Mike Hooper (viator)'s 2008 List

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The goal for this year is to try and breach the 450 mark after falling just short the last two years with 447 and 436.

As of Dec 31st the total stands at 610 with 146 lifers (in bold)
USA 207
Singapore 233
Malaysia 122
Australia 169
Indonesia 26
Hong Kong 2

January 1
Capital Country Holiday Village, Sutton, NSW

The year started with 1/2 day in Australia before flying home to Singapore.

1. Rufous Whistler
2. White-winged Chough
3. Galah
4. Welcome Swallow
5. Common Myna
6. Common Starling
7. Australian White Ibis
8. Eurasian Coot
9. Mallard
10. Hardhead
11. Australian Wood Duck
12. Pacific Black Duck
13. Australian Raven
14. Superb Fairy-wren
15. Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
16. Fairy Martin
17. Tree Martin
18. Common Bronzewing
19. Crested Pigeon
20. Yellow-rumped Thornbill
21. Masked Lapwing
22. Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike
23. White-plumed Honeyeater
24. Yellow-faced Honeyeater
25. Red Wattlebird
26. Eastern Spinebill
27. Australian Magpie
28. Magpie Lark
29. House Sparrow

Canberra Airport added
30. Australian Pipit
31. Dusky Woodswallow

A rush through Melbourne Airport to make our connection added
32. Silver Gull

January 2nd
Walk to the bus-stop to go to work brought the first common Singapore birds for the year
33. House Crow
34. Rock Dove
35. Black-naped Oriole
36. Javan Myna
37. House Swift
38. Rose-ringed Parakeet
39. Asian Glossy Starling
40. Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker
41. Common Koel

Lunch time walk to just out the CBD added
42. Asian Palm Swift
43. Barn Swallow
44. Germain's Swiftlet
45. Tiger Shrike
46. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
47. White-breasted Waterhen
48. Yellow-vented Bulbul
49. Pied Fantail
50. Common Tailorbird
51. Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Trip back from the office at the end of the day added
52. Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker
53. Pink-necked Green Pigeon
54. Collared Kingfisher
55. Little Egret

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January 3
Another lunchtime walk to Marina South added

56. Black-nest Swiftlet
57. Glossy Swiftlet
58. Brown Shrike
59. Scaly-breasted Munia
60. Forest Wagtail
61. Black Baza
62. Asian Brown Flycatcher
63. White-throated Kingfisher
64. Zebra Dove
65. Spotted Turtle Dove

Bus trip home added added a Grey Heron crossing the Kallang River
66. Grey Heron

January 4
Lunch time walk along the Esplanade added
67. Olive-backed Sunbird
68. Pacific Swallow

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January 5
First chance of the year to visit my local patch at Marina East grasslands

69. Common Iora
70. Chestnut Munia
71. Brahminy Kite
72. Lesser Coucal
73. Zitting Cisticola
74. Siberian Stonechat
75. Common Kingfisher
76. Long-tailed Parakeet
77. Ashy Drongo
78. Pied Triller
79. Baya Weaver
80. Common Flameback
81. Barred Buttonquail
82. Black Drongo
83. Greater Coucal
84. Dollarbird

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January 6
Back to Marina East Grasslands to try for a few more of the local specials

85. White-bellied Sea Eagle
86. Yellow Bittern
87. Common Sandpiper
88. Little Heron
89. Long-tailed Shrike
90. Oriental Reed Warbler
91. Red-whiskered Bulbul
92. Brown-throated Sunbird
93. Javan Munia
94. Japanese Sparrowhawk
95. Paddyfield Pipit

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January 7
A quick visit out to Sungei Buloh for some waders

96. Intermediate Egret
97. Stork-billed Kingfisher
98. Pacific Golden Plover
99. Whimbrel
100. Common Greenshank
101. Common Redshank
102. Marsh Sandpiper
103. Golden-bellied Gerygone
104. Arctic Warbler
105. Crow-billed Drongo
106. Emerald Dove
107. Large-billed Crow
108. Black-crowned Night Heron
109. Copper-throated Sunbird
110. Purple Heron
111. Crimson Sunbird
112. Rufous Woodpecker
113. Grey-rumped Treeswift
114. Himalayan Swift
115. Mangrove Whistler
116. Great Cormorant
117. Cattle Egret

Below is a shot of the Rufous Woodpecker

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January 10
Kallang Riverside Park

118. Pacific Reef Egret

January 11
119. Chinese Pond Heron

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January 12
Usual Sat afternoon walk at Marina East grasslands added two more birds for 2008

120. Oriental Honey Buzzard
121. Little Bronze Cuckoo

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January 13
A family walk in the Singapore Botanical Gardens added 4 more year birds. The Black Swans shouldn't really be added here since not wild but I forgot to include the 1 seen on Jan 1 in Aus so I'll put here rather than re-number all the birds!

122. Black Swan
123. Oriental Magpie Robin
124. Ashy Tailorbird
125. Lesser Whistling Duck

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January 15
Marina South

126. Indian Cuckoo
127. Oriental White-eye

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January 17
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve/Hindehede Nature Reserve

128. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
129. Abbot's Babbler
130. Striped Tit Babbler
131. Yellow-browed Warbler
132. Lineated Barbet
133. Blue-and-white Flycatcher
134. Dark-necked Tailorbird
135. Laced Woodpecker

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January 20
Pulau Ubin

136. Mangrove Pitta
137. Great Crested Tern
138. Little Tern
139. Greater Sand Plover
140. Grey Plover
141. Lesser Sand Plover
142. Osprey
143. Olive-winged Bulbul
144. Great-billed Heron
145. White-rumped Shama
146. Red Collared Dove
147. Red-breasted Parakeet
148. Yellow-bellied Prinia
149. Straw-headed Bulbul - flock of 7 in the open singing!
150. Rusty-breasted Cuckoo
151. Lesser Crested Tern


Upon arrival back at Changi Village
152. Tanimbar Corella

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January 26
A brief walk in the grassland of Marina East added 1 new 2008 bird

153. Black-shouldered Kite

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January 31

Leaving the office today a dark morph Changeable Hawk Eagle was being mobbed by House Crows

154. Changeable Hawk Eagle

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February 2

A two hour walk at Marina East yielded 48 species and 4 new ones for 2008.

The first was a common winter visitor a Cinnamon Bittern that was standing only 3 feet from a Yellow Bittern.

155. Cinnamon Bittern

The next new bird is a tricky one that is either a vagrant or could be an escapee - no way to tell. I haven't seen references to Brahminy Starlings in Singapore either as vagrants or escapees but there are vagrant references for Peninsula Malaysia.

156. Brahminy Starling

Not far from the starling a tree held three Yellow-fronted Canaries that seem to have built up a feral population in the area with flocks seen quite regularly recently.

157. Yellow-fronted Canary

The last new species for the year was a flock over 20 Ashy Minivets.

158. Ashy Minivet

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February 4

A surprising find on a lunch time walk around Marina South was a Yellow-rumped Flycatcher - normally a passage migrant but this one appears to be wintering over!

159. Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

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February 8

A visit to Hindehede Park trying to find the reported Orange-headed Thrush and Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo was partially successful - dipping on the cuckoo.

160. Orange-headed Thrush
161. Purple-throated Sunbird
162. Hill Myna

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February 9

Another visit to my local patch, Marina East, finally yielded Pintail Snipe (3) which I'd figured should be present during winter but never managed to flush.

163. Pintail Snipe
164. Savanna Nightjar
165. Rufous-tailed Tailorbird

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February 10

Headed back over to Marina East to try and photograph the Pintail Snipe and Savanna Nightjar again. Both species were sighted again and as a bonus two more new species for my Singapore list.

166. Common Snipe
167. Greater Painted Snipe

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February 13

A few days non-birding trip to Langkawi, Malaysia with the family - luckily mostly a bird friendly island so still plenty of birds to see. Anywhere with Hornbills flying around the resorts and touristy areas can't be bad...

Trip from the airport added several year birds:
168. Red-wattled Lapwing
169. Wood Sandpiper
170. Jungle Myna

Walking along the street in Pantai Tengah looking for somewhere to eat then added
171. Oriental Pied Hornbill
172. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

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February 14

The biggest surprise of the day was just after sunrise when two Pied Imperial Pigeons were seen flying across the hotel grounds from our balcony.

173. Pied Imperial Pigeon

We were disappointed upon arrival at the Gunung Matcincang cable car station to discover it was closed for maintenance...the second time this has happened to us, the first last October! For me at least this disappointment was made up for with the flight of two Great Hornbills across the station with an Orange-bellied Flowerpecker in a nearby bush!

174. Great Hornbill
175. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker

A hike then to Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) brought plenty of Purple-throated and Copper-throated Sunbirds but the only new year bird were several

176. Red-eyed Bulbul

Whilst everyone else had an afternoon nap to avoid the midday heat I drove to the marsh surrounding the airport to see what could be found - the answer was not as much as last October but still pretty good. New birds for 2008 were

177. Yellow Wagtail
178. Little Ringed Plover
179. Common Moorhen
180. Great Egret
181. Ruddy-breasted Crake
182. Rusty-rumped Warbler
183. Oriental Pratincole
184. Bridled Tern

The day's activities were completed with a drive to the summit of Gunung Raya for sunset (and Hornbills!). In addition to the two previous trip species my target Wreathed Hornbill was sighted after dipping on it last October.

185. Grey Wagtail
186. Red-throated Flycatcher
187. Asian Fairy Bluebird
188. Wreathed Hornbill

Below are images of an Oriental Pratincole and a Little Ringed Plover

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February 15

The only birding on our last day was a couple of hours in the hills and ponds around Pantai Tengah in the heat of the day.

189. Black-headed Bulbul
190. Puff-throated Babbler
191. Eastern-crowned Warbler
192. Scarlet Minivet
193. White-browed Crake
194. White-rumped Munia
195. Blue-eared Kingfisher
196. Silver-rumped Needletail

The trip ended with 88 bird species.

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February 23

Back in Singapore and a family visit to the Singapore International Airshow which is being held at Changi. When accessing the site a Pied Harrier was quartering the still vacant reclaimed land.

197. Pied Harrier

Whilst waiting for the acrobatics displays a small flock of Sanderling flew along the sea wall - a new species for me in Singapore

198. Sanderling.

Heading home via Changi Village added the resident population of introduced Yellow-crested Cockatoos.

199. Yellow-crested Cockatoo

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February 24

Another of my frequent short walks in Marina East added two new birds for the year

200. White-headed Munia
201. Plaintive Cuckoo

A couple of photos from today of an Eastern Great Egret and a Cinnamon Bittern

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March 1
Hindehede Park

A quick look for the Hooded Pitta that had been spotted earlier in the week. Dipped on that but an equally pleasing find in the Red-legged Crake.

202. Red-legged Crake
203. Blue-winged Leafbird

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March 2

Seen from taxi on the side of the road in a traffic jam!

204. Coppersmith Barbet

Below is a photo of a Stork-billed Kingfisher taken today at the Botanic Gardens

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March 8th
Marina East

My typical afternoon walk at Marina East. Best bird of the day was a lifer, an Eastern Marsh Harrier that was chasing/attacking a Black-winged Kite.

205. Eastern Marsh Harrier

The other new bird for the year, Large-tailed Nightjar, was surprising only in how far into the year it is to see my first one.

206. Large-tailed Nightjar

Good views were offered by the Plaintive Cuckoo below

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March 12th
Jakarta, Indonesia

A brief 2 1/2 day business trip thats not going to give any time for birding. The airport and surrounding swampy areas seen from the taxi whilst stuck in the traffic jam yielded a few new birds for the year.

207. Javan Pond Heron
208. Sooty-headed Bulbul
209. Bar-winged Prinia
210. Edible-nest Swiftlet
211. Little Black Cormorant
212. Darter

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March 14
Jakarta

No interesting birds seen in central Jakarta but again plenty of birds once reach the filthy swamps around the airport. Birding was unfortunately restricted to the taxi which at least was normally moving at walking pace!

213. Milky Stork
214. Island Collared Dove
215. Small Blue Kingfisher
216. Blue-throated Bee-eater

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March 16
Back in Singapore and a very short walk in Marina East before a storm.

217. Black-browed Reed Warbler

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March 18

Near the office.

218. Peregrine Falcon
219. Purple-backed Starling

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March 22nd
Mondai Reservoir

220. Painted Stork

Below are a couple of Purple Herons

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March 25
Marina South

221. Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher
222. Black-capped Kingfisher

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March 29
Marina East

At 58 this was my best ever count at Marina East (beating 51 on 6th Jan this year) but even so I missed some of the common species!

The highlights were a lifer (Watercock) and a new bird for my Singapore list (Rusty-rumped Warbler) but not new for 2008.

223. Watercock

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April 2
Lunch time walk at Marina Sth

224. Banded Woodpecker
225. Chinese Sparrowhawk

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April 5

Start of a 4-day trip to Pulau Tioman off Malaysia's east coast to build a basketball court as a charity exercise for Juara village.

Tekek Village
226. Red-rumped Swallow
227. Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker

Juara Village and environs
228. Little Green Pigeon
229. Large Green Pigeon
230. Crested Serpent Eagle
231. Green Imperial Pigeon
232. Green Iora

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April 6
Juara Village

233. Little Spiderhunter

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April 7

Jungle trail above Juara.

234. Mountain Imperial Pigeon
235. Hairy-backed Bulbul
236. Ferruginous Babbler

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April 8

The journey back to Singapore started mid-morning with the walk across Tioman from Juara to Tekek.

237. Cream-vented Bulbul
238. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha

The ferry crossing from Tioman to Mersing on the mainland was highlighted by a very large flock of frigatebirds and terns circling and harrassing each other over the water. Most of the terns were too far away to identify as were either Brown-headed or Black-headed Gulls.

239. Lesser Frigatebird
240. Christmas Island Frigatebird
241. Black-naped Tern

The ferry arrived in Mersing as the light was starting to fade and there probably would have been more year birds if there'd been time to get onto the mudflats before dark.

242. Grey-tailed Tattler
243. Malaysian Plover

Photos of the building of the court, our team and the kids and lastly some kids playing on the court. A very gratifying experience in an extremely beautiful location!

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April 13

A passage migrant at Marina East today was the only new year bird.

244. Red-throated Pipit

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April 14
Pulau Ubin

The mudflats/sandbar at Chek Jawa contained small numbers of a variety of waders coming into summer plumage including the following birds new for 2008

245. Curlew Sandpiper
246. Red-necked Stint
247. Asian Dowitcher
248. Bar-tailed Godwit
249. Black-tailed Godwit
250. Terek Sandpiper
251. Chinese Egret

Hiking in the forest on the opposite side of the island yielded 2 of the easy to hear but hard to spot wild Red Junglefowl - always amazes me the island still manages to hold pure wild ones as opposed to the very easy to find domesticated relatives!

252. Red Junglefowl

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April 19
Marina East

253. Slaty-breasted Rail
254. Lanceolated Warbler

It's off to San Francisco on Friday so no updates for a couple of weeks when hopefully a lot of new birds!

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April 26

Arrived in San Francisco over-night for a 2 week stay in California for a family holiday. To try and get over the flight we started the day by getting a cab from our hotel in Fisherman's Wharf to Crissy Field and walked to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge before walking all the way back to the hotel.

Mostly common birds but of course most new for the year!

255. Western Gull
256. House Finch
257. Brewer's Blackbird
258. Western Sandpiper
259. Least Sandpiper
260. Ring-billed Gull
261. Killdeer
262. Semipalpated Plover
263. American Crow
264. Raven
265. Forster's Tern
266. Caspian Tern
267. Western Grebe
268. Clarke's Grebe
269. Glaucous-winged Gull
270. American Coot
271. Anna's Hummingbird
272. Allen's Hummingbird
273. Double-crested Cormorant
274. White-crowned Sparrow
275. Canada Goose
276. Greater Scaup
277. Great Blue Heron
278. Surf Scoter
279. White-winged Scoter
280. Cooper's Hawk
281. Brandt's Cormorant
282. Common Loon
283. Pigeon Guillemot
284. Lesser Goldfinch
285. Song Sparrow
286. Hutton's Vireo
287. Chestnut-backed Chickadee
288. Red-tailed Hawk
289. American White Pelican
290. Snowy Egret
291. Mourning Dove
292. Black Phoebe

Other birds seen along the walk which were already on my 2008 list were: Common Starling, Rock Dove, Barn Swallow, House Sparrow, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great Egret, Mallard

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April 26, cont
Having confirmed a couple of photos can also add

293. Pygmy Nuthatch
294. Common Tern

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April 27
Japanese Tea Garden and Stowe Lake

295. American Robin
296. Western Scrubjay
297. Violet Green Swallow
298. Tree Swallow
299. Pied-billed Grebe
300. Spotted Towhee
301. Olive-sided Flycatcher
302. Western Kingbird
303. Dark-eyed Junco
304. Western Wood Peewee
305. Pacific Slope Flycatcher
306. California Towhee
307. Northern Flicker
308. Sharp-shinned Hawk
309. Wilson's Warbler
310. Cedar Waxwing
311. Pine Siskin

Also seen but not new for 2008 was a Peregrine Falcon

A stroll up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower in the afternoon added a flock of the feral Red-masked Parakeets.

312. Red-masked Parakeet

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April 28

A cruise on the bay yielded lots of gulls, cormorants etc along with two new species for the year
313. Brown Pelican
314. Common Murre

A short afternoon walk at Fort Mason then added
315. Purple Finch
316. Turkey Vulture
317. Bushtit
318. White-throated Swift

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April 29 (part 1)
Muir Woods

Not many birds but all new birds lifers! Mostly single birds spotted....

319. Bewick's Wren
320. Stellar's Jay
321. Spotted Owl
322. Winter Wren
323. Townsend's Warbler
324. Warbling Vireo
325. Brown Creeper

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April 29 (part 2)

Bolinas Lagoon
326. Marbled Godwit
327. Lesser Scaup
328. Northern Pintail
329. Long-tailed Duck

Point Reyes
330. Red-winged Blackbird
331. Tricolored Blackbird
332. Downy Woodpecker
333. Cliff Swallow
334. Northern Harrier
335. Western Meadowlark
336. Pacific Loon
337. Black Turnstone
338. Surfbird
339. Brant
340. American (Buff-bellied) Pipit
341. Horned Lark
342. Loggerhead Shrike
343. California Quail
344. Marsh Wren
345. Sora
346. Virginia Rail
347. Wrentit
348. Bufflehead
349. Common Golden-eye
350. American Kestrel
351. White-tailed Kite
352. Band-tailed Pigeon
353. American Goldfinch

Additional Point Reyes birds new for this trip but not 2008: Whimbrel, Sanderling

Driving back to San Francisco via Novato added
354. Western Bluebird
355. Greater White-fronted Goose

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April 30
Heading south from San Francisco on the start of our drive to Southern California. The first day we drove to Monterey with stops at Pescadero State Beach and Ano Neuvo Park

Pescadero
356. Black Oystercatcher
357. Snow Goose
358. Green-winged Teal
359. Spotted Sandpiper
360. Dunlin
361. Lesser Yellowlegs
362. Greater Yellowlegs

Ano Nuevo
363. Common Yellowthroat
364. Savannah Sparrow
365. Pelagic Cormorant
366. Sooty Shearwater
367. Black-footed Albatross
368. Horned Grebe
369. California Gull
370. Mew Gull
371. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
372. Green Heron

Laguna Grande Park and lagoon, Monterey
373. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
374. Red-necked Phalarope
375. Heermann's Gull
376. Bonaparte's Gull
377. Great-tailed Grackle
378. Ruddy Duck
379. Northern Mockingbird
380. Chipping Sparrow

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May 1

Continue the drive south from Monterey to Morro Bay.

17 Mile Drive, Monterey
381. Red-throated Loon
382. American Herring Gull
383. Wandering Tattler
384. Willet
385. Red-breasted Merganser
386. Brown-headed Cowbird

Big Sur
387. California Condor
388. Sage Sparrow

Morro Rock
389. Western Tanager
390. Red-necked Grebe

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May 2
Continuing the drive south finishing the day at Oxnard in Ventura County

Elfin Forest Trail, Morro Bay
A trail through low coastal bush to lookouts over the bay
391. American Wigeon
392. Northern Shoveller
393. Gadwall
394. Short-billed Dowitcher
395. Long-billed Dowitcher

Oso Flaco Lake and Beach
396. Bullock's Oriole
397. Eared (Black-necked) Grebe
398. Red (Grey) Phalarope
399. Snowy Plover
400. California Thrasher
401. Cinnamon Teal
402. Yellow-rumped Warbler
403. Black-headed Grosbeak
404. Oak Titmouse
405. Hermit Warbler
406. Indigo Bunting
407. Yellow-breasted Chat

Driving back to the highway a raptor
408. Golden Eagle

Oxnard Beach, Ventura County
409. Black-necked Stilt
410. Yellow-headed Blackbird
411. Cactus Wren
412. Least Tern
413. Grasshopper Sparrow
414. Say's Phoebe

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May 3
Continuing the journey south to our base for the next week at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido.

Golden Shores Marine Reserve, Long Beach
415. Black Tern
416. Elegant Tern
417. Royal Tern
418. Black Skimmer

Cleveland National Forest
419. Ashy-throated Flycatcher

Lawrence Welks Resort, Escondido
420. Acorn Woodpecker

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May 4

San Diego Wild Animal Park
Whilst travelling on the tram looking at the African wildlife three White-faced Ibis were feeding in one of the ponds and a Prairie Falcon flew in and landed in a palm tree.
421. White-faced Ibis
422. Prairie Falcon

Heading to the exit a pair of Eurasian Collared Doves were perched in a tree
423. Eurasian Collared Dove

Lawrence Welk Resort, Escondido
A late afternoon walk yielded a few nuthatches
424. White-breasted Nuthatch

May 6

Lawrence Welk Resort
Walk around the resort grounds after lunch added
425. Hermit Thrush
426. Vesper Sparrow
427. Hooded Oriole

Lake Hodges
A short stroll at sunset with my son whilst the wife was shopping
428. Costa's Hummingbird
429. Least Bittern

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May 7

Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Got up at 4:30 and drove out to the desert to spend the day hiking whilst the rest of the family rested at the resort.
430. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
431. Verdin
432. Scott's Oriole
433. Gambel's Quail
434. Black-throated Sparrow
435. Phainopepla
436. Orange-crowned Warbler
437. Greater Roadrunner
438. Rock Wren
439. Canyon Wren
440. Crissal Thrasher
441. Brewer's Sparrow
442. Yellow Warbler
443. White-winged Dove
444. Common Ground Dove

Julian
The drive back to Escondido yielded a couple of Wild Turkeys along the edge of the road just outside Julian.
445. Wild Turkey

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May 9

Lawrence Welk Resort, Escondido
446. Lazuli Bunting

Felcita Park, Escondido
447. Nuttall's Woodpecker

Below are a few more images from the Anza Borrego in the desert

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May 10
Last day before starting the long trip back to Singapore

Lawrence Welk Resort, Escondido
448. Red-shouldered Hawk

Chula Vista Nature Reserve
449. Long-billed Curlew

May 12
1 1/2 hours at Hong Kong Airport allowed for the starting of a HK list for 2008 with 2 birds - several Crested Myna's and Eurasian Tree Sparrows
450. Crested Myna

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May 19
Back in Singapore and an afternoon hike in Hindehede Park and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve added 2 new birds to the Singapore list - Japanese White-eye and White-crowned Laughingthrush - along with the usual jungle birds. Plenty of other babblers heard but besides Pin-striped Tit Babblers none seen so not counted.

451. Japanese White-eye
452. White-crested Laughingthrush

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June 8
Marina East, Singapore

My usual weekend hike at Marina East - the first since coming back from the US. The government has been busy in the intervening period bull-dozing trails through the main swamp - only a matter of time till the reclaimed land starts being developed. The new trails will be great if left alone between now and migration season but its probably not to be :-(

3 hours yielded 49 species and 2 new for the year. The first is an uncommon visitor to Singapore, a female Thick-billed Green Pigeon, the second was an even better sighting, two Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoos. These cuckoo's according to Robson are only vagrant visitors to Singapore during July and August - so two immature birds at the start of June appears very unusual.

453. Thick-billed Green Pigeon
454. Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo

Update: Turns out my sighting of the Horsefield's Bronze Cuckoo was only the 6th ever in Singapore!

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July 6
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

A stroll through the jungle away from the crowds added two more year birds. The Short-tailed Babbler is one I've heard in the forest quite a few times but never had a definitive look at one!

455. Drongo Cuckoo
456. Short-tailed Babbler

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Many thanks to whoever added the stars!

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July 27
Marina East

Another of the numerous possibly feral species that are escapees or descended from escapees.

457. Yellow-crowned Bishop

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Aug 13

A morning walk in the central catchment forests yielded a flock of 3 Blue-rumped Parrots the rarest of the resident parrots and one other new year bird Chestnut-bellied Malkoha.

458. Blue-rumped Parrot
459. Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

In the afternoon I went to look for early wader migrants at Sungei Buloh which was a little disappointing with small flocks of Common Redshanks, Common Greenshanks and a couple of Common Sandpipers. The sighting of a couple of Common Moorhens did increase the 2008 year list for Singapore to 191.

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Thanks to going through updating my taxonomy database with some splits I've got one additional bird. Eastern Great Egret - which is the species I've been seeing in Sth East Asia as opposed to (Western) Great Egret sighted in the US.

460. Eastern Great Egret

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Sep 5
A lunch time stroll to Marina South to look for any migrants having arrived passing through. The migrants seen were: Asian Brown Flycatcher (1), Forest Wagtail (2), Common Kingfisher (1), and Common Sandpiper (4).

Highlight though was a resident and new bird for 2008, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot

461. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot

[viator]

September 12

Spent the morning hiking in the central forests looking for migrants.

The highlights were a couple of Whiskered Treeswifts that were perched low in the forest during a torrential thunderstorm and a Hooded Pitta that raced across the path barely 10m from the Treeswifts whilst I unsuccessfully was trying to shelter!

462. Chestnut-winged Babbler
463. Asian Paradise Flycatcher
464. Whiskered Treeswift
465. Red-collared Lorikeet
466. Hooded Pitta

A visit then to Sungei Buloh to look for waders was highlighted by a Great Knot - over the last couple of weeks there have been several sightings of probably different birds passing through along with the more common waders.

467. Great Knot
468. Grey-headed Fish Eagle

[viator]

September 19

A lunch time walk in some thick secondary forest at Marina South yielded an excellent lifer which is also my 200th Singapore bird for 2008 - a White-bellied Woodpecker.

This is a very rare resident which is normally deep in the forests of central Singapore so finding one on the coast is extremely unusual - a visitor to Singapore?

469. White-bellied Woodpecker

[viator]

September 30

Was sitting outside with my son just after dark when I heard an owl calling. After a bit of a search in the trees at the bottom of the garden spotted it - an Eastern Barn Owl.

470. Eastern Barn Owl

[viator]

October 5

My typical weekend afternoon walk at Marina East is starting to get more interesting with the passage migrants and winter visitors. Today's walk was full of expectations given I started on the tail end of a heavy downpour which had lasted a couple of hours - something the teams from last weekend's Grand Prix would have been happy not to race in!

Things got off to a good start with a resident though, a juvenile Little Bronze Cuckoo giving its 'parent' Golden-bellied Gerygone a hard time providing food.

Next was my second sighting of a Brahminy Starling for Singapore - the other time being Feb this year. This is either a vagrant to Singapore or an escapee. Given I go to this spot very regularly (this was the 3rd time in 5 days) I don't believe there is an escapee hanging out there or I'd see much more often than during migration times!

Over the grassland/swampy area was a large flock of mixed swifts and swallows. At a minimum this included House Swifts, Asian Palm Swifts, Germain Swiftlets, Pacific Swallows, Barn Swallows, three Red-rumped Swallows and at least two passage migrant Asian House Martins. The last being new for 2008.

471. Asian House Martin

Other migrants spotted were: Common Sandpiper, Brown and Tiger Shrikes, Purple-backed Starling, Asian Brown and Yellow-rumped Flycatchers

[viator]

October 7th

Whilst walking back over Siglap Hill after lunch and sheltering from a heavy downpour a migrant Common Kestrel flew in and landed in some trees.

472. Common Kestrel

[viator]

Feb 14 update

A relook at a photo taken on Gunung Raya, Langkawi, Malaysia which I'd originally assumed was a Japanese Sparrowhawk has with the assistance of BF members turned into a lifer: Grey-faced Buzzard

473. Grey-faced Buzzard

[viator]

Oct 27

An afternoon walk during the Diwali/Deepavali public holiday at Marina East yielded a good array of migrants but only one new bird for 2008.

474. Dark-sided Flycatcher

[viator]

Nov 3

A morning walk through Sime Forest produced a reasonable selection of residents and migrants although total numbers seemed low.

Within a few minutes of starting the hike I flushed the first new bird of 2008, a migrant Black Bittern.

475. Black Bittern

Shortly afterwards in the dawn light a silhouette of an Accipiter perched on a dead tree - as the light improved giving better views and moving further down the trail improving the angle it proved to be the rare resident Crested Goshawk.

476. Crested Goshawk

After not seeing much for quite a while my main target for the morning hopped all to briefly into view, a Siberian Blue Robin

477. Siberian Blue Robin

The last new bird for 2008 was also a lifer, the rare resident of the central forest a Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo.

478. Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo

[viator]

Nov 8

I was sitting at the computer this afternoon going through some photos when a Black Kite when a commotion amongst the usual birds caused me to look up and see the kite.

479. Black Kite

Edit: After going through some photos of Weavers at Marina East from a walk taken later in the day I realised one is a Streaked Weaver

480. Streaked Weaver

[viator]

Nov 22
Marina East

A short walk produced many migrant passerines but only one new for 2008.

481. Mugimaki Flycatcher

[viator]

Nov 23

A short walk on Pulau Ubin with my son so not seriously birding but still managed a lifer - a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo that flew across the path.

482. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

The ferry back to Singapore yielded a few terns with a couple of White-winged Terns knew for 2008.

483. White-winged Tern

We then grabbed a taxi back via the Changi Coastal rd and spotted a Common Buzzard on the fence around the airport.

484. Common Buzzard

[viator]

Nov 25

Starting walking today at 7am I spent 7 1/2 hours walking just under 30km around the NW corner of Singapore starting with a circuit of Sungei Buloh for the waders and other mangrove birds before covering a variety of farmland, freshwater marsh, and secondary forests. All up seeing 92 species but only 3 new for 2008.

The highlight of the day was Singapore's star visitor a Noordmans's Greenshank at Sungei Buloh - its been there for a couple of weeks now but its the first of its kind to visit Singapore in 27 years. Also new to my Singapore list, but not 2008 list, was a flock of 7 Great Knots

485. Noordmann's Greenshank

Whilst walking the 4-5km from SB to Neo Tiew Lane 2 I was surprised to see a Besra in a small tree beside the road.

486. Besra

At Kranji Reservoir at the end of NTL 2 amongst the White-winged and Little Terns was a single Whiskered Tern - new to my Singapore as well as 2008 list.

487. Whiskered Tern

Despite then hiking around for a few more hours nothing else new!

[viator]

Dec 3

Cut across the 'park' adjacent to Bedok bus interchange after lunch and spotted a single Grey-streaked Flycatcher

488. Grey-streaked Flycatcher

[viator]

Dec 5

Walked over Siglap Hill at lunch time and was very surprised to see a raptor in a roadside tree on the edge of the cemetery. Was able to get very close for excellent views of a migrant that was also a lifer!

489. Booted Eagle

[viator]

Dec 6
Pulau Ubin

A morning spent having a walk with my son on Ubin yielded 2 new birds for 2008. The first a rare resident, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, the second a winter visitor and lifer, Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo.

490. Mangrove Blue Flycatcher
491. Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo

[viator]

Dec 7
Marina East

A couple of hours walking yielded 49 species with plenty of migrants but only one new one for 2008, Von Shrenck's Bittern

492. Von Shrenck's Bittern

[viator]

Dec 8

A public holiday in Singapore today and re-visited Marina East after the mornings heavy rain turned into a persistent drizzle. A longer list than yesterday with 62, and one new for 2008, White-shouldered Starling and another new for Singapore, Wood Sandpiper

493. White-shouldered Starling

[viator]

Dec 12

A morning walk at Jurong Lake yielded a lifer, a Malayan Night Heron, which is a rare winter visitor.

494. Malayan Night Heron

Dec 13
A walk along East Coast added another rare winter visitor a Jerdon's Baza

495. Jerdon's Baza

[viator]

Dec 16 through Dec 31

Since we're already well into 2009 I won't itemize exact locations for the following but suffice to say all are within a short drive of Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia.

496. Rainbow Lorikeet
497. Noisy Miner
498. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
499. Pied Currawong
500. Willie Wagtail
501. Purple Swamphen
502. Australian Darter
503. Pied Cormorant
504. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
505. Dusky Moorhen
506. Square-tailed Kite
507. Eastern Rosella
508. Red-browed Finch
509. Sacred Kingfisher
510. Australian Pelican
511. Noisy Friarbird
512. White-faced Heron
513. Forest Raven
514. Pheasant Coucal
515. Eastern Whipbird
516. Torresian Crow
517. Grey Fantail
518. Eastern Yellow Robin
519. Weebill
520. Crimson Rosella
521. Laughing Kookaburra
522. Forest Kingfisher
523. Lewin's Honeyeater
524. Bar-shouldered Dove
525. White-headed Pigeon
526. Golden-headed Cisticola
527. Australasian Figbird
528. Olive-backed Oriole
529. Pacific Koel
530. Australian King Parrot
531. Satin Bowerbird
532. Regent Bowerbird
533. Spangled Drongo
534. Pied Butcherbird
535. Silvereye
536. Yellow Thornbill
537. Azure Kingfisher
538. Little Black Cormorant
539. Bell Miner
540. Little Wattlebird
541. Rufous Fantail
542. Black-faced Monarch
543. Red-browed Treecreeper
544. Variegated Fairy-wren
545. Striated Thornbill
546. Red-backed Fairy-wren
547. Brown Thornbill
548. Scarlet Honeyeater
549. Mistletoebird
550. Grey Shrike-thrush
551. Varied Sitella
552. Peaceful Dove
553. Golden Whistler
554. White-browed Scrubwren
555. Grey Butcherbird
556. Musk Lorikeet
557. Black-shouldered Kite
558. Brown Gerygone
559. Australian Brush Turkey
560. Brown Goshawk
561. Brown Cuckoo Dove
562. Fan-tailed Cuckoo
563. Rainbow Bee-eater
564. White-backed Swallow
565. Rufous Scrub-bird
566. Tawny Grassbird
567. Australian Reed Warbler
568. Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
569. Pallid Cuckoo
570. Little Lorikeet
571. Black-browed Albatross
572. Wedge-tailed Shearwater
573. Short-tailed Shearwater
574. Fluttering Shearwater
575. Australasian Gannet
576. White-naped Honeyeater
577. Whistling Kite
578. Spotted Pardalote
579. Spotted Harrier
580. Swamp Harrier
581. Buff-rumped Thornbill
582. White-throated Needletail
583. White-throated Gerygone
584. Large-billed Scrubwren
585. Yellow-throated Scrubwren
586. Eastern Curlew
587. Pied Oystercatcher
588. Little Corella
589. White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike
590. Leaden Flycatcher
591. Australian Hobby
592. Green Catbird
593. Spectacled Monarch
594. White-breasted Woodswallow
595. Brown Honeyeater
596. Grey Goshawk
597. Nankeen Kestrel
598. Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
599. Wedge-tailed Eagle
600. Long-billed Corella
601. Collared Sparrowhawk
602. Straw-necked Ibis
603. Wonga Pigeon
604. Topknot Pigeon
605. Glossy Black Cockatoo
606. Australian Logrunner
607. Olive Whistler
608. Australasian Grebe
609. Red-capped Plover
610. Eastern Osprey
611. Brush Cuckoo