Singapore Strait 16Jun12

Con and Danny were on this pelagic trip with Colin et al.

From Colin

On Sat 16th June an NParks sponsored boat went to the vicinity of Horsburgh lighthouse at the eastern end of the Singapore Strait primarily to assess the state of the tern populations.

We recorded the following:
Bridled Tern - c.50 around the lighthouse, an under-estimate as these were primarily birds in flight and many birds were sat on the rocks presumably nesting.
Crested (Swift) Tern - 108 (counted from photos), all in different states of non-breeding plumage and the majority roosting on the Malaysian rocks to the south of the lighthouse.
Lesser Crested Tern - 6 non-breeding plumage birds roosting with some of the above on the lighthouse jetty.
Black-naped Tern - 18
Swiftlet sp. - c.10 around the lighthouse buildings, including birds apparently entering the buildings.

Most surprising above was the numbers of large sternas, which as far as I can ascertain have never been recorded in such numbers in the summer months before around Singapore or the east coast of Pen. Malaysia.

Other than the above the seas were very quiet (with just Little Tern added to the above list), and the only other observation of note was a flock of 8 Pied Imperial-pigeons that flew south over Sisters Islands towards Indonesia soon after dawn. I wonder where they were from or going to?