White-breasted Waterhen, adults and chicks.

White-breasted Waterhen and chick

At the end of the bridge were some Ashy Tailorbirds.

Ashy Tailorbird

Finally, we reached the end of our track on the slope by the fitness area near the SBG entrance. This is a good spot. We saw an immature Crow-billed Drongo, which literally ignored us as it went about its activities, catching insects and returning to the perch again and again.

Immature Crow-billed Drongo

There was also an Arctic Warbler here. The Cattle Egret by the roadside where I was waiting for my bus rounded up today's birding with 46 birds in all, including 5 raptors.

Pied Fantail. Common Pigeon

01 Lesser whistling-duck
02 Striated heron
03 Cattle egret
04 Yellow bittern
05 Brahminy kite
06 Oriental honey-buzzard
07 Black baza
08 Chinese sparrowhawk
09 House crow
10 Asian glossy starling
11 Long-tailed parakeet
12 Blue-crowned hanging-parrot
13 Tanimbar cockatoo
14 Spotted dove
15 Common pigeon
16 Pink-necked green-pigeon
17 Grey-rumped treeswift
18 Black-naped oriole
19 Eurasian tree sparrow
20 Asian koel
21 Javan myna
22 Common myna
23 Hill myna
24 White-throated kingfisher
25 Blue-tailed bee-eater
26 Sunda woodpecker
27 Common flameback
28 Banded woodpecker
29 Dollarbird
30 Yellow-vented bulbul
31 White-breasted waterhen
32 Pied fantail
33 Oriental magpie robin
34 Greater racquet-tailed drongo
35 Crow-billed drongo
36 Asian brown flycatcher
37 Oriental reed warbler
38 Ashy tailorbird
39 Common tailorbird
40 Scarlet-backed flowerpecker
41 Olive-backed sunbird
42 Crimson sunbird
43 Plain-throated sunbird
44 Common iora
45 Arctic warbler