Singapore Raptor Report Spring Migration, February 2015
Summary for migrant species:
In February, 30 raptors of 9 migrant species were recorded. Surprisingly, there were no records of the Osprey. But that was more than made up for by a vagrant Himalayan Vulture recorded at Fort Canning on the 14th by visiting Canadian birder Gareth Puth. Among the rarities was the juvenile Jerdon's Baza recorded by See Toh Yew Wai at Lorong Halus Wetlands and a Common Kestrel at Pulau Punggol Barat on the 7th photographed by Zacc HD. Another highlight was the Booted Eagle, for which a dark morph was recorded by Horst Flotow at Biopolis on the 3rd; another dark morph was photographed by Alan Ng on the 15th at Pulau Punggol Barat, and Zacc HD recorded one on the 22nd, possibly the same bird, still hanging on the area despite the greatly reduced tree cover.
There were 11 birds for both the Oriental Honey Buzzard and the Black Baza, the numbers being similar to last month. As for the uncommon Peregrine Falcon, there was a single record at Pulau Ponggol on the 21st by Aldwin Recinto. Danny Lau recorded a Chinese Sparrowhawk at Mount Faber on the 1st, a nice record considering that none were recorded last month. The last raptor species was a Japanese Sparrowhawk recorded by See Toh Yew Wai at Lorong Halus Wetlands on the 14th.
Highlights for sedentary species:
For the rare Crested Goshawk, the adult recorded at Tampines Eco Green last month was still around. A fresh juvenile was recorded at West Coast Park, suggesting nesting activity in the area. There were also additional records of an adult at Hort Park on the 8th and at Pasir Ris Park on the 23rd and 27th. For the other rare resident raptor, the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, there were 5 records, interestingly, the one at Lorong Halus Wetlands was mobbed by a dark morph Changeable Hawk-eagle. Nesting activity was recorded for the Black-winged Kite, with 4 chicks seen on a nest at Tuas. The other resident raptors recorded included the Brahminy Kite and White-bellied Sea Eagle.
Table 1 S/N Species No. S/N Species No. 1 Jerdon's Baza 1 Residents / Sedentary Species 2 Black Baza 11 10 Black-winged Kite 6 3 Oriental Honey Buzzard 11 11 Brahminy Kite 10 4 Himalayan Vulture 1 12 White-bellied Sea Eagle 7 5 Japanese Sparrowhawk 1 13 Grey-headed Fish Eagle 5 6 Chinese Sparrowhawk 1 14 Crested Goshawk 5 7 Booted Eagle 2 15 Changeable Hawk-eagle 6 8 Common Kestrel 1 9 Peregrine Falcon 1 16 Unidentified Accipiter 1
Total for Migrants 30 Grand Total 70
Page 1 of 4 1. Jerdon's Baza Aviceda jerdoni (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 14 1 Halus Wetlands, juvenile See Toh Yew Wai
2. Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes (11)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 3 2 Changi Tan Gim Cheong 7 7 Turut Track, morning Low Choon How 8 2 Hort Park Danny Lau
3. Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus (11) orientalis, unless indicated otherwise
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 1 Dempsey Hill, juvenile Alan OwYong 10 1 Yishun Ring Road, pale orientalis shiouming 11 1 Ang Mo Kio, pale adult female orientalis Sharon Ler 12 3 Portsdown Road, in flight Lucy Davis 12 1 Wilton Close, juvenile pale orientalis Alison Wilson 20 1 MacRitchie Reservoir Lim Kim Chuah 22 1 Woking Road, juvenile pale orientalis Tony Khaw 26 2 Portsdown Road, 1 flying towards southern Alan OwYong ridges, another perched, evening
4. Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 14 1 Fort Canning Gareth Puth
5. Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 14 1 Halus Wetlands, juvenile See Toh Yew Wai
6. Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 1 Mount Faber Carpark B Danny Lau
7. Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus (2)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 3 1 Biopolis, along Biopolis Drive, adult dark morph, Horst Flotow 11:15am 15 1 Pulau Punggol Barat, dark morph Alan Ng 22 1 Pulau Punggol Barat, morning Zacc HD
Page 2 of 4 8. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 7 1 Pulau Punggol Barat, evening Zacc HD
9. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 21 1 Pulau Punggol Aldwin Recinto
Resident raptors
10. Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus (6)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 14 6 Tuas, 2 adults, 4 juveniles Ben Quek
11. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus (10)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 8 1 Upper Bukit Timah Road, on nest Ulf Remahl 13 3 Halus Wetlands, 11am Terry & Jane Heppell 14 3 Halus Wetlands, 2 adults, 1 juvenile See Toh Yew Wai 21 1 Mount Faber, 9am Terry & Jane Heppell 26 2 Japanese Garden, 10am Terry & Jane Heppell 28 3 Pulau Ubin, Pekan Quarry, 12pm Terry & Jane Heppell
12. White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster (7)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 9 1 Pasir Ris Park Alvin Seng 13 3 Halus Wetlands, 1 adult, 2 juveniles, 11am Terry & Jane Heppell 14 1 Halus Wetlands, adult See Toh Yew Wai 16 1 Singapore Quarry, adult, flying with 3-foot long Ulf Remahl branch 28 2 Pulau Ubin, nest near Ubin Quarry, 10am Terry & Jane Heppell 28 1 Pulau Ubin, Pekan Quarry, juvenile, 12pm Terry & Jane Heppell
Page 3 of 4 13. Grey-headed Fish Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus (5)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 1 Dempsey Hill Alan OwYong 7 1 Pandan River, adult, 6:27pm Yap Euhian 14 1 Halus Wetlands, adult, mobbed by dark morph See Toh Yew Wai Changeable Hawk-eagle 20 1 MacRitchie Reservoir Lim Kim Chuah 28 1 Pulau Ubin, Pekan Quarry, 12pm Terry & Jane Heppell
14. Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus (5)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 8 1 Hort Park, adult Danny Lau 14 1 Tampines Eco Green, adult Aldwin Recinto 23 1 Pasir Ris Park, juvenile Yam Tee Yong 27 2 Pasir Ris Park, 4pm Jane & Terry Heppell 27 1 West Coast Park, juvenile, evening toriwomitai
15. Changeable Hawk-eagle Spizaetus cirrhatus (6)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 8 1 Upper Bukit Timah Road, dark morph Ulf Remahl 8 2 Hort Park Danny Lau 9 1 Mount Faber, adult pale morph Zacc HD 13 1 Halus Wetlands, 11am Terry & Jane Heppell 14 2 Halus Wetlands, 1 dark morph mobbing a Grey- See Toh Yew Wai headed Figh Eagle, plus 1 juvenile pale morph 15 1 Jurong Eco Garden, adult pale morph Alvin Seng 16 1 Singapore Quarry, heard only Ulf Remahl
16. Unidentified Accipiter (1)
Date No. Location and Details Reported By 14 1 Halus Wetlands, probably Japanese See Toh Yew Wai
Compiled by Tan Gim Cheong
Note: The numbers in brackets beside the bird names indicates the total number seen for this month. Different reports of the same raptors from the same area have been discounted to prevent duplication.
Many thanks to everyone who had sent in their reports.
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