A Lesser Big Year - for Kit&Herman 2020

[Kitsafari]

200 : Chinese Blue Flycatcher, Jurong Lake Gardens

 

We were still in Tuas when our friend, who was with us, received an alert that the  much-sought after Chinese Blue flycatcher was seen in the Jurong Lake Gardens. we packed up immediately to head northwards to the park. This is the only 4th appearance in Singapore ever which makes the lovely flycatcher a rare migrant to our shores, and there was huge controversy over the third appearance in February. Suffice to say only a handful of people saw it in February and kept it a HUGE secret to the consternation of other veteran birders who are generous in sharing sightings. even birding is political. 

 

so we were greatly grateful to the person who shared the sighting for its 4th appearance, and i can see why it was a special bird. This very rare vagrant to Singapore is found mainly in China and winters mostly in mainland southeast Asia. 

 

 

   

Edited November 29, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

201: Narcissus Flycatcher, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

Another very rare vagrant, the narcissus flycatcher attracted crowds of photographers and birders for a chance to have the only third sighting of this bird in Singapore. The male narcissus looks like the male yellow-rumped flycatcher except for the yellow supercillium and the yellow-white belly. The two  whitish strips along its wings is a distinctive feature.

 

It flies in from Sakhalin and Japan to winter in Korea, China and as far south as Southeast Asia. 

 

 

it's eating the mulberry fruit here. 

[Kitsafari]

202 : Blue and White Flycatcher/Zappey's Flycatcher, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

The blue and white flycatcher comes from Korea and Japan to winter in Southeast Asia. the male looks almost like the zappey's except that it is bluish -black in the head while the zappey's is more bluish . The zappey's breeds in Siberia, northeast China and northern Korea and winters in Southeast Asia. The juveniles of both species look exactly the same and are indistinguishable. 

 

female: 

 

 

 

Male: 

 

 

Juvenile: 

 

[Kitsafari]

203: Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

This is a beautiful paradise flycatcher with a glossy dark purplish mantle and a distinctive inverted U shaped border between the blackish breast and the whitish belly. A rare migrant to our shores, compared with the more common Blythe's paradise flycatcher. It breeds in Japan, Korea Taiwan to northern Philippines and winters in southern China, HK and Southeast Asia. this bird was a tough one to photograph, as it stayed in the thick shaded parts of the dense trees.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

204: Blythe's Paradise Flycatcher, Singapore Botanic Garden

 

a more common migrant in our country, the Blythe's flies down south from southern China and northern parts of Indochina.  

 

[Kitsafari]

205: Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Singapore Botanic Garden

 

This Amur Paradise Flycatcher was flying around the same areas as the Japanese paradise flycatcher, confusing the birders. The best strategy - shoot first, check later!  The Amur flies in from China, Korea, Japan and southeastern Russia to Southeast Asia for the winter. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

 

Asian Paradise Flycatcher White Morph, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

White morphs of the paradise flycatchers are uncommon in Singapore. They are beautiful but even experts are stumped to which species the white morph belongs to. I won't count this but just to share the photo of such a beauty.  This is one with a short tail.there are others with longer tails, but their appearances are often very transitory - they are one-day birds. here today and gone tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter Connan]

A beautiful selection, and congratulations on obliterating the double century.

[michael-ibk]

Wonderful photos Kit & Herman, congratulations on #200! What an amazing amount of Flycatchers you have - fantastic. I do like this family a lot. 

[Tdgraves]

Lovely flycatchers @Kitsafari well done on the 200

[Galana]

Congratulations on the double century. My top marks for beauty must go to the White Morph Flycatcher  with the male Yellow rump taking 2nd place but a heck of a lot of 'highly commended' in the batch.

[xelas]

Excellent Flycathers, congratulations on reaching #200!

[TonyQ]

Well done on reaching 200. A real pleasure to follow these. Beautiful birds, beautifully photographed!

A wonderful collection of Flycatchers

[PeterHG]

Congrats on your 200. A wonderful Flycatcher collection with even some rare vagrants. And Herman did a great job on the photos!

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on reaching 200 with a beautiful collection of flycatchers!

[Kitsafari]

Thanks much @Peter Connan @Galana @michael-ibk @Tdgraves @TonyQ @xelas @PeterHG @Zim Girl! 

[pedro maia]

Congrats on the double century with great pictures.

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @pedro maia

 

The male narcissus flycatcher turned up in Singapore - the first ever sighting on our island! and made the birding and photographic community delirious with joy!

It's a bright brilliant bird but it was always so well hidden, so please excuse the below par shot but just had to share it. 

 

201: Narcissus Flycatcher, male Singapore Botanic Garden

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Back to a couple more flycatchers - this year's haul of the migrant small birds has been pretty good.

 

206: Ferruginous Flycatcher, Singapore Botanic Garden

 

Its rusty-rufous coverts and rusty-buff breast and flanks have given it a nickname Iron Boy. It is a a regular winter migrant to our shores, having flown from northeast India, central China and Taiwan.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

207: Mugimaki Flycatcher, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

Another regular migrant to Singapore, the mugimaki comes from eastern Siberia, Sakhalin, northeast China t winter as far north as Japan and Korea and as far south as Southeast Asia. The males have literally just been sighted in Singapore, arriving later than the females. 

 

Female: 

 

[Kitsafari]

208: Green-backed Flycatcher, Singapore Botanic Garden

 

One of the more uncommonly seen flycatchers, the green-backed breeds in northeastern China and winters in southern China and Southeast Asia. 

 

 

the reason for its name: 

 

 

[Galana]

8 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

the reason for its name: 

I like it when they do that.

Nice additions.

[Kitsafari]

Procrastination is my middle name, and it's only 6 more days to the end of annus horribilis, so best to get on with a few more to the count. 

 

 

209: Large Hawk Cuckoo, Changi Business Park

 

an uncommon migrant

 

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

210: Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

another uncommon migrant bird

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

211 : Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Changi Business Park

 

a beautiful migrant visitor that is usually shy and elusive