NSS Bird Group Report-Oct 2015 October normally marks the peak passerine migration period for Singapore. Unfortunately it was also the peak time for peatland forest fires in Indonesia resulting in prolonged haze in the region. This is not a rant about our own inconvenience, but before we proceed further, spare a thought for the lost habitat for these migrants that have flown thousands of kilometres to find their wintering ground destroyed. The globally threatened Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher at Bidadari on 3 October The list of migrants that came to our shore this month is a long one. Among the notable ones are the ever popular Black-backed Kingfisher that landed at Bidadari on 6 October. Bidadari, which is widely considered as the best place in Singapore to see migrant forest birds also played host to numerous Brown-chested Jungle Flycatchers. This globally threatened species made its first appearance on 3 October and a few seemed to have made it their wintering ground. The Siberian Blue Robin, another attractive species that occupy the same bushes and ground as the jungle flycatchers also made its first appearance on 5 October. 1 Ferruginous Flycatcher at Bidadari Other notable sightings at Bidadari include the Asian Paradise Flyacatchers that made their first appearance on 2 October, the attractive Ferruginous Flycatcher on 28 October. The short range migrant from Malaysia, the Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo made an appearance at Bidadari on 15 October. It’s cousin the similar looking Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo came from further north and consequently made its first appearance on 18 October. Another charismatic species, the Blue-winged Pitta was reported on 18 October. Blue-winged Pitta at Bidadari. 2 Bidadari wasn’t the only place where migrants appeared. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve continue to play host to migrant shorebirds, with sighting of the Bar-tailed Godwits starting on 4 October. These godwits are known to migrant birds with the longest known non-stop flight, and also the longest journey without pausing to feed by any animal (link). Shorebirds weren’t the only species that landed in Sungei Buloh. A Dark- sided Flycatcher was recorded there on 20 October, and a flock of Oriental Pratincoles on 27 October. Shorebirds were also sighted at Pulau Tekong with the globally vulnerable Great Knot on 21 October, 2 Grey Plovers on 27 October and 4 Ruddy Turnstones on 30 October. Swinhoe’s Plover at Marina East. This is a subspecies of Kentish Plover. Another area with shorebirds reported is at Marina East Drive, with sightings of 6 Kentish Plovers (a mixture of nominate subspecies alexandrinus and dealbatus also known as Swinhoe’s Plover) and Malaysian Plovers on 24 October. These species are normally sandy beach specialists, but they seem to have stayed on at the breakwater. Across the barrage at Gardens by the Bay, the first Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was reported on 14 October. Photographers were also having a field day photographing the confiding Common Kingfisher at that locality. Slightly further away, the locally very rare Lesser Frigatebird was found by workers at Marina South Pier with a hook in the stomach on 9 October. It was sent to ACRES but did not survive. 3 On the raptor front, Peregrine Falcons were reported at three localities. At Pulau Ubin on 1 October, Japanese Garden on 15 October, and Millennium Tower on 29 October. The Pulau Ubin and Millennium Tower birds were of the ernesti race, which are rare residents, while the Japanese Garden bird is believed to be of the japonensis race that migrate from the north. Female Chinese Sparrowhawk at Jelutong Tower Juvenile Japanese Sparrowhawk at Tuas South 4 At Tuas South and Jelutong Tower, the migrant raptors, swifts and swallows were reported flying past. Chinese Sparrowhawks were seen at Tuas South on 6 October, and Jelutong Tower on 7 October together with, Japanese Sparrowhawks (7) , Oriental Honey Buzzards (7) and a Pacific Swift. On the same day (7 October), a large flock of Oriental Honey Buzzards totaling 42 were seen at Tuas South. On 15 October, the Red-rumped Swallows made an appearance at Jelutong Tower. On 28 October, there were 21 Oriental Honey Buzzards, 2 Japanese Sparrowhawks, 8 Oriental Pratincoles and 2 Pacific Swifts at Tuas South. On 29 October, a Black Bittern and an Indian Cuckoo were also seen at Tuas South. Female Oriental Honey Buzzard at Jelutong Tower Over at the freshwater ponds at Turut Track, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 6 Little Ringed Plovers and a Grey Wagtail were reported on 25 October. Finally, below is the summary of the birds reported and relevant comments in a tabular format. Thank you for your continued feedback and support. Note: This edition of the monthly bird report was compiled by Alan OwYong. The above records are taken from the various bird FB groups. pages, reports and forums. Many thanks for your postings. Photos and editing by Francis Yap. Website link: https://singaporebirdgroup.wordpress.com/2015/11/06/singapore-bird- report-october-2015/ 5 REPORTED DATE SPECIES NO. LOCALITY COMMENTS BY 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 P. Ubin Andrew Tan ernesti race Asian Paradise 2 1 Bidadari Frankie Lim White morph. Flycatcher Brown-chested 3 2 Bidadari Francis Yap Photo. First for the season Jungle Flycatcher 4 Bar-tailed Godwit 1 SBWR Ben Lee Photo. Two were counted a few days later. Serangoon 4 Whiskered Tern 1 See Toh Photo. Juvenile Reservoir Low Choon 5 Western Osprey 1 Dairy Farm Photo How 5 Siberian Blue Robin 1 Bidadari Robin Tan Photo. Female. Also posted by Frankie Lim. Black-backed Er Boon 6 1 Bidadari Photo. Another new arrival Kingfisher Siong Yellow-rumped 6 1 Joo Chiat David Tan Photo. Crashed on to 3rd Floor window. Died. Flycatcher Chinese Tan Gim 6 1 Tuas South Photo. Sparrowhawk Cheong Chinese Jelutong 7 4 Francis Yap Photo. Sparrowhawks Tower Japanese Jelutong 7 7 Francis Yap Photo. Sparrowhawks Tower Oriental Honey Jelutong 7 7 Francis Yap Photo. Buzzards Tower Jelutong 7 Pacific Swift 1 Francis Yap Photo. Tower Oriental Honey Tan Gim 7 42 Tuas South First big flock of migrating OHB reported. Buzzard Cheong Amur Paradise 7 1 Bidadari Francis Yap Photo Flycatcher Marina Found with hook in the stomach. Sent to ACRES 9 Lesser Frigatebird 1 David Tan South Pier but died. Straits of 11 Aleutian Terns 4 Francis Yap Photo. Singapore Swinhoe’s Storm Straits of 11 Francis Yap Photo. On migration Petrels Singapore Straits of 11 Bridled Terns 100 Francis Yap Photo. Singapore Bukit Batok 14 Blue-winged Pitta 2 David Tan Died after crash. Sec School Pallas’s Grasshopper Gardens by Vinchel 14 1 Report. First for the season. Warbler the Bay Budihardjo Malaysian Hawk- 15 1 Bidadari Francis Yap Photo Cuckoo Jelutong 15 Red-rumped Swallow 1 Francis Yap Photo. First arrival for the season Tower Farmway 3 Aldwin 15 White Wagtail 1 Photo. leucopsis race. Canal Recinto 6 Japanese Boon Hong 15 Peregrine Falcon 1 Photo. First for JG Gardens Chan Low Choon 16 Black Bittern 1 Tuas South Reported by Lim Kim Keang. First for the season How Low Choon 16 Indian Cuckoo 1 Tuas South Reported by Lim Kim Keang. First for the season How 16 Thick-billed Pigeon 1 Mount Faber Sarah Chin Photo. Pigeon crashed into window but survived. Hodgson’s Hawk- 18 1 Bidadari Liz How Photo Cuckoo 18 Snipe spp 3 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo. Swintail? 18 Blue-winged Pitta 1 Bidadari Tom Wilson Report 18 Intermediate Egret 1 Sentosa Sarah Chin Report Fadhi 20 Dark-sided Flycatcher 1 SBWR Admah/Mis Photo hak Shunari Frankie 21 Great Knot 1 P. Tekong Photo. Cheong 23 Oriental Pratincole 1 SBWR See Toh Photo Marina East Loke Peng 24 Kentish Plover 2 Photo. One of the plovers looks like a Malaysian. Drive Fai Marina East 25 Kentish Plover 2 See Toh Photo. Looks like a subspecies dealbatus Drive 25 Wood Sandpiper 1 Turut Pond Subha Photo 25 Little Ringed Plover 6 Turut Pond Subha Report 25 Grey Wagtail 1 Turut Pond Subha Report Tuas South 25 Savanna Nightjar 1 See Toh Photo. Ave 16 Marina East 25 Malaysian Plover 1 KC Ling Photo Drive Seletar East Henriette 26 Oriental Pratincole 1 Photo Link Woo Frankie 27 Grey Plover 2 P. Tekong Photo Cheong 27 Oriental Pratincole 150 SBG See Toh Photo. 4th record of more than 100 birds. Ferruginous 28 1 Bidadari Alan Ng Photo. First for the season Flycatcher Oriental Honey 28 21 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo Buzzards Japanese 28 2 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo Sparrowhawk 7 28 Pacific Swifts 2 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo 28 Oriental Pratincoles 8 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo Von Schrenck’s Taman Lee Van Photo. Crashed into flats but recovered and flew 29 1 Bittern Jurong Hien off Millennium Zhang ernesti race eating a Yellow Bittern on window 29 Peregrine Falcon 1 Tower Zicong ledge Parc Chung 29 Ruddy Kingfisher 1 Centennial Photo. Adult. Cheong Condo Asian Paradise Telok Kurau Ng Chay 29 1 Photo. Flycatcher Lor M Tuan Frankie 30 Ruddy Turnstone 4 P. Tekong Photo. First for the season. Cheong 31 Oriental Pratincole 59 Tuas South Francis Yap Photo.On migration south. Low Choon Blue-and-white Tuas and 31 2 How / Lim Photo. Female and male respectively Flycatcher Bidadari Ser Chai 8 .