viator
Well-known member
Singapore
We did two birding half days one to the Botanic Gardens (am only as afternoon was washed out) and one to Kranji (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).
Botanic Gardens
Not as productive as previous visits but we did see; Black-naped Oriole, Red-breasted Parakeet, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Common Flameback, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Olive-backed Sunbird, Barred Cuckoo Dove and a Baya Weaver before the rain set in for the afternoon. On the way out the park after sheltering for four hours we saw Common Flameback in poor light and a family of Spectacled Spiderhunters.
Sungei Buloh
It takes about an hour to get here from downtown via Kranji MRT and the 925 bus to Kranji Reservoir Park, but we found it well worth it.
The reserve is in two parts the coastal trails with its own visitor area and the wetland area, we spend just under 4 hours here.
Star birds were Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, totally unexpected for us and Streak-throated Woodpecker, we were told Mangrove Pitta was possible but hadn’t been seen recently, instead we contented ourselves with Collared and Black-capped Kingfishers, Ashy Tailorbird, Grey-rumped Tree-swift, Pink-Necked Green Pigeon, Javan Pond Heron, Black Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Little Heron, Redshank and Spotted Redshank (a bit unexpected this late in the year), Oriental Pied Hornbill, Painted Storks and a single Milky Stork.
In the forest second time round we added Dark-necked Tailorbird, Common Flameback, Abbot’s Babbler, Asian Glossy Starling, Copper-throated Sunbird and Black-naped Oriole.
Other wildlife included: Smooth Clawed Otter, Estuarine Crocodile really splashing as he caught some large fish, Plantain Squirrel, Water Monitor, and 4 types of Mudskipper (Blue-spotted, Yellow-spotted, Giant and Grey Frilled ?), Green-crested Lizard, St Andrew’s cross and Golden Orb spiders and Telescope Snail were also seen.
A lot of interesting sightings in here! What is the date?
Barred Cuckoo Dove - there are no cuckoo doves in Singapore. Only barred dove of any sort is Zebra but that is a very different size!
Baya Weaver @ Botanical Gardens - last record (on eBird) was 1992! You may well have seen on at Sungei Buloh but doubt the botanic gardens.
Spectacled Spiderhunter - long extinct in Singapore (according to Robson) and not aware of any sightings. Either a Little Spiderhunter, or more likely juvenile Brown-throated Sunbird which has a yellow eye-ring (but not a spiderhunter bill)
Streak-throated Woodpecker - Closest ones in Thailand. This will be a Laced Woodpecker.
Javan Pond Heron - a couple around at the minute (only in the last week or so identifiable as adopting breeding plumage) but never reported at Sg Buloh (look on dry grassy fields not mangrove habitat). Vast majority of Pond Herons are Chinese.
Black Bittern - there was one at Sg Buloh in Jan/Feb....
Spotted Redshank - saying "a bit unexpected this late in the year" is a massive understatement! The last report was in 1994!
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