Kit & Herman Year 2

[michael-ibk]

A very special Pigeon. Not a familiy I´m very keen on generally, but this is a beautiful species - and a gorgeous photo.

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

so on that doubt, I'll count the southern red bishop out.

It was never my intention to reduce your score but I can but agree with your decision. They are sneaky tricky blighters even when at home so transplants are certainly going to add to the confusion. Lovely photos of the Green Pigs and amazing how similar the Plovers look to their cousins. I would be hard put to define the Malaysian.

[Kitsafari]

On 11/24/2019 at 7:16 PM, Galana said:

 and amazing how similar the Plovers look to their cousins. I would be hard put to define the Malaysian.

 

I know! plovers in general is already tough but the Malaysian plover looks almost exactly like the kentish plover, which also occurs (though uncommonly) in Singapore. I found this from a website  Singaporebirds.com rather helpful : 

 

Male resembles breeding male Kentish Plover but upperparts and wing-coverts with prominent pale fringes (appear scaly or mottled) and black lateral breast-patches extend in complete band below white nuchal collar. 

[Kitsafari]

507/SG166 : Lesser Adjutant, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

This was a species we had been wanting to see for a while now. Very rare sightings have been made of this bird, which has become an extinct breeder in Singapore. The ones we see are generally in flight, probably from Johor which flies once in a long while across the straits of Singapore to Sungei Buloh during low tides. The Lesser Adjutant is also globally vulnerable with population estimated by IUCN at 5,500-10,000. It's found in Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia, and possibly extinct in CHina as well. its numnbers are declining because its habitat (wetlands, mangroves ) have been destroyed and because it is also hunted and eaten. 

This is an EBC! just glad we sighted them even if it was soaring in the bright skies. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

508/SG167 : Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Jurong Eco-Green

 

The chestnut-bellied malkoha is the only malkoha species left in Singapore mainly because it had adapted well to living at forest fringes and nature parks, unlike its cousins black-bellied malkoha, raffles' malkoha and the red-billed malkoha. Even then, it is a challenge to get a sighting of it, and then getting to stay around that area for a long while. The chestnut-bellied malkoha is on the near-threatened IUCN redlist, and can be also be found in the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo. 

 

adult: 

 

juvenile

[Kitsafari]

509/SG167 : Grey Nightjar, Pasir Ris Park

 

The grey nightjar is a migrant visitor from the Himalayas, east Asia with a non-breeding range from Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia. It looks almost like the long-tailed nightjar, except that it much prefers to perch high in the treetops while the long-tailed nightjar prefers resting closer to the ground.

 

[Kitsafari]

510/SG168: Common Redshank, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

A common migrant visitor to our shores with the wetlands in Sungei Buloh being its favourite stopover. 

 

 

SG95: Wood sandpiper, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

Already in my earlier Singapore count.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

511/SG169 : Common Sandpiper, Marina Barrage/ Sungei Buloh Wetlands Barrage/Changi Business Park

 

Quite common in Singapore and found in various locations. No need to introduce this bird as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

annoying the common redshank and blending into the environment

[Kitsafari]

290/SG170 : Whimbrel, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

 

already in my HK list.

 

[Kitsafari]

512/SG171 : Eastern Crowned Warbler, Jurong Lake Gardens

 

This is a winter visitor from Russia, China, Korea and Japan to Southeast Asia. It looks almost like our resident artic warbler, but for a darker crown and a more distinct stripe on it. It also has a longer bill with a pale lower mandible. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

513/SG172 : Mangrove Whistler, Jurong Eco-Green

 

A rare resident in Singapore, although the species is considered of least concern in the IUCN list. The destruction of its natural habitat has forced the whistler into smaller areas of wooded parks, freshwater swamps and ponds in the larger park gardens. There is a resident that is seen in Pulau Ubin. Also found along the coastal areas of other Southeast Asian countries.r family. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

514/SG173 : Dark-Necked Tailorbird, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

Less commonly seen than the ashy tailorbird, the dark-necked tailorbird's distinction from its cousin is its broad dark around its neck. It's found in subtropical or tropical moist lowloand forests or mangrove forests in Bangladesh, northeastern India and Southeast Asia.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

515/SG174 : Van Hassell Sunbird, Dairy Farm Nature Park/ Pulau Ubin

 

Often seen in Dairy Farm Nature Park, this sunbird is a tough cookie to photograph. It makes fleeting forays to the favourite flowering plants and not long enough for less experienced photographers to take a good sharp shot. Its colours are brilliant when the sunlight falls at the right angle on the bird. Found in northeast India to Bangladesh, southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda region. 

 

[Kitsafari]

516/SG175 : Chinese Sparrowhawk, Ang Mo Kio Town Park

 

The Chinese sparrowhawk is an uncommon winter migrant to our shores, and this particular bird has returned to this spot in a small park in the middle of a public housing estate for the past couple of years. 

sometimes called the Chinese goshawk, the sparrowhawk is resident in Siberia, China and Korea. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

517/ SG176 : Daurian Redstart, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

The appearance of a daurian redstart this November caused another huge stir in the Singapore birding group - this is the only third time that the species has been sighted on our shores, having been seen in 2013 and 2014 previously.

The redstart is a resident from southestern Russia, Mongolia, northeast India, northern China and Korea that migrates during winter to southern china, Taiwan, HK, Japan and most southerly to Indochina. 

This particular visitor was very accommodating to the photographers, appearing quite frequently and in open areas. It was far smaller than I had expected, being only 14-15cm. 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

518/SG176 : Brown-streaked Flycatcher, Chua Chu Kang

 

Singapore receives 22 species of flycatchers, the most common of which is the drab but cute Asian Brown Flycatcher. The brown-streaked flycatcher looks like the asian brown but has a slightly larger bill tinged with pale yellow and a dark tipped lower mandible. It also has distinct brownish streaks on breast upper belly and flanks. This is a rare migrant to Singapore, being resident in southern Vietnam, Cambodia, southern Myanmar and northern Thailand. 

 

[Kitsafari]

 

I kept the flycatcher group as one batch, in part because the migration season has begun and they've starting flying into Singapore,and in part to pay tribute to the Bidadari wooded area, which will close to the public for two years while the government sanitises it into a well manicured park. Bidadari has been a safe haven for the flycatchers for many years as an undisturbed cemetery. But in its relentless march to building more and more housing for more human migrants (ironically), the government has cleared almost the entire area. whether the flycatchers will return again to the developed park is a huge question as the new park will be rid of dense bushes which provides the food for the birds, and will be thronged with human traffic. A really sad development for us birders in Singapore. 

 

519/SG177 : Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Bidadari

 

Another uncommon migrant to our shores, the flycatcher breeds in south to southeast China and flies to Thailand down to Malaysia and Sumatra during winter.

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

520/SG178 : Blue and white Flycatcher,  Bidadari

 

The blue-and-white flycatcher breeds in the stretch of Korea to Japan and winters in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and eastern Borneo. Another rare migrant to Singapore. 

 

male: 

 

female: 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

521/SG179 : Zappey's Flycatcher, Bidadari

 

a stunning flycatcher that looks almost like the blue-and-white flycatcher but has more blue on the sides of its head, throat and breast. Breeds in Siberia, northeast China, Korea and winters in Southeast Asia, although it is a rare migrant to Singapore. 

 

[Kitsafari]

522/SG 180 : Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Bidadari

 

The Asian paradise flycatchers were split into a few species, which is great for our count! but it sure is a challenge identifying the similar looking paradise flycatchers. This is resident in China, Korea, Japan and southeastern Russia and winters in Southeast Asia. The main distinction between the Amur and Blyth's is that the demarcation between the dark grey upperbreast is clear from the whitish belly.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

523/SG181 : Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher, Bidadari

 

The Blyth's is resident in southern China and mainland Southeast Asia. The northern birds winters to Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Indonesia.

 

[Kitsafari]

524/SG182 : Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, Bidadari

 

Resident in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and northern Philippines, and winters in China, HK, Southeast Asia to Sumatra. The male is distinctive from the other paradise flycatchers with a distinct eye-ring with very black head and breast.The dark margin between the breast and belly looks an inverted U. A very rare migrant to Singapore. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

and to wrap up the flycatcher segment - a white-morphed paradise flycatcher that is so rare in Singapore! it stayed only a day and a bit in Bidadari. There is no conclusion as to whether the flycatcher is an amur or a blyth's, so we shall leave it as an Asian Paradise flycatcher. 

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Galana]

5 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

but the Malaysian plover looks almost exactly like the kentish plover,

And they both look like White-fronted Plover from Africa at times. Too much!

And now I have overdosed on your Flycatchers etc.,

What lovely birds and such a shame about the development. Let us all hope they are resilient enough to handle to change.

Herman's Japanese subject (524/182) is very commendable for the pin sharp image. as is the white Morph.

More please.

 

I am learning a lot from your SE Asian images and finding it increasingly hard to resist buying a Field Guide. When I do I will most likely have splashed on a plane ticket too.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Galana
Additional updated comment.

[Tdgraves]

@Kitsafari I'm afraid that your redshank may be a marsh sandpiper....