Kit & Herman Year 2

[Kitsafari]

60/SG60: Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Kranji Marshes/Pasir Ris Park

 

The changeable hawk-eagle has become quite successful in breeding here on our island. its so-called changeable is due to the various dark and pale morphs. The eagle sports a slight crest. It is distributed in the Himalayas, central and southern India, Sri Lanka, and greater Sundas (including Indonesia) and the philippines. 

 

 

heavily cropped photo of a very distant CHE

 

 

[Kitsafari]

61/SG61: Intermediate Egret, Kranji Marshes

 

An uncommon  migrant in the past, it has become a frequent visitor to our shores. no need to introduce such a familiar egret to the family of ST, surely!

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Onto to some flycatchers on their reversal migration home. 

 

62/SG62: Mugimaki Flycatcher, Pasir Ris Park

 

Since the local authorities have cleared much of the Bidadari cemetery park, which historically has been the favourite resting/transit place for the flycatchers to rest and refuel for the next stretch of their journey. With a remaining tiny patch being disturbed in the process of being turned into a manicured garden, the flycatchers and their human followers had to find new transit points. one of these is in a very small mangrove plot served by a boardwalk. so imagine the line of photographers and birders on the narrow boardwalk hoping to sight the tiny flycatchers. 

 

the mugimaki flycatcher is a winter visitor from eastern Russia and northern CHina and Japan. The "mugi" means wheat while "maki" means seeding, which gave the bird the name as it often appears when the wheat is due for seeding/sowing in Japan. the male mugimaki looks like the male yellow-rumped except that the white supercilium is shorter and starts from behind the eye. 

  

[Kitsafari]

63/SG63: Yellow-rumped flycatcher, Pasir Ris Park

 

Also hailing from Siberia, northern China as well as Korean peninsular, the yellow-rumped flycatcher is another uncommon migrant to Singapore. The male is stunning with black upperparts and contrasting white patches on its wings and yellow rump and underparts. 

[Kitsafari]

64/SG64: Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserves

 

This is the most common flowerpecker in Singapore and can be found in parks and residential neighbourhoods. The male has a bright scarlet streak behind its black back. it has bluish black wings with a white underpart. It is also distributed in sub-continental India, southern China and Southeast Asia. 

 

[Kitsafari]

65/SG65: Golden-bellied Gerygone, Lorong Halus

 

Formerly called the flyeater, but the new name - golden-bellied gerygone -  is a far nicer name for Singapore's smallest bird. apparently, this gerygone is a common resident and can be found in residential neighbourhoods. Because it looks like the female sunbirds, I' won't be surprised if I've overlooked it in our area and assumed it was a female sunbird. Distributed in Southeast Asia. 

 

[Galana]

When people mention "Singapore" the last thing that comes to mind for most folks is birds!  I am amazed at the plentiful supply of beautiful birds in Singapore. Keep them coming.

[xelas]

5 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

so imagine the line of photographers and birders on the narrow boardwalk hoping to sight the tiny flycatchers. 

 

Why not posting a photo? Indeed I have no clue that Singapore is a home for such a variety of birds.

Edited April 22, 2019 by xelas

[Kitsafari]

thanks @Galana @xelas - the variety in SIngapore still astounds me! Just hoping that the massive islandwide clearing of wooded and forested areas will not wipe out too many species. 

 

Xelas - no picture of the crowds on the boardwalk but this would be an indication - taken when the barn owl made its rare rare appearance last year for one day. half of the crowds is hidden by the trees/bushes on the left

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

66/SG66: Crested Goshawk, Pasir Ris Park

 

This is the only resident and the largest of the 11 accipters in Singapore. For a rare resident breeder, it is breeding fairly well. It feeds very well on mynas as it has been seen tearing the javan mynas apart when the adults were feeding the chicks. Distributed in northern Indian subcontinent, through China down to Southeast Asia. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

67/SG67: Little Grebe, Lorong Halus

 

we had to surreptitiously enter an abandoned-looking fenced up area to go to a pond where this nervous jittery shy little grebe resided. it was enjoying its morning swim unaware we were there, but it was just too far. This is distributed in Africa through Europe to China down to Southeast Asia. while it is a rare resident in Singapore, it is found in nearly every pond in Mai Po wetlands in HK and we managed to get some decent photos of it in Botswana, which pleased me a lot. These will come later in the respective sections. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

68/SG68: Chinese Pond Heron, Pasir Ris Park

 

The pond herons are indistinguishable in non-breeding colours. but thank goodness, the herons are starting to don their breeding plumage as April ends and it is time for them to return to their breeding grounds in India, China and Japan. The Chinese pond heron in breeding plumage is clothed in chestnut-maroon from the head to the neck and upper breast with white underparts. it looks very different from the Javan pond heron which I think is more beautiful. this heron is beginning to wear its breeding plumage. 

 

[Kitsafari]

69/SG69: Javan pond Heron, Chinese Garden/Changi Business Park

 

DIstributed from Indochina down to Indonesia but migrates to Singapore. In breeding plumage, it has a pale brownish buff to a creamy head and neck. Its breast is deep cinnamon-rufous and the belly is white. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

70/SG70: Purple Heron, Satay By the Bay

 

The purple heron is one of four common heron residents in Singapore but has become a rare sight. Its numbers have plunged as loss of breeding sites and man-made disturbances (such as construction) continue to adversely affect the species. In the mid-1990s, there was a large colony of some 100 birds in Sungei Buloh but in 2003 the birds completely abandoned the site as there was constant disturbances as the unenlightened authorities worked to "beautify" the wetlands. makes me sad to hear all this as it is so inevitable that we are losing so many species in the name of economic development. 

 

[Kitsafari]

71/SG71 : Red Jungle Fowl, Pasir Ris Park

 

The red junglefowl, the ancestor of all domestic chickens, is a near threatened fowl on our shores as it suffers from continuing loss of habitat of shrubs,  secondary forests and mangroves. The males like to fly up to the trees to issue their territorial calls.  The purebred junglefowl has grey legs while the domesticated ones have yellow legs. 

 

A cocky male: 

 

and his rather drab hen

[Kitsafari]

Now on to kingfishers!

 

72/SG72: Black-capped Kingfisher, Turut Track

 

Singapore has eight species of kingfishers and the black-capped KF is one of the  more elusive ones as the bird is extremely skittish and vanishes at any sound. This is a migrant species but the visitors like to return to their favourite places, so the birders know where to find them each year. A beautiful bird, the Black-capped is one of the larger kingfishers in Singapore. It is found in India, China and Korea. 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

73/SG73: Blue-eared Kingfisher, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

This is a very small and quite uncommon kingfisher in Singapore. The bird was seen far across one of the lakes in the gardens, hence the heavy crop. It is one of a few resident breeders and looks like the common kingfisher. THe adult male has an all black bill while the female has a red-black bill. also found in Indian sub-continent, southern and western China, south east Asia and the Andaman islands. 

 

[Kitsafari]

74/SG74: Common Kingfisher,  Turut Track

 

this is a common winter visitor to our shores with the orange ear coverts distinguishing it from the blue eared. 

 

[Kitsafari]

75/SG75: Ruddy (purple) kingfisher,  Sungei Buloh wetlands Reserve

 

This is another winter visitor and has also turned into a rare resident breeder. Its plumage is reddish throughout with a tinge of purple/violet on its wings. its bill is all red. Found in indian sub-continent, CHina, Korea, Japan and SOutheast Asia, with the more northerly residents flying down south. 

 

 

[Soukous]

@Kitsafari it is wonderful to see how you have embraced the Big Year since your first tentative steps. 

Some lovely photos too & species I've never seen before. More please.

[Kitsafari]

@Soukous Thanks much! 

 

76/SG76: Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pasir Ris Park/Sungei Buloh welands

 

At 35-37cm, this is the largest kingfisher in Singapore and is a resident breeder. There is a resident along the river in the Pasir Ris Park and you will find photographers on a bridge waiting for the resident to appear for its regular preening, bath and meals. It feeds on fish, crab, lizards and insects. Its orange head and body with a blue back, wings and tail set it apart from the other KFs. found in the INdian sub-continent, China and SEA.

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

77/SG77: White-collared Kingfisher, Eastwood, Chinese Garden, Pasir Ris Park, changi business park

 

This is the most widely distributed kingfisher in Singapore and most commonly seen. It has a sharp shrill call and it is fiercely territorial. Exasperated photographers and birders, like ourselves!, have seen it chase off the winter migrant cuckoos before we could get our best shots. It's a medium sized kingfisher and is at home whether it is near water bodies or in wooded areas. it eats small invertebrates, lizards, insects and small amphibians. 

 

eastwood: 

 

CBP:

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

78/SG78: White-throated/White-breasted Kingfisher, Kranji Marshes

 

Named for its white throat, the kingfisher is a resident species in Singapore. Its a stunning bird and when it flies, the flash of turquoise on its wings is the thing that remains most in your mind. It's medium sized and is found from Egypt through Middle East, Indian sub-continent, Southern CHina and down to SEA. 

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

Where is the 8th kingfisher @Kitsafari ? 

 

[Kitsafari]

24 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Where is the 8th kingfisher @Kitsafari ? 

 

It's the rarest, loveliest and smallest of all - the dwarf or black backed kingfisher.  A migrant.  But none seen yet in Singapore so far this year, unfortunately.  😥😥