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NSS Bird Group Report – Sept 2019

September 2019 marked the appearance of rarities such as the Glossy Ibis, Black-naped Monarch,

Blue Rock Thrush, and Japanese Paradise Flycatcher; as well as the first arrivals of many

migrants.

Glossy Ibis Sighting

Photo-montage of the Glossy Ibis at Kranji Dam on 29 September 2019 by Goh Cheng Teng

The Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus, is a widely distributed species that is found in Europe,

Africa, Asia, Australia, Central and North America. However, it is a very rare vagrant in Singapore.

The sighting on 28 and 29 September 2019 by Raghav and Goh Cheng Teng, respectively, was

our fifth sighting to date. Prior sightings were at Lorong Halus in 12-16 June 1984, Sungei Buloh

in May 1989, Sime Road in October 1992, and November 2007. Wells (1999: 107) noted that the

species is a vagrant in Peninsular Malaysia and highlighted that the sightings in 1984 and 1989

may have been wild sightings; captive birds were ruled out since the sightings comprised of adults

and juveniles. Traded birds tended to be of a uniform age, since birds would be taken as fledglings.

Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) & Fringes

Possibly first for the season, a Forest Wagtail, Dendronanthus indicus, was spotted in flight on 2

September 2019 at Jelutong Tower by Francis Yap. Another was spotted within CCNR on 6

September 2019 by Dillen Ng; who also spotted an Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis, on

the same day. Also on 6 September 2019, an Eastern Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus

coronatus, was spotted at Jelutong by Francis Yap. On 10 September 2019, a Red-legged

Crake, Rallina fasciata, was seen skulking about within the CCNR by Timothy Chua Jia Yao.

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Chestnut-bellied Malkoha spotted from Jelutong Tower on 13 September 2019 by Alan Owyong

Jelutong proved to be a good location to observe other species, which included a Chestnut-bellied

Malkoha, Phaenicophaeus sumatranus, on 13 September 2019 (Alan Owyong), and five Crested

Honey Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus, perched on a tree in the rain on 14 September 2019 (Tan

Kok Hui). It was also from this vantage point on 27 September 2019 that two Chinese

Sparrowhawk, Accipiter soloensis, three Crested Honey Buzzard, a Japanese

Sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis and an Oriental Pratincole, Glareola maldivarum, were seen

flying over CCNR by Francis Yap and Richard White.

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Oriental Pratincole over Jelutong Tower on 27 September 2019 by Francis Yap

The Venus-Windsor-Lower Peirce corridor yielded the second Eastern Crowned

Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus, of the season on 2 September 2019 (Venus Loop, Ho Siew

Mun). A White-rumped Shama, Copsychus malabaricus, a species vulnerable to poaching, was

spotted on 4 September 2019 (Lower Peirce, Mei Hwang) while a Common Emerald

Dove, Chalcophaps indica, was seen on 5 September 2019 (Venus Loop, Terence Tan), and

a Banded Woodpecker, Chrysophlegma miniaceum, on 9 September 2019 (Windsor Park, Lim

Sheen Taw). Further away, a torquatus race tweeddale morph Crested Honey Buzzard, Pernis

ptilorhynchus, was spotted on 10 September 2019 at Upper Seletar Reservoir (Deborah Friets).

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Barred Eagle Owl at Singapore Quarry on 27 September 2019 at Art Toh

Dairy Farm Nature Park (DFNP) and Singapore Quarry continues to be a high yield CCNR-fringe

location. An Eastern Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus, was seen on 2 September

2019 (Choong YT), as was a first-for-the-season Asian Brown Flycatcher, Muscicapa

daurica, on 5 September 2019 (Ho Siew Mun), a Brown-streaked Flycatcher, Muscicapa

williamsoni, also on 5 September 2019 (Peter Lim), a Common Emerald Dove, Chalcophaps

indica, on 7 September 2019 (Pary Sivaraman), a Sunda Scops Owl, Otus lempiji, on 10

September 2019 (Norhafiani A Majid), a Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Phaenicophaeus

sumatranus, on 11 September 2019 (Kok M Lee), and a Red-crowned Barbet, Megalaima

rafflesii, on 12 September 2019 (James Quek). Fans of the Barred Eagle-Owl, Bubo

sumatranus, were not disappointed. The owls appeared on 8 September 2019 (female; Martin

Kennewell), 10 September 2019 (Leong Kai Kee & Low Chong Yang) and 27 September 2019 at

7:08pm (one bird; Art Toh).

Just outside DFNP, a Slaty-breasted Rail, Gallirallus striatus, was spotted in a canal by the Dairy

Farm condominium on 2 September 2019 (Michael Phua), while at the nearby Bukit Batok Nature

Park (BBNP), a Crimson Sunbird, Aethopyga siparaja, was reported on 7 September 2019 by

Wing Chong.

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Singapore Botanic Gardens

On 10 September 2019, a Crested Goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus, was spotted near the Gardens

by Brian Powell, while on 12 September 2019, a Grey-rumped Treeswift, Hemiprocne

longipennis, was spotted at the gardens’ Eco Lake by Timothy Chua.

Central Singapore

Despite its much reduced size, Bidadari continued to support migrating birds. Birders visiting the

grounds on 5 September 2019 were rewarded with sightings of a Eastern Crowned

Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus (T. Ramesh) and a first of the season Yellow-rumped

Flycatcher, Ficedula zanthopygia (Herman Phua). Also spotted at the former cemetery were

an Oriental Pied Hornbill, Anthracoceros albirostris (9 September 2019; Tracy Thu Trang

Doan), a male adult Jambu Fruit Dove, Ptilinopus jambu (10 September 2019; Tracy Thu Trang

Doan with Ellen Tan; and 13 September 2019, T. Ramesh), a Brown-streaked

Flycatcher, Muscicapa williamsoni (10 September 2019; Krishna Gopagondanahalli), Daurian

Starling, Agropsar sturninus (12 September 2019; Ramesh T.), Tiger Shrike, Lanius tigrinus (13

September 2019, T Ramesh), Crow-billed Drongo, Dicrurus annectans (27 September 2019;

Pary Sivaraman), Dark-sided Flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica (28 September 2019, Alfred Chia;

29 September 2019, Angie Cheong), the Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Cyornis

brunneatus (29 September 2019, Yang Chee Meng) and Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus (30

September 2019, Joseph Lim).

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Jambu Fruit Dove at Bidadari on 13 September 2019 by T. Ramesh

A Crested Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela, was spotted on 6 September 2019 at Malcolm Road,

while a Barred Buttonquail, Turnix suscitator, was found dazed and resting at a basketball court

at Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 by Sandra Chia, who took care of the bird and released it the next morning.

Northern Singapore

A Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, Cacomantis sepulcralis, was spotted on 8 September 2019 on Coney

Island (Kerry Pereira), while a Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea, was spotted on 23 September

2019 at Marsiling Park by Benny Ng.

Eastern Singapore

Pulau Ubin hosted several interesting species of birds, including a Red-necked Stint, Calidris

ruficollis, seen on 1 September 2019 among a flock of Lesser Sand Plover by Adrian Silas Tay.

Four were seen the next day, on 2 September 2019, during an NParks survey, and photographed

by See Toh Yew Wai. About a week later, a female Black-naped Monarch, Hypothymis

azurea, was spotted on 7 September 2019 by Jason Lee, while a calling and thermalling Crested

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Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela, on 8 September 2019 caught the attention of Adrian Silas Tay.

Further afield, a first-of-the-season Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, arrived on Pulau Tekong

on 14 September 2019 and was spotted by Frankie Cheong.

Back on the mainland, an Eastern Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus coronatus, was spotted on

11 September 2019 at Pasir Ris Park by Feroz Ghazali, while a juvenile Laced

Woodpecker, Picus vittatus, was seen on 28 September 2019 at Tampines Eco-Green by Ken

Joree Tan. Farther east, a Green Imperial Pigeon, Ducula aenea, was spotted on 7 September

2019 at Changi Business Park by T Ramesh, while a juvenile Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla

tschutschensis, was seen on 24 September 2019 by YT Choong.

Southern Singapore

A Dark-sided Flycatcher, Muscicapa sibirica, became the first record for the species for this

year’s winter migration when it was spotted on 11 September 2019 along the Southern Ridges by

Tay Kian Guan.

Blue-eared Kingfisher at Gardens by the Bay on 29 September 2019 by Lim Sheen Taw

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The Gardens and Satay by the Bay parks proved to be a fruitful location in September. A Yellow-

rumped Flycatcher, Ficedula zanthopygia, was seen on 12 September 2019 by Veronica Foo and

on 30 September 2019 by Lim Sheen Taw; while Lesser Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna

javanica, was seen on 24 September 2019 at Satay by the Bay by Annette Russell. The next two

days had reports of Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone incei (Caszlyn Wong and Sim Chip

Chye, 25 September 2019; first for the season) and Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone

affinis, (26 September 2019, Cheong Khan Hoong & Sim Chip Chye) at Satay by the Bay. Other

species include four juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, on 27

September 2019, at Satay by the Bay (Kelvin Ng Cheng Kwan); Asian Brown

Flycatcher, Muscicapa latirostris, on 28 September 2019 (Raymond Bong); a Blue-eared

Kingfisher, Alcedo meninting, on 29 September 2019, (Lim Sheen Taw); and a Common

Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, on 30 September 2019 (Lim Sheen Taw).

Blue Rock Thrush at Pinnacle@Duxton on 25 September 2019 by David Fur

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On 20 September 2019, sightings of a Blue Rock Thrush, Monticola soltarius, at Duxton

Pinnacle by Dillen Ng and others drew many to the block to see and photograph it; of these, Jojo

Kuah spotted a total of two birds, of which one was a young male. Visiting Pinnacle on 26

September 2019 yielded a first for the season Pacific Swift, Apus pacificus, by Adrian Silas Tay.

Two days later, on 28 September 2019, a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Clamator coromandus, was

found along Marine Parade Road, by Jay Yip. Separately, on 23 September 2019, an Eurasian

Magpie, Pica pica, the origin of which is unclear (possibly an escapee), was spotted at Sakra Road,

Jurong Island, by Tan Boon Chong. Also, two Gull-billed Terns, Gelochelidon nilotica, were

photographed near Sentosa on 21 September 2019, reported by Adrian Silas Tay.

Western Singapore

Jurong Lake Garden proved to be a good habitat for birds. These included:

• White-headed Munia, Lonchura maja (7 September 2019; Norhafiani A Majid);

• Crested Honey Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus, (10 September 2019; Alok Mishra);

• Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareola, (29 September 2019; Norhafiani A Majid);

• Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Clamator coromandus, (28 September 2019; Norhafiani A

Majid);

• Amur Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone incei, (29 September 2019; Norhafiani A Majid);

• Japanese Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone atrocaudata, a possible first-for-the-season

(27 September 2019 Tay Kian Guan; 29 September 2019 Norhafiani A Majid);

• Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Ficedula zanthopygia, (28 September 2019; Norhafiani A

Majid),

• Tiger Shrike, Lanius tigrinus,on 30 September 2019 (Kok M Lee).

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Yellow-rumped Flycatcher at Jurong Lake Garden on 28 September 2019 by Norhafiani A Majid

Wood Sandpiper at Jurong Lake Garden on 29 September 2019 by Norhafiani A Majid

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Between 22 and 28 September 2019, up to four Cuthroat Finch Amadina fasciata, an introduced

species, were also spotted within the garden’s grounds (Geri Lim and Jimmy Lim, respectively).

Further away at Jurong Lake, Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, were spotted on 26

September 2019 by Tay Boon Kiat, while a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Clamator

coromandus, was seen on 28 September 2019 by Norhafiani A Majid.

Jurong Eco-Garden continued to support bird life despite the reduction of surrounding woodland.

On 11 September 2019, a Tiger Shrike, Lanius tigrinus, was spotted by Terence Tan, while a

single juvenile Chestnut-bellied Malkoha, Phaenicophaeus sumatranus, was observed to have

successfully fledged between 17 and 19 September 2019 (Kwok Tuck Loong, Alan Owyong and

Joseph Lim). On 30 September 2019, a Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus (confusus subspecies) was

spotted by Joseph lim on the garden’s grounds.

Apart from the excitement over the Glossy Ibis at Kranji Dam, Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias

hybrida, were spotted along the dam on 8 and 14 September 2019 by Martin Kennewell; a single

bird on the 8th was a moulting adult with remnants of its dark belly and dark eye stripe, while two

birds were seen on the 14th. White-winged Tern, Chlidonias leucopterus, were also observed

within the reservoir on 30 September 2019 by Adrian Silas Tay.

Whiskered Tern at Kranji on 30 September 2019, photographed by See Toh Yew Wai

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Over at Kranji Marsh, a Straw-headed Bulbul, Pycnonotus zeylanicus was spotted on 5

September 2019 by Feroz Ghazali; while five to six Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, were

spotted perched at the metal railings of the PUB facility along the waters of Kranji Reservoir on

13 September 2019 by Oliver Tan. The resident Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus

cirrhatus, was also spotted on 28 September 2019 by Wing Cheong; while about two weeks prior

to this sighting a dark-morph bird was seen on 10 September 2019 along Neo Tiew Harvest Lane

by Steven Cheong predating on what appeared to be a rallid bird. Further away at Lim Chu Kang

Lane 3, two adults and possibly one juvenile Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, were

spotted by Sandra Chia.

Changeable Hawk-Eagle with rallid prey on 10 September 2019 at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane by Steven Cheong.

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Over at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, we received reports of arriving waders through social

media. On 3 September 2019, 37 Common Redshank, Tringa totanus, were spotted by Martin

Kennewell, many were flagged but were too far to be deciphered. On the same day, a

single Brown-streaked Flycatcher, Muscicapa williamsoni, was also seen by Martin. After

making its arduous journey from the Arctic Circle, an Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus

borealis, found its way into the grounds of the reserve on 18 September 2019, making the sighting

by Timothy Chua the first-of-the-season. On 20 September 2019, a Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris

ferruginea, was spotted by David Li, while on 22 September 2019, a first-of-the-season Broad-

billed Sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus, was spotted by Andy Dinesh and T. Ramesh. On 24

September 2019, a Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea, which is not commonly seen in the reserve,

was spotted by Terence Tan.

The windswept Tuas yielded a Lesser Adjutant, Leptoptilos javanicus, on 22 September 2019 at

Tuas Checkpoint (Fadzrun Adnan), a first-of-the-season Chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator

coromandus and a first-of-the-season Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx fugax, on 26

September 2019 (Alfred Chia).

Grey-headed Fish-eagle at Pandan River on 26 September 2019 by Francis Yap

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Other birds spotted in the western reaches of the island city include a first-of-the-season Japanese

Sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis, on 13 September 2019 (Lim Kim Seng), a “huge flock”

of Daurian Starling, Agropsar sturninus, at Pandan Reservoir on 27 September 2019 (Evelyn

Lee), and the regular family of Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus ichthyaetus, along Pandan

River on 26 September 2019 (Francis Yap).

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Pelagic Sightings

On 28 September 2019, the NSS Bird Group conducted a pelagic survey along the Straits of

Singapore. Key highlights included a total of 112 Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel, Oceanodroma

monorhis, a far cry from the previous record of 532 birds in September 2018, as well as the

fourteen Red-necked Phalaropes, Phalaropus lobatus. Note that pelagic sightings might not be

in Singapore waters.

Red-necked Phalarope Sighting

Eleven of the fourteen Red-necked Phalaropes spotted in the Singapore Strait north of Batam on 28 September 2019. Photo by

Alan Owyong.

A total of fourteen juvenile Red-necked Phalaropes, Phalaropus lobatus, were spotted on the

seas north of Batam (Indonesia), the first sighting of multiple phalaropes in a flock. Three previous

sightings were of single birds, two on land and one at sea.

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Red-necked Phalaropes are small waders that forage by picking from the surface of the waters

while swimming, often spinning about when pursuing active prey (Wells, 1999:264-265). Known

as vagrants during passage seasons, the birds have so far been seen mostly in marine habitats,

although one report from Singapore occurred in the flooded reclaimed land in Tuas in November

1994.

Close-up of the Red-necked Phalaropes spotted on 28 September 2019, showing the prominent white wing bar. Photo by Alan

Owyong.

A total of fifteen adult and one juvenile Aleutian Terns, Sterna aleutica, were spotted, as were

55 Bridled Terns, Sterna anaethetus, with two flocks of 18 and 7 flying eastwards in the direction

of Horsburgh Lighthouse. Two adult and two juvenile Common Terns, Sterna hirundo, were

resting on flotsam, while 24 Swift Terns, Thalasseus bergii, (formerly Great Crested) and

10 Lesser Crested Terns, Thalasseus bengalensis, with four being unidentified, were seen. A

total of six Little Terns, Sterna albifrons, were also seen and these may be winter visitors.

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Adult Aleutian Tern in breeding plumage spotted on 28 September 2019. Photo by Alan Owyong.

Adult Bridled Tern spotted on 28 September 2019. Photo by Wilson Leung.

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Adult Common Tern in breeding plumage seen on 28 September 2019. Photo by Alan Owyong

Other birds seen include a Great-billed Heron, Ardea sumatrana, on Sister’s Island, 5 Barn

Swallows Hirundo rustica, flying south, an Intermediate Egret, Egretta intermedia, and a

soaring Chinese Sparrowhawk, Accipiter soloensis.

References:

Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. London: Academic Press.

Abbreviations:

BTNR: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

CCNR: Central Catchment Nature Reserve

DFNP: Dairy Farm Nature Park

JEG: Jurong Eco-Garden

SBG: Singapore Botanic Gardens

SBWR: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

TEG: Tampines Eco-Green

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This report is written by Geoff Lim and edited by Tan Gim Cheong. We are grateful for the birders

and photographers whose postings in various Facebook birding pages, bird forums, individual

reports and extracts from eBird make up this report. This compilation is not a complete list of

birds recorded for the month and not all the records were verified.

Many thanks to Art Toh, David Fur, Francis Yap, Lim Sheen Taw, T. Ramesh, Goh Cheng Teng,

Steven Cheong, See Toh Yew Wai, Alan Owyong and Norhafiani A. Majid for allowing us to use

their photographs.