Black-winged Kite carrying prey, GBTB, June 2023, by Andrew Hunt
Summary:
Seven migrant raptor species were recorded during this period, compared with four in most other years. The 30 Oriental Honey Buzzard (OHB) Pernis ptilorhyncus at Mount Faber on 10th April was a surprise, as daily numbers are usually much lesser in April. There were a total of 67 records of the OHB in April, 13 in May and 10 in June.
A Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni at Mount Faber on 2nd April set a new late day (by 5 days). For the Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes, there were two on 2nd April and four on 4th April, at Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill Park respectively. There were seven Chinese Sparrowhawks Accipiter soloensis in April: five at Mount Faber on 2nd April and two at Telok Blangah Hill Park on 4th April.
59 Japanese Sparrowhawks Accipiter gularis were recorded in April, thanks to observers at Mount Faber who counted 20 on both 2nd April and 10th April. This is a meaningful increase from last year’s 14 birds. Small numbers of Osprey Pandion haliaetus and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus were also recorded between April to June.
Crested Serpent Eagles, Jalan Gemala 2, 7 May 2023, by Hong Yijun
Sedentary Raptors
There were breeding records for four resident raptors. The Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus pair at Gardens by the Bay successfully raised three chicks in May, all the while fending off the House Crows in the vicinity. A pair of Crested Goshawks Accipiter trivirgatus at Pasir Ris Park was raising a chick from April to May. The mixed morph pair of Changeable Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus at Choa Chu Kang Park raised a dark morph chick which fledged successfully in May.
There were seven active nests for the White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster during this period. The nests at Bedok and Chuan Park held one chick each, the nests at Yishun Avenue 8 and Pasir Ris held two large two chicks each, the nest at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve had two fledged young perched nearby, and the nests at Marsiling and Yishun Avenue 1 had the adult sitting on either very young chicks or eggs.
Amazingly, there were six Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela during this period. An immature at Admiralty Park in April; whule at Pulau Ubin, sn sdult in April, and an immature in April & May, one at Jurong Lake Gardens in April; and two adults at Neo Tiew Road / Jalan Gemala 2 area in May.
In both April & May, the adult Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus at Potong Pasir was recorded fighting talon-to-talon with the adult White-bellied Sea Eagles over feeding territory at the canal.
Other resident raptors included a Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus of the resident ernesti race that was recorded at the southern ridges on 6th & 9th June, and the ubiquitous Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus.
Nocturnal Raptors
On 4th May, an injured Eastern Barn Owl Tyto javanicus was rescued from Tanah Merah Coast Road and handed to NParks for rehabilitation.
For a more detailed pdf version, please click Singapore Raptor Report, Late Spring Migration, Apr-Jun 2023
Many thanks to everyone for posting / sending in / sharing their records, and to Andrew Hunt and Hong Yijun for the use of their photos.
Singapore Bird Group 