A Lesser Big Year - for Kit&Herman 2020

[Kitsafari]

171 : Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu, Punggol Park

 

Nope, not a stealthy trip to Africa. The cordon bleus - probably released birds over the years - seem to be building up a small flock with the waxbills in Punggol. they are such pretty birds.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

172 : Large-billed Crow, Henderson Waves

 

We joined a bunch of crazy birders for a couple of days in what we call a Raptor Watch in blazing hot sunlight. Henderson Waves has no shade or cover but is one of the best places to watch waves and waves of migratory raptors as they fly by Singapore on their way from the winters in north Asia and Russia to Indonesia and Australia. our first morning yielded lots of accipiters (mainly sparrowhawks) and crested honey buzzards but the peak is now where people have seen besras, great spotted eagles, eastern imperial eagle and a rare booted eagle. Exciting stuff. But the raptors are really high - too challenging for less veteran guys like us. 

 

So a large billed crow flying low is a bonus. LOL! but this is an uncommon resident species in Singapore, with a deeper voice than the common crows and as its name suggests, a larger bill. 

 

[Kitsafari]

173: Golden-bellied Gerygone, Garden by the Bay/ Marina Barrage

 

A common resident bird that looks almost like the female sunbirds but with a thicker shorter beak. Unfortunately, the gerygone's nest is also a favourite place for the brood parasite little bronze cuckoo.  At Marina Barrage, we felt really sorry for the tiny gerygone working so hard for the ever hungry juvenile cuckoo which was easily more than twice the size of the gerygone. 

 

 

Gardens BTB

 

 

 

 

 

In keeping with the brood parasite stuff, birders were also fascinated by the tiny tailorbird (all of 11.5cm) feeding the plaintive cuckoo juvenile at the Pasir Ris Park. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

174 : Crow-billed Drongo, Singapore Botanic Gardenj/ Changi  Business Park

 

An uncommon migrant bird from northern parts of Himalayas and Southeast Asia. It looks very similar to the black drongo with a stout bill and a forked tail. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

175: Zebra Finch , Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

A delightful little bird that hails from Australasia, a victim sadly from the caged bird trade. I googled the species and a whole series of sales sites for the bird appeared at the top. This species has also been introduced to Portugal and Puerto Rico! a handful of the finches was found in the park. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

176 : Black-winged Kite, Neo Tiew area

 

We had made a number of trips searching for the resident pair of kites, but the clearance of the entire undeveloped areas into hi-tech agricultural farms have somewhat reduced their hunting grounds and the kites have been flying further afield. We aren't sure of what the future will hold for these stunning black-winged kites in Singapore, even though they are resident raptors. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

177 : Coconut Lorikeet, Fringe of the Bishan Ang-Mo Kio park

 

A fruiting tree by the side of a busy major road had attracted a flock of the noisy coconut lorikeets so we took the opportunity to take photos of them. On the same tree was a huge hornet nest so we kept our distance, as did the lorikeets and the glossy starlings swarming the fruits of the fig tree. Coconut lorikeets look similar to the rainbow lorikeets but are found outside of Australia in the eastern Indonesian islands. They are uncommon introduced residents in Singapore now. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

178 : Chestnut-bellied Malkoha,  Jurong Eco Garden

 

The only reliable chance of seeing the elusive malkohas is if they are nesting outside of the thick forest and that was what happened with this beautiful non-brooding parasite cuckoo species. The chick sat quietly in the nest and we had to stay entirely silent (and kept a far distance from the nest) so that the parent will be brave enough to appear.  

This uncommon resident is found in peninsular southeast Asia down to Indonesia and Borneo. It's the only remaining malkoha species in Singapore as it has adapted better to rapid deforestation. 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Peter Connan]

Some really lovely birds and photos!

 

Sorry to hear about your misfortunes, but glad to hear you are recovering.

[TonyQ]

Sorry to hear about your mishaps - but pleased you are posting more birds.

Lovely additions and beautiful photos!

[Galana]

My sympathies too @Kitsafariand hope it all improves shortly.

 

Some excellent photographs of interesting species they you both managed to get.

[Zim Girl]

Great new additions, always fascinating to see the small birds feeding the cuckoos.

[PeterHG]

I hope for a speedy and full recovery! Lots of beautiful species and photos again. I love the feeding photos of the cuckoo. Singapore appears to have a high number of introduced species.

[Kitsafari]

15 hours ago, PeterHG said:

. Singapore appears to have a high number of introduced species.

 

@PeterHG there is  a high number of introduced species but only those that have adapted well are breeding successfully. The introduced numbers are due to the historical bird caged trade, which means birds not on the endangered list can be legally sold, and to the long held tradition of releasing animals on the Buddhist festival of Vesak Day.

The trade has declined as the younger generations eschew the habit due to lack of home space, and due to more awareness that birds are caught in the wild for sale. The tradition of releasing animals is meant to show kindness to animals by letting them free but it is so ironical since many of these animals are cruelly caught in the wild. This tradition is also being discouraged in recent years. 

 

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @Peter Connan @Galana @TonyQ @Zim Girl @PeterHG for the kind comments!

[Kitsafari]

179: Brown Hawk Owl, Hindhede park

 

The uncommon resident and its mate is often seen at this park. It is a rather small owl and roosts high in the trees. This species is found all over Asia. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

180 : Sunda Scops Owl, Pasir Ris Park

 

A small owl of 23cm, the sunda scops owl and its mate are residents in a row of thick bushes. it's hard to find them in the dark dense branches but it's their home. Found in the Thai-Malaya peninsular down to Indonesia, including Borneo.

 

[Kitsafari]

181 : Blue-rumped Parrot, Windsor Park

 

An uncommon resident, the blue-rumped parrot likes the thick wooded forest areas in its native homes in the Thai-Malaya peninsula down to Indonesia. 

 

Female: 

 

Male: 

Edited November 12, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

182: Green peafowl, Sentosa

 

The families of peafowls are doing very well on the Sentosa Island, and they roam freely. There is always a family around at Capella Hotel. The green peafowl is a sub-species of the peafowl, and is distinguished from the Indian peafowl by its green luminous neck vs the more blue in the Indian peacock. The green peafowl is listed as endangered and is found mainly in northern Myanmar, Thailand, parts of Malaysia and Java. 

 

Male

 

Female: 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

183: Chinese Sparrowhawk, Ang Mo Kio Park

 

The sparrowhawks flew down south to Southeast Asia towards the end of last month in their annual migration from Siberia, China to Korea, with a few usually staying on in our little island. This Chinese sparrowhawk likes its nook at the Ang Mo Kio park and it was no different this October. It is distinguished from the other accipitors by the orangey yellow cere and in flight, it is marked by the blackish tips of its wings.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

184: Japanese Sparrowhawk, Henderson Waves

 

There were waves and waves of Japanese sparrowhawks above us in the skies but luckily a handful of them thermalled or flew lower for Herman to see them and shoot them. I was the spotter/guider for him! so we learned from the experts - the males have an almost bare belly with a rufous tinge on the underpart, the females have horizontal bars across the belly while the juveniles spot a blend of horizontal bars and vertical streaks. 

Like its cousins, the Japanese sparrowhawks hail from Siberia, China across through Korea to Japan and winters in Southeast Asia. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Galana]

Love the Hawks.

[Soukous]

Beautiful additions - I can only view with envy at the moment.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful owls and raptors!

[Zim Girl]

Love the picture of the Scops owl, so cute!