Raptor Report Late Spring Migration, April-June 2018

Oriental Honey Buzzard with what appears to be 'landing lights' at the shoulders! Goldhill Avenue, 6 April, 2018, by Zacc HD.

Summary:

Six migrant raptor species were recorded in the April to June period, a 50% increase compared to the previous year. The 'additional' species were the Black Kite and Black Baza. The other four species are regulars during this period - the Osprey, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Japanese Sparrowhawk and Peregrine Falcon.

A juvenile Black Kite Milvus migrans, a scarce visitor, was photographed at Choa Chu Kang christian cemetery on the 12th, scavenging on leftover food together with more than 20 Brahminy Kites; the kite was there for five days, from the 12-16 April. A single Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes was recorded at on 3 April.

Of the 22 Oriental Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus recorded, one was of the torquatus race and at least 13 were of the orientalis race. Of the orientalis race, all were juveniles or second calendar year birds - six of these young birds were recorded in April, 4 in May and 3 in June. Interestingly, Zacc HD photographed an individual, at Goldhill Avenue in April, that showed features that looked like 'landing lights' (white patches) at the shoulders, which could lead the uninitiated to think that they had seen a Booted Eagle. The single torquatus was recorded only on one day, on 6 May at Bukit Timah near the hill top.

Records of the Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis spanned from 1-20 April. Eight were seen at Jelutong Tower on the 1st, flying north; up to three were on Pulau Ubin, with the rest being singles at , Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR), Kranji Marshes, Choa Chu Kang, and the last one at Jelutong Tower on the 20th.

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Five Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus were recorded, one at Kranji Marshes-SBWR area in April, one each at Pulau Ubin and Bishan Park in April, and one each at Neptune Court and Goldhill Avenue in May. A single Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus was recorded at the Kranji Marshes-SBWR area from April to June, and another at Seletar in April and May.

Changeable Hawk Eagle, a young pale morph male still in immature plumage, judged to be a second year bird, that paired with a dark morph female to raise a chick at Kranji Marshes, in flight after delivering food to the nest, 20 April 2018, by Tan Gim Cheong

Sedentary Raptors

One Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela was present at Goldhill Avenue area in April and May, with the exception of 9 April when two birds were seen. In addition, one individual was recorded at SBWR on 6 June.

Page 2 of 9 For the Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus, there were 2 records each in April and May, and one in June. Next, for the Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus, there were 2 at Springleaf Nature Park and one at Seletar Camp in April, and one each at SBWR and Singapore Quarry in June.

One Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus was recorded at Kranji Marshes in April and May, and another at Yio Chu Kang in May. The common Brahminy Kite Haliastur Indus was recorded in all 3 months and a maximum of 24 were recorded at Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery in April, feeding on food scraps.

Breeding Records

Three nestings of the White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster were observed during this period, one at Bukit Merah/SGH with at least one fledgling in early May, another at with at least one fledgling in early June and the best known one at Fort Canning with two chicks fledging in June.

A nest of the Changeable Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus, with one dark morph adult and a young chick covered in white down on an Albizia tree at Kranji Marshes, was first reported on 3 April. During observations in April and May, the dark morph adult was usually present with the chick. The male, a pale morph and smaller in size compared to the dark morph, was observed to deliver food on the morning of 20 April and 19 May, leaving soon after on both occasions, leaving the female to feed the prey to the chick. Interestingly, the male was still in typical immature plumage with little streaking on breast and judged to be a second calendar year individual.

Nocturnal Raptors

A Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji flew into an apartment at Hougang Central on the night of 3 May surprising Janani Srinivasan, and the bird was guided out safely. On 24 May, Peter Ding had the good luck of encountering a Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus near Singapore Quarry and managed to photograph it. An Eastern Barn Owl Tyto delicatula was found at a Sims Drive condominium on 2 April, and another roosting in a stand of trees by the seaside along a path at Punggol end on 9 Jun, during the day. An unfortunate Spotted Wood Owl Strix seloputo was found dead on 28 April at Bartley.

Breeding Records of Nocturnal Raptors

The Buffy Fish Owl Ketupa ketupu fledgling at SBWR was seen on 3 April and 20 May. A Spotted Wood Owl chick, partially covered in white downy feathers, fell to the ground at on 5 April and was placed back onto the tree by rescuers (it had previously fallen on 23 March and similarly rescued). The same chick had reportedly fledged on 21 April but was found on the ground, unable to clamber up the trees, and was again placed back onto the tree. By 25 April the young owl appeared to have truly fledged. A family of Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji, with a fledgling, was present at Pasir Ris Park (PRP) on several days in May, roosting in a dense stand of small trees.

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1. Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 Apr 1 Kranji Marshes Martin Kennewell 4 Apr 1 SBWR Martin Kennewell 17 Apr 1 Seletar Dam Tan Kok Hui

15 May 1 Seletar Dam Tan Kok Hui 16 May 1 Kranji Marshes Tay Kian Guan 20 May 1 SBWR Martin Kennewell 26 May 1 Kranji Marshes Martin Kennewell

17 Jun 1 Kranji Marshes, morning Adrian Silas Tay 17 Jun 1 Kranji Marshes, morning Veronica Foo

2. Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes Date No. Location and Details Reported By 3 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin, Jalan Noordin Daniel Field, Oliver Tan

3. Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Eco Green, juvenile pale morph Feroz Fizah 3 Apr 1 Goldhill Avenue, juvenile Basil Chia 3 Apr 2 Henderson Waves, late morning Alan OwYong 3 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, in aerial confrontation with Stephen Matthews 1 Black-winged Kite 4 Apr 1 SBWR, morning Alan OwYong 6 Apr 1 Goldhill Avenue, juvenile pale morph with Zacc HD 'landing lights' 7 Apr 1 Satay by the Bay, juvenile pale morph Joyce Chia 8 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Lim Hong Yao 9 Apr 1 Sembawang Hills Food Centre Roberta Cheok 15 Apr 1 Bidadari, juvenile pale morph, female Phua Joo Yang 18 Apr 1 NTU James Lambert 22 Apr 2 Novena, heading north Russell Boyman 30 Apr 1 Pasir Ris Park, juvenile pale morph Alvin Seng

6 May 1 Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, immature Marcel Finlay torquatus tweeddale morph perched, morning 6 May 1 Bukit Timah hill top, immature torquatus Goh Cheng Teng tweeddale morph in flight, 9:30am 18 May 3 , immatures Alvin Seng 20 May 1 West Coast Park, immature, mobbed by Fadzrun A crows

1 Jun 1 West Coast, immature pale morph, morning Tay Kian Guan 10 Jun 2 Kent Ridge area, immature pale morphs Low Chong Yang

Page 4 of 9 4. Japanese Sparrowhawk Accipiter gularis Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 Apr 8 Jelutong Tower, flying north Francis Yap 1 Apr 1 Dairy Farm Nature Park Keita Sin 2 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin assembly area, flying north, Kerry Pereira 4:28pm 3 Apr 2 Pulau Ubin David Tan 4 Apr 1 SBWR, morning Alan OwYong 7 Apr 1 Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, adult female Pary Sivaraman 8 Apr 3 Pulau Ubin Lim Hong Yao 13 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christain cemetery Martin Kennewell 15 Apr 1 Kranji Marshes Martin Kennewell 17 Apr 1 Dairy Farm Nature Park Con Foley 20 Apr 1 Jelutong Tower, adult male Francis Yap

5. Black Kite Milvus migrans Date No. Location and Details Reported By 12 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, juvenile Tay Kian Guan 13 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, juvenile Martin Kennewell 14 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, juvenile Adrian Silas Tay 15 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, juvenile Zacc HD 16 Apr 1 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, juvenile Tan Eng Boo

6. Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 Apr 1 Kranji Marshes Martin Kennewell 3 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin David Tan 13 Apr 1 SBWR Martin Kennewell 24 Apr 1 Bishan Park Martin Kennewell 27 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Sensory Trail, 10:46am Kerry Pereira

4 May 1 Neptune Court (Marine Parade), adult Wai Munn 5 May 1 Goldhill Avenue Koji Ichiyama

Resident Raptors

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 3 Apr 1 Kranji Marshes, in aerial confrontation with Stephen Matthews 2 OHB

9 May 1 Kranji Marshes, morning Veronica Foo 30 May 1 Yio Chu Kang, end of Lilac Walk, 6:45pm Yeong Wai Kai

Page 5 of 9 Brahminy Kite Haliastur Indus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin lotus & lily pond Trail, 4:14pm Kerry Pereira 2 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Pekan quarry, 4:24pm Kerry Pereira 11 Apr 1 Satay by the Bay Joyce Chia 12 Apr 24 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery, feeding Tay Kian Guan on scraps left behind 13 Apr 20 Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery Martin Kennewell 21 Apr 2 Labrador Park Joyce Chia 21 Apr 1 Little Guilin, 9:12am Kerry Pereira 27 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Sensory Trail, 10:46am Kerry Pereira

9 May 1 Kranji Marshes, pale morph, morning Veronica Foo 11 May 1 Joyce Chia 22 May 1 Coney Island, 8:56am Kerry Pereira

10 Jun 2 Jurong Eco Garden, an immature flying with Doreen Ang, an adult Peng Ah Huay

White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Changi Point Ferry Terminal, 1:47pm Kerry Pereira 2 Apr 2 Pulau Ubin lotus & lily pond Trail, 4:14pm Kerry Pereira 21 Apr 2 Dairy Farm Nature Park, 10am Veronica Foo 26 Apr 3 Fort Canning, 1 adult with 2 young chicks Art Toh on nest 27 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin jetty, 9:15am Kerry Pereira 27 Apr 3 Pulau Ubin Sensory Garden, 10:29am Kerry Pereira 27 Apr 1 Telok Blangah Green Joyce Chia 28 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Police Post, 9:59am Kerry Pereira

Early 2 Bukit Merah/SGH, 1 fledgling and 1 adult Harry Geno-Oehlers May perched near nest 17 May 2 Fort Canning, 2 well grown chicks on nest Tan Gim Cheong 25 May 2 Pulau Ubin jetty, 9:15am Kerry Pereira 25 May 1 Pulau Ubin Sendory Garden, juvenile, Kerry Pereira 9:35am 25 May 1 KPE, beside Paya Lebar Airbase, 4:38pm Kerry Pereira 31 May 1 Punggol Sunrise Bridge, 9:25am Sarah Martens

6 Jun 2 West Coast Park, 1 fledgling & 1 adult Art Toh perched near nest 10 Jun 1 Jurong Eco Garden, adult Doreen Ang, Peng Ah Huay mid June 2 Fort Canning, chicks fledged Bill Sinclair 17 Jun 1 Kranji Marshes, juvenile, 9:30am Veronica Foo 19 Jun 2 Fort Canning, fledged juveniles flying James Gan around the nest

Page 6 of 9 Grey-headed Fish Eagle Haliaeetus ichthyaetus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 Apr 1 Springleaf Nature Park, adult Terence Tan 6 Apr 2 Springleaf Nature Park, adults Terence Tan 18 Apr 1 Seletar Camp Timothy Chua

16 Jun 1 SBWR, adult Zhang Licong 19 Jun 1 Singapore Quarry, adult, 8:30am Veronica Foo

Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 7 Apr 1 Watten Estate Diana Jackson 13 Apr 1 , immature Tay Kian Guan

1 May 1 Joyce Chia 1 May 1 West Coast Park, adult Low Choon How

3 Jun 1 Bishan Park, immature Ng Wei Khim

Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Malcolm Road / Goldhill Avenue, adult Tay Kian Guan 4 Apr 1 Goldhill Avenue Daniel Field, Oliver Tan 6 Apr 1 National University of Singapore, heard Lim Hong Yao calling 9 Apr 1 Goldhill Avenue, adult Kevin Law 9 Apr 2 Goldhill Avenue Steven Cheong

2 May 1 Goldhill Avenue Marcel Finlay 5 May 1 Goldhill Avenue Koji Ichiyama 27 May 1 Goldhill Avenue Keita Sin

6 Jun 1 SBWR Shafeeq Wilson

Changeable Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Pulau Ubin Sensory Trail, pale morph, Kerry Pereira 3:21pm 3 Apr 2 Henderson Waves, late morning Alan OwYong 3 Apr 1 Botanic Gardens Rain Forest, heard only, Ulf Remahl 2pm 3 Apr 1 Singapore, juvenile pale morph Jan Roberts 4 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph with Philip Toh young chick in white down, on nest 6 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen Kelvin Leong feeding with young chick, on nest 15 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Clarinda Yap young chick, on nest 18 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Harry Geno-Oehlers young chick, on nest

Page 7 of 9 19 Apr 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Tan Gim Cheong young chick, on nest 20 Apr 3 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with young chick, on nest. Adult male (pale Tan Gim Cheong morph) delivered food in the morning and left soon after. Male was a second calendar year individual, still in typical immature plumage with little streaking in breast. 21 Apr 1 Bidadari, pale morph, 11:30am Veronica Foo 27 Apr 1 Telok Blangah, dark morph Joyce Chia 29 Apr 1 Changi Business Park, juvenile pale morph Ramesh Thiruvengadam

5 May 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Andy Lee chick (pale morph), on nest 9 May 1 Kranji Marshes, pale morph, morning Veronica Foo 9 May 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Tan Gim Cheong chick (pale morph), on nest 18 May 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Tan Gim Cheong, chick (pale morph), on nest Chaiyan Kasorndorkbua, Ton Sirawit 19 May 2 Kranji Marshes, adult female dark morph Tan Gim Cheong, seen with chick (pale morph), on nest, adult Chaiyan Kasorndorkbua, male pale morph delivered food in the Ton Sirawit morning and left soon, chick was seen exercising its wings, getting airborne a few feet off its nest 20 May 2 Kranji Marshes, adult dark morph seen with Tan Gim Cheong, chick (pale morph), on nest. Both adult and Chaiyan Kasorndorkbua, chick heard making typical call, chick is Ton Sirawit softer. 22 May 1 Lorong Halus, dark morph, 9:04am Kerry Pereira 25 May 1 Pulau Ubin lily & lotus pond, pale morph, Kerry Pereira 11:46am 29 May 1 Changi Business Park, dark morph Ramesh Thiruvengadam

10 Jun 1 Little Guilin, adult pale morph Zhang Licong 22 Jun 1 Dairy Farm area, juvenile pale morph Carol Lim

NOCTURNAL RAPTORS

Eastern Barn Owl Tyto delicatula Date No. Location and Details Reported By 2 Apr 1 Sims Drive condominium Amin 9 Jun 1 Punggol Point, day roost Felix Wong

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Sunda Scops Owl Otus lempiji Date No. Location and Details Reported By 21 Apr 1 BTNR Siew Mun 3 May 1 Block 830 Hougang Central, level 2, the owl Janani Srinivasan flew into the HDB apartment and was guided out, 11pm 8 May 2 Pasir Ris Park, 1 adult, 1 juvenile (fledgling) Tan Gim Cheong 14 May 2 Pasir Ris Park, 1 adult, 1 juvenile (fledgling) Tan Gim Cheong 20 May 2 Pasir Ris Park, 1 adult, 1 juvenile (fledgling) Tan Gim Cheong 1 Jun 2 Alan OwYong 22 Jun 1 MacRitchie Park Marcel Finlay

Barred Eagle Owl Bubo sumatranus Date No. Location and Details Reported By 24 May 1 Singapore Quarry vicinity, dawn Peter Ding

Buffy Fish Owl Ketupa ketupu Date No. Location and Details Reported By 1 Apr 1 Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Alfred Ng 3 Apr 3 Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, fledged Tan Gim Cheong chick and both parents seen 20 May 2 Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, fledged Lim Kim Chuah chick and 1 adult seen

Spotted Wood Owl Strix seloputo Date No. Location and Details Reported By 5 Apr 1 Pasir Ris Park, chick on ground at base of Ng Ngak Seng tree. Rescuers place it back onto the tree. 12 Apr 2 Goldhill Avenue, perched on top of a broken Phua Joo Yang tree trunk, adults, mid-day 21 April 1 Pasir Ris Park, chick reportedly fledged but Harry Geno-Oehlers found on the ground but failed to clamber back up the trees. Rescuers place it back onto the tree. 25 April 1 Pasir Ris Park, chick fledged Chan Kumchun 28 Apr 1 Bartley, dead adult Gina Koh

8 May 3 Pasir Ris Park, fledged chick with both Tan Gim Cheong parents seen

Compiled by TAN Gim Cheong

Many thanks to everyone for sending in / sharing their records and to Zacc HD for the use of his photo.

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