Sime Forest, Seletar West, Pulau Punggol, Serangoon Tidal Gates 26Jan13

From JS

Compared to last weekend, today was a really hot one. At some point of time, we could actually make do with some rain. Despite the intense heat, we were more than happy to be out birding.

Starting the day at Venus Drive, we must be really optimistic. Expecting to see the Barred Eagle Owl still perched openly after 11 days from its sighting, I think optimistic is an understatement. Expectedly, we left the place empty. This also happens to be my second failed attempt for the Blue-rumped Parrot.

Next, we headed over to Seletar West. After spotting the photographers, we spotted the six Asian Openbills. Drabby and dull, this species is really not pretty.

While the kind intention to allow me the chance to see the Openbill could have been rewarded, my inability to identify the uncommoner cousin of the species that I had tried so hard to study resulted in a delayed reward. Having taken the photos of a suspected 1st winter Red-Throated Pipit at Pulau Punggol before lunch, it took an hour-long lunch and a trip to Halus before Kok Hui, Con and my father come to know that they just had a near-miss with a Singapore tick. This is really bad.

Thankfully, a second visit to Pulau Punggol could partially redeem my mistake. Kok Hui and my father were able to enjoy great scope views of 4-5 individuals. Unfortunately, Con was not able to see the birds because of the presence of two police cars.

Red-throated Pipits from Danny

A non-breeding male with relative strong rusty/pinkish head, breast with lesser streaks, more blobs.

Two photos of the same non-breeding adult; clearly the whitish brace has turned pale relative to the whitish wing bars.

A behavioural shot of the pipits which tend to crouch when feeding/walking unlike the upright stance of the Paddyfield Pipit.

From KH

A few of the famous 6 of Seletar West. In flight, the underwing pattern looks like Milky Stork's, but the leg extension is shorter in comparison.

Soon they took flight.

Spooked by this Osprey. But it meant no harm, just passing by to see the famous 6.

While waiting for raptors to appear at Pulau Punggol, we spotted a flock of 6 openbills thermalling high towards east. Curious if this is a different flock from the 6 at Seletar West, Jimmy drove to Seletar West and found that the 6 were still there. Conversation with the photographers there reveal that the birds were either there all the time or had been out of sight at most 5-10 mins. Given these evidence, we believe that the 6 at Pulau Punggol is a different flock.

Sime Forest
Oriental Honey Buzzard 1
Changeable Hawk Eagle 1 immature pale morph
Emerald Dove 1
Pink-necked Green Pigeon >10
Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot 1
Swiftlet spp.
Dollarbird 1
White-throated Kingfisher 1
Blue-tailed Bee-eater >5
Red-crowned Barbet 1 drumming at a tree hole
Banded Woodpecker 2
Rufous Woodpecker 2
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo 4
House Crow 1
Cream-vented Bulbul 1
Red-eyed Bulbul 2
Barn Swallow
Arctic Warbler 1
Common Tailorbird 1
Rufous-tailed Tailorbird >2 heard
Striped Tit Babbler >3
Short-tailed Babbler >3 heard
Asian Fairy Bluebird 1 male
Asian Glossy Starling >20
Javan Myna
Orange-bellied Flowerpecker 2
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 1
Crimson Sunbird 2

Seletar West
Asian Openbill 6
Great Egret 1
Intermediate Egret 1
Osprey 1
White-bellied Sea Eagle 1
Swiftlet spp.
Barn Swallow

Lor Halus
Grey Heron 5
Little Egret 2
Brahminy Kite 2
White-bellied Sea Eagle 3
Common Sandpiper 1
Spotted Dove
Zebra Dove
Little Bronze Cuckoo 1
Swiftlet spp.
Collared Kingfisher 1
Common Kingfisher 1 male
Blue-tailed Bee-eater >3
House Crow 2
Sooty-headed Bulbul 2
Yellow-vented Bulbul 2
Barn Swallow
Yellow-bellied Prinia 1 heard
Javan Myna
Baya Weaver >20

Pulau Punggol
Asian Openbill 6 thermalling high towards east
Osprey 1
Brahminy Kite 1
White-bellied Sea Eagle 2
Booted Eagle 1 rufous morph
Changeable Hawk Eagle 1 immature pale morph
Spotted Dove
Zebra Dove
Lesser Coucal 2
Swiftlet spp.
Barn Swallow
Zitting Cisticola >1
Javan Myna
Yellow Wagtail 2
Paddyfield Pipit 1
Red-throated Pipit 5 (1st winter and non-breeding)