NTU, Henderson Waves 24Oct21

From KH

I started the day at NTU as an Ashy Drongo nigrescen subsp. was reported here. When I reached a few folks were already shooting, so it was easy to locate. I didn't stay long and only took a few shots. Can you believe this very poor shot is the bird?

Throw in some African Tulips to brightening things up.

Moving on to Henderson Waves for another roosting session, and got a first-of-session Greater Spotted Eagle.

Followed by a handful of Japanese Sparrowhawks.

And some Oriental Honey-Buzzards.

Mt Faber, Poyan 16-17Dec12

From Con at Mt Faber on 17 Dec

Since Mt. Faber is close I went over for about 1.5 hours this morning. No sign of the ashy drongo, there was dollarbird on the tree instead.

A changeable hawk-eagle flew past a couple of times, once with nesting material. I couldn’t see where it took the nesting material and I didn’t search the old nest area to see if it was there. But it’s nesting somewhere close by.

Briefly a pale morph Changeable Hawk-eagle perched on the bare tree, just unfortunately blocked by a branch in front.

From Danny at Mt Faber on 16 Dec

Took a walk around Mt Faber this morning as the weather was cooling. Seen from afar, a dark morph CHE perched on a familiar tree just beyond the slope side garden (recall Ashy Drongo) off Mt Faber Point. On arrival, it started to drizzle, then the bird wave started around the tree right at the end of the park. The rains started but I was sheltered below the tree as waves of Striped Tit-babblers, Bulbuls (Yellow-vented & Olive-winged), Crimson Sunbirds, Arctic Warblers, Greater Racket-tailed Drongoes and the distinctive grey morph Ashy Drongo swooped in & out diving for insects. Seen and heard the ASHY calling the distinctive 2-note "wu-wheez" amidst the chorus around me.

After 15 min the rains stopped, as I stepped away from my shelter, the birds were still at it even though the CHE was just on the bare tree about twenty feet away oblivious to the wild party (probably already finished breakfast). Then it suddenly quiet down, looking up saw the shadow of a tiny raptor, as it swooped low and circled twice, the streaks & barring on the underpart and wing shape was an unmistakable juvenile Japanese Sparrowhawk. After it flew off, one White-throated Kingfisher flew in with its Alarm calls signalling all clear and time for me to move on. What a beautiful Sunday morning.

Recently came across a male Grey Nightjar sleeping high on a tree branch at Mt Faber. Usually consider a dour, drab looking bird, he does have a colorful underpart.

From Danny at Poyan on 16 Dec

On Sunday eveing, I dropped in to Poyan to look for any duck. Too bad live firing was going on but at the pond next to guard house, the Blue-eared Kingfisher was around feeding, caught two big fish while I was around. On the way out the Buffy Fish-owl was still around at the flooded end of the Malay cemetery, likely going to breed soon.

Buffy Fish-owl

Blue-eared Kingfisher

Mt Faber, Pulau Punggol 04-05Feb12

The star bird today is a grey morph Ashy Drongo at Mt Faber. Thanks to Bingwen for spotting it and tipping us off! Con and Danny saw it again on 5 Feb morning.

From JS

Here's the summary of the raptors that was seen by Kok Hui, Con, my father and I on 4 Feb.

Mt Faber
1) White-bellied Sea Eagle (2)
2) Brahminy Kite (2)
3) Changeable Hawk Eagle (1 dark morph)
4) Black Baza (2)
5) Oriental Honey Buzzard (2)

Pulau Punggol
1) White-bellied Sea Eagle (2)
2) Brahminy Kite (2)
3) Booted Eagle (2 dark morph, including 1 in fresh plumage and another missing the 3rd outer primary on its left wing)
4) Black Baza (2)
5) Chinese Sparrowhawk (h)

Sungei Balang, Batu Gajah, Parit Jawa 01Dec07

From JS

Introduction

On 1^st December 2007, Con, SC, Mike, Vincent, my father and I went to Sungei Balang and the nearby padi fields. Comparing S. Balang to Changi Cove, honestly, the diversity is less as S. Balang does not include any coastal mudflats and, most importantly, S. Balang is along Malacca Straits while Changi Cove is at the end where the Malacca Straits meets the South China Sea. Given this important location advantage, it is no wonder more birds would flock to Changi Cove as most migratory routes intersect there. Nevertheless, considering that Singapore’s freshwater marshes are deteriorating at a fast pace, S. Balang would be a good place to see the freshwater waders. Hopefully, the Teminick’s stint would show a VIP appearance.

Summaries of the birds seen at each location visited

Sungei Balang

Having a mix of large open woodlands and flooded padi fields, it is easy to see why it attracts so many raptors. Raptors sighted include two Greater Spotted Eagles, dozens of Black Kites and the resident raptors. Although the species list doesn’t sound so attractive, seeing dozens of them circling in BLUE sky is a spectacular but as it is a spectacular, I was too busy admiring it instead of photographing the spectacular scene.

Black Kite

Black-winged Kite

Batu Gajah I don’t think I am the right guy to do a write-up on this place as I have only spent 1h there and saw only hundreds of waders and thousands of egrets. Noteworthy sightings would be a pair of ashy drongo of race nigrescens, a juvenile moorhen and dozens of long-toed stints.	Ashy Drongo nigrescens

Comments: My day trip range ends at Panti. Any place located further is for family outings. It is more educational to come here to see agriculture than to see birds. Most importantly, if you are lost while driving to this place, don’t ever ask anybody from the Petronas petrol kiosk. They are more likely to guide you back to Singapore than to your destination.

Parit Jawa A short description of Parit Jawa: it is a small seaside town with endangered ugly birds. When I was there the tide was high, so I was only able to egrets, herons, adjutants and more egrets, more herons... From a birder’s point of view, 5 min is all one needs to see and id all the birds.	Lesser Adjutant

White-winged Terns

Comments: When you go there, order sweet potato leaves and all the different dishes of chicken wings, use the money saved from the seafood to spend on other things. If you are just passing Parit Jawa, on your way to Muar, have your lunch at Muar then.

List of birds seen in the trip

1) Greater Spotted Eagle (2)
2)  Black Kite
3)  Brahminy Kite
4)  Black-Winged Kite
5)  Osprey
6)  Lesser Adjutant
7)  Grey Heron
8)  Purple Heron
9)  Yellow Bittern
10) Cinnamon Bittern (1)
11) Little Heron
12) Great Egret
13) Cattle Egret
14) Little Egret
15) Common Moorhen (1)
16) Scaly-breasted Munia
17) Red-wattled Lapwing
18) Common Greenshank
19) Common Redshank
20) Marsh Sandpiper
21) Common Sandpiper
22) Wood Sandpiper
23) Long-toed Stint
24) Asian Pied Starling
25) Asian Glossy Starling
26) House Crow
27) Large-billed Crow
28) Common Myna
29) Javan Myna
30) Black Drongo
31) Ashy Drongo (2)
32) Blue-tailed Bee-eater
33) Yellow-vented Bulbul
34) Spotted Dove
35) Zebra Dove
36) Eurasian Tree Sparrow
37) White-winged Tern

More photos from Jia Sheng:

Left: Ashy Drongo nigrescens. Right: Lesser Adjutant

Asian Pied Starlings

White-winged Terns