Tampines 29Jun19

From KH

While Con was surveying on Ubin and the Laus were chasing papilionids, I went to chill out at Tampines and saw this Black-naped Oriole whacking a caterpillar!

Handphone shot through glass panel:

Mongolia Jun19

From Con

Birds

Not Birds

Singapore Quarry 15Jun19

From Danny

I went to Sgp Quarry in the morning, planning to go DF after 9am but plan washed out by downpour. There was a Greater Coucal hopping around the trees and calling.

Sinclair Wetland 18Jun19

From KH

Final day of the trip.

Canada Geese, Australasian Shovelers, NZ Scaups

Black Swans

Masked Lapwing

Silvereye

Male Eurasian Blackbird

1. Canada Goose 25
2. Black Swan 50
3. Australian Shoveler 2
4. New Zealand Scaup 50
5. Australasian Swamphen 1
6. Masked Lapwing 1
7. Silvereye 20
8. Eurasian Blackbird 1

Dunedin 17Jun19

From KH

We paid a visit to the Royal Albatross Centre and sure enough saw a Royal Albatross there, but no photos.

Got photo of Kelp Gull instead.

Other birds along the way include South Island Oystercatchers, Australasian Shovelers and Black Swans.

South Island Oystercatchers

Australasian Shoveler. Black Swans

1. Black Swan 20
2. Australian Shoveler 2
3. Mallard 50
4. South Island Oystercatcher 2
5. Variable Oystercatcher 10
6. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 100
7. Kelp Gull 10
8. Royal Albatross 1 - Royal Albatross Centre
9. Little Pied Cormorant 5
10. Spotted Shag 5
11. Eurasian Skylark 1
12. Song Thrush 1
13. Eurasian Blackbird 10

Stewart Island 16Jun19

From KH

We couldn't go far today due to the rain, so only these 10 birds to show.

1. Paradise Shelduck 4
2. Mallard 3
3. Variable Oystercatcher 2
4. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 5
5. Kelp Gull 1
6. Buller's Albatross 5
7. Great Cormorant 1
8. New Zealand Kaka 1
9. European Starling 5
10. House Sparrow

Ladybird - not counted...

European Starling singing away before the rain came

Buller's Albatross showing underparts at Halfmoon Bay

Soon it was time to board the ferry. There weren't much along the strait except 5 Buller's Albatrosses, 1 Cape Petrel and 2 Swamp Harriers.

Buller's Albatross showing upperparts in Foveaux Strait

A Cape Petrel flew past

Stewart Island 15Jun19 pm

From KH

The endemic NZ Kaka came close.

The endemic NZ Fantail and Tomtit also joined in the party.

The endemic NZ Pigeons were less obliging.

A couple of Silvereyes along the roadside.

An immature Kelp Gull rounded up the day.

Birds seen in Oban, Stewart Island

1. Paradise Shelduck 2
2. New Zealand Pigeon 5
3. Variable Oystercatcher 2
4. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 5
5. Kelp Gull 1 - immature
6. New Zealand Kaka 8
7. Red-crowned Parakeet 1
8. Tui 8
9. New Zealand Bellbird 8
10. New Zealand Fantail 4
11. Tomtit 1
12. Silvereye 8
13. Dunnock 1

Oban on Steward Island

Ulva Island 15Jun19

From KH

The endemic NZ Kaka pecking away.

The noisy endemic Red-crowned Parakeet.

NZ Pigeon - another endemic.

Unlikely companions, the endemic Stewart Island Robin and South Island Saddleback, feeding together.

A super friendly Stewart Island Weka!

Tui - a common endemic.

Finally, a couple of White-capped and Buller's Albatrosses in comparison.

Bird list for a short 2-hour walk

1. New Zealand Pigeon 10
2. Weka 5
3. Variable Oystercatcher 4
4. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 5
5. Kelp Gull 1
6. Buller's Albatross 2
7. White-capped Albatross 2
8. Great Cormorant 1
9. Pied Cormorant 1
10. New Zealand Kaka 8
11. Red-crowned Parakeet 8
12. Tui 9
13. New Zealand Bellbird 10
14. New Zealand Fantail 1
15. South Island Saddleback 3
16. South Island Robin 5
17. Silvereye 10
18. Eurasian Blackbird 1

Boulder Beach on Ulva Island

Stewart Island 15Jun19 am

From KH

Foveaux Strait

Birds seen in the strait

1. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 10
2. Kelp Gull 5
3. White-fronted Tern 10
4. Buller's Albatross 8
5. White-capped Albatross 2
6. Stewart Island Shag 5
7. Swamp Harrier 1

Swamp Harrier over Foveaux Strait.

White-capped and Buller's Albatrosses are common in the strait.

Buller's Albatross

White-capped Albatross

Birds seen in Oban, Stewart Island

1. Paradise Shelduck 2
2. Variable Oystercatcher 3
3. Silver Gull (Red-billed) 10
4. Kelp Gull 2
5. Buller's Albatross 1
6. Spotted Shag 1
7. Stewart Island Shag 1
8. Sacred Kingfisher 1
9. Tui 5
10. New Zealand Bellbird 5
11. New Zealand Fantail 5
12. Silvereye 8
13. European Starling 10
14. Eurasian Blackbird 2
15. Dunnock 2
16. House Sparrow

Red-billed and Kelp Gulls are also common here.

Red-billed Gull

Kelp Gull with pied morph Stewart Island Shags

Stewart Island Shags come in two morphs - pied and bronze.

Bronze morph Steward Island Shag

Spotted Shag and Pied Cormorant seem less common here.

Spotted Shag

Pied Cormorant

Variable Oystercatchers also come with different morphs. Here's a pair of the black morph.

Paradise Shelducks - female with white head, male black.

A couple of endemics: Tui and NZ Bellbird.

And a couple of introduced species: European Starling and Eurasian Blackbird.

Bluff 14Jun19

From KH

A single White-capped Albatross (rightmost), Buller's Albatrosses, Silver Gulls and Kelp Gull following fishing boat for scraps.

Dunnock

Don't Bluff!