Tuas 17Feb08

From Danny

Presently, it is the ideal time to visit Tuas. The grassland is dry enough to walk right up to the cluster of trees in the centre of the field. There are many snipes (about 50 would fly out when the Eastern Marsh-harrier made his hunting runs), lapwings, bitterns and of course Savanna Nightjars.

Common Snipe

Look up the first pic, the harrier was making one of its hunting flights. At the right corner, there was a Savanna NJ. Both of us were thinking it was a snipe but it turn out to be a NJ. Fortunately, the NJ escaped - it was very close.

The difference between CC & Tuas was you couldn't drive but could walk around (for time being) - there were a lot of preys for the Harrier. The harrier was pretty skittish and sleepy when the digiscope shot was taken from the road side, maximum 60x - flew away if you try to get close.

Immature male Eastern Marsh-harrier