NTL2, SBWR 29Sep12

From KH

Today, Danny and I went to Neo Tiew Lane 2 and Sungei Buloh.

We started at NTL2 and saw several migrants: e.g. Black-browed Reed Warbler, Grey Wagtails, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Common Kingfishers, as well as some notable residents: e.g. Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Purple Swamphens, Common Moorhens, Plaintive Cuckoo. However, there were no terns at all. We were sorry to see a decomposed nightjar along the track.

At SBWR, we met Jimmy and Gerard, and saw 12 species of waders altogether. The Main Hide was pretty disappointing with just the usual common waders. Then came the rain, which dampened the mood even more. Fortunately, Hide 2D & E offered the less common waders - Red-necked Stints, Terek & Broad-billed Sandpipers at 2D; Greater Sand-plover at 2E.

Neo Tiew
1. Purple Heron 1
2. Osprey 1
3. White-bellied Sea-eagle 1 immature
4. Grey-headed Fish-eagle 1 adult
5. White-breasted Waterhen 5
6. Common Moorhen 1
7. Purple Swamphen 3
8. Common Sandpiper 2
9. Zebra Dove 5
10. Spotted Dove 10
11. Red Collared Dove 2
12. Pink-necked Green-pigeon 10
13. Long-tailed Parakeet >10
14. Plaintive Cuckoo 1
15. Banded Bay Cuckoo 1 heard
16. Asian Koel 2 heard
17. Lesser Coucal 1
18. Swiftlet spp.
19. Common Kingfisher 3
20. White-throated Kingfisher 2
21. Dollarbird 2
22. Banded Woodpecker 1
23. Common Goldenback 2
24. Golden-bellied Gerygone 1 heard
25. Pied Fantail 4
26. Pied Triller >5
27. Black-naped Oriole >5
28. House Crow 2
29. Brown Shrike 3
30. Long-tailed Shrike 2
31. Common Iora 3 
32. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher 1 female
33. Oriental Magpie Robin 1 female
34. Asian Glossy Starling >50
35. Purple-backed Starling >10
36. Javan Myna >10
37. Barn Swallow >10
38. Pacific Swallow >10
39. Yellow-vented Bulbul 5
40. Straw-headed Bulbul 1 heard
41. Black-browed Reed Warbler 1
42. Common Tailorbird 5
43. Zitting Cisticola 1
44. Yellow-bellied Prinia 1
45. White-crested Laughingthrush 1
46. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 2
47. Brown-throated Sunbird 1
48. Olive-backed Sunbird 5
49. Yellow Wagtail >20 at NSRCC
50. Baya Weaver 1
51. Scaly-breasted Munia 1

SBWR
1. Grey Heron 2
2. Little Egret 35
3. Cattle Egret 1
4. Striated Heron 3
5. White-bellied Sea-eagle 4
6. White-breasted Waterhen 5
7. Greater Sand-plover 1
8. Lesser Sand-plover >50
9. Pacific Golden-plover >50
10. Whimbrel >50
11. Rufous-necked Stint 5
12. Curlew Sandpiper >40
13. Broad-billed Sandpiper 1
14. Terek Sandpiper 1
15. Common Sandpiper 5
16. Marsh Sandpiper >20
17. Common Redshank >100
18. Common Greenshank >20
19. Red Collared Dove 1 male
20. Asian Koel 1 male
21. Swiftlet spp.
22. White-throated Kingfisher 1 heard
23. Collared Kingfisher 4
24. Stork-billed Kingfisher 1
25. Oriental Pied Hornbill 1 heard
26. House Crow 10
27. Common Iora 2
28. Ashy Tailorbird 3 heard

Greater Sand-plover ID tips from Danny

Classic view where the shape of face is square not round; observer is almost perpendicular to Plover.

Far away view of Plover with thick, long bill - typical view first attracting birder attention.

Back view exposing the long tibia.

View of Plover feeding on crab/crustacean unlike LSP, which feed on worms.

The angular view which make the bill look shorter. However, drawing virtual parallel lines across bill tip, bill base and eyes will show up bill as long.

Applying the same virtual lines as GSP above will show up the shorter bill of the LSP below.