Singapore Raptor Report – December 2021

Cinereous Vulture, SBG Learning Forest, 29 Dec 2021, by Vincent Yip

Summary for migrant species:

Five rarities were recorded in December, including a species new to Singapore. The Amur Falcon Falco amurensis that arrived in November was still around at Lorong Halus / Punggol until 14 Dec 2021. Amazing photos by Lai Yeu Huan show the falcon stealing katydids carried by flying Digger Wasps Sphex diabolicus, with the wasp letting go of the katydid at the last moment. The kleptoparasitic behaviour was repeated many times, allowing other photographers to also capture the theft on camera.

On 9 Dec 2021, a Rufous-bellied Eagle Lophotriorchis kienerii was photographed at Kranji Marshes. A Black Kite Milvus migrans showed up at the Neo Tiew area on 12 Dec 2021 and was recorded sporadically through the month.

On 8 Dec 2021, a single Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis was seen at Dairy Farm Nature Park, and at the Botanic Gardens. Then on 27 Dec 2021, a flock of five vultures were seen flying over Tan Tock Seng Hospital towards Orchard Road area. Those following the vultures over the next few days eventually found them perched in the vicinity of the Botanic Gardens, and they were astonishingly in the company of a Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus, a first record!

Himalayan Vulture, SBG Learning Forest, 30 Dec 2021, by Wong Sangmen

Scarce migrant raptors included a juvenile Grey-faced Buzzard Butastur indicus wintering at Telok Blangah Hill Park, a juvenile Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus at Neo Tiew area on 15 Dec 2021, a Common Buzzard Buteo buteo at Holland Road area on 29 Dec 2021

Six Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni were recorded, with four of them at Coney Island most of the time. Six Chinese Sparrowhawks Accipiter soloensis were recorded, including the site faithful female at Ang Mo Kio, and two birds at Coney Island.

Twenty one Japanese Sparrowhawks Accipiter gularis were recorded throughout Singapore, whereas the 35 Black Bazas Aviceda leuphotes were mostly at Neo Tiew and Coney-Pasir Ris areas.

There were also 36 migrant Oriental Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus, two Western Ospreys Pandion haliaetus, and twelve migrant Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus, many perched on tall buildings.

Amur Falcon, about to catch a katydid as the digger wasp releases its prey, 4 Dec 2021, by Lai Yeu Huan.

Highlights for sedentary species:

Breeding-related activities were noted for four resident species. Mating was observed for a pair of Brahminy Kites Haliastur Indus at East Coast Park on 20 Dec 2021, and at West Coast Park on 24 Dec 2021. For the White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster, an adult pair mated at SBWR on 24 Dec 2021, while a pair comprising an adult female and an immature male was in a mating position at Pasir Ris Park on 25 Dec 2021. At Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, an adult Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus was seen in flight carrying a stick, apparently for nest-building. At Pasir Ris Park, a nest of the Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus held two chicks, with the mother in attendance, catching a young monitor lizard on 21 Dec 2021.

White-bellied Sea Eagles in mating position, immature male on top, Pasir Ris Park, 25 Dec 2021, by Wong Sangmen

The rare Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela was only recorded at Goldhill Avenue (7 Dec 2021), and at Pulau Ubin. An adult ernesti Peregrine Falcon was photographed at Central Boulevard on 27 Dec 2021. A male torquatus Oriental Honey Buzzard was recorded at the Botanic Gardens on 4 Dec 2021 and at Gilman Barracks on 12 Dec 2021, while an immature was recorded at Jelutong Tower on 9 Dec 2021. The other diurnal resident raptors recorded were the Black-winged Kite and Changeable Hawk-Eagle.

For the nocturnal raptors, an Eastern Barn Owl Tyto javanica was recorded at Kusu Island on 4 Dec 2021, and a juvenile Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji at Sentosa on 12 Dec 2021. In addition to two Barred Eagle Owls Bubo sumatranus at Rifle Range Link on 9 Dec 2021, one was at NTU on 16 Dec 2021 and another at Labrador Park on 28 Dec 2021. And for the Buffy Fish Owl Ketupa ketupu, the pair at Hampstead Wetlands mated on 2 Dec 2021 and an individual was seen at Berlayer Creek on 19 Dec 2021.

Addendum to November 2021 Raptor Report

A juvenile Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos was photographed at Sungei Buloh on 26 Nov 2021 by Kin Hong Pun.

Many thanks to everyone who had reported their sightings in one way or another, and especially to Vincent Yip, Lai Yeu Huan and Wong Sangmen for the use of their photos.

For a pdf version with more details please click Singapore Raptor Report – Dec 2021

First ever sightings of 12 species of birds for Singapore in 2021, a summary

By Geoff Lim

The year 2021 was an incredible year with many species of birds seen for the first time in Singapore. Here’s a quick summary of what showed up.

1. Siberian House Martin Delichon lagopodum

Found by: Fadzrun A. (ID by Frank Rheindt)
Location: Neo Tiew Harvest Lane
Date: 3 January 2021
Remarks: another sighting on 28 December 2021 at Marina East by Oliver Tan

Siberian House Martin, photo by Art Toh, Marina East, 28 Dec 2021

2. Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis

Found by: Jackie Yeo (ID by Tan Gim Cheong)
Location: Hindhede Nature Park
Date: 17 February 2021
Remarks: Jan Tan’s photo of an owl at Singapore Quarry on 3 August 2019 turned out to be a Brown Fish Owl , making hers the first sighting.

Brown Fish Owl, shown next to a Buffy Fish Owl, composite photo by Tan Gim Cheong, Hindhede Nature Park, 22 Feb 2021

3. Wedge-tailed Shearwater Ardenna pacifica

Found by: William Khaw (ID by Eric Tan)
Location: Bishan – Ang Mo Kio Park
Date: 23 June 2021

Wedge-tailed Shearwater, photo by Art Toh, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, 23 June 2021

4. Javan Plover Charadrius javanicus

Found by: Frankie Cheong (ID by James Eaton)
Location: Reclaimed land off northeast SG
Date: 16 July 2021
Remarks: another sighting on 17 December 2021 at Marina East by Pary Sivaraman

Javan Plover, photo by Frankie Cheong, 16 July 2021

5. Ashy-headed Green Pigeon Treron phayrei

Found by: Yip Jen Wei ( ID with Martin Kennewell)
Location: Dillenia Hut, Central Catchment
Date: 9 October 2021

Ashy-headed Green Pigeon, photo by Art Toh, CCNR, 10 Oct 2021

6. Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata

Found by: Alex Kang (ID by Yang Chee Meng & Yong Ding Li)
Location: Kent Ridge Park
Date: 15 October 2021

Spotted Flycatcher, photo by Geoff Lim, Kent Ridge Park, 23 Oct 2021

7. Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis

Found by: Soo Kok Choong (ID by Vincent Yip)
Location: Ulu Pandan PCN – Clementi Road junction
Date: 23 October 2021

Tree Pipit, photo by Lim Kim Seng, Ulu Pandan PCN – Clementi Road junction, 31 Oct 2021

8. Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes

Found by: Yong Ding Li, Sreekar Rachakonda
Location: Petai Trail, MacRitchie Reservoir
Date: 12 November 2021

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, photo by Tan Gim Cheong, Petai Trail, 25 Nov 2021

9. Long-eared Owl Asio otus

Found by: Choo Shiu Ling (ID by Tim Marshall)
Location: Marina East
Date: 20 November 2021

Long-eared Owl, photo by Choo Shiu Ling, Marina East, 20 Nov 2021

10. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Found by: Ian Cash (ID by Art Toh)
Location: Jambol Place
Date: 28 November 2021

Black Redstart, photo by Art Toh, Jambol Place, 6 Dec 2021

11. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Found by: Gabriel Koh
Location: Marina East
Date: 13 December 2021

Common Starling, photo by Lee Chin Pong, Marina East Drive, 14 Dec 2021

12. Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus

Found By: Cecilia Lee, Justin Jing Liang (ID by Martin Kennewell)
Location: Forest west of Tyersall Avenue
Date: 29 December 2021

Cinereous Vulture, photo by Danny Khoo, SBG, 30 Dec 2021

This is a summary of the birds seen for the first time in Singapore in 2021.

Accepted records will be inserted into the NSS Bird Checklist is due course.

Thanks to Art Toh, Tan Gim Cheong, Frankie Cheong, Geoff Lim, Lim Kim Seng, Choo Shiu Ling, Lee Chin Pong and Danny Khoo for allowing us to use their photos.

Singapore Bird Report – October 2021

by Geoff Lim, Isabelle Lee,
& Tan Gim Cheong (ed.)

This month, we received reports of five spectacular finds: three first records in the form of an Ashy-headed Green Pigeon, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Tree Pipit, a second record Fairy Pitta, and a Mangrove Whistler, a bird seldom encountered on the main Singapore island.

Ashy-headed Green Pigeon by Art Toh, taken on 10 October 2021 at Dillenia Hut.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR)

The first ever record of an Ashy-headed Green Pigeon, Treron phayrei, was reported on 9 Oct 2021 by Yip Jen Wei, who found the bird near Dillenia Hut. The bird was subsequently seen with Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Treron vernans, and fed on the fruiting Vitek pinnata and Leea indica growing on the banks of the stream and was last seen on 11 Oct 2021. Opinion is divided between whether the pigeon was an escapee or a wild bird, as the species is not found beyond Thailand and is known to be frequently trapped in Indochina. Other species seen within the core CCNR included a Short-tailed Babbler, Pellorneum malaccense, seen on 3 Oct 2021 by Max Khoo, a rare Black-naped Monarch, Hypothymis azurea, on 12 Oct 2021 by Oliver Tan, and three Cream-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus simplex, spotted on 14 Oct 2021 by Oliver Tan.

Fairy Pitta by Art Toh, taken on 31 October 2021 at Hindhede Nature Park.

Singapore’s second record of the Fairy Pitta, Pitta nympha, was spotted on the second last day of the month, 30 Oct 2021 by Vincent Lao at Hindhede Nature Park. Vincent was looking for a tree shrew when he spotted the bird in the dark understorey. Other species spotted included a Laced Woodpecker, Picus vittatus, spotted on 19 Oct 2021 by Jonathan Lin, an Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Ceyx erithaca, on 20 Oct 2021 by John Ascher and a Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus cirrhatus, on 21 Oct 2021, by Vinokumar Saranathan.

At Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, a Yellow-vented Flowerpecker Dicaeum chrysorrheum was photographed by Francis Yap on 26 Oct 2021, and a Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Phaenicophaeus sumatranus, was seen on 28 Oct 2021 by Jeff Tan.

Visitors to Dairy Farm Nature Park reported seeing a variety of resident and migratory forest species. Notably, a Black-crested Bulbul, Pycnonotus flaviventris, was spotted on 8 Oct 2021 by Dillen Ng, and a Ferruginous Flycatcher, Muscicapa ferruginea, was seen on 10 Oct 2021 by Jonathan Lin. On 17 Oct 2021, a Red-crowned Barbet, Megalaima rafflesii, an Abbott’s Babbler, Malacocincla abbotti, and a Blue-rumped Parrot, Psittinus cyanurus, were seen by Fadzrun A., while an Asian Red-eyed Bulbul, Pycnonotus brunneus, was seen by Darren Leow. On the same day, a pair of Blue-winged Leafbird, Chloropsis cochinchinensis, was seen by Lukasz Wojciech. The next day on 18 Oct 2021, a Brown Hawk-Owl, Ninox scutulata, and a Siberian Blue Robin, Larvivora cyane, were seen by Jon Garcia.

Further away, a Brown-streaked Flycatcher, Muscicapa williamsoni, was spotted on 8 Oct 2021 at the Singapore Quarry by John Ascher, while a Barred Eagle-Owl, Bubo sumatranus, was seen on 16 Oct 2021 by Lua Wai Heng in the woods near Jalan Asas.

Yellow-vented Flowerpecker by Herman Phua, taken on 29 October 2021 at Bukit Timah hill top.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Several regular migratory species were reported by visitors on 19 Oct 2021. These included a Common Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, (Bear Jia), a Crow-billed Drongo, Dicrurus annectans, (Li Si Tay), a Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone affinis, (Hamad Azam), an Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone incei, (Bear Jia) and an Eastern Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus, (Vinokumar Saranathan). On 24 Oct 2021, Ted Kiku photographed a Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus preying on a Swinhoe’s White-eye Zosterops simplex.

Residents include a pair of Asian Palm Swift, Cypsiurus balasiensis, seen on 14 Oct 2021 (Joshua Chong), a House Swift, Apus nipalensis, spotted on 18 Oct 2021 (Chen Boon Chong), eight Lesser Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna javanica, seen on 19 Oct 2021 (Joshua Chong), a solitary Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, spotted on 19 Oct 2021 (Bear Jia), a Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus ichthyaetus, seen on 19 Oct 2021 (Tuck Loong Kwok) and a pair of Coconut Lorikeet, Trichoglossus haematodus, seen on the same day (Joshua Chong).

Northern Singapore

The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) yielded a number of waders, such as a solitary Terek Sandpiper, Xenus cinereus, on 10 Oct 2021 (Lukasz Wojciech), 150 Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva and 130 Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, as well as 30 Common Redshank, Tringa totanus, on 23 Oct 2021 (Lim Kim Chuah). Four Copper-throated Sunbird, Leptocoma calcostetha, were spotted that 17 Oct 2021 by Charles Bokman, while a Drongo Cuckoo, Surniculus lugubris, was seen on7 Oct 2021 (Evelyn Lee), and four Lesser Adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus, were counted seven days later on 14 Oct 2021 by young Kaeden Sim.

Over at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane, a lurking Cinnamon Bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus, was spotted on 9 Oct 2021 (Fadzrun A), a Red Turtle Dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica, 17 Oct 2021, was seen at Kranji Marsh (Kaeden Sim).

Punggol Park was fruitful with a Forest Wagtail, Dendronanthus indicus, a Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Ficedula zanthopygia, and three Pied Imperial Pigeon, Ducula bicolor, on 20 Oct 2021 by Kwok Tuck Loong.

Eastern Singapore

Visitors to Pulau Ubin reported seeing two Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, on 10 Oct 2021 at Chek Jawa (YK Han), two White-rumped Shama, Copsychus malabaricus, on 18 Oct 2021 (John Chin), and three Blue-winged Pitta, Pitta moluccensis on 28 Oct 2021 (Lim Yu Jun). Over at the canal along Changi Business Park, a single Green Imperial Pigeon, Ducula aenea, was seen on 19 Oct 2021 (Vish M), as was a Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, and a pair of Large-billed Crow, Corvus macrorhynchos, on 21 Oct 2021 (Vish M). Other sightings in the east include five White-shouldered Starling, Sturnia sinensis, one Dark-sided Flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica, and one Black-browed Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, on 11 Oct 2021 at Tampines Eco Green (Kwok Tuck Loong), and a pair of Spotted Wood Owl, Strix seloputo, on 20 Oct 2021 along Changi Coast Road (Tay Li Si).

Southern Singapore

Mangrove Whistler by Karen Chiew, taken on 9 October 2021 at Berlayer Creek.

Two of the five major discoveries for October 2021 were made in southern Singapore. A single Mangrove Whistler, Pachycephala cinerea, was found lurking in the mangroves along Tanjong Berlayer Creek on 9 Oct 2021 by Karen Chiew, while a Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata, the first for Singapore, was discovered on 15 Oct 2021 at Kent Ridge Park by Alex Kang.

Spotted Flycatcher by Geoff Lim, taken on 23 October 2021 at Kent Ridge Park.

Early birds seen in the south were a Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx sparverioides, seen on 1 Oct 2021 by the indefatigable Ramesh T. at Dover Road, while a Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola soltarius, was seen on 5 Oct 2021 at the Pinnacle@Duxton by the young and talented Kaeden Sim.

Sightings from the Southern Ridges included thirty Pacific Swift, Apus pacificus, on 18 Oct 2021 along Henderson Waves by Oliver Tan, one Chinese Sparrowhawk, Accipiter soloensis, and one Japanese Sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis, on 19 Oct 2021 at Telok Blangah Hill Park by Alan OwYong, and a Crested Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela, and one Crested Goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus, on 20 Oct 2021 at  Kent Ridge Park by Joshua Chong.  Residents included a pair of Van Hasselt’s Sunbird, Leptocoma brasiliana, on 17 Oct 2021 at Mount Faber Park, as reported by Raghav Narayanswamy, and a single White-rumped Munia, Lonchura striata, seen on 23 Oct 2021 at Telok Blangah Hill Park by Tay Kian Guan.

The usual plovers were present at Marina East – three Kentish Plover, Charadrius alexandrinus, one White-faced Plover, Charadrius dealbatus, on 18 Oct 2021 as seen by Kwok Tuck Loong, and four Malaysian Plover, Charadrius peronii, spotted on 19 Oct 2021 by Kaeden Sim. Also seen were seven White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, on 7 Oct 2021 by Sylvester Goh and one Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, on 18 Oct 2021 by Kwok Tuck Loong.

Island-hoppers contributed with reports of six House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, on 6 Oct 2021 from Sakra Road, Jurong Island (Martin Kennewell), two Eastern Cattle Egret, Bubulcus coromandus, two Oriental Pratincole, Glareola maldivarum, and one Golden-bellied Gerygone, Gerygone sulphurea, on 19 Oct 2021 on Kusu Island (Tan Gim Cheong) and one Chinese Hwamei, Garrulax canorus, on 27 Oct 2021 on Sentosa Island (Max Khoo).

Western Singapore

Tree Pipit by Lim Kim Seng, taken on 31 October 2021 at Ulu Pandan-Clementi Rd junction.

The fifth serendipitous find for the month was a single Tree Pipit, Anthus trivialis, another first for Singapore, found on 23 Oct 2021 in a patch of grass at the Ulu Pandan-Clementi Road junction by Soo Kok Choong. On a previous day, three Buffy Fish Owl, Ketupa ketupu, were seen near the Pine Grove estate on 19 Oct 2021 by Julie Edgley.

Visitors to the monsoon canal along Lim Chu Kang Lane 3 reported seeing a Greater Painted-Snipe, Rostratula benghalensis, on 17 Oct 2021 (Martin Kennewell), one Blue-eared Kingfisher, Alcedo meninting, and two Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava, on 18 Oct 2021 (Raghav Narayanswamy), and nine Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius, and ten Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola, one  Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, Locustella certhiola, one Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla tschutschensis, and one Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea, on 19 Oct 2021 (Kaeden Sim).

Tuas South, which is the western-most end of Singapore, yielded a mix of usual and spectacular migrants. The reclaimed land off Tuas South Avenue 16 had an Oriental Plover, Charadrius veredus, one Red-necked Stint, Calidris ruficollis, and a pair of Long-toed Stint, Calidris subminuta, seen on 6 Oct 2021 (Martin Kennewell). The area also yielded a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Clamator coromandus, a Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx nisicolor, and a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Cyornis brunneatus, on 19 Oct 2021 (Raghav Narayanswamy).

This report is compiled/written by Geoff Lim and Isabelle Lee and edited by Tan Gim Cheong. We are grateful for the birders and photographers whose postings in various Facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from eBird make up this report. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified.

Many thanks to Art Toh, Herman Phua, Karen Chiew, Geoff Lim & Lim Kim Seng for allowing us to use their photographs.

37th Singapore Bird Race (2021) – Results

The theme for the 37th Singapore Bird Race was migratory raptors. The race was held from 11-12 December 2021 and attracted 230 participants, including 45 youths aged 18 years and below. Apart from a Guest Team comprising Minister Desmond Lee and Mr. Lim Kim Chuah, teams were spread across six categories – Marathon (24-hr), Sprint, Photographer, Novice, Family and Youth.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions when registration was opened, the team size was limited to two members. This was relaxed for the Family category when the allowed size for social groups was increased. All reporting of bird observations were done remotely via eBird.

During the closing webinar to announce the results, Minister Desmond Lee remarked that “Events like the Bird Race play a key part in our efforts to strengthen the conservation of our natural heritage” and added that Singapore is an important stopover for migratory shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, as well as for raptors such as the Oriental Honey Buzzard and the Black Baza.

All the champion teams in each category recorded more than 60 species of birds in a span of as little as four and a half hours, which is really good. In fact, the top three teams in the Novice category are well placed to compete in the Sprint category next year, welcome! Every single species count and some placings were separated by just one species. All in a very good performance by all the teams.

Category	Number of Teams
Marathon	6
Sprint	18
Photographer	17
Novice	44
Family	17
Youth	6

Marathon Category

The 24-hour Marathon category was marked by rain on day one, but the weather held on day two. The Little Terns (Lim Kim Keang & Tai Ping Ling) recorded 94 species to secure the top position. Despite an unexpected delay in submission of their checklist, the Drongoes (Lau Jia Sheng & Ang Bao Jun) remained well ahead of the next team, coming in second with 93 species. Raptors on VTL (Liu Xinlu & Li Jiayu) recorded 72 species to clinch the third place. Well done all the marathon birders despite the weather.

Sprint Category

In the 5-hour Sprint category, F2.0 (Fitri Adnan & Mohamad Fadzrun) recorded an impressive 81 species to claim the top position. Frank Bear (Jia Beier & Chen Zhongshuo) came in second with 71 species. The Pratincoles (Veronica Foo & Henrietta Woo) successfully defended their third place with 61 species. Great work.

Photographer Category

The Singapore Stringers (Dillen Ng & Max Khoo) topped the Photographer category by stringing 70 species on camera. Meaningful Watching (Leung Wei Kee & Mithilesh Mishra) came in second with 61 species. Close behind them were ID Please (Goh Cheng Teng & Lester Tan) with 60 species photographed. Nice work.

Novice Category

In the Novice category, Bird Blindness (Wong Ee Ling & Athyna Al-Idid) had a sharp eye for the birds and recorded a cool 67 species to come in first. It was a close fight for the next two places with just one species difference between the teams. Birdingding (Shuna Maekawa & Chan Yi Qian) took the second place with 63 species, while Washi (Lim Yam Lim & Lim Qian Xun) was right behind with 62 species. Fantastic.

In view of the large number of teams in the Novice category, four Consolation prizes were awarded. The Consolation prizes goes to Avianators (57 species), PB&J (57 species), PS&N (56 species) and Bulbulsaur (54 species).

Family Category

In the Family category, Nuggets (Aileen Lee & Kaeden Sim) came in first with 76 species. The Incredibirds (Joshua Chong, Kim Quek & Samuel Chong) took the second place with 69 species. Melody (Wong Lian Han & Wong Yun Ning Melody) was next in line with 52 species. Incredible results.

Youth Category

The Unlarky Birders (Jeff Tan & Lu Kiat) were very lucky with the birds, recording 69 species, coming in tops. The Youngwings (Benjamin Ong & Kinnon Tan) came in second with 50 species. Team SCduoeggs (Sng Yi Xin & B K Preethi) defended their third place with 40 species. Awesome.

Race Highlights

More than 180 species of birds were recorded during the bird race, including 18 species of raptors, or birds of prey. Eight of these were migrant raptors and all three raptor species featured on the bird race logo – the Black Baza, Oriental Honey Buzzard and Japanese Sparrowhawk were recorded. The rare Amur Falcon was still wintering at Punggol, and a Grey-faced Buzzard decided to stay at Telok Blangah Hill despite its buddies being transient passage migrants. The Black Kite at Turut Track was a good find. The remaining two migrant raptors recorded were the Jerdons’ Baza at Coney Island, and the Western Osprey.

Apart from the raptors, a Sand Martin was recorded at the Neo Tiew Harvest Lane, a Little Grebe at Marina East, an Oriental Pratincole at Turut Track, the shy Greater Coucal at Lim Chu Kang Lane 3, a Savanna Nightjar at Lorong Halus Wetlands, and at Jurong Lake Gardens, the Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo, Ruddy-breasted Crake, and the secretive Barred Buttonquail.

The Black Baza, featured on this year’s logo, was spotted by more than 10 teams. 

The Oriental Honey Buzzard, featured on this year’s logo, was spotted by more than 50 teams. 

The Japanese Sparrowhawk, featured on this year’s logo, was spotted by more than 10 teams. 

Acknowledgements

We are privileged to have Mapletree Investments as our main sponsor for the third consecutive year. It is through the generous support of Mapletree that the race could be conducted at this scale, and enable more youths to participate. This is especially important as the young will inherit Singapore’s natural heritage.

Thanks to Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development, for gracing the event as the Guest-of-Honour. Thanks also to Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Mapletree Investments; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer for Mapletree; Dr Shawn Lum, President of NSS; and Mr Vinayagan Dharmarajah, Regional Director (Asia), Birdlife International, for their time at the closing webinar.

Thanks also to other event partners and sponsors – Birdlife International, NParks, eBird, Pansing, John Beaufoy Publishing and Playlogue Creations. Thanks to the Organising Committee and all volunteers who helped in organising the race. Also, a big thank you to all the participants for taking part in this year’s bird race. See you next year!

Bird Race Results in Table Form

Position	Marathon Category	Species
1	Little Terns	94
2	Drongoes	93
3	Raptors on VTL	72

Position	Sprint Category	Species
1	F2.0	81
2	Frank Bear	71
3	Pratincoles	61

Position	Photographer Category	Species
1	Singapore Stringers	70
2	Meaningful Watching	61
3	ID Please	60

Position	Novice Category	Species
1	Bird Blindness	67
2	Birdingding	63
3	Washi	62
Consolation	Avianators	57
Consolation	PB&J	57
Consolation	PS&N	56
Consolation	Bulbulsaur	54

Position	Family Category	Species
1	Nuggets	76
2	The Incredibirds	69
3	Melody	52

Position	Youth Category	Species
1	Unlarky Birders	69
2	The Youngwings	50
3	SCduoeggs	40

Singapore Raptor Report – November 2021

Long-eared Owl, a first for Singapore, harassed by crows, at Marina East, 20 Nov 2021, by Choo Shiu Ling

Summary for migrant species:

It’s another amazing November, with 20 migrant raptor species recorded (compared with 18 last year). Most astonishing was Singapore’s first record of the Long-eared Owl Asio Otus, an individual harassed by crows at Marina East on the 20th, well captured on camera by Choo Shiu Ling. The only Northern Boobook Ninox japonica was unfortunately found dead at Ghim Moh on the 1st. An Oriental Scops Owl Otus sunia appeared on the kitchen floor of a resident on the 15th; and on the 17th, a rufous morph was found concussed on the ground, in front of some shops at Jurong Street 52 where it was placed on a tree as it recovered and subsequently flew into the dense foliage higher up a tree.

The rarity for diurnal raptors is no doubt the Amur Falcon Falco amurensis that showed well at Lorong Halus Wetlands on the 26th, found by Lim Yu Jun and Tan Kian Hoe, hunting and feeding on the wing for prolonged periods over the wetlands. It continued to frequent the same area everyday for the rest of the month, resting on an apartment block undergoing construction, in between its feeding flights (it is still around as of this report).

Amur Falcon, at Lorong Halus Wetlands, 27 Nov 2021, by Chen Boon Chong

The one and only Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus, a pale morph, was photographed by Zacc HD and others at Mount Faber on the 6th (Zacc also photographed the only Booted Eagle, a dark morph, last November). Only one Common Buzzard Buteo buteo so far this season, a juvenile pale morph, was recorded on the 6th at Henderson Waves. One Rufous-bellied Eagle Lophotriorchis kienerii was recorded at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and its vicinity on the 5th, 17th and 20th.

Only two Pied Harriers Circus melanoleucos were recorded, a juvenile at Nanyang Crescent on the 5th, and a female at Henderson Waves on the 17th.

Three Common Kestrels Falco tinnunculus were recorded, one on the 1st, perched on a low branch at Canterbury Road, another on the 6th at Henderson Waves / Mount Faber, and the last on the 14th at Mount Faber. Also three in number were the Black Kites Milvus migrans, one on the 11th at Telok Blangah Hill Park (TBHP) / Mount Faber, one on the 19th at Bukit Timah hill, and the third at TBHP on the 22nd.

All four Greater Spotted Eagles Clanga clanga recorded were juveniles. One was photographed from Skyville@Dawson on the 2nd; another at Mount Faber on the 9th, gliding straight through the site without flapping nor turning; one at Tuas on the 13th, harassed by a juvenile White-bellied Sea Eagle, and another at Henderson Waves on the 21st.

Jerdon’s Baza, at Dairy Farm Nature Park, 22 Nov 2021, by Dave Koh

Juveniles made up the majority of the seven Eastern Marsh Harriers Circus spilonotus recorded. One was at Mount Faber on the 5th; another at Lorong Halus Wetlands on the 6th; the only male at Henderson Waves on the 6th; singles at Mount Faber on the 16th, Bukit Timah hill top on the 19th, Jurong Lake Gardens on the 20th, and East Coast Park on the 25th.

The first Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni was recorded at the southern ridges from TBHP to Henderson Waves to Mount Faber, with a max of five at Mount Faber. Subsequently, they were recorded at Dairy Farm Nature Park, Bukit Timah hill top, Lorong Halus Wetlands, and Coney Island where three birds seem to be wintering. Altogether, 16 of these charismatic raptors were recorded.

Eighteen Grey-faced Buzzards Butastur indicus were recorded, spanning from the 1st to the 28th, mostly along the southern ridges to Marina Bay belt, with one outlier at Lorong Halus Wetlands on the 27th. All of them appear to be on passage migration. Four Western Ospreys Pandion haliaetus were recorded along the northern coast, and sixteen Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus throughout, including site faithfuls at Bedok South, Sembawang and Jurong West.

Grey-faced Buzzard, juvenile, at Telok Blangah Hill Park, 26 Nov 2021, by Tan Gim Cheong

Of the thirty four Chinese Sparrowhawks Accipiter soloensis recorded, the site faithful adult female at Ang Mo Kio which arrived last month continued to be present. Most of the 175 Japanese Sparrowhawks Accipiter gularis were recorded migrating over the southern ridges, with 15 birds being the highest in a day, on the 4th.

We had 236 Black Bazas Aviceda leuphotes this month, with 40 birds over Mount Faber on the 11th, and 30 birds on the 16th. For the 819 Oriental Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus, a day high of 71 birds was recorded at Tuas on the 4th, with another 56 birds on the 10th, and 57 birds on the 16th at Mount Faber.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle, juvenile, at Potong Pasir, 30 Nov 2021, by Wong Sangmen

Highlights for sedentary species:

There were five Crested Serpent Eagles Spilornis cheela, three on Pulau Ubin on the 5th, one at Kranji Marshes on the 21st and another at the southern ridges on various dates. Only one torquatus Oriental Honey Buzzard was recorded, at Lock Road on the 28th.

The other diurnal resident raptors recorded included the Black-winged Kite, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Crested Goshawk and the common Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle. An adult Brahminy Kite attacked a Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo at Pebble bay on the 15th, and the pair of Grey-headed Fish Eagles at Little Guilin may be starting to use their nest again.

For the nocturnal residents, the Eastern Barn Owl Tyto javanica was recorded at Hotel G near Bugis on the 6th, and at Bishan Street 12 on the 13th mobbed by crows. The pair of Buffy Fish Owls Ketupa ketupu at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is raising a chick and there were three Spotted Wood Owls Strix seloputo at the Botanic Gardens on the 8th and at Mandai on the 17th, both suggestive of adults with a young owl.

Many thanks to everyone who had reported their sightings in one way or another, and especially to Choo Shiu Ling, Chen Boon Chong, Dave Koh, and Wong Sangmen for the use of their photos.

For a pdf version with more details please click Singapore Raptor Report – November 2021

Singapore Bird Report – September 2021

by Geoff Lim & Isabelle Lee, and Tan Gim Cheong (ed.)

Reports of migratory birds continue to surface in social media and eBird, including the surprise find of a rare Red Knot at Yishun Dam, and elsewhere, the Oriental Plover, and Red-necked Phalarope.

Red Knot with Lesser Sand Plover at Yishun Dam taken on 6 September 2021 by Vincent Yip.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) & vicinity

An Oriental Darter, Anhinga melanogaster, was spotted at Singapore Quarry on 12 Sep 2021 by Lua Wai Heng, while two Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon, Treron fulvicollis, were seen by Robin Arnold on 18 Sep 2021 at Jelutong Tower. Blue-rumped Parrots, Psittinus cyanurus, were also seen within the confines of Windsor Nature Park on 29 Sep 2021 by Lee Yue Teng. At Dairy Farm Nature Park on 30 Sep 2021, Gan Lee Hsia photographed a Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica, and Vincent Yip photographed a Ferruginous Flycatcher Muscicapa ferruginea.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Notable sightings from this UNESCO heritage park comprised an Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone incei, (Andy Lee) and a Brown-streaked Flycatcher, Muscicapa williamsoni, (BP Chua) on 11 Sep 2021, a Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx fugax, on 17 Sep 2021 (Oliver Tan) and seven Ruddy-breasted Crake, Porzana fusca, on 28 Sep 2021 (Colin Lee) at the NUS Faculty of Law drop-off point.

Northern Singapore

A surprise visit by a solitary Red Knot, Calidris canutus, on 6 Sep 2021 at Yishun Dam (Vincent Yip) had many scrambling to see this rarity, while a Gull-billed Tern, Gelochelidon nilotica, visited the waters on 10 Sep 2021 (Chen Boon Chong). The mudflats also welcomed a Greater Sand Plover, Charadrius leschenaultii, which was reported on 14 Sep 2021 (Sylvester Goh).

Ruby-cheeked Sunbird at SBWR on 4 September 2021, by Joseph Lim.

Visitors to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve spotted a Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, Chalcoparia singalensis, on 4 and 5 Sep 2021 (Joseph Lim and Norhafiani A Majid, respectively), a Blue-eared Kingfisher, Alcedo meninting, on 15 Sep 2021 (Kwok Siew Mun), a pair of Marsh Sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis, on 19 Sep 2021 (Darren Leow), two Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus, on 24 Sep 2021 (Pary Sivaraman), and a Terek Sandpiper, Xenus cinereus, on 29 Sep 2021 (BP Chua). There were also 2 Lesser Adjutants, Leptotilus javanicus, on 3 Sep 2021, by Veronica Foo.

Eastern Singapore

Visitors to Pasir Ris Park were treated to the sight of a Terek Sandpiper, Xenus cinereus, on 1 Sep 21 (Ko Eng Wee), three Black-throated Laughingthrush, Pterorhinus chinensis, on 19 Sep 2021 (Frank Chen) and a Japanese Sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis, on 20 Sep 2021 (Philip Chua). On an offshore area in the northeast undergoing land reclamation, a Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris was recorded on 10 Sep 2021 by Frankie Cheong.

Southern Singapore

Grey-rumped Treeswift chick taken on 17 September 2021 by Geoff Lim.

A number of Grey-rumped Treeswift, Hemiprocne longipennis, were reported on and around 16 Sep 2021 (Lee Chin Pong) at Margaret Drive, including a nest bearing a chick, which subsequently fledged on 22 Sep 2021. At Pinnacle@Duxton, a Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius (philippensis subspecies) was photographed on 16 Sep 2021 by Angie Cheong.

Blue Rock Thrush, Pinnacle@Duxton, on 16 September 2021 by Angie Cheong.

Western Singapore

Migratory woodland species reported at Jurong Lake Gardens included one Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Ficedula zanthopygia, seen on 13 Sep 2021 by Andy Lee, and one Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Black-backed) Ceyx erithaca photographed by 29 Sep 2021 by Gan Lee Hsia.

At Tuas South, two Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, were photographed on 3 Sep 2021 by Mike Hooper, and an Oriental Plover, Charadrius veredus, photographed on 20 Sep 2021 by Pary Sivaraman. At nearby Tuas South Boulevard, Max Khoo spotted an Indian Cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus, on 25 Sep 2021.

A Ruddy Kingfisher, Halcyon coromanda, was seen on 15 Sep 2021 at Nanyang Technological University by Frank Chen, and one Green-backed Flycatcher, Ficedula elisae, was found dead (likely collided into a building) at National University of Singapore on 30 Sep 2021 by Li Daiqing.

Straits of Singapore

Three pelagic trips were undertaken this month. On 21 Sep 2021, there were 11 sightings of the Aleutian Tern Onychoprion aleuticus, two Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, and nine Greater Crested Tern, Thalasseus bergii (Con Foley). On 25 Sep 2021, two Black-naped Tern, Sterna sumatrana, (Oliver Tan) and a number of Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis, (Krishna Gopagondanahalli) were spotted along the Singapore Straits and off Kusu Island, respectively, while those on 26 Sep 2021 saw one Lesser Crested Tern, Thalasseus bengalensis, thirteen Aleutian Tern, Onychoprion aleuticus, eleven Bridled Tern, Onychoprion anaethetus, and five Greater Crested Tern, Thalasseus bergii, (Adrian Silas Tay).

Lau Jia Sheng spent four weekends in September on Kusu Island watching seabirds and reported 6 Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus on 4 Sep 2021. He had amazing counts of the Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, Hydrobates monorhis, starting with 39 petrels on 4 Sep 2021, to 203 petrels on 11 Sep 2021, peaking at 800 petrels on 18 Sep 2021, followed by 418 petrels on 25 Sep 2021.

This report is compiled/written by Geoff Lim and Isabelle Lee, and edited by Tan Gim Cheong. We are grateful for the birders and photographers whose postings in various Facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual reports and extracts from eBird make up this report. This compilation is not a complete list of birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified.

Many thanks to Vincent Yip, Joseph Lim, Geoff Lim and Angie Cheong for allowing us to use their photographs.

The different stages of our three resident Heron species at Pasir Ris Park.

By Seng Alvin.

We are blessed to have three resident heron species living and breeding at Pasir Ris Park, mainly due to the mangroves along Sungei Tampines, the tall trees lining Sungei Api Api and the abundant fishes around the rivers and sea coast. This is my backyard and I have been photographing these herons in varies stages of their life for a few years now.

This is a collection of some of my photos showing their different plumages from juvenile to adult and breeding.

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The Striated Heron is the most common of the three and can be found waiting for passing fishes along the sides of the canal or perch at the lower branches of the mangroves. The brown upper and underparts of a juvenile ( top left) turning into pale grey ( top right) as it gets older. The plumage of the adult (bottom left) is all grey for both sexes. Its legs and facial skin turn reddish pink for breeding males ( bottom right).

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The Black-crowned Night Herons are nationally threatened due to diminishing suitable habitat and they are fussy breeders. The fact they they are breeding here for over two decades underline the importance and fragility of the riverine and mangrove forests of the park. The juvenile ( bottom left) has orangey-yellow eyes, brown upperparts with white spots and streaks. The sub-adult ( top right) has no spots and the brown plumage has turned to pale gray. Eyes are darker. Adults ( top left) of both sexes has dark grey crown, mantle and back, yellow legs and two or more plumes. During breeding its legs turned orange ( bottom right).

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Grey Herons are the most visible waterbird at the park foraging on the mud flats at low tides or perch high up on the tall trees around the park. They build communal large nests on trees by the river for easy access to the Tilapias there. The juveniles ( top right) has an overall blackish plumage and legs. Non-breeding adult males and females ( left top and bottom) share the same greyish plumage. The male adults ( bottom right) acquire pinkish red legs and facial skin during breeding.

I hope that these images help with identifying the varies ages of these herons.

Reference: A Field Guide to the Waterbirds of Asia 1993 Wild Bird Society of Japan

Singapore Raptor Report – October 2021

Japanese Sparrowhawk, a rather lightly marked and pale-looking juvenile, at Telok Blangah Hill Park, 23 Oct 2021, by Chen Boon Chong

Summary for migrant species:

Raptor migration got off to a gradual start in October 2021, with 753 migrant raptors of 7 species recorded (in contrast, more than 15 migrant raptors species recorded in October last year, but that was exceptional). There were another 18 unidentified raptors and 112 unidentified accipiters, many of which were probably migrants.

Only one Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus was recorded, a juvenile at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR). Eight Grey-faced Buzzards Butastur indicus were recorded, the first was at Henderson Waves on the 23rd, followed by singles at Bukit Timah Hill on the 25th and 27th, Henderson Waves again on 27th, SBWR on 31st, and three at Henderson Waves on 31st. 

The most numerous migrant raptor was the Oriental Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus, with 426 recorded. They were just about everywhere, and the highest number recorded in a day was 45, at Henderson Waves on the 23rd.

Japanese Sparrowhawk, a more heavily marked juvenile, at Kusu Island, 19 Oct 2021, by Tan Gim Cheong

They were followed by the Japanese Sparrowhawks Accipiter gularis, for which 171 were recorded. The highest number in a day was 20, at Henderson Waves on the 30th. 132 Chinese Sparrowhawks Accipiter soloensis were recorded, of these, a flock of 28 was recorded at Mount Faber on the 15th.

Ten migrant Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus were reported. Notably, site faithfuls returned to Bedok South and Geylang East. The rest were probably on passage. Lastly, four Western Ospreys Pandion haliatus were recorded.

Highlights for sedentary species:

There were five records for the locally scarce Crested Serpent Eagle, one at Dairy Farm Nature Park on the 8th, one at Goldhill Avenue on the 14th, one at Ubin and one at  Kranji Marsh on the 30th, and another at the southern ridges on the 8th, 21st and 25th.

An adult Peregrine Falcon of the resident ernesti subspecies was recorded in the south – from the southern ridges to Tanjong Pagar, throughout the month.

The other resident raptors recorded included five Black-winged Kites; eight Grey-headed Fish Eagles; 11 Crested Goshawks, 18 Changeable Hawk-Eagles; and the common Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle.

Buffy Fish Owl with its chick, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, 29 Oct 2021, by Wong Sangmen

Breeding-related activities were recorded for three resident species. An adult White-bellied Sea Eagle was seen flying over Dover Forest carrying a large stick, probably for nest-building. At Telok Blangah Hill Park on the 26th, a pair of Crested Goshawks shared a meal before mating; and at Pasir Ris Park, a pair mated on the 28th. At Choa Chu Kang Park on the 27th, a pair of Changeable Hawk-Eagles were nest-building.

A Brahminy Kite caught a swamp eel from a waterlogged field at Seletar Aerospace Park on the 13th, while a Changeable Hawk-Eagle preyed on a junglefowl chick at Pasir Ris Park on the 3rd. For the nocturnal Buffy Fish Owl, three nestings were recorded this month, with a single chick each at Dover Forest, SBWR, and Pasir Ris Park.

Many thanks to everyone who had reported their sightings in one way or another, and especially to Chen Boon Chong and Wong Sangmen for the use of their photos.

For a pdf version with more details, please click Singapore Raptor Report – October 2021

14th Singapore Raptor Watch Report (2021)

Autumn 2021 Migration – 6 Nov 2021

Oriental Honey Buzzard, adult male, at Puaka Hill, Pulau Ubin, 6 Nov 2021, by Jacky Soh

The 14th Singapore raptor watch was held on Saturday, 6 November 2021. The weather held up, mostly. While a few sites experienced some rain, other sites were spared. Apart from the usual six sites, three more were added to make a total of nine sites. The numbers counted at each site varied from a high of 120 to a low of 13 birds. A total of 553 raptors were counted, including 420 raptors representing 9 migrant species and 100 raptors of 7 resident species. A further 33 raptors could not be identified to species level.

Our usual sites are Tuas South, Jurong Lake Garden, Kent Ridge Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Lorong Halus Wetlands, and Puaka Hill, Pulau Ubin – thanks to all the site leaders for their faithful support! The new sites are Little Guilin, Henderson Waves, and St. John’s Island. Due to the proximity of Henderson Waves to Telok Blangah Hill Park, a fair amount of duplication is expected, but there were some differences in the numbers and species detected.

Figure 1 : 2021 Raptor Watch Sites. (source of basemap – maps.google.com.sg)

The highest number of raptors recorded was at Henderson Waves (120 birds), followed by Tuas South (111 birds), Telok Blangah Hill Park (98 birds), and St John’s Island (83 birds).

Figure 2 : Total count by Site

The figure below provides a snapshot of the number of raptors according to the three categories – migrant, un-identified & resident raptors, at the 9 sites. Tuas South Link 3 had the most number of migrant raptors (106), followed by Henderson Waves (101), Telok Blangah Hill Park (75), and St. John’s Island (60).

Figure 6 : Raptor Sub-totals by Category by Site

The greatest diversity of migrant raptors was at Henderson Waves with seven species, followed by Telok Blangah Hill Park and St. John’s Island with five species, and Puaka Hill, Pulau Ubin with 4 species.

Figure 3 : Species Richness by Site

Numbers for migrant raptors started to pick up from 10am, and experienced a spike between 12pm to 1pm (200 migrant raptors).

Figure 3 : Raptor numbers by 1-hour time periods (migrant raptors only)

Peregrine Falcon, juvenile, at Tuas South Link 3, 6 Nov 2021, by Tan Gim Cheong.

The Oriental Honey Buzzard was the only species present at all the sites and was the most numerous with 226 birds counted. The largest number of OHB was at Tuas South (77 birds). There were 106 Japanese Sparrowhawks across seven sites, with 27 birds at Tuas South, 26 at Telok Blangah Hill Park, and 25 at Henderson Waves.

A total of 62 Black Bazas were recorded at three sites, the bulk (35 birds) was at St John’s Island. The 12 Chinese Sparrowhawks were recorded at four sites, and five Peregrine Falcons at four sites. The scarcer Eastern Marsh Harrier was recorded singly at Lorong Halus Wetlands and Henderson Waves. The only Western Osprey was recorded at Ubin.

St. John’s Island was the only site where the Grey-faced Buzzard was recorded (2 birds). The single Common Buzzard was recorded at Henderson Waves.

For the resident species, the total count was 100 raptors of 7 species. The Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle were recorded at all nine sites. The Changeable Hawk-Eagle was recorded at eight sites. At the other end of the spectrum, the Black-winged Kite was only recorded at one site – Tuas South Link 3.

The count for the resident raptors comprised 42 Brahminy Kites, 23 White-bellied Sea Eagles, 21 Changeable Hawk Eagles, 6 Grey-headed Fish Eagles, 4 Crested Serpent Eagles, 3 Crested Goshawks, and 1 Black-winged Kite.

Figure 5 : Resident Raptors Counted

A complete breakdown of the species counted at each site is shown in the table below:

Thanks to all the 22 people – site leaders, NParks staff, volunteers, for spending their Saturday out in the open to count raptors:

Please click here for the pdf version 14th Singapore Raptor Watch – 2021, v2

The Role of the NSS Bird Group Records Committee in the Documentation and Conservation of Wild Birds in Singapore

By Lim Kim Seng. Chair Bird Group Records Committee.

With the many recent new bird arrivals in Singapore the inevitable question of the origins of these new species, specifically if they are wild, released or escapees comes up. Many would like to know who evaluate their status and how is it done?

The quick answer is the Bird Records Committee of the country and in Singapore it is the Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group Records Committee, or NSSBGRC, that had been doing this for the past three decades, with regular meetings several times a year.

The groundwork laid by then Malayan Nature Society Singapore Bird Group in the late 1970s and early 1980s by various pioneers such as Ng Soon Chye, Hugh Buck and Clive Briffett led to Chris Hails being appointed as the recorder for Singapore and the first bird checklist for the country being published in 1984. Chris left Singapore in 1988 and kick-started the formation of Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group Records Committee (or NSSBGRC) in 1988 whose members included Clive Briffett, Lim Kim Keang, Lim Kim Seng and R. Subaraj. The current head is Lim Kim Seng who has over 40 years of birding experience in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The committee also includes Benjamin Lee from National Parks Board, Yong Ding Li from Birdlife International, Tan Kok Hui, current and past Bird Group Chairs, Tan Gim Cheong and Lim Kim Keang.

The task of NSSBGRC is not just to evaluate and verify new and rare records and submissions but more importantly to determine its status and assign a category to them. To do this, the RC consults with an advisory panel of global bird experts including Dr Nigel Collar, Dave Bakewell, Dr Phil Round, Dr David Wells, Dr Chaiyan Kasorndorkbua, Mike Chong, Peter Kennerley and Uthai Treesucon.

Another aspect of the work of the NSSBGRC is to keep tap of the status and taxonomic changes of the birds in Singapore. These changes include its abundance and status, i.e. abundant, common, uncommon or rare and status, i.e. resident breeder, winter visitor, passage migrant, non-breeding visitor or vagrant. The NSSBGRC also evaluates its breeding or non-breeding status based on available evidence.

The NSSBGRC also assigns a national threat status to every affected species and lists its IUCN global threat status. All this was made possible with the extensive and invaluable data from more than three decades of bird censuses, counts, surveys and studies conducted by the Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group with the help of fellow birdwatchers and in collaboration with government agencies such as the National Parks Board.

All these classifications proved to be extremely useful for assessing the biodiversity importance of a nature site for conservation in Singapore, e.g. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the Rail Corridor, and listings on nationally threatened birds in the Singapore Red Data Book. 

Besides publishing and updating the rarities list, the NSSBGRC also publish a fully up-to-date annotated checklist at regular intervals. It has published updated checklists in 1991, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 beginning with 284 species up to the current 407 species. The NSSBGRC also published a complete avifauna of Singapore in 2009 that captured its work in evaluation and documentation of wild birds as well as those of the early collectors since the 1800s.

The role of the NSSBGRC will always be to inform birdwatchers, observers and agencies of the latest updates by publishing an accurate and up-to-date national bird checklist, adopting the best practices in reviewing records of rarities and new species, and sharing them on suitable online platforms.

The NSSBGRC seeks experienced birders with in-depth knowledge of local and regional birds to carry on the work which must be transparent and democratic. It will continue to look to field experts, taxonomists, academics and ornithologists from across the globe for their advice. We wish to thank past and present members for their contributions in helping the committee to carry out this important work.

We hope that all birdwatchers in Singapore recognise the importance of their records and share them for the benefit of everyone, to obtain an accurate picture of the avifauna of Singapore with the ultimate objective of conserving our wild bird populations and its habitat.