Sungei Balang 17-18Nov10

From Con

Pintail Snipe ©Con

Greater Spotted Eagle x 2
Eastern Marsh Harrier 1 adult male, 3 juvenile or female
Pied Harrier 2 x juvenile or female
Blue-tailed Bee eater x lots
Oriental Pratincole x about 8
Wood Sandpiper x about 6
Common Sandpiper x 1 seen
Little Ringed Plover x 1 seen
Greater Painted Snipe x 1 male seen
Pintail Snipe x about 6 flushed
Yellow Wagtail x about 4 seen
Black Drongo x about 10 seen
Spotted Dove x abundant
Zebra Dove x about 6 seen
Brahminy Kite x about 10 seen
Black Kite x about 10 seen
Black-shouldered Kite x about 4 seen
Swiftlets x plenty
Barn Swallow x about 10
White-headed Munia x about 6
Black-headed Munia x about 4
Scaly-breasted Munia x abundant
Zitting Cisticola x 2 seen
Oriental Reed Warbler x 1 seen
Cattle Egret x abundant
Chinese Pond Heron x abundant
Lesser Adjutant x at least 30 to 40
Pacific Golden Plover x 3 seen
Paddyfield Pipit x 1 only seen
Striated Heron x 2 seen
Javan Myna x abundant
Common Myna x about 10 seen

Sungei Balang 20Nov09

From GC

Sightings for Sg. Balang, Johor, 201109.

Migrants

1. Greater Spotted Eagle, 2 juveniles
2. Pied Harrier, 1 juvenile
3. Eastern Marsh Harrier, 1 adult male
4. Oriental Honey Buzzard, 5
5. Black Kite, 2 juvenile
6. Black Drongo, 1
7. Intermediate Egret, many
8. Little Egret, 3
9. Oriental Pratincole, 5
10. Brown Shrike, 2
11. Wood Sandpiper, 3
12. Pacific Golden Plover, 8
13. Barn Swallow, 4
14. Blue-tailed Bee-eater, 8
15. White-winged Tern, 4
16. Pond Heron in winter plumage, many
17. Snipes, several

Residents

1. Lesser Adjutant, 10
2. Changeable Hawk Eagle, 1 dark morph
3. Black-winged Kite, 2 adults, 1 juvenile
4. White-bellied Sea Eagle, 1
5. Brahminy Kite, 2 adults, 2 juveniles
6. Large-billed Crow, 2
7. White-throated Kingfisher, 2
8. Pied Triller, 1
9. Red-wattled Lapwings
10. White-headed Munnias
11. Black-headed Munias
12. Scaly-breasted Munias
13. Spotted Doves
14. Peaceful Doves
15. White-vented Mynas
16. Common Mynas
17. White-breasted Waterhens

Sungei Balang 29-30Dec08

From Danny

Brief descriptions of the the trip to Sg Balang.

When we arrived, it started to drizzle but in a way it was good as we got to see the GSE perched to get it wings dry. The EMHs (juv. and female) were prevalent in the morning together with many Lesser Adjutants. The most common birds were Pond Herons.

Other note worthy birds in the morning were male Painted Snipes and Oriental Reed Warblers (they were feeding off the rice stalks and for hours I thought we had a lifer as never b4 view this warbler so clearly). I bet Con will not want to take any pic of this warbler anymore.

My last trip I missed the fresh water wetlands and glad Con took me there. The most common birds were Common Moorhens with sprinkles of Purple Swamphens, bitterns, and two Buttonquails. No raptors other than local like Brahminy and one single pale CHE.

In the afternoon, instead of EMHs, we got Black Kites and strangely, hovering Big Birds (Lesser Adjutants; wondering what they were looking for??). Incidentally we did visit Pasit Pemengat, 1st time at high tide, nothing in view except rising tide and small patches of sands. Later in the afternoon we were back to catch the low tide. Wow, tide was really low and farr....r - waders were little dots and winds were blowing at greater than 20 knots, fortunately the sands were wet.

Back to the pic, the primaries and secondaries were clearly worn and the white patch on crown indicate bird yet to fully molt (change to black plumages). Definitely there were two juvenile GSE, probably 3 (the others did not have any white on crown).

Greater Spotted Eagle, juvenile

Sungei Balang 22-23Dec08

From Con

Rey and I saw a couple of Watercocks at Sungei Balang on Monday. I had never seen this bird before and just managed to get a record shot before it disappeared into the weeds.

Eastern Marsh-harrier, juvenile

From SC

Eastern Marsh-harrier, female

Eastern Marsh-harrier, immature female

Sungei Balang 25Nov08

From GC

Spent a day at Sg Balang on 25 Nov 08.

There were a total of 20+ raptors, mostly juveniles, including resident Brahminy and Black-shouldered Kites.

1. Greater Spotted Eagle - 1 juv
2. Pied Harrier - 1 female and 1 juv
3. Eastern Marsh-harrier - at least 2 juv and possibly 1 male
4. Black Kite - 10, mostly juveniles
5. Brahminy Kite - 1 adult, 1 subadult, 1 juv
6. Black-shouldered Kite - 3
7. Lesser Adjutant - 8
8. Black Drongo - several
9. Wood Sandpiper - 2
10. White-winged Tern - 10
11. Common Greenshank - 1
12. Grey Wagtail - 1
13. Yellow Wagtail - 1
14. Cinnamon Bittern -1
15. Chinese Pond-heron - several
16. Yellow Bittern - 3
17. Asian House Martin - several
18. Blue-tailed Bee-eater - several
19. Pacific Swallow - several
20. White-headed Munia - a flock
21. Scaly-breasted Munia - a flock
22. Paddyfield Pipit - several

Greater Spotted Eagle, juvenile

Eastern Marsh-harrier, juvenile

This one looks like a dark Eastern Marsh-harrier, juvenile

Pied Harrier, juvenile

Black Kite, juvenile

Lesser Adjutant - this one is huge, bigger than the biggest raptor!

1st montage shows the prominent white rump, grey tail with dark bars and barred upper wing. 2nd montage shows the pale leg/lower belly feathers and a bit of pale underwing. All pics of the same female Pied Harrier.

Sungei Balang 15Mar08

From GC

Con shot these female Pied Harrier and Black Kite. There were also one flock of about six OHBs thermalling overhead.

Black Kite

Female Pied Harrier

Swinhoe's Snipe