Kit & Herman Year 2

[Kitsafari]

501/SG160 : Fairy Pitta, Rifle Range Reserve

 

This fairy pitta was a huge sensation when it was sighted earlier this month, mainly because it's never ever been seen on our shores before. It looks almost like the blue-winged pitta, except for a paler chest/belly/underpart and a thin off-white supercilium. 

It is found in south-eastern China, Taiwan, South Korea and southern Japan, flying direct to Indochina and Borneo. Speculation is that this particular bird got swept up by storm winds and blown off course to our island. It is a tough bird to photograph as it skulked mainly in the thick undergrowth and was very skittish. The only photo we have between us is a real EBC (a reason why it wasn't my 500th), which I will add in the count as I don't have much hope of seeing it again unless it likes the new habitat so much it may return next year? 

It appeared for a few days and hasn't been seen since. We are going to try an evening outing on Monday, and cross our fingers get to see a very rare bird properly in Singapore. 

 

Before I lightened it up, this was how we saw the bird. 

 

 

the splash of red and green made it stood out in the dark

 

just about making out it's black mask and pale body

 

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Peter Connan]

Wow! Congratulations on the 500 and the wonderful 501! Magnificent effort.

[michael-ibk]

What a fantastic bird to celebrate this milestone! Congratulations Kit, you´ve really been having a sensational Big Year!

[Tdgraves]

What a BIG year you are having. Congratulations!

[TonyQ]

Well done on reaching 500, and a stunning bird to achieve this. I have really enjoyed following your thread this year 

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on reaching 500 and with a spectacular bird! What a great year for you both!

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @Peter Connan @michael-ibk @Tdgraves @TonyQ @PeterHG - I really am surprised we've come so far, but having been hooked early last year, the obsession just simply grows. 

 

PeterHG made a very key reminder - I should have said "for OUR inaugural 500th". thanks to Herman's excellent photos and efforts as well, otherwise the list will be full of my shots competing for the best EBCs!

[Kitsafari]

502/SG161: Barred Eagle Owl, Singapore Quarry

 

The barred eagle owls made their appearance again, having bred another successful juvenile, at the same location. But this year, the owls made intermittent and late appearances making photography pretty challenging. Herman made a one-day trip into Johor, Malaysia (I had to cancel the trip at the last minute as Jasper was very ill) where he managed to get a great shot of a resident BEO at a local resort there.

 

Singapore

 

Johor

 

 

[Galana]

Congratulations on a great 500 with such a nice bird too.

I also promote your 501 to the highest rank of EBC. Even when you point it out it is tough going! Great effort.

[pedro maia]

Congrats on the 500, with lots of lovely birds and an absolutely masterful EBC right after that milestone!!

[xelas]

Congratulations on achieving, and passing by #500! 

Edited November 17, 2019 by xelas

[lmSA84]

What a collection. As others have said this has been a great thread to follow

[PeterHG]

A truly magnificent photo of the Barred Eagle Owl!

[Kitsafari]

thanks @Galana  @pedro maia @xelas @lmSA84 @PeterHG

 

503/SG162 : Northern Red Bishop, Changi Coast

504/SG163 : Southern Red Bishop, Changi Coast

505/SG164 : Zanzibar Bishop, Changi Coast

 

The bishop species, like all their African avian friends in Singapore, was a result of released birds from the caged trade. Sighted since the late 2000s, the bishop species do not look like they have established a stronghold here yet as they are not as widespread as the waxbills or even the golden-backed weaver. Hope we ID-ed them correctly. 

 

 

Northern red bishop

 

southern red bishop

 

zanzibar bishop

[Kitsafari]

506/SG165: Daurian Starling, Kent Ridge Park

 

These shots were made back in January. I had hoped for better shots but it was not to be. Duarian starlings are sociable birds, often found in large flocks. Soon after this flock was photographed in this bare tree, the tree was cut down. Daurian starlings are winter migrants to Singapore and Southeast Asia, coming over from eastern Mongolia, Southeast Russia, northern and central China and North Korea. 

The females are more brownish on their wings while the males are more purplish on their upper parts, although they appear green in the photos. 

 

 

 

the daurians hanging out with asian glossy starlings, a javan myna and a pink-necked green pigeon. 

[Kitsafari]

507/SG166 : Crow-billed Drongo, Satay by the Bay

 

The crow-billed drongo is an uncommon winter visitor from the Himalayas, Nepal, INdia to the north of Thailand. It looks almost like the black drongo, which is another winter visitor, except that it has a thicker bill while the juveniles are spotted on the breast and underbelly. 

 

[Kitsafari]

508/SG167 : Malayan Night Heron, Singapore Botanic Garden

 

an uncommon migrant to our shores, this night heron flies in from India, Nepal through Myanmar to northern Thailand to Malaysia, Singapore, Sumartra, Java and Borneo. It likes gardens, parks, forested areas, edges of forests and wooded areas. generally they are skittish birds, but this particular bird seemed quite comfortable with human traffic. which made local photographers very happy. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

509/SG168 : Black-naped Monarch, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

This year was pretty special for Singapore birders with some unusual appearances from rare birds, and this monarch was one of them (fairy pitta was another).The black-naped monarch hasn't been sighted for the last 15 years, so it caused quite a stir when it made an appearance but it kept in the thick bushes and trees making photography quite challenging. it took a few visits before a decent shot could be made, and before it flew on to other greener pastures.

This is a rare resident in singapore, distributed in Indian sub-continent to southern China and southeast Asia. It is a forest bird, the male bird is a stunning blue with a small black crown and a white belly, while the female is more brownish.

 

Female: 

 

[Galana]

Nice collection but I am a bit leery of your "Red Bishops". with such a local and restricted population you are almost  certain to get hybridisation and this appears to be the case in your shots.

viz the black tail tip in Northern Red is rarely this visible although the mask is good..

Southern Red's mask is at best 'dodgy' with a bib.

Your Zanzibari is quite good but to be honest the best that could be said is that they are 'types'.

[Soukous]

Well done on an amazing total (so far).  You have had a terrific year and shown us what a 'new fanatic' can achieve. What I love most about your BY Kit is the fact that so many of your birds are ones I've never seen. So refreshing to get such a great collection from your part of the World. I love the Broadbills.

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @Galana . It won't be a surprise that there'll be hybridisation - it has happened before with other species (milky and painted storks) given the small numbers of the species. 

I checked quite a few images of the northern red bishop and a handful of them do show a bit of black at the tail-ends. I agree that the zanzibar bishop looks good for the species, so both stay on the list. the mask on the southern red bishop look the same as those in the images and i think the angle is not the best to rule it out but on a closer look, the orange/red bib seem to extend a bit too low, so on that doubt, I'll count the southern red bishop out.

 

@Soukous thank you for the thought! 

[Kitsafari]

So adjusting for the count: 

 

505/SG164 : Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

The green pigeon is far shyer than its cousin pink-necked green pigeon, preferring to stay in the dense forests or wooded areas and only emerging if there is a fruiting tree, which if we are lucky is out in the open areas! This is an uncommon resident in Singapore but also found in Indian subcontinent, southern China and the rest of Southeast Asian countries. it is distinctive from its other green pigeon cousins with its broad green eye-ring. 

 

Male: 

 

female: 

[Kitsafari]

506/SG165 : Lesser Sand Plover, Yishun/Seletar Dam

 

One of the earlier arrivals during this year's migratary season was the lesser sand plovers. Returning to one of their favourite places at the Yishun dam, the plovers were having a feast during the low tides and seemingly unafraid of us as we crept closer. 

They fly from central Asia, eastern Russia and northern China to Africa, Middle East,India, Southeast Asia andall the way down to Australia. 

 

[Kitsafari]

507/SG166 : Malaysian Plover, Marina barrage

 

Found all over Southeast Asia, but it's not commonly seen in Singapore. A cute looking bird, these plovers tend to be either alone or in pairs or at most in very small groups.

 

[Kitsafari]

508/SG168 : Common Sandpiper, Marina Barrage/Changi Business Park

 

No need to introduce this bird.