Venus Dr, Changi, Hindhede 10Feb07

From JS

We went to Venus Drive today for Robert's final bird outing before he leaves for the Middle-east.

Despite the nearby disturbance from groups of students, we were still able to spot a pair of short-tailed babblers, looks like the disturbance wasn't so disturbing after all. The dip was we failed to reach Jelutong tower, no regrets though. The forest was packed!

After looking through Craig Robson's Guidebook, I can conclude that there is 1 Asian house martin flying around the large fig tree. At that point of time, I have id the swallow-like bird as a Pacific swallow. However, no swallows have such a distinct white rump and the lack of colored throat. Compared with the nearby swiftlets, that lone martin had a notable broader tail and wing.

Tiger Shrike ©Lau JS

Back to the trip report, Robert left us at Venus Drive carpark and we went on to Changi Cove. Nothing special except a very dry grassland.

Kok Hui and Con bid farewell with my dad and I after lunch. We carried on birding at Hindhede. Crakes and thrushes was a common sight. There was simply nobody in the afternoon, so deserted until the thrushes fed on the pavement with the crakes. Never had such good view of them!

From Danny

After stingless bee hive, head straight just before the sandpit, to your left. Look thru' opening on ground. The large-tailed nightjar was spotted on the ground around 4 pm sunning itself thru' an opening where lights flow thru'. JS was about to take a 2nd shot when it wobbled up & disappeared into hiding, likely too hot. Around 5.30 pm it re-appeared at exactly the same spot!

Large-tailed Nightjar ©Lau JS

It's amazing the whole afternoon there was no birders except Sree who dropped in at 5 pm. The whole Hindhede only two of us with 3 OHTs, 3 RLCrakes, 2 straw-headed bulbuls, 1 WRShama but no pitta. We got very close to the OHTs and the RLCrakes, sometimes only about 6' away. At about 7.15 to 7.30 pm the 3 crakes promptly went down to the canal (where we found the rat snake) for their evening showers similar to SBG.

gibsonhilli. Prominent white-tipped median coverts and two black ear covert bars ©Lau JS

gibsonhilli's brush with death (monitor lizard in background) ©Lau JS

innotata. Lacks prominent white-tipped median coverts and two black ear covert bars ©Lau JS

More photos from Con

Left: Female gibsonhilli. Right: Male innotata. gibsonhilli has white-tipped median coverts and two black ear covert bars. Female has olive-grey upperparts, while male is bluish-grey. Also female is duller orange than male. Juvenile has rufous primary tips. ©Con Foley

There are 11 subspecies of orange-headed thrush! However, it is possible to identify the subspecies based on distribution. Only innotata and gibsonhilli are likely to winter in Singapore.

Indian subcontinent
citrina: W Pakistan to n Myanmar; winters to Sri Lanka
cyanota: Peninsular India (north to Gujarat and Andhra)

China & Indochina
melli: SE China (Fujian and n Guangdong)
courtoisi: E China (Anhui Province)
aurimacula: S Vietnam and Hainan

Malay Peninsula
innotata: S Myanmar to s China and Indochina; winters to Malaysia
gibsonhilli: Central Malay Peninsula (s Myanmar to s Thailand)

Islands
andamanensis: Andamen Islands
albogularis: Nicobar Islands
aurata: Mountains of n Borneo
rubecula: Java