A Lesser Big Year - for Kit&Herman 2020

[Kitsafari]

88/SG88 : Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

In the right light conditions, the male flowerpecker will show off a bright orange belly. It is a very small bird and is found reliably in the diary farm nature park.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

89/SG89 : Little Grebe, Lorong Halus

 

No need to introduce this shy nervous bird. 

 

[Kitsafari]

90/SG90 : Asian Openbill, Jurong Lake Gardens

 

After the Asian openbills dramatically arrived late last year in droves to really excited birders and photographers (including us!), some have decided to stay on to continue to enjoy the water snails. Before December last year, we would only glimpse one or two openbills who were rare visitors then from northern Southeast Asia. Taken in bad light. 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

91/SG91 : Rock Pigeon, Singapore Flyer

 

I shall shamelessly include the rock pigeon to boost what will be a very low count this year!

It is a rather pretty rock pigeon, though. 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

SG/SG92 : Green Imperial Pigeon, Pasir Ris Park

 

I'll counter the common rock pigeon with the royal Green Imperial pigeon. This is a very large pigeon, somewhat shy but very reliable in finding them whenever the palm tree fruits. It's a rare resident breeder and native to India through Southeast Asia down to Indonesia. 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

2 minutes ago, Kitsafari said:

I shall shamelessly include the rock pigeon to boost what will be a very low count this year!

 

No apologies needed Kit, many of us have had to include birds and/or photos we would not normally bother with. 

[xelas]

And Rock Pigeon beats Feral Pigeon hands down !

[Kitsafari]

93/SG93: Paddyfield Pipit, Seletar/ Marina Bay East

 

the only pipit species that is resident in Singapore, although we do get two  other pipit species visiting during the winter season. 

 

[Kitsafari]

94/SG94 : Pin-tailed Snipe, Changi Business Park

 

An uncommon migrant from its breeding grounds in north-western Russia, Siberia and Mongolia. This snipe lives up the species' reputation for being shy and nervous, hiding in the long grasses and not moving to remain undetected. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

96/SG96 : Crimson Sunbird, Dairy Farm Nature Park

 

Our unofficial national bird, picked by birders. It's very reliably seen at the Dairy Farm Nature Park where it is sometimes joined by the Van Heusen's sunbirds. 

 

[xelas]

Very nice bird, it should be (finally) upgraded to official status.

[Kitsafari]

97/SG97 : Blue-eared Kingfisher, Hindhede Nature Reserve

 

This is a rarely seen resident but in recent years, it's been more regularly sighted. The blue-eared kingfisher looks almost like the common kingfisher but is far smaller with blue ear-coverts and deep blue upperparts. This photo was taken in January 2020, when we were freer to roam and gather.

 

[Kitsafari]

98/SG98 : Common Kingfisher, Changi Business Park

 

Unlike what its name suggests, the common kingfisher is an uncommon migrant from the northern parts of Asia and Southeast Asia, but there used to be one regularly seen fishing at a quiet stretch of a canalised river in the business park.  this kingfisher has rufous ear coverts, a distinction from the blue-eared cousin. the lower reddish mandible indicates this is a female (similar for the blue-eared KF). 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

99/SG99 : Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pasir Ris Park

 

This kingfisher is not easy to find, but there is a resident at this Pasir Ris Park that likes to shower and fish at the mouth of the river, and it has been very kind to always perch very close to the bridge so that birders and photographers can admire it.

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Amazing that for a year of non-travel (so far), we manage to hit the century landmark! and to celebrate this milestone in a Coronavirus year that has been marked by widespread lockdowns and swift and sharp increase in government penalties (1984 here we are!), we've picked the very rare

 

100/SG100 : Asian Emerald Cuckoo,  Ghim Moh estate

 

This is the only third sighting of this beautiful bird in Singapore which makes it a much-sought-after and very rare visitor from the Indian sub-continent, through to southern China and northern Indochina. Fortunately, the cuckoo arrived just before the partial lockdown measures were imposed on April 7 so quite a few birders and photographers were able to view this stunning bird. Not the best shots as it was in the shadows of a  tree. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

101/SG101 : Peregrine Falcon, Bedok

 

Not a frequently seen bird of prey but in recent months a handful has been sighted over the island. This raptor has adapted well to the urban areas, often seen perching on apartment blocks!

 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Kitsafari

[xelas]

Congratulations on your #100, @Kitsafari. 

[Kitsafari]

102/SG102 : Chinese Hwamei, Toa Payoh Park

 

Probably an escapee, the songbird has been seen at this park for the last 3-4 years but the recent sightings have brought out potential poachers as well. hopefully, the hwamei has avoided their cages. This is a rare introduced resident species, and their songs are so melodious they are big targets for the caged bird trade. 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Kitsafari

[shazdwn]

Congratulations on your 100 - what a great bird to celebrate it with

[Kitsafari]

Thanks @xelas!

 

103/SG103 : Masked Lapwing, Sungei Bedok

 

Also known as Masked plover or spur-winged plover,  the lapwing is an introduced species from Australasia, including New Guinea. the lapwing is doing very well here and has been seen breeding pretty successfully. there was a flock of the lapwings earlier in the year, but just last month, before the lockdown took effect, I took a walk there with Herman on my first bird outing this year, and there was still one lapwing left. A real survivor over these past few months, this lapwing has only one foot. 

 

 

you can just see the spur in the below pix. 

 

[Tdgraves]

Congratulations on your first century of the year @Kitsafari

[Soukous]

What a fabulous Cuckoo. Well done on reaching 100

[Galana]

Congratulations on the first Century and a great photo to celebrate the event.

The shining green on the throat in the 2nd shot is superb.

[michael-ibk]

Great stuff Kit and Hermann, congratulations on your first 100! Love the Kingfishers, and the picture of all the Lapwings is striking.

[Peter Connan]

Magnificent centurion, and all the others too!