Sungei Serangoon 20Jul25

From KH

I covered Sungei Serangoon for the Mid Year Bird Census, as usual.

Great to witness male Sunda Brush Cuckoo courting female in Yellow Flame Tree. He presented a caterpillar to her while still holding on to the leaf that the caterpillar was on.

She ate the gift. He dropped the leaf and serenaded her.

Red-breasted Parakeet checking me out from a Yellow Flame Tree. Nay, it's probably checking out the tree for fruits.

Blue-throated Bee-eater chilling out in Sea Hibiscus.

Female Oriental Magpie-Robin with white food(?) item in mouth.

This lone Smooth Otter getting ready for its swim.

Well adapted torpedo shape in its element.

Rufous-legged Grasshopper nymph on Red Button Ginger.

Kranji Marsh 22May21

From KH

I went Kranji Marsh today.

Rusty-breasted Cuckoo was singing.

Male Pink-necked Green-Pigeon was already sitting on a nest with at least 1 chick.

Large-billed Crow was guarding its nest.

Coney Island 01Aug20

From KH

While waiting for Con and then Danny to reach, I clocked in 20 species at the Serangoon Tidal Gates.

1. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 10
2. Spotted Dove 5
3. Zebra Dove 2
4. Brush Cuckoo 2 - 1 adult, 1 juvenile
5. dark swiftlet sp. 5
6. Gray Heron 2
7. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 3 - including 1 pair mating
8. Rose-ringed Parakeet 7
9. Red-breasted Parakeet 3
10. Black-naped Oriole 1
11. Common Iora 1 - Heard
12. Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
13. House Crow 5
14. Yellow-bellied Prinia 2 - Heard
15. Pacific Swallow 5
16. Yellow-vented Bulbul 2
17. Asian Glossy Starling 10
18. Javan Myna 2
19. Oriental Magpie-Robin 1
20. Golden-backed Weaver 5
21. Baya Weaver 2

On Coney Island, we got the usual birds. The more interesting creatures were the arthropods. Here are a couple of common butterflies on the island: Lesser Dart and Great Eggfly.

And a male and a female Scarlet Grenadier.

And a Wandering Glider and a Lawn Wolf Spider.

And finally, a pair of happy Anoplodesmus saussurii

1. Spotted Dove 5
2. Zebra Dove 8
3. Asian Koel 1
4. Little Bronze-Cuckoo 1 - Heard
5. Brush Cuckoo 1 - Heard
6. dark swiftlet sp. 5
7. White-breasted Waterhen 1
8. Brahminy Kite 1
9. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1
10. Collared Kingfisher 2 - Heard
11. Blue-throated Bee-eater 2
12. Dollarbird 1
13. Sunda Woodpecker 2 - Heard
14. Common Flameback 2
15. Laced Woodpecker 1
16. Rose-ringed Parakeet 5
17. Red-breasted Parakeet 20
18. Golden-bellied Gerygone 1
19. Black-naped Oriole 1
20. Common Iora 3 - Heard
21. Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
22. House Crow 2
23. Common Tailorbird 2
24. Ashy Tailorbird 1
25. Yellow-bellied Prinia 2
26. Pacific Swallow 5
27. Yellow-vented Bulbul 8
28. Olive-winged Bulbul 1 - Heard
29. Asian Glossy Starling 5
30. Javan Myna 5
31. Oriental Magpie-Robin 2
32. Olive-backed Sunbird 2
33. Baya Weaver 1 - building nest
34. Scaly-breasted Munia 2

Back at the tidal gates, I was nice to see an immature Rusty-breasted Cuckoo.

Finally, we ended off the day's birding with this juvenile Pacific Swallow as begging for food. Time for our lunch too.

1. Spotted Dove 1
2. Brush Cuckoo 1 - Subadult
3. dark swiftlet sp. 10
4. Collared Kingfisher 1
5. Rufous Woodpecker 1 - Heard
6. Black-naped Oriole 1 - Heard
7. Yellow-bellied Prinia 1 - Heard
8. Pacific Swallow 5
9. Yellow-vented Bulbul 1
10. Javan Myna 5
11. Golden-backed Weaver 1
12. Baya Weaver 2
13. Scaly-breasted Munia 3
14. Paddyfield Pipit 2

NTHL, Turut Track, LCK Lane 3 18Jul20

From KH

Danny, JS and I started off at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane for the Hummingbird Hawkmoths (Macroglossum sp.) and they were doing their rounds probing every African Coromandels in a circuit.

This branded swift (Pelopidas sp,) also like the same type of flower, African Coromandel.

On the other hand, Lesser Darts preferred to either hang out alone or be in copulation.

This caterpillar was getting ready to hide in its cocoon to pupate.

Dingy Bushbrown and Rufous-legged Grasshopper.

Grass sp. and Neptunia plena.

It seemed like these Asian Openbills have decided to take up permanent residence in Singapore!

The star birds here are the cuckoos and their poor hosts. Here's a juvenile Rusty-breasted Cuckoo begging foster parent Malaysian Pied-fantail for food.

Juvenile Banded Bay Cuckoo calling out to its foster parents, Common Ioras. Here you can see this poor female Common Iora working very hard to feed its gigantic baby...

Interestingly, this adult Banded Bay Cuckoo was drawn in by the juvenile's incessant begging call. Perhaps its one of the real parents.

NTHL

1. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 1
2. Red Collared-Dove 2
3. Spotted Dove 5
4. Pied Imperial-Pigeon 5
5. Lesser Coucal 1
6. Banded Bay Cuckoo 1 - Fed by ioras
7. Brush Cuckoo (Rusty-breasted) 1
8. dark swiftlet sp. 10
9. White-breasted Waterhen 1
10. Red-wattled Lapwing 1
11. Asian Openbill 6
12. Purple Heron 1
13. Intermediate Egret 1
14. Little Egret 1
15. Changeable Hawk-Eagle 1 - Heard
16. Brahminy Kite 1
17. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1
18. White-throated Kingfisher 1
19. Blue-throated Bee-eater 4
20. Sunda Woodpecker 1
21. Common Flameback 1
22. Rose-ringed Parakeet 4
23. Red-breasted Parakeet 6
24. Long-tailed Parakeet 5
25. Common Iora 4
26. Malaysian Pied-Fantail 1
27. House Crow 10
28. Large-billed Crow 2
29. Ashy Tailorbird 4
30. Zitting Cisticola 1 - Heard
31. Pacific Swallow 2
32. Sooty-headed Bulbul 1
33. Yellow-vented Bulbul 5
34. Asian Glossy Starling 10
35. Javan Myna 5
36. Brown-throated Sunbird 1
37. Olive-backed Sunbird 4
38. Golden-backed Weaver 10
39. Chestnut Munia 3

Next stop, Turut Track. Common Scarlet - female and male.

More Dingy Bushbrowns.

Turut Track

1. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 1
2. Spotted Dove 5
3. Zebra Dove 2
4. Lesser Coucal 3
5. White-breasted Waterhen 1
6. Asian Openbill 17
7. Black-winged Kite 1
8. Brahminy Kite 2
9. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 2
10. Common Flameback 2
11. House Crow 5
12. Ashy Tailorbird 2
13. Pacific Swallow 7
14. Yellow-vented Bulbul 2
15. Asian Glossy Starling 10
16. Javan Myna 5
17. Baya Weaver 2

At Lim Chu Kang Lane 3, House Crows above were agitated by the Large-billed Crow below, but did not dare attack it.

We were surprised to see 3 migrant Wood Sandpipers in the longkang. However, it's not an early date.

This migrant Australian Little Egret was also a surprise, but again probably not an early date either.

More Asian Openbills.

Finally, 2 Zebra Doves, 2 Spotted Doves and 3 Javan Mynas enjoying a late morning get-together.

LCK3

1. Spotted Dove 4
2. Zebra Dove 2
3. White-breasted Waterhen 4
4. Greater Painted-Snipe 1
5. Wood Sandpiper 3
6. Asian Openbill 8
7. Little Egret 1
8. Brahminy Kite 1
9. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 1
10. House Crow 10
11. Large-billed Crow 1
12. Pacific Swallow 1
13. Javan Myna 10
14. Javan Munia 2

Jurong Lake 01Feb20

From KH

The target bird today was the Brahminy Starling that was reported a few days ago. The starling appeared briefly on the figging tree at the Japanese Garden entrance, before flying to this bare tree. I got it but Danny missed it by seconds!

At the figging tree, there were much activities. We recorded 5 species of cuckoos here!

Large Hawk-cuckoo

Plaintive Cuckoo with dark eye ring

Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, typical morph and hepatic morph, both with yellow eye ring

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo with caterpillar in mouth

Thermaling overhead were these Oriental Honey-buzzards, both pale and dark morphs.

As well as these Asian Openbills.

Meanwhile, this Yellow Bittern was waiting for fish at the lake.

And finally, a sleepy Buffy Fish-owl to round it up.

1. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 5
2. Spotted Dove 5
3. Zebra Dove 2
4. Pink-necked Green-Pigeon 20
5. Pied Imperial-Pigeon 3
6. Asian Koel 1 - heard
7. Little Bronze-Cuckoo 1 - male
8. Plaintive Cuckoo 1 - adult
9. Brush Cuckoo 2 - 1 typical, 1 hepatic
10. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo 1
11. Large Hawk-Cuckoo 1
12. dark swiftlet sp. 50
13. White-breasted Waterhen 3
14. Common Sandpiper 1
15. Asian Openbill 50
16. Painted Stork 2
17. Yellow Bittern 2
18. Gray Heron 5
19. white egret sp. 1 - 5
20. Striated Heron 1
21. Oriental Honey-buzzard 6
22. Accipiter sp. 1
23. Brahminy Kite 3
24. White-bellied Sea-Eagle 3
25. Buffy Fish-Owl 1
26. White-throated Kingfisher 1
27. Collared Kingfisher 1
28. Blue-tailed Bee-eater 5
29. Coppersmith Barbet 1
30. Rose-ringed Parakeet 5
31. Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot 1 - heard
32. Golden-bellied Gerygone 1 - heard
33. Pied Triller 1 - male
34. Black-naped Oriole 5
35. Common Iora 1 - heard
36. Malaysian Pied-Fantail 2
37. Brown Shrike 1
38. House Crow 1
39. Common Tailorbird 1
40. Ashy Tailorbird 1 - heard
41. Zitting Cisticola 1 - heard
42. Yellow-vented Bulbul 5
43. Arctic Warbler 1
44. Asian Glossy Starling 20
45. Brahminy Starling 1
46. Common Myna 1
47. Javan Myna 20
48. Asian Brown Flycatcher 1
49. Oriental Magpie-Robin 1 - heard
50. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker 2
51. Brown-throated Sunbird 2
52. Olive-backed Sunbird 2
53. Paddyfield Pipit 1