Turut Track, SBWR, Tuas 19Dec15

From KH

Danny and JS got a wedding lunch to attend, so only Con and I birded today. We started at Turut Track and got 1 Watercock, 3 Black-browed Reed Warblers, 3 Oriental Reed Warblers.

Next up, Sungei Buloh. A loop round the old Route 1 revealed 2 Estuarine Crocodiles. A loop round the new route revealed 2 female Copper-throated Sunbirds, as well as 3 Ospreys at Eagle Point.

Last stop was Tuas. The highlight was a female Green-backed Flycatcher. ©Con Foley

Turut Track, BTNR 12Dec15

From KH

1 Black baza, 2 Watercocks, 1 Wood sandpiper, 1 Lanceolated warbler, 1 Rusty-rumped warbler (heard), a few Black-browed reed warblers at Turut Track early morning with Con and Jia Sheng.

1 OHB over Senapang Trail, Bukit Timah late morning with Con, Jia Sheng and Choon How.

Went to Tuas with Jia Sheng after lunch, but nothing much. Started drizzling, so left.

BTNR 08Dec15

From KH

This Barred Eagle-owl at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve carpark was first seen by Kennie Pan today. With modern communication tools, news of such a rarity quickly spread and I managed to tick it off at about 6:30 pm.

Barred Eagle-owl ©Con Foley

Pulau Ubin 05Dec15

From JS

5/12/15 12-2pm

• 2 Juvenile Japanese sparrowhawks (1 seen heading north while another was seen heading south)
• 6 unid sparrowhawks (2 seen heading north while the other 2 were seen heading south)

I guess the accipiters saw the impending heavy afternoon rain and decided to do a U-turn...

Bidadari 02Dec15

From Con

Narcissus flycatcher. Female.

Ruddy kingfisher still here too.

Admiralty Park 05-28Nov15

From KH

Spent 15 days surveying Admiralty Park and got 57 species, including a noisy escaped/released Rosy-faced Lovebird of the yellow variant on 23 Nov.

List:

	Species	Count
1	Cinnamon bittern	1
2	Striated heron	1
3	Little egret	1
4	Black baza	1
5	Oriental honey buzzard	2
6	White-bellied sea-eagle	3
7	Grey-headed fish-eagle	1
8	Japanese sparrowhawk	1
9	Changeable hawk-eagle	1
10	White-breasted waterhen	5
11	Common sandpiper	2
12	Spotted dove	2
13	Emerald dove	1
14	Zebra dove	2
15	Pink-necked green pigeon	8
16	Red-breasted parakeet	4
17	Rosy-faced Lovebird (yellow)	1
18	Asian koel	2
19	Little bronze cuckoo	1
20	Banded bay cuckoo	1
21	Large hawk cuckoo	1
22	Dollarbird	3
23	White-throated kingfisher	3
24	Collared kingfisher	2
25	Common kingfisher	2
26	Blue-tailed bee-eater	4
27	Sunda woodpecker	1
28	Banded woodpecker	1
29	Laced woodpecker	2
30	Common flameback	4
31	Common iora	5
32	Ashy minivet	1
33	Brown shrike	1
34	Long-tailed shrike	1
35	Black-naped oriole	2
36	Greater racquet-tailed drongo	1
37	House crow	12
38	Yellow-vented bulbul	10
39	Olive-winged bulbul	3
40	Barn swallow	3
41	Pacific swallow	1
42	Common tailorbird	1
43	Dark-necked tailorbird	1
44	Rufous-tailed tailorbird	1
45	Ashy tailorbird	2
46	Pin-striped tit-babbler	5
47	Oriental white-eye	5
48	Asian glossy starling	50
49	Javan myna	10
50	Common myna	2
51	Oriental magpie robin	1
52	White-rumped shama	1
53	Asian brown flycatcher	3
54	Orange-bellied flowerpecker	1
55	Scarlet-backed flowerpecker	2
56	Olive-backed sunbird	3
57	Scaly-breasted munia	6

Black-naped Oriole

Male Common Kingfisher

Common Sandpiper

Juvenile Zebra Dove

Details for the raptors:

Black baza	1 on 9-Nov
Oriental honey buzzard	2 on 12-Nov; 1 on 17-Nov
White-bellied sea eagle	2 on 13, 26 & 28-Nov; 3 on 20-Nov
Grey-headed fish eagle	1 on 26 & 27-Nov
Japanese sparrowhawk	1 on 25-Nov
Changeable hawk eagle	1 on 6, 9, 19, 24 & 25-Nov

Adult Grey-headed Fish-eagle (handphone shot)

On the 28 Nov, a Striated Heron was having happy hour with frogs on the menu, lots of them!

Tuas 28Nov15

From KH

Tuas 28 Nov 2015 9:30am-3pm with Danny and Jia Sheng

1. 1 Common kestrel
2. 1 Peregrine falcon
3. 5 OHB
4. 3 unid accipiters
5. 2 CHE (1 dark, 1 pale)
6. 3 Black-winged kites
7. 3 Brahminy kites

Other migrants of note: 14 Little ringed plovers and 1 snipe

Turuk Track, Tuas 21Nov15

From KH

Turuk Track 7:15 - 8:45 am

• 3 Black Bazas
• 1 Black Bittern
• 3 Yellow Bitterns
• 2 Oriental Reed-warblers
• 3 Black-browed Reed-warblers

With Con, Danny, Jia Sheng.

Tuas 10 am - 1 pm

• 215 OHB
• 21 Japanese Sparrowhawk (juv.)
• 3 unid accipiters
• 70 PGP
• 10 Oriental Pratincole (1 flock of 6 + 1 flock of 4)

With Con, Danny, Jia Sheng, Choon How, Francis, See Toh.

Female Japanese Paradise-flycatcher ©Con Foley

Female Japanese Paradise-flycatcher ©Danny Lau

Tuas 17Nov15

From Con

Northern Boobook at Tuas again.

Halus 15Nov15

From KH

Today Danny and I do our annual raptor watch at Halus. We had some volunteers joining us too.

	9-10	10-11	11-12	12-1	1-2	2-3
Oriental Honey-buzzard	1	2
Brahminy Kite	3		5		3
White-bellied Sea-eagle	1		3		1	1
Japanese Sparrowhawk		1				1
Changeable Hawk-eagle		2	1
Unid. Raptor		1

Changi 14Nov15

From KH

Today, the four of us joined the NSS raptor survey at Changi. We recorded the following raptors:

1. Eastern Marsh-harrier 1 male
2. Japanese Sparrowhawk >2
3. Chinese Sparrowhawk >2
4. Oriental Honey-buzzard >5
5. Black Baza >2
6. Peregrine Falcon 1
7. Changeable Hawk-eagle >2
8. White-bellied Sea-eagle >2
9. Brahminy Kite >5
10. Black-winged Kite >2

Tuas 11Nov15

From GC

1 Greater Spotted Eagle (record shot below) just after 12pm, and 1 Osprey before that - Tuas South

Coney Island, Tuas 10Nov15

From KH

I started at Coney Island myself and joined the rest later at Tuas.

Coney Island on 10 Nov 2015 7:45 - 11 am

• 1 Booted Eagle (juvenile dark morph)
• 1 Chinese Sparrowhawk (adult)
• 2 Black Bazas
• 2 Brahminy Kites (adult)
• 1 White-bellied Sea-eagle

Booted Eagle

Black Baza

Some of the other birds here.

Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher. Black-naped Oriole.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Common Flameback couple. Red-breasted Parakeet

Tiger Shrike

Olive-winged Bulbul

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Plus lots and lots of people, the whole 2.2 km main path and all the beaches!

Danny reported Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Brown-chested Jungle-flycatcher and Arctic Warbler at Tuas before I reached, but no sign of Northern Boobook.

Tuas 09Nov15

From Con

One of at least 2 Northern boobooks.

Bidadari 08Nov15

From JS

At least 20 folks, including us, scattered around the Ruddy kingfisher, Black-backed kingfisher and Ferruginous flycatcher.

Poyan 06Sep15

From Danny

1	Sunda Woodpecker	1
2	Banded Woodpecker	1
3	Laced Woodpecker	3
4	Common Goldenback	2
5	Lineated Barbet	2
6	Coppersmith Barbet	5
7	Oriental Dollarbird	3
8	White-Throated Kingfisher	2
9	Collared Kingfisher	2
10	Blue-Throated Bee-Eater	2
11	Banded Bay Cuckoo	2
12	Little Bronze Cuckoo	2
13	Asian Koel	1
14	Lesser Coucal	1
15	Red-Breasted Parakeet	42
16	Long-Tailed Parakeet	15
17	Swiftlet Spp	19
18	Spotted Dove	26
19	Zebra Dove	11
20	Pink-Necked Green-Pigeon	34
21	White-Breasted Waterhen	2
22	Red-Wattled Lapwing	5
23	Brahminy Kite	1
24	Changeable Hawk-Eagle	1
25	Golden-Bellied Gerygone	2
26	Large-Billed Crow	1
27	Black-Naped Oriole	14
28	Pied Triller	3
29	Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo	1
30	Common Iora	12
31	Oriental Magpie-Robin	3
32	Asian Glossy Starling	66
33	Common Myna	1
34	White-Vented Myna	19
35	Pacific Swallow	10
36	Straw-Headed Bulbul	5
37	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	14
38	Olive-Winged Bulbul	4
39	Oriental White-Eye	17
40	Common Tailorbird	4
41	Dark-Necked Tailorbird	2
42	Striped Tit-Babbler	2
43	Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker	3
44	Brown-Throated Sunbird	2
45	Olive-Backed Sunbird	4
46	Baya Weaver	2
47	Scaly-Breasted Munia	5
	Total No.	381

Serangoon 06Sep15

From KH

I did the fall migration census at Serangoon and Danny did his at Poyan as usual.

1	Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker	8
2	Oriental Dollarbird	1
3	Common Kingfisher	1
4	White-Throated Kingfisher	4
5	Collared Kingfisher	1
6	Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater	1
7	Little Bronze-Cuckoo	3
8	Asian Koel	3
9	Red-Breasted Parakeet	2
10	Swiftlet Spp	7
11	Common Pigeon	15
12	Spotted Dove	9
13	Zebra Dove	4
14	Pink-Necked Green Pigeon	2
15	White-Breasted Waterhen	5
16	Common Sandpiper	8
17	Little Tern	1
18	White-Bellied Sea Eagle	1
19	Grey Heron	1
20	Striated Heron	16
21	Black-Crowned Night Heron	1
22	House Crow	1
23	Black-Naped Oriole	9
24	Pied Fantail	8
25	Common Iora	6
26	Asian Glossy Starling	17
27	Common Myna	1
28	White-Vented Myna	20
29	Pacific Swallow	4
30	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	8
31	Yellow-Bellied Prinia	4
32	Common Tailorbird	4
33	Ashy Tailorbird	8
34	Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker	2
35	Brown-Throated Sunbird	6
36	Olive-Backed Sunbird	14
37	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	7
38	Paddyfield Pipit	1
39	Scaly-Breasted Munia	6
	Total No.	220

Bishan Park 16Aug15

From Con

Adult goes from tree to tree looking for bats. Adult then catches breakfast.

Then prepares meal rips it up. Then calls juvenile.

Juvenile flies in and calls. Takes breakfast. Looks at breakfast. Bat again? Eventually flies off with breakfast to another tree. Half hour episode.

The adult Crested Goshawk hunts the Common Fruit Bat from Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis).

Pulau Ubin 15Aug15

From KH

Following reports of Barred Eagle Owl, Black Hornbill and Oriental Darter, Con, Danny and I went to Pulau Ubin. We saw none of these birds, but heard a Mangrove Pitta at Chek Jawa. The only waders there were Common Sandpipers.

Here's an incomplete list:

1. Grey Heron >15
2. Purple Heron 1
3. Brahminy Kite >2
4. White-bellied Sea Eagle >2
5. Common Sandpiper 3
6. Stork-billed Kingfisher 1
7. Oriental Pied Hornbill >5
8. Mangrove Pitta 1 heard
9. Oriental Magpie Robin 1
10. White-rumped Shama 1

CCK Park 10Aug15

From Danny

Late morning, taking a nature walk around Choa Chu Kang Park, spotted this Brown-streaked Flycatcher (Muscicapa williamsoni) perched on a branch of a Chinese Olive tree (Canarium vulgare, also known as Wild Almond). Following the waders, passerine migrants are on the way, time to head to Bida to celebrate SG50.

Pulau Punggol 13-15Jul15

From Con

5 Blue-breasted Quails regularly cross a small patch about once an hour. I spent 4 hours on Mon; 5 hours on Tue and some more on Wed.

Serangoon, Poyan 12Jul15

From KH

Danny did the mid-year census at Poyan and I did it at Serangoon, as usual. The only unusual bird at Serangoon is an Intermediate Egret, perhaps over-wintering. At Poyan, a pair of Blue-winged Pittas were again found.

Another thing unusual is the lack of any koel at both sites. This could be explained by the low count of crows, a common host for the koels. NEA doing a good job culling crows?

		Serangoon	Poyan
1	Red Junglefowl		2
2	Sunda Woodpecker	9	1
3	Banded Woodpecker		2
4	Laced Woodpecker		2
5	Common Goldenback	1	1
6	Lineated Barbet		2
7	Coppersmith Barbet		2
8	Oriental Dollarbird		1
9	White-Throated Kingfisher	4	2
10	Collared Kingfisher	3	4
11	Blue-Throated Bee-Eater	4	6
12	Banded Bay Cuckoo	1	1
13	Rusty-Breasted Cuckoo		1
14	Little Bronze Cuckoo	3	1
15	Lesser Coucal		2
16	Rose-Ringed Parakeet	2
17	Red-Breasted Parakeet	20	32
18	Long-Tailed Parakeet	1	3
19	Swiftlet Spp	5	23
20	Rock Pigeon	11
21	Spotted Dove	15	16
22	Zebra Dove	6	7
23	Pink-Necked Green-Pigeon	2	21
24	White-Breasted Waterhen	4	2
25	Red-Wattled Lapwing		2
26	Little Tern	4
27	Brahminy Kite		2
28	White-Bellied Sea Eagle	2
29	Changeable Hawk-Eagle		2
30	Little Egret	2
31	Grey Heron	1	5
32	Purple Heron		1
33	Intermediate Egret	1
34	Striated Heron	14
35	Blue-Winged Leafbird		2
36	Golden-Bellied Gerygone	2	2
37	House Crow	2	2
38	Black-Naped Oriole	8	19
39	Pied Triller	1	3
40	Pied Fantail	8
41	Greater Racket-Tailed Drongo		1
42	Common Iora	8	9
43	Oriental Magpie-Robin	2	1
44	Asian Glossy Starling	5	26
45	White-Vented Myna	32	32
46	Common Hill Myna		2
47	Pacific Swallow	4	9
48	Straw-Headed Bulbul		3
49	Sooty-Headed Bulbul	2
50	Yellow-Vented Bulbul	10	23
51	Zitting Cisticola	1
52	Yellow-Bellied Prinia	4	1
53	Oriental White-Eye	3	4
54	Common Tailorbird	3	4
55	Dark-Necked Tailorbird		1
56	Rufous-Tailed Tailorbird		3
57	Ashy Tailorbird	5
58	Striped Tit-Babbler		4
59	Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker		3
60	Brown-Throated Sunbird	2	5
61	Olive-Backed Sunbird	14	6
62	Eurasian Tree Sparrow	12
63	Baya Weaver		5
64	Javan Munia		2
65	Scaly-Breasted Munia	3	9
66	White-Headed Munia		2
	Total species	43	54
	Total number	246	329

Punggol, Tuas, Pulau Punggol 30May15

From KH

Danny and I went on a hunt for Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo, which has been seen at Punggol End and Tuas. We started at Punggol End. There were no Horsfield's but there was a pair of nesting Blue-throated Bee-eaters. The adult was observed bringing food back to the nest, which is underground.

Moving on to Tuas, we started along Tuas South Ave 1, but no target cuckoo. The only surprise was an over-staying second year Oriental Honey-buzzard.

Then we met up with Choon How at Ave 3 and moved on to another forest patch. However, we dipped at the cuckoo here too.

After Indian rice lunch, Danny and I parted ways with Choon How and we headed to Lorong Halus. Upon reaching, we got news that the target cuckoo has been sighted at Pulau Punggol! Upon reaching, Francis told us that the bird had flown off... After about half an hour, he spotted a second cuckoo and soon we realised there were more than 10 of them - male, female, immature, all were represented. This is a nearly 100% cropped Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo.

Sweden 05-21May15

From Con

I am off to my ancestral homeland so I won’t be birding locally.

19 May

Today an experienced (40 yrs experience) took me around for a morning of birding. There is a known spot where there is a rather crazy bird. He will come out of the forest and bite your legs and hit you with his wings. You have to use a long stick to keep him away!! To get back into the car had to blow the horn. Then he chases the car down the road!!

Capercaillie

We also got black grouse, crested tit, black-throated loon and some other forest birds. But it was really rainy.

Then went to coast and got a flock of about fourty dunlins. Turns out the person who told me they had already gone North was simply wrong. Also broad-billed sandpiper, sanderling and some more.

http://www.pbase.com/con_foley/europe