Rifle Range, Tuas 15Nov14

From KH

Danny, JS and I went to Rifle Range in the morning. We reached Jelutong Tower at about 0745.
This morning's raptor watch (0745-1030) at Jelutong Tower with Danny and JS yielded 7 OHBs, 2 JSHs, 1 CSH, 3 Black Bazas, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 3 CHEs (2 dark, 1 juv pale), 1 GHFE (adult), 1 Brahminy Kite, 2 WBSEs.

The best animal today was a Red-tailed Racer, about 3 feet long.

Moving on to Tuas, we only got 2 migrant raptor species: OHBs and JSHs. The first surprise was the interesting flight pattern of Oriental Pratincoles. Eagle-eyed Low CH was the first to spot the flock of thermalling pratincoles. When we lock our bins on the flock, we witnessed about half of the flock flying clockwise and the other half anti-clockwise! We witness this pattern again later in the afternoon. The other surprise was a mixed flock of Cinereous and Streaked Bulbuls. Who would have guessed that these birds, that are known to associate with forests, appearing at Tuas.

From JS

Attached are three different photos of the Streaked Bulbul that we found in the small trees at TSA16 at 1pm.

Besides being a rare migrant, the sighting of the Streaked Bulbul presents a very good example of the passerine migration that could be taking place alongside the raptor migration.

So far, I have recorded 2 Brown-Chested Jungle-flycatchers, 1 Tiger Shrike, 1 male Mugimaki Flycatcher, 2 Streaked Bulbuls, 6 Cinereous Bulbuls, 1 immature Indian Cuckoo, 1 immature Malaysian Hawk-cuckoo, 1 Chestnut-Winged Cuckoo and 1 Black Bittern. These sightings reminded me of our birding at Pulau Punggol where we would see Large Hawk-cuckoo, Chestnut-Winged Cuckoos, Hawk-cuckoos, Indian Cuckoos, Drongo Cuckoos, Drongos and Asian Brown Flycatchers appearing at different timings. It may be coincidence but I can't help it to think otherwise.