Thanks a lot, I guess so but didn't see it appears on Singapore bird list at eBird...thank you!
Yes, it is a White Wagtail.
Do you have any more photos? I think it should be subspecies ocularis, but there are some aspects (the amount of white in the greater coverts and the shape of the eyestripe) that look like lugens. Photos showing the rump pattern would be especially useful.
Yes ocularis does occur in Singapore and there have been several here over the winter.
Wuwu Not sure why you can't find White Wagtail on eBird for Singapore. The last report (also ssp ocularis) was on 15th Feb @ Neo Tiew Harvest Lane. I assume your photo is also from the raised area at NTHL as well!
Hi, Viator: I tried again to submit a new checklist to register White Wagtail at eBird. Screenshot 1 shows no White Wagtail in the list; and Screenshot 2 shows I added White Wagtail as a REAR species...Very strange, maybe I use the checklist wrongly? Pls advise, thanks a lot in advance
The first screenshot is showing default expected species i.e. doesn't include most rarities or any vagrants, if you click add species then as per your second shot after adding White Wagtail it's saying it's rare and you need to explain your id. This is the way it's supposed to work i.e. White Wagtail is indeed a rare bird (irrespective of sub-species) in SG.
John,
There have been more than usual White Wagtails in Singapore this year - and in fact a lot of surprises all round!
There was some discussion about a possible lugens earlier this month which may have even been this same bird given the location. There has also been a possible alba or baicalensis that was photographed this month
Of all things an African Pied Wagtail has turned up on an offshore island today - presumably ship assisted!
Incidentally, this webpage (http://singaporebirds.blogspot.com/2012/07/wagtails-pipits.html) contains two photos (by Con Foley on 27 Nov 05) labelled as first winter leucopsis that I think may actually be baicalensis (or perhaps even alba/dukhunensis - I'm not sure how to separate these in non-breeding plumage).
- Grey on mantle paler than leucopsis and extending onto rump. No black on rump or uppertail coverts.
- Black on throat sides more extensive than on leucopsis
- White in median and greater coverts less extensive than on leucopsis
- At least the second photo seems to have a grey wash on the flanks that would be unusual on leucopsis
This and other websites don'e mention baicalensis as occurring in Singapore, so this could be a significant sighting and worth further investigation.
John,
There have been more than usual White Wagtails in Singapore this year - and in fact a lot of surprises all round!
There was some discussion about a possible lugens earlier this month which may have even been this same bird given the location. There has also been a possible alba or baicalensis that was photographed this month
Of all things an African Pied Wagtail has turned up on an offshore island today - presumably ship assisted!
But I might be wrong and am curious whether there's a way to map the density out through eBird data by ourselves (I'm sure Cornell can do some complicated modelling stuff, but not that complex) whether more birds have been pushed south this season. The number of Yellow-browed Warblers in this region right now, for one, is ridiculous.
Assuming you're referring to the comments on the alba/baicalensis post on the Singapore Birders Facebook group? (Since I've not seen anyone else posting any lugens this season). If so, the lugens I saw were at the massive Yishun roost, not Neo Tiew Harvest Lane.
I haven't really gotten the impression that the number of White Wagtails this season is higher than usual - there were quite a lot of them at the roost when it was first discovered 2 years ago too. It doesn't change the fact that there indeed were a lot of surprises all round though!
But I might be wrong and am curious whether there's a way to map the density out through eBird data by ourselves (I'm sure Cornell can do some complicated modelling stuff, but not that complex) whether more birds have been pushed south this season. The number of Yellow-browed Warblers in this region right now, for one, is ridiculous.
eBird raw data can be treated in multiple ways, and mapping the density of one species in a particular area is indeed possible. Probably you'll need to do some work on R, or use an already written package
You can get an insight on how to do it here:
https://ropensci.org/blog/2018/08/07/auk/