Lor Halus 06Nov21

From KH

Today is Singapore Raptor Watch and as usual I led the Lorong Halus site.

Due to rain we started later today. Here's the ebird list before noon time.

The best bird today was this juvenile Eastern Marsh-Harrier that was very high up.

Oriental Honey-Buzzard also very high up.

Resident-wise, here's an immature pale Changeable Hawk-Eagle.

And Grey-headed Fish-Eagle and White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Grey Heron came close for photoshoot.

Keep your plastic bags! Long-tailed Macaque alert!

With the rain caught up with us again, it's time to pack up for lunch.

As the rain has subsided, it was back to Halus. ebird list after lunch. Here's an Oriental Honey-Buzzard.

The Grey-headed Fish-Eagle was still showing well.

Pulau Punggol, Tuas 22Oct16

From KH

Danny, JS and I planned to start the day's birding at Kranji Marsh, but upon reaching, we found the sky looked threatening and decided to head East. By the time we reach Lorong Halus, the rain clouds had caught up with us! So we adjourned to our favourite Punggol food court for breakfast.

Once the sky cleared, we headed to Pulau Punggol.

We didn't try very hard to turn the Paddyfield Pipits here into Angus pipits

A juvenile Sooty-headed Bulbul was begging for food

As nothing much else was going on here, we decided to head to Tuas for raptor watching. Although the sky was overcast, we saw 1 Common Buzzard and 1 immature male Eastern Marsh-harrier, on top of the usual OHBs and accipiters.

Common Buzzard

Immature male Eastern Marsh-harrier

There were also migrating Pacific Swifts.

Pacific Swift

NTL2, CCK Cemeteries 15Feb14

From KH

Con, Danny, JS and I went to NTL2 because we heard it is a good place for sniping. At the entrance, we were surprised to see a Blue-throated Bee-eater. Apparently, this migrant breeder have been found year round in Singapore, although the majority do migrate after breeding months.

Near the entrance, we also added two singing cuckoos to Con's Big Year list - Little Bronze and Plaintive.

The marsh was really dry, but Purple Swamphens, Common Moorhens and a non-breeding pond-heron were still making the best of what was there. Two Watercocks were spontaneously flushed from the reeds. Black-browed Reed-warblers, Yellow Bitterns and Ruddy-breasted Crakes were also around.

Then someone shouted "harrier!" It turned out to be a juvenile Eastern Marsh-harrier. By now, it was late morning and getting hot, but still no snipe.

Juvenile Eastern Marsh-harrier ©Lau JS

On the way out, in the drain, we saw a pair of Blue-eared Kingfishers, a Slaty-breasted Rail and two snipes! They appear to be a Swinhoe's/Pintail. Oh well...

Next stop, Bollywood drain. First, we unknowingly flushed a few snipes from the drain. Then, another singing cuckoo caught our attention. This time a Banded Bay.

After lunch at NTU, we headed to CCK Cemeteries. Our mission once again was to look for snipes. Sure enough, 4 individuals were spotted in a grass patch. We spent 2 hours observing them, hoping they would fan their distinctive tail. They turned out to be Pintail Snipes. This was a dry grass patch, so it seems Pintail Snipes do like dryer ground.

Pintail Snipe ©Con Foley

Also present were Slaty-breasted Rail, Cinnamon Bittern and Asian Palm-swift.

Asian Palm-swift ©Lau JS

Japan 02Mar13

From Yamane

I visited Kasai Rinkai Park with Keio University Bird Watching Club members as one of the alumni. It was fine, but very cold & strong wind all day. The place is near Tokyo Disney Land.

I report as follows:

1. Gadwall
2. Wigeon
3. Mallard
4. Spot-billed Duck
5. Northern Shoveler
6. Common Teal
7. Common Pochard
8. Tufted Duck
9. Greater Scaup
10. Little Grebe
11. Black-necked Grebe
12. Oriental Turtle Dove
13. Great Cormorant
14. Grey Heron
15. Great Egret
16. Little Egret
17. Eurasian Coot
18. Kentish Plover
19. Common Sandpiper
20. Dunlin
21. Black-headed Gull
22. Common Gull
23. Herring Gull
24. Slaty-backed Gull
25. Osprey
26. Eastern Marsh Harrier
27. Azure-winged Magpie
28. Carrion Crow
29. Jungle Crow
30. Goldcrest
31. Varied Tit
32. Coal Tit
33. Japanese Tit
34. Brown-eared Bulbul
35. Japanese Bush Warbler
36. Japanese White-eye
37. White-cheeked Starling
38. Pale Thrush
39. Dusky Thrush
40. Daurian Redstart
41. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
42. Japanese Pied Wagtail
43. Black-faced Bunting
44. Grey Bunting

We could not watch Red-flanked Bluetail, Bullfinch, & Common Kingfisher.

Changi 25Oct11

From Con

Was at Changi Cove with Subaraj today for an NParks survey (with a valid permit to enter).

About 240 LSP, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, about 9 MP, 3 White-faced Plovers, and maybe a few GSPs. Several Purple-backed Starlings.

One BWK and one Eastern Marsh-harrier. My first harrier of the season. Sorry not a very good photo. This bird was very near the Exhibition Centre. We flushed him and I tried to go back but couldn’t locate him again. Late afternoon around 5pm today.

Changi, Pasir Ris Park, Pulau Punggol 26Feb11

From JS

Here's a short summary of the raptors seen:

Changi
1) Black-winged Kite (>6)
2) Brahminy Kite (2)
3) Black Kite (1)
4) Black Baza (>6)
5) Common Buzzard (2)
6) Booted Eagle (1 probable individual)
7) Changeable Hawk-eagle (3: 1 adult dark morph, 1 adult pale morph and 1 juvenile pale morph)
8) White-bellied Sea-eagle (1)
9) Accipiter sp. (1)
10) Eastern Marsh-harrier (1 juv. bird harassed by a BWK) - photo below

Other notable species: 3 Chestnut-winged Cuckoos, 1 Hawk Cuckoo

Pasir Ris Park
1) Brahminy Kite (1)
Other notable species: an Olive-backed Sunbird nest and Grey Heronry

Pasir Ris Farmway
1) Black Baza (2)
2) Brahminy Kite (2)
3) White-bellied Sea-eagle (1)
Other notable species: 1 Javan Pond-heron

Pulau Punggol
1) Booted Eagle (1 dark morph individual with white breast stripe/patch was seen)
2) White-bellied Sea-eagle (2)
3) Osprey (1)
4) Chinese Sparrowhawk (1 adult male)
5) Brahminy Kite (>10)
6) Black Baza (1)

Male Great Mormon at Pasir Ris Park ©Tan KH

A flattened Striped Keelback at Pasir Ris Farmway ©Tan KH

Changi 27Nov10

Today, Danny and I went to Changi and got 10 raptors, including a Jerdon's Baza. The LP149 barriers was not lock although it was wired together. Hence, we were able to let ourselves in. The weather was hot and lighting harsh.

Raptors

1) Jerdon's Baza (1 juvenile)
2) Black Baza (3)
3) Common Buzzard (1 perched at LP190 today)
4) Oriental Honey-buzzard (2 - 1 thermalling with 3 Brahminy Kites, 1 dark morph flying from tree to tree)
5) Chinese Sparrowhawk (1 juvenile - chased Jerdon's Baza away)
6) Eastern Marsh-harrier (1 male hunting)
7) Brahminy Kite (>5)
8) White-bellied Sea-eagle (2 adult)
9) Black-winged Kite (>5)
10) Changeable Hawk-eagle (4 - 2 dark morph perched, 2 pale morph circling)

Others

1) Ruddy-breasted Crake (2)
2) Red-wattled Lapwing (2)
3) Black-capped Kingfisher (1)
4) Red-whiskered Bulbul (1)
5) Ashy Minivet (>5)

1 immature Jerdon's Baza was hanging around the same vicinity as last week, but now on the opposite side of the canal. It was on a high perch, just like the two last week.

Then a Chinese Sparrowhawk flushed it! I did not notice that I've capture the sparrowhawk in my LCD until I reviewed the photos!

The other star bird today was a male Eastern Marsh-harrier hunting close to the construction area.

We had 4 Changeable Hawk-eagles today - 2 dark and 2 pale. The first dark morph was on a tree stump beside the canal early in the morning. The other was at the usual site at the dead end close to Tanah Merah Coast Road. The 2 pale morphs were thermalling.

As usual, when Con is not around, the Ruddy-breasted Crakes would come out strutting along the path!

There was also a pair of Red-wattled Lapwings in the grassland. By the way, the Giant Weaver nest was destroyed. :( Could it be due to the rain?

Changi, SBWR 09Oct10

From KH

Con, Danny and I started off hoping to enter Changi via KTC, but no luck. Nevertheless, we got our lifer escapees - 3 Monk Parakeets ©Tan KH.

Moving on to Tanah Merah grassland, we had the usual suspects, including migrants like Oriental Reed Warbler (heard only), Barn and Red-rumped Swallows.

The Eastern Marsh-harrier has also arrived. A juvenile was flushed from the bush about 10 m from us! Too bad I was too slow and could only get the far away back shot ©Tan KH.

Next, in Changi via LP149, there were no migrant raptors nor any unusual birds, but Con had his 'lifer' Giant Weaver Nest ©Con Foley.

We also got the guardian of the giant nest - a leucistic Red Collared-dove ©Con Foley.

There were also local raptors - 5 juvenile Brahminy Kites and 2 BWK, as well as an Asian Brown Flycatcher.

Soon it was close to high tide and we headed for SBWR. Here's the count of uncommon waders:
- Broad-billed Sandpiper 8
- Red-necked Stint 14
- Terek Sandpiper 1
- and the usual sandpipers (curlew, marsh, common), greenshank, redshank, whimbrel, LSP, PGP.

LSP ©Danny Lau

LSP ©Con Foley

Finally, still hoping to see the Little Ringed Plover that we missed last season, we dropped by NSRCC. No plovers, but there were good number (>30) of Yellow Wagtails.

Changi, Singapore Quarry, CCK Cemeteries, Pulau Punggol 20Feb10

From KH

Summary of yesterday's raptor-watch:

Danny, JS and I went to Changi hoping for a great airshow, but the sky was overcast (for the whole day!) and most raptors were reluctant to soar. Nevertheless, the male EMH had to feed and was doing his rounds at Tanah Merah grassland. So were some BWKs. Other notables were 10 RR Swallows, 2 of which were perching on the ground in the NEWater compound! This is our first time seeing this species perched.

At LP170, a pale morph Common Buzzard was on its usual perch, but no sign of its companion. Within our Changi playground itself, it was a tough morning searching for raptors, but we still managed 9 species.

An interesting incidence was the male EMH flying towards Changi Airport. All this while, we haven't seen it on this side of the area. Perhaps it was time for it to hitch a ride home.

Male Eastern Marsh-harrier ©Tan KH

Oriental Honey-buzzard ©Tan KH

After lunch, we headed for Martii's new playground - Sg Quarry. A GHFE increased our day's raptor (species) count to 10. Other interesting sightings here were the usual Little Grebes going on with their antics, a pair of Straw-headed Bulbuls at their usual location, a Black-capped Kingfisher also at its usual spot and a female Rufous Woodpecker.

At CCK Cemeteries, we encountered a male Japanese Sparrowhawk in action. It was chasing a swift when suddenly an oriole disrupted the hunt and chase the sparrowhawk away! The raptor was only very slightly larger than the oriole. Photos from JS.

Japanese Sparrowhawk chased by Black-naped Oriole ©Lau JS

Japanese Sparrowhawk ©Lau JS

Other interesting sightings here were a Cinnamon Bittern and a Coppersmith Barbet nest. By now, it was time to call it a day and I bid Danny and JS goodbye.

On the way home, not satisfies with the day's airshow, I decided to dropped by Pulau Punggol for the evening airshow. When I reached at 6:30 pm, the show had already started. The main group of raptors were on the coastal side of the area. Every so often, some Brahminy Kites would leave the main group and thermal up into the sky. Then they would glide all the way back to the coast again.

Brahminy Kites ©Tan KH

Sometimes, a few WBSEs would join them, always staying in a tight group with the kite. On one occasion, a Peregrine Falcon joined in the thermaling party, but kept its distance and circled below the kites and sea eagles.

On a few occasions, a dark morph Booted Eagle also joined in the thermaling party and like the falcon, it kept its distance and remain lower than the rest.

Booted Eagle ©Tan KH

The Osprey on the other hand did not join in the party once.

Soon it was 7 pm and time to go home. I did my last count - 34 raptors! Knowing that the falcon and osprey were long gone and there was at least 1 Booted Eagle and 5 WBSEs, the estimated number of Brahminy Kites is 28! As I drove away, the show was still going on. Glad that the weather did not affect the evening gathering and most of all, glad to end the day with 13 species of raptors!

Raptors sighted:

Changi
1) EMH 1 male
2) Common Buzzard 1 pale
3) OHB 1 pale immature
4) Black Baza 30 (1 flock of 5 and another of 25)
5) Japanese Sparrowhawk 1
6) CHE 1 dark adult, 1 pale juv
7) BWK >6
8) WBSE >2
9) Brahminy Kite >2

Sg Quarry
1) Black Baza 1
2) GHFE 1
3) CHE 2
4) WBSE 1 adult, 1 juv
5) Brahmny Kite 2

CCK Cemeteries
1) Japanese Sparrowhawk 1 male
2) Black Baza 1
3) Brahminy Kite 2

Pulau Punggol
1) Booted Eagle 1 dark
2) Osprey 1
3) Peregrine Falcon 1
4) WBSE 5
5) Brahminy Kite 28!