Kit & Herman Year 2

[Zim Girl]

Lovely collection of kingfishers @Kitsafari, hopefully the eighth one will turn up some time.

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @Zim Girlhopefully it will transit through here when migration begins again in September. 

[xelas]

6 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

half of the crowds is hidden by the trees/bushes

 OMG as folks from States like to say. How is the regulation: first come first row, or longer lenses at the back, or is it my the height of the tripd  ... luckily, based on what we have experienced when using public transportation in Singapore, everyone is respecting the order, even more so then in Britain. But surely not all sites are as busy as this one? 

 

And those Seven Magnificients ... just fabulous.

Edited April 26, 2019 by xelas

[TonyQ]

A great selection of kingfishers, and I continue to enjoy the fascinating information you provide about your birds

[Galana]

Me too. Love the Kingfishers and the picture of the Twitch. (But would want no part of it!)

[michael-ibk]

Great set of Kingfishers!

[Treepol]

The Hooded Pitta is a great start to your 2019 BY, however its the kingfishers that steal the show.

[Dave Williams]

Amazing spread of Kingfishers in such a small area.

[Peter Connan]

Really great shots of the Kingfishers! If I get three in a year, I am pretty happy. If I were to get four, I would be ecstatic, but I don't think that's happened yet...

[Kitsafari]

Thanks every one - glad to see the series of kingfishers was a hit. I hope we get a grand slam later this year when migration season begins anew!

 

and @Peter Connan here's wishing you get your fourth!!

 

I took a break to head up to fraser's hill for  a birding weekend, and though I saw my target bird - the trogon - our timing was just too immaculate . the hill resort station was celebrating its 100th anniversary and a few routes were closed so we had to miss certain species. an excuse to return, I suppose. But I digress. getting back to the local count first. 

 

79/SG79: Brahminy Kite, Pasir Ris Park

 

This is the most commonly seen predator. Of medium-sized, the brahminy in SIngapore is the intermedius of the four sub-species found in INdonesia, the Philippines and Peninsular Malaysia. The other three sub-species are indus (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and China), girrenera (Molucca, New Guinea to Australia) and Flavirostris (in Solomon Islands). 

Easily recognised by the white head and shoulders, neck and breast.

 

[Kitsafari]

80/SG80: Red Wattled Lapwing, Kranji Marshes

 

The red wattled lapwing is one of two lapwing species seen in Singapore. While it is an uncommon resident breeder, it is doing alright in the wetlands parks. Found in the mIddle east through India and China down to SEA, the lapwing is quite easily identifiable by the red wattles on its head. This fellow has a Rolex (tagged!) but we could'nt see its number. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

81/SG81: Black-throated laughingthrush, Lorong Halus

 

This  is an introduced species of laughingthrush to Singapore, but very rarely seen. The black-throated LT is native to southern CHina and Indochina. It was a very shy bird, hiding in the thick bushes away from the road. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

82/SG82: White-crested laughingthrush, Goldhill Avenue

 

This species of laughingthrush has flourished in Singapore even though this is not its native land. its native to the HImalayas, CHIna, Indochina and INdonesia. 

A rather noisy and gregarious bird, its white upper body with a black eye stripe is its striking feature, as is its white crest. 

 

[Kitsafari]

83/SG 83: Greater Green Leafbird, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

this species landed in the vulnerable list of the IUCN, as its population is declining fast as poaching and trapping in its native INdonesia and Malaysian shores are rampant for the popular bird cage trades in those two countries, as well as singapore. fortunately, its population in the parks in native Singapore is fairly stable but without a proper count, who knows how long that "stable" population will last. 

 

[Kitsafari]

84/SG84: Oriental Magpie Robin, Chinese Garden/Singapore Botanic Gardens/ Pasir Ris Park

 

This is a songbird with a lovely tune. It is quite common in the parks in Singapore. Considered an old world flycatcher, the OMR (too lazy to type out) can be found in Indian sub-continent, China and SOutheast Asia. It is also a common target of poachers for the caged bird trade because of its melodious tunes. 

 

[Kitsafari]

85/SG85: Scaly-breasted Munia, Kranji Marshes

 

The most common of the 7 munia species found in Singapore, very distinguishable  by its scales on its breast and belly with a pale underbelly. found in India, Taiwan and SEA. 

 

[Kitsafari]

86/SG86: Ashy Minivet, Tampines Eco-Green

 

This is a common migrant to Singapore and often gets confused with the Daurian starling and pied triller which has similar colourings. Found in Siberia, North-east China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan and winters in SEA. 

 

[Kitsafari]

87/SG87: Large-tailed nightjar, Chinese Garden/Changi Business Park

 

This is the most common of the four nightjar species in Singapore. It's usually perched at low levels and sometimes on the ground. Found in north INdia, southwest China, SEA, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia, the large-tailed nightjar breeds through the year/. 

 

[Kitsafari]

88/SG88: Brown Hawk Owl, Satay by the Bay

 

Once in a while, the Satay by the Bay, a food court in the expansive Gardens by the Bay, produces a special bird and this was one of those. The brown hawk owl is also known as the brown boobook ( I truly love this name - boobook's got a certain, cool ring to it).  this is one of 10 owl species in Singapore and is one of the more common ones. Found from INdian sub-continent to east Asia down to SEA. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

89/SG89: Spotted wood Owl, Pasir Ris Park

 

This is a fairly large owl species in Singapore, and seems quite habituated to people. There is a resident pair in Pasir Ris park,although they weren't home when we visited over the weekend. like the brown boobook, it doesn't have any ear tuft but is heavily barred in the underparts with spotted upperpart. The male and female call differently in a duet - when one hoots at a higher tone, the other will reply in a lower tone. How cool is that. I've got to watch out for this the next time. 

[Kitsafari]

90/SG90: Sunda Scops Owl, Pasir Ris Park

 

A pair of them are also residents in Pasir Ris Park (a third owl species - the buffy fish owl is also there but we haven't seen it lately). They are tiny and hiding in the darkness of thick roots and branches in a dense bush makes them challenging to find. Found throughout SEA. 

 

 

[Galana]

From Kingfishers through thrushes to Owls. Singapore certainly can produce some surprises.

And you saved the Trogon for later. Too kind as to much at once is never good for anybody.

Scops are always a firm favourite of mine so that has to be the picture for me.

What are you saving up for the big number which is now very near?

[Kitsafari]

@Galana thanks! the trogon will come with the trip's species - not that many though, sadly.

that scops owl is a favourite too, such a tiny little bird for an owl!

 

91/SG91: Long-tailed Parakeet, Kranji Marshes

 

This species is on the vulnerable list of IUCN mainly because of the rapid deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, two places that they are distributed in. It is native to thailand, India, Brunei, Myanmar and Singapore. The growing flocks of red-breasted and rose-ringed parakeets in SIngapore are pushing it to the edge. it is distinctive from the two other parakeets by its bright red face. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

92/SG92: Green Imperial Pigeon, Changi Business Park

 

When the fruits of a palm tree are ripe, you are almost certain to find the green imperial pigeon on its favourite fruit. This is a rare, fairly large pigeon species native in Singapore, with a brilliant metallic green body, wings and tail and a grey head . also found in Indian sub-continent to southern China and down to SEA. 

 

[Kitsafari]

93/SG93: Pied Imperial Pigeon, Chinese Gardens

 

Another fairly large bird, the pied imperial pigeon was introduced to Singapore but started to breed as well. Not very commonly distributed, it likes mangroves, forested and woodland areas. It's all white but for the black flight feathers and tail. Its natural distribution is from the Nicobar Island to New  Guinea and Australia