Singapore Raptor Report – November 2018

Peregrine Falcon, juvenile, 18 Nov 2018, Neo Tiew Harvest Link, photo by Khoo Meilin

Summary for migrant species:

November is the peak month for migrant raptor diversity and this month matched last year’s record of 18 migrant species, while the numbers – 2666 migrant raptors – more than doubled that of last year’s 1090. The Southern Ridges continued to attract raptor watchers, with Henderson Waves being the favoured spot. On 12 November, a largish accipiter showed up west of Telok Blangah Hill Park, circled a few times and headed back west. Sensing something promising, Tan Gim Cheong snapped a few pics to confirm its identity – a rare Eurasian Sparrowhawk – the 5th record for this species in Singapore. On 20 November, Oliver Tan was well rewarded for his time spent at Henderson Waves with another rare raptor – a Short-toed Snake Eagle.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 12 Nov 2018, Telok Blangah Hill Park, by Tan Gim Cheong

After last month’s single record at Kent Ridge, we had three records of the rare Greater Spotted Eagle, all juveniles: one on the 3rd flying high over Changi Business Park, photographed by Zacc HD; one on the 4th at Henderson Waves, photographed by See Toh Yew Wai; and another one on the 10th, also at Henderson Waves, photographed by Tan Kok Hui. On the 6th, Low Choon How located a Northern Boobook at Tuas and another was found dead at a condo on the 10th, collected by David Tan. Two juvenile Black Kites were recorded: one on the 3rd at Tuas and another on the 8th at Hindhede Nature Park, both photographed in flight.

There were two flybys of the uncommon Eastern Marsh Harrier at Turut Track, an adult male on the 4th, photographed by Low Choon How; and a juvenile on the 5th, photographed by Francis Yap. On the 11th, while guiding a student group during the bird race, Adrian Silas Tay photographed a rare Pied Harrier, a juvenile, at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Short-toed Snake Eagle, 20 Nov 2018, Henderson Waves, by Oliver Tan

An uncommon Common Buzzard was photographed at Pasir Ris on the 2nd, and Dr Chaiyan remarked that it was a refectus juvenile. This month’s 11 Grey-faced Buzzards exceeded last month’s six. On the 3rd, five were recorded at Henderson Waves, two at Lorong Halus; on the 6th, two at Henderson Waves; and on the 10th, two at Lazarus Island; all being recorded between 10am to 1pm.

The uncommon Jerdon’s Baza was recorded twice, on the 19th at Preston Road perched on a tree, and on the 23rd flying over Henderson Waves. As Preston Road is near Henderson Waves, it may have been the same individual on both dates. Another uncommon raptor, the Common Kestrel was photographed at Neo Tiew Lane on the 29th.

Oriental Honey Buzzard, orientalis juvenile, 19 Nov 2018, Kranji Marshes, by Feroz and Fizah

Fifty nine Chinese Sparrowhawks were recorded, many of them over Henderson Waves, while one adult female seemingly returned to winter at Ang Mo Kio. Eight Peregrine Falcons and five Western Ospreys were also recorded. There was a report of an immature Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle (which is often confused with the resident Changeable Hawk-Eagle) rescued on the 4th at Pasir Ris and subsequently released.

Finally, we come to the most abundant migrant raptors. 209 Japanese Sparrowhawks were recorded, many of them at Henderson Waves. From 35 birds last month, we had 664 Black Bazas this month, with a flock of 200 birds on the 8th at Telok Blangah Hill Park. The Oriental Honey Buzzard is tops again with 1698 birds, with a day high of 488 birds, which included a stream of 200 birds at noontime, at Tuas on the 10th.

Changeable Hawk-Eagle, adult with prey ( yellow bittern) at Mount Faber on 10 Nov 2018, by Risk Koh.

Highlights for sedentary species:

Both records of the torquatus Oriental Honey Buzzards were of the non-tweeddale form; one perched at Mandai on the 14th, and another in flight at Telok Blangah Hill Park on the 28th.

Oriental Honey Buzzard, torquatus juvenile, 2 views of the same bird, the crest is visible in the photo on the right, 28 Nov 2018, Telok Blangah Hill Park, by Pary Sivaraman

At Bukit Timah on the 8th, Richard White photographed an immature White-bellied Sea Eagle that had lost all its secondaries and half of its primaries on its right wing, and most of its tail feathers. Amazingly, it could still fly!

White-bellied Sea Eagle, still flying despite the loss of many flight feathers! Bukit Timah, 8 Nov 2018, by Richard White.

Nesting activities were observed for three resident species. A White-bellied Sea Eagle flying with a 2m long stick at West Coast, a Brahminy Kite flying with a smaller stick on the 22nd, a Grey-headed Fish Eagle perched near a nest at Punggol and a pair of Changeable Hawk-Eagles at their nest at Mount Faber. The other resident raptors recorded included the Crested Goshawk and Black-winged Kite.

White-bellied Sea Eagle, carrying a stick in flight, 6 Nov 2018, West Coast Park, by Zhang Licong

Crested Goshawk, adult male, with a prey (a lizard), Nov 2018, Pasir Ris Park, by Ted Ng

For more details, please see the pdf singapore raptor report – nov 2018

Compiled by Tan Gim Cheong

Many thanks to everyone who had reported their sightings in one way or another, and especially to Khoo Meilin, Oliver Tan, Feroz and Fizah, Risk Koh, Pary Sivaraman, Richard White, Zhang Licong, and Ted Ng for the use of their photos.

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Singapore Bird Report – November 2018

November 2018 sprang a number of surprises, with the first record of an Eurasian Skylark, followed by many other rarities. As migration continued in earnest, news of surprise visits by rare species with patchy records such as the Citrine Wagtail, Green Sandpiper, Stejneger’s Stonechat, etc, made for an exciting time. This season also marks the return of the Indian Paradise Flycatcher at Sungei Buloh. Will the later months bring back the Booted Warbler and Band-bellied Crake? Birders, keep your eyes peeled!

Eurasian Skylark in a classic pose showing a structure that is quite different from pipits, 3 November 2018 at Pandan Reservoir, photo by Angela Chua.

Passerine Surprises in the West

On 3 November 2018 at Pandan Reservoir, Angela Chua photographed a brown bird that looked like the common Paddyfield Pipit, however Martin Kennewell recognised it as an Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis, a first for Singapore. The bird was present till 17 November 2018. This species has a wide range that stretches from Europe, across North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, through the Indian subcontinent to China and Korea (Birdlife, 2018a), and is vagrant to Borneo.

Another view of the Eurasian Skylark photographed on 11 November 2018 at Pandan Reservoir by Chan Kum Chun.

On Bird Race Day, 11 November 2018, Team “Friends of Buloh” saw a Stejneger’s Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri at Harvest Lane and subsequently some other teams were fortunate to catch up to it. This species is a rare passage migrant and winter visitor. The last records of the stonechat’s occurrence in Singapore were in February 2015 and February 2012.

Stejneger’s Stonechat photographed on 18 November 2018 by Lee Van Hien.

A week later on 18 November 2018, an early morning post on social media by Martin Kennewell and Adrian Silas Tay on a Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala found at Harvest Lane galvanised many birders who flocked to the waterlogged fields overgrown with Neptunia shrubs to see it. Essentially a Central Asian bird, this species is more usually encountered in south-eastern Europe through the Balkans to Iran and western India, though there have been reports of vagrants appearing in China, Taiwan, Japan and Sabah (Copete, 2018). In the overgrown fields, the bird concealed its origins well. However, a few birders managed to get exceptionally clear photos, which showed that the bird suffered from unusual feather wear of the type commonly seen in captive birds.

A typical, beguiling view of the Black-headed Bunting in the vegetation, photographed on 18 November 2018 by Thio Hui Bing.

A clearer view of the Black-headed Bunting showing feather wear that captive birds often suffer from, photo by Pary Sivaraman, 18 November 2018.

Also on the same day, 18 November 2018, we were greeted by the surprising news of an Indian Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi, our second record for this species. Spotted by Kozi Ichiyama at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR), this species made waves in local birding circles when it was first reported at the same location around 25 March 2018, during the spring migration period.

Indian Paradise Flycatcher photographed on 26 November 2018 by Daniel Tan.

There must be something about 18 November 2018, for Tiak Lee photographed an unusual looking wagtail amongst the many Yellow Wagtails at the National Service Resort and Country Club’s Kranji Sanctuary Golf Course. When the photos were processed several days later, Alfred Chia identified it as a very rare first winter Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola! On reviewing his photos, Lim Kim Keang discovered that he had photographed the same bird at the same locality four days earlier, on 14 November 2018. The last record of the species in Singapore was in December 1994, making this a 24-year gap until its latest appearance.

Citrine Wagtail photographed in Singapore. The photograph on the left was taken in December 1994 at Tuas South Avenue 1 by Alan Owyong, while the one of the right was taken on 18 November 2018 at NSRCC by Tiak Lee.

Shorebird Surprise

Local birders were surprised when a photograph of a rare Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus taken on 2 November 2018 by Daniel Loh at Hide 1C Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) surfaced on social media several days later, identified by Martin Kennewell. The species breeds in the northern latitudes across Scandinavia to Siberia and winters in the Mediterranean, Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, south Japan, east China, the Philippines and northern Borneo (Van Gils, Wiersma & Kirwan, 2018) and is listed as being of Least Concern by IUCN (Birdlife, 2018c).

A Green Sandpiper was spotted at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on 2 November 2018 and photographed by Daniel Loh.

Chinese Egrets

Singapore continued to host the vulnerable Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes. Two birds were seen on 7 November 2018, and another was spotted on 24 November 2018 on Pulau Tekong by Frankie Cheong.  Preferring marine coastal and intertidal habitats, this species is known to breed in China, both Koreas, and Far Eastern Russia. However, key threats come from habitat loss from reclamation of tidal flats, estuarine habitats and other human developmental activities.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), BTNR & DFNP

Migrants seen within these boundaries include a Black Kite Milvus migrans photographed on 8 November 2018 at Hindhede Nature Park (James Mustafa), a Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis and a Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka on the same day at the same locality (Richard White), the latter being the first-for-the-season. A Blue-and-White/Zappey’s Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana/cumatilis was seen at Mandai Zoo on 12 November 2018 (CK Tang). Two Siberian Thrush Geokichla sibirica were spotted on 17 November 2018 (Lim Kim Chuah & Art Toh) at Dairy Farm Nature Park (DFNP). DFNP proved to be productive towards the end of the month, with an Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus spotted on 24 November 2018 (Yeo Seng Beng), and three groups of Eye-browed Thrush Turdus obscurus, numbering 31 in total, on 26 November 2018 (Martin Kennewell).

A Grey Nightjar photographed at Hindhede Park on 8 November 2018 by Richard White.

Siberian Thrush photographed on 17 November 2018 at Dairy Farm Nature Park by Art Toh.

Resident species spotted here included a Thick-billed Pigeon Treron curvirostra on 2 November 2018 at Jelutong Tower (Francis Yap), three to six Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus moving south-west together on 8 November 2018 at Bukit Timah Hill (Richard White) and a Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting on 8 November 2018 at Hindhede Nature Park (Richard White & Alan Owyong). An Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster was spotted in CCNR on 9 November 2018 (Lim Kim Seng), while a flock of eight Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus was seen on 15 November 2018 flying over the entrance of Venus Park (Shirley Ng). Mandai Zoo proved to be fruitful also for residents, with a Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps, being spotted on 16 November 2018 (Thio Hui Bing).

Black-headed Bulbul photographed in the leafy compounds of the Zoo on 16 November 2018 by Thio Hui Bing.

Central Singapore

Sightings of migratory species dominated the records for locations within Central Singapore. A Blue-and-White/Zappey’s Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana/ cumatilis was spotted on 18 November 2018 at Ang Mo Kio Town Park by Loke Peng Fai, while Bidadari continued to attract interesting species, such as a female hepatic Himalayan Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus on 22 November 2018 by Con Foley and Pary Sivaraman, a rare Green-backed Flycatcher Ficedula elisae on 24 November 2018 by Goh Cheng Teng, and a Grey Nightjar Caprimulgus jotaka on 26 November 2018 (T. Ramesh).

A Green-backed Flycatcher photographed on 24 November 2018 at Bidadari by Goh Cheng Teng.

A Himalayan Cuckoo photographed on 23 November 2018 at Bidadari by Con Foley.

Northern Singapore

A sub-adult Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela was spotted on 6 November 2018 at Serangoon Reservoir by Jack Lai, while a juvenile Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus was seen on 9 November 2018 at Seletar Aerospace Drive by Dean Tan.

A juvenile Common Moorhen photographed on 8 November 2018 by Dean Tan

Eastern Singapore

Five to six Daurian Starling Agropsar sturninus were seen on 3 November 2018 at Pasir Ris Park (Alvin Seng). A Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga was photographed on 4 November 2018 around Changi Business Park (Zacc HD), while a Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax was seen at Pasir Ris Park on 17 November 2018 (Alvin Seng); a few days later on 23 November 2018, at nearby Tampines Eco-Green, a female Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki was spotted (Alvin Seng). Further afield, two Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres were seen on 24 November 2018 on Pulau Tekong (Frankie Cheong), while a Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni was photographed on 30 November 2018 at Changi Business Park (James Gan).

Notable residents recorded in the east was a Jambu Fruit Dove Ptilinopus jambu spotted feeding with a mixed flock comprising Thick-billed Pigeon Treron curvirostra and Pink-necked Pigeon Treron vernans on 15 November 2018 at Pasir Ris Park by Alvin Seng.

A juvenile Jambu Fruit Dove photographed on 16 November 2018 at Pasir Ris Park by Alvin Seng.

Southern Singapore

The southern-most hills attracted many observers as raptors and other migrants arrived in or passed through Singapore. An uncommon Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus was spotted on 2 November 2018 at Henderson Wave (See Toh Yew Wai), while five rare White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus were seen on 3 November 2018 at Telok Blangah Hill Park (Francis Yap).

A Greater Spotted Eagle photographed on 5 November 2018 at Henderson Wave by See Toh Yew Wai.

A Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was seen on 4 November 2018 at the same park (Daniel Ong). The next day, a Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga was photographed at Henderson Wave after a rainy and slow start (See Toh Yew Wai, George Presanis and Geoff Lim). A Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx nisicolor was spotted on 8 November 2018 at Gardens by the Bay (David Fur), while another was seen on 13 November 2018 at Jurong Island (Lim Kim Chuah). Again, on Jurong Island, an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca (black-backed subspecies) had the misfortune of crashing into a glass window on 22 November 2018. Fortunately, it survived and the bird was subsequently released somewhere safer by Lim Kim Chuah.

The Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher that survived a crash into a window on Jurong Island on 23 November 2018. Photographed by Lim Kim Chuah.

Raptors continued to ply along the ridge line through the month; notable sightings included about 200 Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes on 8 November 2018 and an Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus on 12 November 2018 at Telok Blangah Hill Park (Tan Gim Cheong); a Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni on 19 November 2018 at Preston Road (Mag Pie); a rare Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus on 20 November 2018 (Oliver Tan) and another Jerdon’s Baza on 23 November 2018, both at Henderson Wave (See Toh Yew Wai).

A Short-toed Snake Eagle taken on 20 November 2018 from Henderson Wave by Oliver Tan.

Passerine migrants encountered during this season included a Siberian Thrush Geokichla sibirica found dead on 13 November 2018 at Tanglin Trust School (David Tan), a female Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata on 24 November 2018 at Telok Blangah Hill Park (Tay Kian Guan), and an Eye-browed Thrush Turdus obscurus on 27 November 2018 at the same locality (Zacc HD). Possibly a first for Telok Blangah Hill Park was the sighting of a female Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella on 25 November 2018 (See Toh Yew Wai).

See Toh Yew Wai’s photograph of a female Asian Fairy Bluebird at Telok Blangah Hill Park on 25 November 2018.

Western Singapore

Apart from the spectacular western discoveries described at the beginning of this report, this region also yielded a long list of observations. A Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus was spotted on 2 November 2018 at West Coast Park (Angie Cheong, confirmed by Martin Kennewell), while the same park yielded a Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana on 6 November 2018 in the Marsh Garden (Zhang Licong); a female, first-for-the-season Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki on 10 November 2018 (Nicholas Lim), followed by a male on 20 November 2018 (Lawrence Eu).

The Marsh Garden yielded a surprise in the form of a Great-billed Heron on 6 November 2018. Photographed by Zhang Licong.

A first-for-the-season Black Kite Milvus migrans was seen during Raptor Watch 2018 on 3 November 2018 at Tuas South (Tan Gim Cheong), as was a Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus on 4 November 2018 at the same locality (Low Choon How). This western-most region of Singapore also yielded a rare Rosy Starling Pastor roseus on 23 November 2018 (Martin Kennewell), as well as a Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata on 24 November 2018 (Angie Cheong).

The area around Kranji Marshes, including Turut Track and Neo Tiew Lane, yielded several delights. At Turut Track on 4 November 2018, an adult male Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus that flew high up was photographed by Low Choon How, while a Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago was spotted by Pary Sivaraman. On 5 November 2018, a juvenile Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus was photographed at Turut Track (Francis Yap), a first-for-the-season Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus recorded at Kranji Marshes (Martin Kennewell) and an exhausted Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus found along the road at Ama Keng (Low Choon How).  A Watercock Gallicrex cinerea was seen on 17 November 2018 at Harvest Lane (Khoo Mei Lin), as was a first-for-the-season Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus on 18 November 2018 at Kranji Marshes (Andy Burns & Lim Kim Seng). Several sightings of the elusive Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata were made on 21 November 2018 at Turut Track (Lim Ser Chai) and Kranji Marshes (See Toh Yew Wai). An uncommon Sand Martin Riparia riparia was seen on 28 November 2018 at Turut Track (Fadzrun Adnan), as was a Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus on 29 November 2018 at the nearby Neo Tiew Lane (Zacc HD).

Eastern Marsh Harrier at Turut Track on 5 November 2018 photographed by Francis Yap.

The elusive and difficult to photograph Lanceolated Warbler taken on 23 November 2018 at Turut Track by Lim Ser Chai

Other westerly sightings included a juvenile Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos on 11 November 2018 (Adrian Silas Tay), two Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus on 13 November 2018 (Henrietta Woo) and a Black Bittern Dupetor flavicollis on 16 November 2018 (Siew Mun) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve; a rare juvenile Malayan Night Heron Gorsachius melanolophus on 11 November 2018 at Chinese Gardens (Kwek Swee Meng) and five Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola on 18 November 2018 at Bulim (Alan Owyong).

A juvenile Pied Harrier taken on Bird Race Day (11 November 2018) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve by Adrian Silas Tay.

Notable residents included a Spotted Wood Owl Strix seloputo on 5 November 2018 at Japanese Garden (Kok M Lee) and a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax on 9 November 2018 at West Coast Park (Lim Khoon Hin).

Black Bittern taken on 18 November 2018 at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve by Josh Wong.

Other records

There was a report of an immature Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle Lophotriorchis kienerii found by NParks on 4 November 2018 at an HDB estate (it would be interesting to examine the photo, if any, as this species is often confused with the Changeable Hawk Eagle), and a report of a Northern Boobook Ninox japonica collected on 10 November 2018 at a private residential estate (David Tan).

Abbreviations:
BTNR – Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
DFNP – Dairy Farm Nature Park

This report is compiled by Geoff Lim and Alan OwYong, and edited by Tan Gim Cheong based on selected postings in various facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from ebird. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified. We wish to thank all the contributors for their records. Many thanks to Angela Chua, Daniel Loh, Chan Kum Chun, Lee Van Hien, Thio Hui Bing, Pary Sivaraman, Daniel Tan, Alan OwYong, Tiak Lee, Richard White, Art Toh, Goh Cheng Teng, Con Foley, Dean Tan, Alvin Seng, Francis Yap, Lim Kim Chuah, See Toh Yew Wai, Oliver Tan, Zhang Licong, Lim Ser Chai, Adrian Silas Tay and Josh Wong for the use of their photos. 

 

References

BirdLife International. (2018a). Alauda arvensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T102998555A132039889. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T102998555A132039889.en. Downloaded on 12 December 2018.

BirdLife International. (2018b). Egretta eulophotes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22696977A93596047. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696977A93596047.en. Downloaded on 12 December 2018.

BirdLife International. (2018c). Tringa ochropus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22693243A86680632. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22693243A86680632.en. Downloaded on 12 December 2018.

Copete, J.L. (2018). Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/61893 on 12 December 2018).

Van Gils, J., Wiersma, P. & Kirwan, G.M. (2018). Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53908 on 12 December 2018).

 

List of bird sightings in report 

Family	Species	Date
Ardeidae	Cinnamon Bittern	5-Nov
	Black Bittern	16-Nov
	Malayan Night Heron	4-Nov
	Malayan Night Heron	11-Nov
	Black-crowned Night Heron	9-Nov
	Great-billed Heron	6-Nov
	Chinese Egret	7-Nov
	Chinese Egret	24-Nov
Anhingidae	Oriental Darter	9-Nov
Accipitridae	Jerdon’s Baza	19-Nov
	Jerdon’s Baza	23-Nov
	Jerdon’s Baza	30-Nov
	Black Baza	8-Nov
	Crested Serpent Eagle	6-Nov
	Short-toed Snake Eagle	20-Nov
	Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle	4-Nov
	Greater Spotted Eagle	4-Nov
	Greater Spotted Eagle	5-Nov
	Eurasian Sparrowhawk	12-Nov
	Eastern Marsh Harrier	4-Nov
	Eastern Marsh Harrier	5-Nov
	Pied Harrier	11-Nov
	Black Kite	3-Nov
	Black Kite	8-Nov
	Grey-headed Fish Eagle	8-Nov
Rallidae	Watercock	17-Nov
	Common Moorhen	9-Nov
Scolopacidae	Common Snipe	4-Nov
	Green Sandpiper	2-Nov
	Wood Sandpiper	18-Nov
	Ruddy Turnstone	24-Nov
Columbidae	Pink-necked Pigeon	15-Nov
	Thick-billed Pigeon	2-Nov
	Thick-billed Pigeon	15-Nov
	Jambu Fruit Dove	15-Nov
Cuculidae	Chestnut-winged Cuckoo	13-Nov
	Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo	17-Nov
	Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo	8-Nov
	Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo	13-Nov
	Himalayan Cuckoo	22-Nov
Strigidae	Spotted Wood Owl	5-Nov
	Northern Boobook	10-Nov
Caprimulgidae	Grey Nightjar	8-Nov
	Grey Nightjar	28-Nov
Apodidae	White-throated Needletail	3-Nov
	Brown-backed Needletail	2-Nov
Alcedinidae	Blue-eared Kingfisher	8-Nov
Falconidae	Common Kestrel	29-Nov
Psittacidae	Blue-rumped Parrot	15-Nov
Pittidae	Blue-winged Pitta	8-Nov
Dicruridae	Black Drongo	5-Nov
	Ashy Drongo	18-Nov
	Ashy Drongo	24-Nov
Monarchidae	Japanese Paradise Flycatcher	24-Nov
	Japanese Paradise Flycatcher	24-Nov
	Indian Paradise Flycatcher	18-Nov
Pycnonotidae	Black-headed Bulbul	16-Nov
Alaudidae	Eurasian Skylark	6-Nov to 17-Nov
Hirundinidae	Sand Martin	28-Nov
Phylloscopidae	Yellow-browed Warbler	3-Nov
	Yellow-browed Warbler	4-Nov
Locustellidae	Lanceolated Warbler	21-Nov
	Lanceolated Warbler	21-Nov
Irenidae	Asian Fairy Bluebird	25-Nov
Sturnidae	Daurian Starling	3-Nov
	Rosy Starling	23-Nov
Turdidae	Siberian Thrush	13-Nov
	Siberian Thrush	17-Nov
	Eye-browed Thrush	26-Nov
	Eye-browed Thrush	27-Nov
Muscicapidae	Blue and White/Zappey’s Flycatcher	18-Nov
	Blue and White/Zappey’s Flycatcher	12-Nov
	Blue and White/Zappey’s Flycatcher	28-Nov
	Green-backed Flycatcher	24-Nov
	Mugimaki Flycatcher	10-Nov
	Mugimaki Flycatcher	20-Nov
	Mugimaki Flycatcher	23-Nov
	Stejneger’s Stonechat	11-Nov
Motacillidae	Citrine Wagtail	18-Nov
Emberizidae	Black-headed Bunting (likely escapee)	18-Nov

 

Singapore Bird Report – October 2018

Extinct from Singapore since the 1940s, the Large Woodshrike re-appears after 70 years. October also marks the arrival of the charismatic, migratory black-backed race of the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, and migrant raptors. In concert with the World Migratory Bird Day celebrated in October, we will examine the importance of Singapore as part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, as well as the issue of bird collisions into building structures.

Large Woodshrike at Jelutong Tower on 22 October 2018, moments before it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, by Francis Yap.

Large Woodshrike : re-appears after 70 years

Extinct from Singapore since the 1940s, a Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis virgatus  made an amazing appearance at Jelutong Tower on 22 October 2018 for a few seconds, long enough for Francis Yap to capture a clear photo, before it flew and disappeared into the canopy of the trees. The lucky observers, including Oliver Tan, also noted that its loud calls in flight matched the recordings of this species.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher

The northern black-backed race of the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca started to trickle into Singapore in October. The first of the season report of the kingfisher was made on 4 October 2018 at Gardens by the Bay by Goh Bak Seng, and the bird remained there for several days, allowing many birders and photographers to view it. Another bird was spotted on Pulau Ubin on 6 October 2018 by Lim Kim Seng. On 18 October 2018, the species was reported at Satay by the Bay by Billy Tey and at Kallang Sector 2 by Richard Ngo.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (black-backed race) at Gardens by the Bay. Photographed on 7 October 2018 by Angela Yeo.

The Gardens by the Bay kingfisher subsequently found itself in the local news after it was attacked by a White-breasted Waterhen while drying out on the floor of the reed bed on 6 October 2018, and was rescued by the Gardens staff and two NSS Bird Group members. The bird was subsequently released back to the Gardens by one of the Bird Group members on 7 October 2018.

Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher rescued by staff at Gardens by the Bay. Photographed on 6 October 2018 by Geoff Lim.

Wells (1997:518-521) noted that the species migrates nocturnally, and that about 65 per cent of birds surveyed at lighthouses were first winter birds. This suggested that the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (black-backed race) has a relatively low rate of survival.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve

The first Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica of the season was spotted at Bukit Timah on 6 October 2018 by Richard White, who also spotted a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher Cyornis brunneatus on Bukit Timah Hill on 15 October 2018, along with a flock of about 11 Pacific Swift Apus pacificus; another flock of about 210 birds were subsequently spotted on 22 October 2018 over Jelutong Tower by Martin Kennewell.  Six Oriental Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis, possibly passage migrants, were seen flying high and southwards on 20 October 2018 from Bukit Timah Hill by Richard White. Another first of the season was an Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus seen at Jelutong Tower on 19 October 2018 by Francis Yap, who also spotted a first-of-the-season Silver-backed Needletail Hirundapus cochinchinensis on 26 October 2018 from the same tower.

A photo-montage of a Silver-backed Needletail taken from Jelutong Tower on 26 October 2018 by Francis Yap.

Residents spotted during October were a Buffy Fish Owl Ketupa ketupu at Singapore Quarry on 6 October 2018 by Yap Wee Jin, a flock of about 40 Plume-toed Swiftlet Collocalia esculenta from Bukit Timah Hill on 16 October 2018 by Richard White, and the rediscovery of the Large Woodshrike Tephrodornis virgatus, a former resident, as mentioned earlier.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

A solitary and skulking Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher Cyornis brunneatus was spotted within the Evolution Garden on 28 October 2018, along with a female Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis at Symphony Lake by Geoff Lim.

Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, at Bidadari on 12 October 2018 by Steven Cheong.

Central Singapore

A Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda, first for the season, was spotted at Bidadari on 12 October 2018 by Kozi Ichiyama, and continued to be seen till 27 October 2018 by many observers. Also spotted on 12 October 2018 at Bidadari was a first winter Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher Cyornis brunneatus by Art Toh and Steven Cheong; three more of the same species of Flycatcher were also seen along the former cemetery’s perimeter on 27 October 2018 by Tuck Loong and others. In addition, a Cinereous Bulbul Hemixos cinereus, a non-breeding visitor, was recorded at Bidadari on 29 October 2018 by Terry Chen.

Ruddy Kingfisher at Bidadari on 19 October 2018, showing a glimpse of its bright blue rump, by Terence Tan.

Cinereous Bulbul spotted at Bidadari and photographed on 29 October 2018 by Terry Chen.

Northern Singapore

About 1,000 Barn Swallow Hirunda rustica were reported to be roosting at the HDB estate located within Yishun Avenue 7 on 10 October 2018 by Esther Ong, while about 200-plus Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea, along with a White Wagtail Motacilla alba of the rare lugens subspecies and a number of Forest Wagtail Dendroanthus indicus were spotted at Yishun Street 11 on 12 October 2018 by Veronica Foo and Henrietta Woo.

Eastern Singapore

Several rare and uncommon birds were spotted on Pulau Tekong. These include an Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus (3 October 2018), Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus (6 October 2018), the rare and endangered Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes (10 October 2018), and a single Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata (13 October 2018), all by Frankie Cheong.

A Broad-billed Sandpiper photographed by Frankie Cheong on 25 October 2018.

The neighbouring island of Pulau Ubin yielded several notable species as well. A good find was a Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus photographed at Jejawi Tower on 21 October 2018 by Diane Campbell. Since the first ever record of this species in Singapore in 2013, there are less than ten records of this rare non-breeding visitor. Participants of the joint NParks-NSS surveys noted a Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea on 6 October 2018 (See Toh Yew Wai), a Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis on 6 October 2018, a Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes and two Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica on 28 October 2018 (Lim Kim Keang). Other observers spotted a Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica at Chek Jawa on 14 October 2018 (Martin Kennewell), and a resident Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis at Balai Quarry on 28 October 2018 (Diane Campbell).  Two Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus, the firsts for the season, were also seen at Pulau Ubin on 14 October by Pary Sivaraman and a few others.

Other birds spotted in eastern Singapore include a Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata at Pasir Ris Park on 17 October 2018 by Wang Wen; a juvenile Von Schrenck’s Bittern Ixobrychus eurhythmus rescued on the grounds of Bedok Green Primary School on 19 October 2018 by school staff and subsequently released by Isabelle Lee; a first-for-the-season flock of seven White-shouldered Starling Sturnia sinensis along Changi Coastal Road by Ramesh T.; and a Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata at Changi Point Ferry Terminal on 30 October 2018 by Lim Kim Seng.

Black-capped Kingfisher at Pasir Ris Park. Photographed by Danny Khoo on 17 October 2018.

Southern Singapore

A rare Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius was spotted on 2 October 2018 at the Labrador Power Station by Art Toh, while two Daurian Starlings Agrospar sturninus were seen at Satay-by-the-Bay on 28 October 2018, and a Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus at the nearby Marina Barrage on 31 October 2018 by Martin Kennewell.

The southern ridges also yielded a rare Asian House Martin Delichon dasypus on 20 & 21 October 2018 (Adrian Silas Tay & See Toh Yew Wai, respectively), 23 Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum on 21 October 2018 by Low Choon How, and up to five White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus on 28 October 2018 by Daniel Ong and Martin Kennewell.

A notable resident species spotted in the south was the House Swift Apus nipalensis at Kent Ridge Park and Henderson Wave on 20 October 2018 by Alan Owyong and Zacc HD, respectively.

Western Singapore

SBWR remains an important bird area in Western Singapore, attracting and holding residents and migrants alike. Notable migrants include two Long-toed Stint Calidris submimuta on 8 October 2018 by Stuart Campbell, a first-of-the-season Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher Cyornis brunneatus on 9 October 2018 by Subha & Raghav, another first-of-the-season Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata by Feroz also on 9 October 2018, and a Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica on 16 October 2018 by Stuart Campbell. Notable residents/NBV include the Abbott’s Babbler Malacocinla abbotii and Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, spotted on 2 October 2018 by Lawrence Eu.

Long-toed Stints photographed by Stuart Campbell on 8 October 2018 at SBWR.

Kranji Marshes and the adjoining grasslands a stone’s throw away yielded several species, including a first-for-the-season Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps over the Marshes on 6 October 2018 by Tan Kok Hui, two Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus at the Marshes on 20 October 2018 by Martin Kennewell, 18 Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum on 28 October 2018 by Pary Sivaraman & Martin Kennewell, as well as Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus in the fields adjacent to the Marshes on 30 October 2018 by Martin Kennewell.

An Oriental Pratincole in flight off Turut Track on 28 October 2018. Photographed by Pary Sivarman.

Other birds spotted in the west include White Wagtail Motacilla alba on 14 October 2018 by Felix Wong, Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea on 18 October 2018 by Art Toh, more than 300 roosting Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis at Eng Kong Terrace on 21 October 2018 by Richard White, a juvenile Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx nisicolor on 22 October 2018 by Amin (Last Romeo) at West Coast Park, and a flock of first-of-the-season Ashy Minivet Pericrocotus divaricatus seven strong at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) grounds on 31 October 2018 by James Lambert.

Bird Collisions into Buildings

The migratory Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis is a much sought after species by birders and photographers alike because of its strikingly beautiful plumage. Normally residing in wooded areas, the species could be found all over the country at the start of the migration season. It was unfortunate that the pitta, along with the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, attracted considerable attention in social media, as it is one of four ‘super colliders’, a term used for species whose fatalities exceeded 20 specimens collected during a period of study by Low, Yong, Tan, OwYong and Chia (2017) on migratory bird collisions in Singapore.

This season, one pitta was reported to have crashed but survived at Jurong West on 3 October 2018, by Serena Chew. Three others were not so fortunate on 13 October 2018. They were found dead at Bedok, Tampines and Joo Chiat, and collected by David Tan.

One of the Blue-winged Pitta casualties collected by David Tan. Photographed on 14 October 2018 by David Tan.

Other collisions include a female Siberian Blue Robin Larvivora cyane, which survived a collision at MacPherson on 25 October 2018, reported by Peng Ah Huay; an Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus which survived a collision at Chinatown on 29 October 2018, reported by Kenneth Koh and a Pallas’ Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola, which survived a collision on 29 October 2018 on Jurong Island, reported by Lim Kim Chuah.

Raptors

The month yielded a Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela on 16 October 2018 at Kent Ridge Park, by Veronica Foo, and the second half saw the onset of migratory raptors drifting into Singapore. Raptor watchers keeping vigil at Henderson Wave spotted Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus on 21 October 2018 (2 birds), 26 October 2018 (2 birds) and 27 October 2018 (2 bird) by See Toh Yew Wai & friends, Sandra Chia & Oliver Tan, and Francis Yap, respectively. A first-for-the-season Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes was spotted on 22 October 2018 by Zacc HD, while a kettle of 29 birds were spotted from Hindhede Nature Park on 29 October 2018 by Richard White. Other raptors included a first-for-the-season Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga at Henderson Wave on 27 October 2018 by Alan Owyong, and a first-for-the-season Rufous-bellied Eagle Lophotriorchis kienerii at Pang Sua Connector on 30 October 2018 photographed by Fadzrun Adnan, identified by James Eaton. For a more detailed report on raptors, please refer to the NSS Bird Group’s latest raptor report.

A Black Baza flying over Henderson Wave on 22 October 2018. Photographed by Zacc HD.

A Rufous-bellied Eagle (right) with an Oriental Honey Buzzard (left) flying over Pang Sua Park Connector on 30 October 2018. Photographed by Fadzrun Adnan.

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World Migratory Bird Day & the Conservation of the Mandai Mangroves & Mudflats

Mr Richard Hale (right) discovered the ponds that was to become part of the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in 1986. He is examining the Flyway Game developed by Dr Yong Ding Li of BirdLife International, together with Mr Lim Kim Chuah (left), Chairman and Mr Alfred Chia (middle), committee member of the NSS Bird Group on 7 Oct 2018. Photo by Geoff Lim.

The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) was initiated in 2006. Originally held once a year, the campaign is now held twice a year, on the second Saturday of May and October. The WMBD was celebrated at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Saturday, 13 October 2018, with the participation of NSS Bird Group. There were daily programs during the week leading up to WMBD.

The East Asian Australasian Flyway (EAAF) is one of the world’s major flyways. Spanning 37 countries from Far Eastern Russia, China, Korea, Japan, South-east Asia and the western Pacific, used by about 50 million migratory waterbirds, and countless land bird species comprising 492 species (Birdlife, 2018). Singapore is used as a stopover for many species of land and water birds.

On 7 October 2018, which was the 25^th anniversary of SBWR, NParks made an important announcement that the Mandai mangrove and mudflats would be conserved as a nature park as research has shown that shorebirds feed at these habitats during low tide, and return to roost at SBWR when the tides come in. The area will open as a nature park in 2022. You can read more about how these habitats were saved through the contribution of ordinary volunteers, in partnership with government authorities here.

Mandai Mudflats and Mangroves at low tide. It is part of the Kranji-Mandai IBA ( Important Bird and Biodiversity Area). Photo by NSS Bird Group.

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Pelagic Trip along Straits of Singapore

A pelagic trip organised by Martin Kennewell and friends on 13 Ocotber 2018 yielded a Common Tern Sterna hirundo and a Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus. Note that these may not have been in Singapore waters.

 

This report is compiled by Geoff Lim and Alan OwYong, and edited by Tan Gim Cheong based on selected postings in various facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from ebird. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified. We wish to thank all the contributors for their records. Many thanks to Francis Yap, Angela Yeo, Geoff Lim, Steven Cheong, Terry Chen, Frankie Cheong, Terence Tan, Danny Khoo, Stuart Campbell, Pary Sivaraman, David Tan, Zacc HD, and Fadzrun Adnan for the use of their photos. 

References

Birdlife (2018) East Asia Australasian Factsheet. Accessed from the Internet on 11 Nov 2018 at https://www.birdlife.org/sites/default/files/attachments/8_East_Asia_Australasia_Factsheet.pdf.

Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula. Vol. 1. Non-passerines. London: Academic Press.

 

List of Bird Sightings in report:

Ciconiidae	Lesser Adjutant	2-Oct
Ardeidae	Von Schrenck’s Bittern	19-Oct
	Chinese Egret	10-Oct
Accipitridae	Black Baza	22-Oct
	Black Baza	29-Oct
	Crested Serpent Eagle	16-Oct
	Rufous-bellied Eagle	30-Oct
	Greater Spotted Eagle	27-Oct
	Eastern Marsh Harrirer	21-Oct
	Grey-faced Buzzard	21-Oct
	Grey-faced Buzzard	26-Oct
	Grey-faced Buzzard	27-Oct
Charadriidae	Kentish Plover	31-Oct
Scolopacidae	Asian Dowitcher	3-Oct
	Bar-tailed Godwit	16-Oct
	Bar-tailed Godwit	28-Oct
	Eurasian Curlew	13-Oct
	Grey-tailed Tattler	28-Oct
	Long-toed Stint	8-Oct
	Broadbilled Sandpiper	6-Oct
Glareolidae	Oriental Pratincole	21-Oct
	Oriental Pratincole	25-Oct
Laridae	Gull-billed Tern	14-Oct
Cuculidae	Chestnut-winged Cuckoo	15-Oct
	Rusty-breasted Cuckoo	13-Oct
	Indian Cuckoo	19-Oct
Strigidae	Buffy Fish Owl	6-Oct
Apodidae	Glossy Swiftlet	16-Oct
	White-throated Needletail	28-Oct
	Sliver-backed Needletail	26-Oct
	Brown-backed Needletail	20-Oct
	Pacific Swift	15-Oct
	Pacific Swift	22-Oct
	House Swift	19-Oct
	House Swift	20-Oct
Coraciidae	Asian Dolllarbird	20-Oct
Alcedinidae	Ruddy Kingfisher	12-Oct
	Black-capped Kingfisher	9-Oct
	Black-capped Kingfisher	17-Oct
	Common Kingfisher	28-Oct
	Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher	4-Oct
	Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher	6-Oct
	Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher	6-Oct
	Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher	18-Oct
	Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher	18-Oct
Meropidae	Blue-throated Bee-eater	21-Oct
Pittidae	Blue-winged Pitta	3-Oct
	Blue-winged Pitta	13-Oct
	Blue-winged Pitta	13-Oct
	Blue-winged Pitta	13-Oct
Tephrodornithidae	Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike	21-Oct
Campephagidae	Large Woodshrike	22-Oct
	Ashy Minivet	31-Oct
Pycnonotidae	Cinereous Bulbul	29-Oct
Hirundinidae	Barn Swallow	7-Oct
	Asian House Martin	20-Oct
	Asian House Martin	21-Oct
	Red-rumped Swallow	6-Oct
Phylloscopidae	Eastern Crowned Warbler	29-Oct
Acrocephalidae	Black-browed Reed Warbler	6-Oct
Locustellidae	Lanceolated Warbler	30-Oct
	Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler	29-Oct
Pellorneidae	Abbott’s Babbler	2-Oct
Sturnidae	Daurian Starling	28-Oct
	White-shouldered Starling	21-Oct
Muscicapidae	Ferrugious Flycatcher	6-Oct
	Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher	9-Oct
	Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher	10-Oct
	Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher	12-Oct
	Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher	15-Oct
	Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher	28-Oct
	Siberian Blue Robin	25-Oct
	Blue Rock Thrush	2-Oct
Chloropseidae	Lesser Green Leafbird	25-Oct
Motacillidae	Forest Wagtail	12-Oct
	Grey Wagtail	18-Oct
	White Wagtail	12-Oct
	White Wagtail	14-Oct
	Red-throated Pipit	30-Oct

Singapore Raptor Report – October 2018

Chinese Sparrowhawk, female, at Henderson Waves, 24 Oct 2018, by Francis Yap. Two generations of feathers can be seen, the older (brownish) and the newer (grey) feathers.

Summary for migrant species:

October 2018 is probably the most remarkable October on record, with 11 migrant species recorded. This is in stark contrast to last October when only 6 migrant species were recorded (we usually record around 9 species in October). A big thank you to the burgeoning number of raptor watchers, especially at Henderson Waves.

Chinese Sparrowhawk, female, at Henderson Waves, 21 Oct 2018, by Pary Sivaraman.

453  migrant raptors were recorded, many times the 70 recorded last year. The most numerous were the 219 Oriental Honey Buzzards, followed by 123 Japanese Sparrowhawks, and 57 Chinese Sparrowhawks. In addition, more than 100 unidentified Accipiters were spotted this month and these were likely to have been either Chinese or Japanese Sparrowhawks. The first of the 35 Black Bazas appeared on 22 Oct, more than a week earlier than last year.

Japanese Sparrowhawk, male (left), at Jelutong Tower on 22 Oct 2018 by Francis Yap, female (middle), at Henderson Waves, 2 Oct 2018, by Zacc HD, & juvenile (right) at Henderson Waves, 20 Oct 2018, by Zacc HD.

Birders at Henderson Waves were rewarded with three sought-after species. The first was the appearance of two Grey-faced Buzzards on 21 Oct, followed by a juvenile Eastern Marsh Harrier on the same morning. Another four Grey-faced Buzzards were spotted over Henderson Waves days later: two on 26 Oct and two on 27 Oct, around mid-day on both dates. In addition, birders on 27 Oct also spotted a Common Buzzard Buteo buteo before noon (note: the various subspecies are ‘lumped’ as Buteo buteo in the NSS bird checklist).

Eastern Marsh Harrier, juvenile, at Henderson Waves, 21 Oct 2018, by Adrian Silas Tay

Later the same day, 27 Oct, around noontime, a rare Greater Spotted Eagle made an appearance at Kent Ridge Park, delighting Alan OwYong. Before the month ended, Fadzrun Adnan photographed an immature Rufous-bellied Eagle, another rare visitor, at Pang Sua park connector on 30 Oct, flying about in the company of an Oriental Honey Buzzard.

Common Buzzard, at Henderson Waves, on 27 Oct 2018, by Francis Yap. Comment from Dr. Chaiyan – looks like refectus/burmanicus juvenile.

Two Western Ospreys were recorded, one at the Kranji-Sungei Buloh area and one at Henderson Waves. Six migrant Peregrine Falcons were recorded.

Highlights for sedentary species:

October was a good month for the locally rare Crested Serpent Eagle, with records from four different areas, from Nanyang Technological University (west) on 8th, Pulau Tekong (offshore) on 8th, Jelutong Tower (centre) on 24th and the Southern Ridges (south) on 16th, 21st & 30th.

A Crested Serpent Eagle over Jelutong Tower, on 24 Oct 2018, by Francis Yap.

On 6 Oct, a pair of Crested Goshawks were observed mating at West Coast Park. Then on 23 Oct, 2 chicks of the White-bellied Sea Eagle were seen on a nest at Woodlands. These  are good signs for our resident raptors.

Peregrine Falcon, ernesti juvenile, at Pulau Ubin, 9 Oct 2018, by See Toh Yew Wai.

On 6 Oct, at Pulau Ubin near the main jetty, a juvenile Peregrine Falcon of the resident ernesti subspecies was photographed. This form bears some resemblance to, and may be mistaken for, the Oriental Hobby. The other resident raptors recorded included the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Black-winged Kite, Brahminy Kite and Changeable Hawk-Eagle.

Pale morph Changeable Hawk Eagle, at Henderson Waves on 8 Oct 2018, by Feroz & Fizah (left), and on 13 Oct 2018 by See Toh Yew Wai (right).

For more details, please click Singapore Raptor Report – Oct 2018

Many thanks to everyone who had reported their sightings in one way or another, and especially to Francis Yap, Feroz & Fizah, See Toh Yew Wai, Adrian Silas Tay, Pary Sivaraman, and Zacc HD for the use of their photos.

34th Singapore Bird Race (2018) – Arbitrator’s Report

The 34th Singapore Bird Race, held on 11 November 2018, saw the participation of 31 teams across three categories, including the first ever ‘School’ category. Some of the participants also took part in the inaugural Best Picture Contest.

Category	Number of Teams
School	9
Photographer	10
Birder	12

School Category – Top 3 Teams

For this category, the enthusiastic students lead by volunteer guides, scoured the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, recording good numbers of species, most of which were ‘lifers’ (first time seeing a species of bird) for the students.

There were four primary school teams, two each from Shuqun Primary and Yumin Primary. The Eagles (Shuqun Primary) led the pack with 32 species. Team Champs A (Yumin Primary) was a very close second with 31 species, just 1 species behind. And the Vultures (Shuqun Primary) took the third place with 24 species.

The “Eagles” (Shuqun Primary) – Champions for the Schools (Pri) Category. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

For secondary schools, there were four teams from Unity Secondary and one team from Chung Cheng High (Main). Again,  it was a close fight between the top two places. Unity 1 came in tops with 36 species, closely followed by Team Cool & Mysterious (Unity Secondary) with 35 species.  Team CCHM came in third with 32 species. As it turned out, there were winning teams from all the schools, congrats.

Team “Unity 1” – Champions for the Schools (Sec) Category. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

Photography Category – Top 3 Teams

Ten teams took part in this category. Team In the Tree (Goh Cheng Teng & Lester Tan) topped the Photography category with 55 species caught on camera, successfully defending their title from last year. Team Alpha Dynamo (Kwok Tuck Loong & Tay Sia Ping) came in 2nd with 45 species. Right behind them was Wings of Johor (Belinda Wong & Chiang Lai Peng) with 44 species, another close fight! Great work.

Team “In The Tree” – Champions for the Photography Category. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

Birder Category – Top 3 Teams

To minimise time spent travelling, most of the birder teams limited themselves to the Kranji-Sungei  Buloh areas. The Terns (Lim Kim Keang, Alfred Chia & Tan Ju Lin) turned in an amazing 78 species to clinch the top prize, successfully defending their title. Hot on their heels were the Drongoes (Danny Lau, Lau Jiasheng & Ang Bao Jun) who managed 77 species, just 1 species behind – another close fight. The Falconets (Benjamin Lee, Max Khoo & Bryan Lee) finished 3rd with 73 species. Well done.

The “Terns” – Champions for the Birder Category. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

Best Picture with SONY RX10IV – Winner

Out of the ten best photos shortlisted from all the entries, Kwok Tuck Loong’s photo of a Blue-winged Pitta emerged as the winner of the Best Picture Contest.

Kwok Tuck Loong – Winner of the Best Photo Contest with his winning image. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

Race highlights

Interesting species recorded during the race included a juvenile Pied Harrier, a rare migrant, in flight, near the Visitor Centre; a Stejneger’s Stonechat, another rare migrant, at Harvest Link; Blue-eared Kingfisher at Kranji Marshes; a Drongo Cuckoo that showed well near the Visitor Centre; Red-throated Pipit at Harvest Link; Black-capped Kingfisher at Kranji Marshes; Wood Sandpiper at Lim Chu Kang Lane 3; Black Drongo at Turut Track and the globally threatened Straw-headed Bulbul at Kranji Nature Trail.

Thanks to the panel of arbitrators for generating the results so quickly.

Tan Gim Cheong
Lead Arbitrator, 34th Singapore Bird Race

Bird Race Results

Position	School Category (Primary)	Score
1st	Eagles – Shuqun Primary	32
2nd	Champs A – Yumin Primary	31
3rd	Vultures – Shuqun Primary	24
4th	Champs One – Yumin Primary	21

Position	School Category (Secondary)	Score
1st	Unity 1  – Unity Secondary	36
2nd	Team Cool & Mysterious – Unity Secondary	35
3rd	Team CCHM – Chung Cheng High (Main)	32
4th	Unity 2 – Unity Secondary	31
5th	Unity 3 – Unity Secondary	26

Position	Photography Category	Score
1st	In the Tree	55
2nd	Alpha Dynamo	45
3rd	Wings of Johor	44
4th	Skylark	43
5th	Whimbrel	37
6th	Jiak Hong Shooters	36
7th	The JJ	25
8th	Bird Seekers	24
9th	Raptor	11
10th	Pitta Pan	—

Position	Birder Category	Score
1st	Terns	78
2nd	Drongoes	77
3rd	Falconets	73
4th	King Albird Park	68
5th	Distracted Novices	62
6th	Pipipi	62
7th	Friends of Buloh	61
8th	Beebeebee	60
9th	The Latebirds	58
10th	Bibibi	54
11th	The Nobirdies	50
12th	Serendipity	27

The 34th Singapore Bird Race (2018) – Chairman’s Message

by Lim Kim Chuah 

Participants of the inaugural School category. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

The 34th Singapore Bird Race took place on Sunday, 11 November 2018 at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. This year’s race saw 31 teams competing in three categories – Birder, Photographer and the first ever School category.

9 teams from 4 schools competed for the coveted championship trophy and shield donated by Minister Desmond Lee.

Also for the very first time, a Best Picture Contest was organized. This was made possible by the generous contributions from our main sponsor, Sony. Sony loaned out their RX10M4 to all participants who wanted to compete in this category.

This year’s race was organized in partnership with Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Friends of Buloh, Birdlife International, East Asia Australian Flyway Partnership, Nature Photographic Society Singapore and PUB.

A BIG thank you to main sponsor Sony, venue sponsor Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and other sponsors including Swarovski, Vortex and John Beaufoy Publishing.

And another HUGE thank you to all volunteers for making this event possible.

Also many thanks to all participants for your support in making this another successful Singapore Bird Race and congratulations to all prize winners.

Stay tuned for the results to be published soon.

Lim Kim Chuah
Chairman, Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group

Participants of the Birder & Photographer categories. Photo by Yap Wee Jin.

Singapore Raptor Report, Early Autumn Migration, July-September 2018

An immature Oriental Honey Buzzard, showing a mixture of juvenile and adult tail as well as wing feathers, at Tampines Eco Green, 22 July 2018, by Pary Sivaraman

Summary:

The early migrants included all the five expected species, namely the Western Osprey, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Chinese Sparrowhawk and Peregrine Falcon, during the July to September period.

A total of 27 Oriental Honey Buzzards were recorded. At least nine were immature orientalis, which would be individuals hatched last year, spending the summer here this year and migrating to the north only next spring. One torquatus tweeddale morph was photographed at Mandai Road on 10 July, and another at Pasir Ris Park on 24 & 25 August, both being adult males.

Twenty nine Japanese Sparrowhawks were recorded, a much higher number compared with the same period last year when only five were recorded. The first  arrival was on 1 September at Kranji Marsh; seven around the central forests from mid-to-end September; one at Pulau Ubin and 20 at the southern ridges, notably 8 on 27 September and 11 on 29 September at Henderson Waves.

The three Chinese Sparrowhawks recorded were all juveniles. The first arrival was a single bird on 24 September at Henderson Waves, followed by another on 29 September and the last one at Pulau Ubin on 30 September.

One Western Osprey was recorded at Yishun Dam on 18 August and another at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) on 24 Sep. At Lower Pierce after sunset on 24 September, a sparrowhawk, not identified to species, was going after bats.

Five Peregrine Falcons were recorded, however only the individual on 24 September at  SBWR is likely to be a migrant, with the rest being of the resident ernesti subspecies. The individuals recorded at Hindhede park on 28 July, and Pulau Ubin near the jetty on 19 & 22 August, both perched on telecom towers, were noted as ernesti. The other two recorded on 21 July at Gardens by the Bay, and 25 July at Changi Coastal Road were probably ernesti as well.

Adult Crested Goshawk showing the crest, the thick dark tailbands, and finely barred ‘thighs’, with a rat, at Pasir Ris Park, 28 Sep 2018, by Alvin Seng

For the resident raptors, seven species were recorded, and only the notable records are highlighted. A young White-bellied Sea Eagle was observed sitting on a nest at Loyang on 9 July. A Brahminy Kite was mobbed by crows at Lorong Halus on 28 August. For the Crested Goshawk, two juveniles recorded during this period are good signs of breeding, one at Windsor Nature Park on 7 July and another at Bidadari on 28 September.

Two Crested Serpent Eagles were recorded. One individual photographed by Benny Ng at Yusof Ishak Secondary School on 18 August was notably a juvenile, which is rarely seen in Singapore. The other was an adult photographed flying over the Learning Forest at the Botanic Gardens on 25 September.

A juvenile Crested Serpent Eagle, at Yusof Ishak Secondary School (Bukit Batok Street 25), on 18 August 2018, by Benny Ng

For a pdf version with more details, please click Singapore Raptor Report, Early Autumn Migration, Jul-Sep 2018

Many thanks to everyone for their records and to Pary Sivaraman, Alvin Seng and Benny Ng for the use of their photos.

Singapore Bird Report – September 2018

A rare, globally threatened Chinese Egret, and a Grey-headed Fish Eagle preying on a Cinnamon Bittern capped this month’s sightings. A steady stream of migratory birds continue to reach Singapore as the northern hemisphere cools with the onset of autumn. Migratory passerines like flycatchers, Tiger Shrike and the ubiquitous Arctic Warbler begin to be seen on our shores. Resident species continue to be observed, notably the presence of an Oriental Darter at the Singapore Quarry.

Oriental Darter

On 2 Sep 2018, Subha and Raghav Narayanswamy observed an Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster at Singapore Quarry. The next day, Diana Jackson saw the shape of a Darter flying over Rail Mall. These reports rippled across the birding community and drew many to the vicinity for photo opportunities. The bird continued to be seen through September, fishing, swimming and flying at the farther reaches of the quarry. There were also several anxious moments as onlookers sometimes wondered if Grey-headed Fish Eagles perched nearby had any nefarious designs on the more ungainly bird. The bird continued to be seen and photographed on 29 Sep 2018.

The Oriental Darter at the Singapore Quarry with its piscine prey. With its body submerged and only its sinuous head and neck visible, this species is also called the Snakebird. Photo by Lee Van Hien taken on 8 Sep 2018.

The Oriental Darter taking flight at the Singapore Quarry on 8 Sep 2018. Photo taken by Siew Mun.

The distinct silhouette of the Oriental Darter flying over the Singapore Quarry on 9 Sep 2018. Photographed by Zhang Licong.

Chinese Egret

As a fitting tribute to the 25th anniversary of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, a rare and globally threatened Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes make an appearance at the reserve on 13 Sep 2018, YT Choong and Deborah Friets were the lucky ones to bump into the elegant egret, and managed to obtain some images which were then identified by Dave Bakewell.

Two Featured Flycatchers

The male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher Ficedula zanthopygia, also called the Korean Flycatcher, is a visually delightful bird with its contrasting colours of black, yellow and white wing patch. Females and juveniles have somewhat distinct wingbars and a rather distinct yellow rump that separates them from Common Ioras. The species breeds across eastern Mongolia, the Russian Far East,  and China from Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Sichuan to the Changjiang valley and is known to winter regularly in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Java (Wells, 2007:533). It is currently deemed to be of Least Concern by IUCN due to its extensive range range and stable population.

This flycatcher is known to be active at dusk, and hunts mostly at crown-level, much to the chagrin of those who wish to photograph the species, though birds were known to venture down to scrub or in areas overlooking an open space from which birds would perch and aerial-sally for flying insect prey (Wells, 2007:534).

A male was spotted in Bidadari on 2 Sep 2018 by Goh Cheng Teng, followed a female spotted by Ramesh T on 4 Sep 2018, a male and female on 10 Sep 2018 by Martin Kennewell, and a male and female on 15 Sep 2018 by Terence Tan. One bird was also spotted at Hort Park on 12 Sep 2018 by Tay Kian Guan, while a female was spotted on 28 Sep 2018 at Dairy Farm Nature Park (DFNP) by Terence Tan, and another female was seen on 29 Sep 2018 at Kranji Marsh by Geoff Lim.

A male Yellow-rumped Flycatcher at Bidadari on 15 Sep 2018 by Terence Tan.

The yellow rump of a female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher shows up distinctly in this photo by Terence Tan, taken at Bidadari on 15 Sep 2018.

A distant photo of a female Yellow-rumped Flycatcher showing the distinctive yellow rump and wing bars in this photo Geoff Lim, taken at Kranji Marsh on 23 Sep 2018.

The less photogenic Brown-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa williamsoni is sometimes considered a sub-species of the Asian Brown Flycatcher superspecies (Wells 2007:578). A sighting on 7 Sep 2018 at Bidadari by Martin Kennewell represented the first of the season this year, while a second sighting was made on 14 Sep 2018 at Singapore Quarry by Wiliam Mahoney.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR)

Migratory species encountered within CCNR during September include an Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus on 12 Sep 2018 at Upper Peirce Reservoir by Veronica Foo, the aforementioned Brown-streaked Flycatcher at the Singapore Quarry and a Pacific Swift Apus pacificus at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve on 14 Sep 2018 by William Mahoney and John Ascher, Daurian Starling Agrospar sturninus on 15 Sep 2018 at Venus Loop by Sandra Chia and a Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica at Dairy Farm Nature Park on 25 Sep 2018 by Diana Jackson.

Resident species sighted in this region include the Oriental Darter featured earlier on 2 & 3 Sep 2018 at the vicinity of the Singapore Quarry, a young male Thick-billed Pigeon Treron curvirostra on 11 Sep 2018 at Singapore Quarry by Alan Owyong, a Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera on 29 Sep 2018 at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, a Cream-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus simplex at Lower Peirce Reservoir by Art Toh and Peach Won,  up to three Asian Fairy Bluebird Irena puella and a pair of Brown Hawk Owl Ninox scutulata at Hindhede Park by Geoff Lim on 30 Sep 2018.

Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG)

SBG yielded one record of a migrating Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis on 22 Sep 2018 by Stuart Campbell, and the resident Grey-headed Fish-eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus on 15 Sep 2018 by Geoff Lim and Kozi Ichiyama.

Grey-headed Fish-eagle at Singapore Botanic Gardens on 15 Sep 2018. Photo by Geoff Lim

Central Singapore

The parks and gardens of Central Singapore hosted migratory species such as the Yellow-rumped Flycatcher on 2, 4 & 10 Sep 2018 as mentioned above. Bidadari held Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus on  3 & 9 Sep 2018 by Oliver Tan and Feroz, respectively; an Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa latirostris on 7 Sep 2018 by Khoo MeiLin; the aforementioned Brown-streaked Flycatcher on 7 Sep 2018; an Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis on 10 Sep 2018 by Steven Cheong; and a Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica on 11 Sep 2018 by Terence Tan.

An active Arctic Warbler photographed by Herman Phua at Bidadari on 9 Sep 2018.

Resident species spotted include about 20 House Swifts Apus nipalensis wheeling above Ngee Ann City at Orchard Road on 11 Sep 2018 by Geoff Lim

Northern Singapore

A Forest Wagtail Dendroanthus indicus was seen on 2 Sep 2018 at Yishun St 11 by Oliver Tan, while Tay Kian Guan and Ramesh T spotted a Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida at Lorong Halus on 19 and 30 Sep 2018.

Eastern Singapore

The September Ubin survey on 16 Sep 2018 yielded four species of owl – the Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji, the Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus, the Buffy Fish Owl Ketupa ketupu, and the Spotted Wood Owl Strix seloputo.

An Amur Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone incei was also spotted on Pulau Ubin on 16 Sep 2018 by Feroz and Francis Kayano Chia. Farther east, Frankie Cheong spotted a Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii and Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus on Pulau Tekong on 17 Sep 2018, while a Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis was spotted at Tampines on 19 Sep 2018 by Lawrence Cher, representing a first for the season.

Southern Singapore

Migratory species seen in southern Singapore include the previously mentioned Yellow-rumped Flycatcher spotted by Tay Kian Guan at Kent Ridge Park on 12 Sep 2018.  Also seen were a Tiger Shrike Lanius tigrinus at Hort Park on 13 Sep 2018, by Art Toh, and a juvenile Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica was seen at Telok Blangah on 26 Sep 2018 by Art Toh.

A Dark-sided Flycatcher seen at Telok Blangah on 26 Sep 2018 by Art Toh. The streaked breast is a distinctive feature of the juvenile this species.

A resident Large-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus macrurus was reported to be nesting at Wessex Estate on 2 Sep 2018 by Isabellle Desjeux and two eggs were observed, while a Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis  was seen at Kent Ridge Park on 12 Sep 2018 by Tay Kian Guan.

Western Singapore

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) yielded an Eastern-crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus on 1 Sep 2018 by Russell Boyman, a first-for-the-season Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia on 2 Sep 2018 by Martin Kennewell, Great Egrets Egretta alba – one sighted on 3 Sep 2018 by Martin Kennewell, and four on 4 Sep 2018 by Veronica Foo, Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis on 15,  17 and 30 Sep 2018 (Pary Sivaraman, Deborah Friets & Martin Kennewell, respectively), and the uncommon Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea on 17 Sep 2018 (Deborah Friets). A Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectans was subsequently seen on 19 Sep 2018 by Lim Hong Yao.

The only note-worthy resident at SBWR was a juvenile Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus, fed by its host, an Ashy Tailorbird Orthotomus ruficeps, on 18 Sep 2018, spotted by John Marriott.

The area bound by Kranji Marshes, Neo Tiew and Lim Chu Kang also yielded a substantial number of sightings. Kranji Dam yielded a Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida on 9 Sep 2018 (Martin Kennewell), while Kranji  Marshes yielded a Watercock Gallicrex cinerea on 2 Sep 2018 (Martin Kennewell), 38-50 Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia in the adjacent field on 8 Sep 2018 (Veronica Foo), a Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone affinis on 23 Sep 2018 (Geoff Lim & Kozi Ichiyama) and Pallas’ Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola on 22 , 23, 25 and 28 Sep 2018 by Fadzrun A. (2 birds), Geoff Lim (1 bird), Martin Kennewell, and Geoff Lim & Kozi Ichiyama (1 bird), respectively.

Kranji Sanctuary Golf Course supported species such as the Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis and Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta, sighted on 15 Sep 2018 by Martin Kennewell, and nineteen Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius on 19 Sep 2018 by Lim Kim Keang & Veronica Foo. Lim Chu Kang Lane 3 yielded another Little Ringed Plover on 2 Sep 2018 (Kozi Ichiyama and Geoff Lim), Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus on 12 Sep 2018 (Luke Milo Teo), Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea on 15 Sep 2018 (Martin Kennewell) and Greater Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis on 26 Sep 2018 (Dillen Ng).  

A Little Ringed Plover photographed at Lim Chu Kang Lane 3 on 2 Sep 2018 by Geoff Lim.

Other species seen in the west include a Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnamomeus taken by a Grey-headed Fish-eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus at Pandan Canal on 13 Sep 2018 (Chan Yoke Meng & Melinda Chan); and on 15 Sep 2018, two House Swift Apus nipalensis at West Coast Drive (Tay Kian Guan) and a Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis at Chinese Garden (Dani M Queddeng).

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Pelagic Trips along Straits of Singapore

Lim Kim Keang, Alan OwYong and participants of the NSS pelagic trip along the multi-national straits between Singapore and Batam on 22 Sep 2018 hit the peak of the migration of the Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma monorhis with 532 birds counted; they also spotted eight Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleuticus, 136 Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, 18 Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii, 25 Lesser Crested Tern Thalasseus bengalensis, a juvenile Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, a juvenile Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel, and a single Pacific Swift Apus pacificus. Another private pelagic trip on 30 Sep 2018 along the same Straits yielded a Common Tern Sterna hirundo (Tan Kok Hui et al). Note that these sightings might not be in Singapore waters.

Lesser Frigatebird at the Straits of Singapore on 22 Sep 2018. Photo by Mahesh Krishnan

Abbreviations:
BTNR: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
CCNR: Central Catchment Nature Reserve
DFNP: Dairy Farm Nature Park
JEG: Jurong Eco-Garden
SBG: Singapore Botanic Gardens
SBWR: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
TEG: Tampines Eco-Green

This report is compiled by Geoff Lim and Alan OwYong, edited by Tan Gim Cheong, based on selected postings in various facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from ebird. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified. We wish to thank all the contributors for their records. Many thanks to Lee Van Hien, Siew Mun, Zhang Licong, Terence Tan, Feroz, Martin Kennewell, Art Toh, Herman Phua, Tay Kian Guan, Mahesh Krishnan  and Geoff Lim for the use of their photos. 

References: 

Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula. Vol. 1. Non-passerines. London: Academic Press.

List of Bird Sightings in report

Family	Species	Date
Ardeidae	Cinnamon Bittern	13-Sep
	Chinese Pond Heron	12-Sep
	Great Egret	4-Sep
	Great Egret	3-Sep
	Intermediate Egret	1-Sep
	Intermediate Egret	8-Sep
	Chinese Egret	13-Sep
Anhingidae	Oriental Darter	2-Sep
	Oriental Darter	3-Sep
Accipitridae	Chinese Sparrowhawk	19-Sep
	Japanese Sparrowhawk	22-Sep
	Grey-headed Fish-eagle	15-Sep
Rallidae	Watercock	2-Sep
Charadriidae	Little Ringed Plover	2-Sep
	Little Ringed Plover	19-Sep
	Greater Sand Plover	17-Sep
Rostratulidae	Greater Painted Snipe	26-Sep
Scolopacidae	Marsh Sandpiper	15-Sep
	Marsh Sandpiper	17-Sep
	Marsh Sandpiper	30-Sep
	Terek Sandpiper	17-Sep
	Long-toed Stint	15-Sep
	Curlew Sandpiper	17-Sep
Laridae	Whiskered Tern	9-Sep
	Whiskered Tern	19-Sep
	Whiskered Tern	30-Sep
Columbidae	Thick-billed Pigeon	17-Sep
Cuculidae	Greater Coucal	12-Sep
	Plantive Cuckoo	18-Sep
Strigidae	Sunda Scops Owl	16-Sep
	Barred Eagle Owl	16-Sep
	Buffy Fish Owl	16-Sep
	Spotted Wood Owl	16-Sep
	Brown Hawk Owl	30-Sep
Caprimulgidae	Large-tailed Nightjar	2-Sep
Apodidae	Pacific Swift	9-Sep
	Pacific Swift	13-Sep
	House Swift	11-Sep
	House Swift	15-Sep
Alcedinidae	Common Kingfisher	15-Sep
Pittidae	Blue-winged Pitta	20-Sep
Laniidae	Tiger Shrike	3-Sep
	Tiger Shrike	9-Sep
	Tiger Shrike	13-Sep
Dicruridae	Crow-billed Drongo	19-Sep
Monarchidae	Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher	23-Sep
	Amur Paradise Flycatcher	16-Sep
Pycnonotidae	Cream-vented Bulbul	30-Sep
Phylloscopidae	Arctic Warbler	10-Sep
	Eastern Crowned Warbler	1-Sep
	Eastern Crowned Warbler	12-Sep
Locustellidae	Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler	22-Sep
	Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler	23-Sep
	Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler	25-Sep
	Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler	28-Sep
Timaliidae	Chestnut-winged Babbler	29-Sep
Irenidae	Asian Fairy Bluebird	30-Sep
Sturnidae	Daurian Starling	15-Sep
Muscicapidae	Dark-sided Flycatcher	11-Sep
	Dark-sided Flycatcher	25-Sep
	Dark-sided Flycatcher	26-Sep
	Asian Brown Flycatcher	7-Sep
	Brown-streaked Flycatcher	7-Sep
	Brown-streaked Flycatcher	14-Sep
	Yellow-rumped Flycatcher	2-Sep
	Yellow-rumped Flycatcher	4-Sep
	Yellow-rumped Flycatcher	10-Sep
	Yellow-rumped Flycatcher	12-Sep
Estrildidae	Java Sparrow	29-Sep
Motacillidae	Forest Wagtail	2-Sep
	Eastern Yellow Wagtail	15-Sep
	Grey Wagtail	15-Sep

 

Singapore Bird Report – August 2018

Singapore celebrated our 53^rd National Day on 9 August 2018. During the days preceding and following National Day, electrifying news of a juvenile Barred Eagle Owl, being seen together with its parents at the Singapore Quarry, captured the attention of birders and bird photographers in Singapore. August also continued to see reports of breeding activity, as well as many first reports of migrants arriving on our shores. 

One of the three Barred Eagle Owls at Singapore Quarry photographed by Mahesh Krishnan on 19 August 2018.

During the days preceding and following National Day, electrifying news of a juvenile Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus, seen together with its parents at the Singapore Quarry, captured the attention of birders and bird photographers in Singapore. Hitherto an elusive owl whose sightings in Singapore remain few and far in between, the sightings continue to surprise many with what birdlife Singapore could sustain.

Nature lover, Peter Ding, first spotted an adult on 24 May 2018 during one of his walks. He did not see the Barred Eagle Owl again until 7 August 2018. This time, it was a juvenile he spotted, trying to move from one branch to another. A day or two later, Peter saw the juvenile calling out to an adult perched in a separate tree. Puzzled as to what bird he had seen, Peter posted a photo of the bird and asked for help to identify it. That was how word got round social media and started the Barred Eagle Owl chase.  Today, Peter shares his happiness with birders all over Singapore that the rare and elusive owl has bred successfully in Singapore.

Barred Eagle Owl juvenile at Singapore Quarry photographed by Francis Yap in August 2018.

Two non-breeding visitors were also reported. A Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax was spotted on 16 August 2018 at Lower Peirce by Colin Trainor,  while another was seen at Pasir Ris Park on 21 August 2018 by Lim Kim Seng and on 29 Aug at Pasir Ris Park by Herman Phua. Kim Seng also spotted a Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone affinis at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) on 26 August 2018.

Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo at Pasir Ris Park on 29 August 2018 by Herman Phua.

Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG)

An Asian Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus brunneus, more usually encountered in the central forests, was spotted on 7 August 2018 by Art Toh; while a male Jambu Fruit Dove Ptilinopus jambu and White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata were seen at the Learning Forest on 15 and 22 August 2018 by Reuben Braddock and Felix Wong, respectively. On 17 August 2018, Meilin Khoo photographed a Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting, and on 22 August 2018 a Slaty-breasted Rail Gallirallus striatus was recorded by Felix Wong and Eng Eng.

 Central Singapore

 A Ruddy-breasted Crake Porzana fusca was spotted at Bidadari on 19 August 2018 by Zacc HD, while a Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus was seen at OCBC Building on 30 August 2018 by Steven Wong. About 10 Grey-rumped Treeswift Hemiprocne longipennis were spotted at Kampong Java Park on 22 August 2018 by Henrietta Woo, Tok Sock Ling and James Chua.

Zacc HD spotted a Ruddy-breasted Crake at Bidadari on 19 August 2018.

Northern Singapore

Two resident Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygnus javanica were spotted at Lorong Halus by Con Foley, Tan Kok Hui and Danny Lau. Several migratory species were sighted in the north. A Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii was seen at Seletar Dam on 5 August 2018  by Saravanan Krishnamurthy, while a Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus was spotted on 10 August 2018 at Seletar Club Road by Goh Cheng Teng and Lester Tan, about a month earlier than our previous record. A Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis was subsequentlly seen at Hampstead Road on 19 August 2018 by Art Toh and Meilin Khoo.  Meilin Khoo also reported receiving news concerning the arrival of Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea and Forest Wagtail Dendroanthus indicus roosting in Yishun on 31 August 2018.

A Brown Shrike at Seletar Club Road on 10 August 2018 taken by Goh Cheng Teng.

A Greater Sand Plover at Seletar Dam on 22 August 2018 taken by Geoff Lim.

Eastern Singapore

Species encountered during a joint NParks-NSS survey on 5 August 2018 included a Buff-rumped Woodpecker Meiglyptes tristis and a Great Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii, which was also reported at Chek Jawa on 26 August 2018 by YT Chong. A Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting was spotted at Pasir Ris Park on 20 August 2018 by Yew Chong.

A Buff-rumped Woodpecker recorded during a survey on Ubin on 5 August 2018. Photograph provided by the NSS-NParks Ubin Survey Team.

Migrants had started to arrive in force. A Common Redshank Tringa totanus was spotted on 3 August 2018 at Pasir Ris Park by Martin Kennewell. During the Ubin Survey on 5 August 2018, NParks and NSS volunteers spotted Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, Terek Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos, Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia, Red-necked Stint  Calidris ruficollis and Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus on the northern island. On 19 August 2018, a Watercock Gallicrex cinerea was sighted on the island by Ramesh T.

Farther afield, a flagged Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes was spotted on Pulau Tekong on 11 August 2018, one month earlier than the last extreme date, by Frankie Cheong.

A Grey-tailed Tattler on 11 August 2018 taken by Frankie Cheong on Pulau Tekong.

Southern Singapore

In the south, residents continued to feature. On 2 August 2018, Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii were sighted at Marina Barrage by John Marriott. A Little Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus was seen being fed by a Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea on 8 August 2018 at the Asian Civilisation Museum by Han YK. Lim Kim Seng’s foray into Pulau Semakau on 13 August 2018 yielded a White-headed Munia Lonchura maja and a Mangrove Whistler Pachycephala cinerea.

Western Singapore

Resident species encountered in the west included a Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis at the vicinity of Kranji Marsh on 3 August 2018 by Looi Ang Soh Hoon, an Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti on 9 August 2018 at SBWR by Gerard Francis, and a Cinnamon Bittern Ixobrychus cinnomomeus on 26 August 2018 at Lim Chu Kang by Martin Kennewell.

On 3 August 2018, a Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola and Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva, a first for the season, were seen at Lim Chu Kang on 4 August 2018 by Luke Milo Teo. By 26-27 August 2018, multiple sightings of the Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea were made at Lim Chu Kang by Martin Kennewell, Goh Cheng Teng and Lester Tan (Ramesh T. also recorded the wagtail at Changi Business Park on 26 August 2018). A first of the season Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis were reported on 29 August 2018 at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve by Geraldine Lee and David Li, and Veronica Foo, respectively.

Abbreviations:
BTNR: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
CCNR: Central Catchment Nature Reserve
DFNP: Dairy Farm Nature Park
JEG: Jurong Eco-Garden
SBG: Singapore Botanic Gardens
SBWR: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
TEG: Tampines Eco-Green

This report is compiled by Geoff Lim and Alan OwYong, edited by Tan Gim Cheong,  based on selected postings in various facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from ebird. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified. We wish to thank all the contributors for their records. Many thanks to Mahesh Krishnan, Frankie Cheong, Francis Yap, Herman Phua, Goh Cheng Teng, Zacc HD, Geoff Lim and the NSS-NParks Ubin Survey Team  for the use of their photos. 

List of Bird Sightings in the report:

Family	Species	Date
Anatidae	Lesser Whistling Duck	4-Aug
Ardeidae	Cinnamon Bittern	26-Aug
Pandionidae	Western Osprey	4-Aug
Rallidae	Slaty-breasted Rail	22-Aug
	Ruddy-breasted Crake	19-Aug
	Watercock	19-Aug
Charadriidae	Pacific Golden Plover	4-Aug
	Pacific Golden Plover	30-Aug
	Pacific Golden Plover	31-Aug
	Malaysian Plover	2-Aug
	Lesser Sand Plover	5-Aug
	Greater Sand Plover	5-Aug
Scolopacidae	Black-tailed Godwit	29-Aug
	Whimbrel	5-Aug
	Common Redshank	3-Aug
	Marsh Sandpiper	29-Aug
	Common Greenshank	5-Aug
	Wood Sandpiper	4-Aug
	Grey-tailed Tattler	11-Aug
	Terek Sandpiper	5-Aug
	Red-necked Stint	5-Aug
Laridae	Swift Tern	5-Aug
Columbidae	Jambu Fruit Dove	15-Aug
Cuculidae	Little Bronze Cuckoo	8-Aug
	Malayan Hawk Cuckoo	16-Aug
Strigidae	Barred Eagle Owl	8-Aug
Apopidae	Grey-rumped Treeswift	22-Aug
Alcedinidae	Common Kingfisher	19-Aug
	Blue-eared Kingfisher	20-Aug
Picidae	Buff-rumped Woodpecker	5-Aug
Falconidae	Peregrine Falcon	30-Aug
Pittidae	Blue-winged Pitta	3-Aug
Pachycephalidae	Mangrove Whislter	13-Aug
Laniidae	Brown Shrike	10-Aug
Monarchidae	Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher	26-Aug
Pycnonotidae	Asian Red-eyed Bulbul	7-Aug
Pellorneidae	Abbott’s Babbler	9-Aug
Zosteropidae	Oriental White-eye	30-Aug
Estrildidae	White-heaed Munia	13-Aug
	White-rumped Munia	22-Aug
Motacillidae	Forest Wagtail	31-Aug
	Grey Wagtail	27-Aug
	Grey Wagtail	26-Aug
	Grey Wagtail	31-Aug

Singapore Bird Report – July 2018

Breeding activities continue to be reported in July, while the first migrants from the northern hemisphere began to arrive at our shores. In the meantime, reports of three charismatic species of birds – the Blue-eared Kingfisher, the Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher and the Blue-winged Pitta feature in this month’s report.

A Blue-eared Kingfisher photographed by Amin at Singapore Botanic Gardens on 31 July 2018.

Birdwatchers and photographers are familiar with the Blue-eared Kingfisher Alcedo meninting which is quite regularly seen at Kranji Marsh (KM); one was spotted on 2 July 2018 by Amin. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to note reports of this rather skittish species at Venus Loop on 13 July 2018 by Terence Tan, the Lower Pierce Reservoir on 15 July 2018 (1 adult & 1 juvenile) by Adrian Silas Tay, and Singapore Botanic Gardens on 30 July 2018 & 31 July 2018 by Peter Hosner and Amin respectively. This kingfisher is known to live in mangroves, understoreys of forests, peat swamps, and forest streams. They may move out from forest edges into abutting streams, and only rarely visits rivers open enough to attract Common Kingfishers (Wells, 1999:523).  It is therefore encouraging to know that the dimunitive kingfisher is increasingly encountered outside the Kranji Marsh and Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

A Blue-winged Pitta photographed by visiting biologist from Canberra, Shoshana Rapley, at Pulau Ubin on 4 July 2018.

The charismatic Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis is more often encountered during the later part of the year. Two birds were reported – one on 4 July 2018 near Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin by visiting Australian biologist, Shoshana Rapley, and another on 8 July 2018 at Ama Keng, which is situated in the western end of Singapore by Martin Kennewell. Lambert & Woodcock (1996:166-167) suggested that this Pitta breeds from southern Yunnan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia through Thailand, to northern Peninsular Malaysia, and migrate southwards during the northern winter. The pitta’s breeding range has extended southwards since, reaching Taman Negara Kuala Tahan in 2005 and finally, Singapore in 2016.

A Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher at Singapore Botanic Gardens on 14 July 2018 photographed by Keita Sin.

The Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone affinis was spotted at Windsor Park on 5 July 2018 by Amin, and verified by Luke Milo Teo. Another was seen at the Singapore Botanic Garden’s Rainforest Broadwalk on 14 July 2018 by Keita Sin. This species of Paradise Flycatcher is one of the early migrants, with its close cousin the Amur Paradise Flycatcher probably coming through later.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR)

A number of residents were reported to be breeding in the CCNR and its environs.  A juvenile Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris was seen from Jelutong Tower on 1 July 2018 by Francis Yap, while a nesting Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus was spotted at Dairy Farm Nature Park (DFNP) on 11 July 2018 by Alan Owyong, and a juvenile Chestnut-bellied Malkoha Phaenicophaeus sumatranus was seen within Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) on 13 July 2018 by John Marriott. Also spotted within the CCNR were twelve Blue-rumped Parrots Psittinus cyanurus, two of which were juveniles, at Old Upper Thomson Road on 22 July 2018 by Adrian Silas Tay.

A juvenile Drongo Cuckoo photographed from Jelutong Tower on 1 July 2018 by Francis Yap.

Resident species observed include a Black-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus atriceps at BTNR on 1 July 2018 by Natelia Cyluk, Chestnut-winged Babbler Stachyris erythroptera within CCNR on 6 July 2018 by Alan Owyong, a calling Red-legged Crake Rallina fasciata along Upper Thomson Road on 15 July 2018 by Swen Einhaus, Red-crowned Barbet Megalaima rafflesii at DFNP on 29 July 2018 by Martin Kennewell, and a Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus on 31 July 2018 at Singapore Quarry by Lim Kim Chuah.

A juvenile and adult Blue-rumped Parrot photographed by Adrian Silas Tay on 1 July 2018 inside the CCNR.

Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG)

Apart from the Blue-eared Kingfisher and Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher mentioned earlier, SBG yielded Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis, spotted on 24 July 2018 by Doug Armstrong, and an early Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis on 25 July 2018 by Shirley Ng at the Symphony Lake. The previous earliest arrival date for this kingfisher was 9 August.

Northern Singapore

On 14 July 2018, Jimmy Lee observed a juvenile Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii being fed by a Common Iora Aegithina tiphia at Lorong Halus. Other residents spotted include an Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus torquatus tweeddale morph at Springleaf Park on 10 July 2018 by Veronica Foo, a Malaysian Plover Charadrius peronii on 29 July 2018 by Zacc, and a Great-billed Heron Ardea sumatrana on 30 July 2018 by Martin Kennewell, both at Seletar Dam.

Migratory species were also reported. Adrian Silas Tay reported a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus on the tiled floor of some Sembawang HDB flats on 17 July 2018, which is more than a month earlier than the known arrival dates – could  this individual be a true migrant or a released bird? Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus were seen on two days: 7 birds, some still in summer plumage, on 27 July 2018 and 31 birds on 29 July 2018, at Seletar Dam by Zacc. Two Common Sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos were reported by David Li on 23 July 2018 at SBWR. All three represented the first arrivals for the season.

Lesser Sand Plover at Seletar Dam photographed by Zacc HD on 27 July 2018.

Eastern Singapore

A Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus was spotted at Pasir Ris Park (PRP) on 3 July 2018 by Marc Ng, while a Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhyncha was seen on Pulau Ubin on 4 July 2018 by William Mahoney. A Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus spotted at Changi Coastal Road on 25 July 2018 by Mike Smth was suspected to be of the resident ernesti race.

Migratory species included a Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea, which was spotted at Changi Business Park on 1 and 3 July 2018 by T. Ramesh, who also saw an Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia on 8 July 2018 at Pasir Ris Farmway 3. Two Oriental Honey Buzzards were seen: one juvenile at East Coast Park on 15 July 2018 by Zhang Licong, and a sub-adult male was spotted at Tampines Eco Green on 22 July 2018 by Pary Sivaraman.  Two Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos were spotted by Lim Kim Seng on 30 July 2018 on Pulau Ubin, and constitute the first record for the season.

Oriental Honey Buzzard at Tampines Eco-Green photographed by Pary Sivaraman on 22 July 2018.

Southern Singapore

Alan Owyong spotted a Pied Triller Lalage nigra nest with two chicks on 29 July 2018 at One-north Crescent; one of the chicks was killed by an Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus that raided the nest, but the other chick survived. On 15 July 2018, at Gardens by the Bay, an active Malaysian Pied Fantail Rhipidura javanica nest with young chicks was discovered by Elena, and a Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata was building a nest (Khoo Meilin). A pair of Straw-headed Bulbul was spotted at Telok Blangah Hill on 19 July 2018 by Alan Owyong. Four Black-naped Tern Sterna sumatrana were seen at Marina Barrage on 27 July 2018 by William Mahoney, while a juvenile Drongo Cuckoo was found dead on the pavement next to Citilink Warehouse on 30 July 2018 by See Toh Yew Wai.

One of two Straw-headed Bulbul photographed by Alan Owyong at Telok Blangah Hill on 19 July 2018.

In terms of migratory species in the south, John Marriott saw a Pond Heron Ardeola sp. still in its indeterminate non-breeding/juvenile type plumage on Sentosa on 6 July 2018.

Two possible escapees were reported – a White-rumped Munia Lonchura striata was seen in a mixed flock of Javan and other munia at Telok Blangah Heights on 9 July 2018 by Dean Tan, while a Ruby-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus dispar was seen on 16 July 2018 at Kent Ridge Park by Alan Owyong.

Western Singapore

A juvenile Little Bronze Cuckoo Chrysococcyx minutillus was being fed by a Common Iora Aegithina tiphia on 27 July 2018 at Jurong Central Park, reported Lee Kia Chong, while a Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus was seen on 8 July 2018 at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) by Margaret Oorebeek.

Martin Kennewell spotted two firsts of the season – a Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica on 28 July 2018 at KM, and about four to five Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius on the same day at Kranji Golf Course; the birds were still in their summer plumage.

Little Ringed Plover at Kranji Golf Course photographed by Martin Kennewell on 28 July 2018.

Abbreviations:
BTNR: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
CCNR: Central Catchment Nature Reserve
DFNP: Dairy Farm Nature Park
JEG: Jurong Eco-Garden
SBG: Singapore Botanic Gardens
SBWR: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
TEG: Tampines Eco-Green

This report is compiled by Geoff Lim and Alan OwYong, edited by Tan Gim Cheong based on selected postings in various facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from ebird. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified. We wish to thank all the contributors for their records. Many thanks to Amin, Shoshana Rapley, Keita Sin, Francis Yap, Adrian Silas Tay,  Zacc HD, Alan Owyong, and Martin Kennewell for the use of their photos. 

References:
Lambert, F. & Woodcock, M. (1996) Pittas, Broadbills & Asites. London: Pica Press.

Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula. Vol. 1. Non-passerines. London: Academic Press.

List of Bird Sightings in report:

Family	Species	Date
Ciconidae	Lesser Adjutant	8-Jul
Ardeidae	Pond Heron	6-Jul
	Great-billed Heron	30-Jul
	Intermediate Egret	8-Jul
Accipitridae	Oriental Honey Buzzard	10-Jul
	Oriental Honey Buzzard	15-Jul
	Oriental Honey Buzzard	22-Jul
Rallidae	Red-legged Crake	15-Jul
Charadriidae	Little Ringed Plover	28-Jul
	Malaysian Plover	29-Jul
	Lesser Sand Plover	27-Jul
	Lesser Sand Plover	29-Jul
Scolopacidae	Common Sandpiper	30-Jul
Laridae	Black-naped Tern	27-Jul
Cuculidae	Chestnut-bellied Malkoha	13-Jul
	Chestnut-winged Cuckoo	17-Jul
	Violet Cuckoo	31-Jul
	Little Bronze Cuckoo	27-Jul
	Banded Bay Cuckoo	14-Jul
	Plaintive Cuckoo	3-Jul
	Drongo Cuckoo	1-Jul
	Drongo Cuckoo	30-Jul
Apodidae	Asian Palm Swift	24-Jul
Alcedinidae	Blue-eared Kingfisher	2-Jul
	Blue-eared Kingfisher	13-Jul
	Blue-eared Kingfisher	15-Jul
	Blue-eared Kingfisher	30-Jul
	Blue-eared Kingfisher	31-Jul
	Common Kingfisher	25-Jul
Megalaimidae	Red-crowned Barbet	29-Jul
Falconidae	Peregrine Falcon	25-Jul
	Peregrine Falcon	28-Jul
Psittacidae	Blue-rumped Parrot	22-Jul
Pittidae	Blue-winged Pitta	4-Jul
	Blue-winged Pitta	8-Jul
	Mangrove Pitta	4-Jul
Monarchidae	Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher	5-Jul
	Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher	14-Jul
Hirundinidae	Barn Swallow	28-Jul
Pycnonotidae	Straw-headed Bulbul	19-Jul
	Straw-headed Bulbul	11-Jul
	Black-headed Bulbul	1-Jul
	Ruby-throated Bulbul	16-Jul
Timaliidae	Chestnut-winged Babbler	6-Jul
Estrididae	White-rumped Munia	9-Jul
Motacillidae	Grey Wagtail	1-Jul