Around the World in 60 days (March – May 2019) with a bit of birding along the way. (1 Viewer)

[viator]

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!

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks for taking the time to comment

A lot of interesting sightings in here! What is the date?

We were in Singapore 21st to 25th April.


As this was a quick stop over we hadn't done prep we normally do and only had concise Edition of Robson with us; but

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!

No photos of this and can't really recall sighting but certainly not Zebra which we saw regularly.

Baya Weaver @ Botanical Gardens - last record (on eBird) was 1992! You may well have seen on at Sungei Buloh but doubt the botanic gardens.

I think you are right with location. It was a single bird and seemed tame.

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)


We only had Concise guide and only birds with orange legs were Spiderhunters - Spectacled and Yellow-eared (think I wrongly identified it as Spectacled)

Streak-throated Woodpecker - Closest ones in Thailand. This will be a Laced Woodpecker.


Yes, also saw this in Bali

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.


They were on field at Reservoir Park and looked Javan but were not in full breeding plumage but lighter than chinese

Black Bittern - there was one at Sg Buloh in Jan/Feb....


Definitely saw one fly

Spotted Redshank - saying "a bit unexpected this late in the year" is a massive understatement! The last report was in 1994!

Wow, I remember really dark bird with Common Redshanks, didn't have a scope just doubler eyepiece for my binoculars, but did try to photograph so will look through them.


Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

 

[viator]

Wow, I remember really dark bird with Common Redshanks, didn't have a scope just doubler eyepiece for my binoculars, but did try to photograph so will look through them.


Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

Would be good to hear how the photo search goes as a mega record.

BTW on the Spiderhunter, immature Brown-throated Sunbird has orange feet and legs also appear a little orangish sometimes. Yellow-eared Spiderhunter very rare (last ~5 yrs ago) and would be expected to be in the central forests.

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks again

Would be good to hear how the photo search goes as a mega record.

BTW on the Spiderhunter, immature Brown-throated Sunbird has orange feet and legs also appear a little orangish sometimes. Yellow-eared Spiderhunter very rare (last ~5 yrs ago) and would be expected to be in the central forests.

Thanks again - this was bird we ID'd as young Spiderhunter mainly on basis of leg colour, although we had seen both Spiderhunters in Borneo never an immature or a young BT Sunbird for that mattter

 

[viator]

Thanks again - this was bird we ID'd as young Spiderhunter mainly on basis of leg colour, although we had seen both Spiderhunters in Borneo never an immature or a young BT Sunbird for that mattter

That's neither! It's a juvenile Crimson Sunbird. Here is another for reference: http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2126&Bird_Image_ID=150333

I was assuming BT as they have a very pronounced yellow eye-ring in line with the spiderhunter: http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2122&Bird_Image_ID=34004

 

[dandsblair]

Bali

Bali

We had never been to Bali and only briefly stayed on Java in Jakarta so there were quite a few target birds for us. We decided to spend 4 days at Menjangan, in a resort at the edge of Bali Barat NP with just a day in Canggu on the way back giving us the possibility a quick look in the Botanic Gardens at Bedugul.

I had been given a recommendation of Hery as a guide from Carlos Bocas and decide to have a full day guiding in Bali Barat. Hery was in a meeting with Chester and Tokyo Zoo on Bali Myna (starling) breeding programmes so we were guided by his colleague Bayu who was very good.

Bali Barat

The first targets at the bird tower were Black-winged Starlings, there were two pairs around but although we saw them they didn’t show very well. However these were quickly forgotten when I shouted Bali Myna as 2 birds flew over. Happily we watched 10 birds for the next 30 minutes and managed a few photos. We also watched Pink-necked and Orange-breasted Green Pigeons, Javan Myna and Edible Nest Swifts.

Towards the jetty we had Bar-winged Prinia calling and nest building and Javan Tailorbird pairing up with a mate and a fly over White-breasted Woodswallow and finally a Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker.

We intended to go to the salt-pans but a Javan Cuckoo Shrike, Freckle-breasted Woodpecker and a Lineated Barbet held us up and it was now very hot, so we headed to the pitta area. The Pitta territories are either side of an open field, on the way to the first viewpoint we had Javan Pond Heron, Common Flameback and a number of Green Junglefowl. In the blind we first saw a pair of Laced Woodpeckers, then a Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher before the star of the show a female Javan Banded Pitta appeared, there was also a young bird in tow, but it appears that no male is with them (he was eaten by a snake was the speculation).
At the other blind, we saw a Horsfield’s Babbler only our second ever and then both male and female Banded Pitta at one point both were in view together. In the clearing we also saw 2 Changeable Hawk eagles.

On that happy note we took a short break for lunch, before travelling into the rainforest
On crossing a bridge to the rainforest our driver stopped suddenly and we were on a Javan Kingfisher, what a beautiful bird. In the rainforest near the cemetery we heard our main target but couldn’t find him, making do with a nice Mangrove Whistler, before Bayu got us on what one of my main targets I gave to Hery a Crescent-chested Babbler what a great bird but I just couldn’t get a clear shot of him or the other couple of birds who joined despite good binocular views through the thick vegetation.

Next we tried the temple near the sea for the split Yellow-eared (little) Barbet and also saw Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Ornate Sunbird and the local race of Coppersmith Barbet.

Stops at the ferry and the salt-pans added a fairly good few birds, Sunda Teal, Pied Stilt, Whimbrel, Terek’s Sandpiper, Javan Plover, Little Tern, Great Crested Tern, Grey-tailed Tattler, White-headed Munia, Savannah Nightjar, Cerulean Kingfisher, Sunda Collared Dove and Small Button Quail.

Other wildlife included Timor Deer, Long-tailed Macaque, Bali Flying Lizard and Plantain Squirrel.


Back in hotel just before dark, no sign of Javan Scops Owl in two possible places but a great day.

 

[temmie]

Back in hotel just before dark, no sign of Javan Scops Owl in two possible places but a great day.

That hotel must have been somewhere on a mountain in Java, roughly between 1300-1800meter

 

[MKinHK]

Sounds like a rocking-good day!

 

[dandsblair]

Poor grammar

That hotel must have been somewhere on a mountain in Java, roughly between 1300-1800meter

Bayu checked two places on the way back to the hotel, at about 1000M I think not at the hotel. Hotel is at sea level.
He said we were trying for Scops Owl I assumed Javan but as we didn't connect it didn't matter.

 

[viator]

Bayu checked two places on the way back to the hotel, at about 1000M I think not at the hotel. Hotel is at sea level.
He said we were trying for Scops Owl I assumed Javan but as we didn't connect it didn't matter.

Temmie was being sarcastic - he was referencing where you could find Javan.

The only Scops Owl on Bali is Sunda Scops Owl. I saw a couple of times in a 4 night stay at Menjangan a couple of years ago within the extensive hotel grounds.

 

[temmie]

Not sarcastic; just a bit tongue-in-cheek ;-)

I spent around a week (morning and evening) to get the grips on Javan Scops on Gunung Gede. While it should occur in E-Java, there are zero sightings on e-bird / observation anywhere near Bali (that should be Kawa Ijen).
So I would have been very intrigued by any sniff of Otus angelinae in E-Java (let alone Bali)...

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks

Temmie was being sarcastic - he was referencing where you could find Javan.

The only Scops Owl on Bali is Sunda Scops Owl. I saw a couple of times in a 4 night stay at Menjangan a couple of years ago within the extensive hotel grounds.

I should have checked which Scops owl!

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks Mike

Sounds like a rocking-good day!

Thanks

In some ways it was like your conference birding.
We flew into a spot on the RTW route and did some birding from a local hotel in the margins of other site seeing.

 

[dandsblair]

Thanks

That's neither! It's a juvenile Crimson Sunbird. Here is another for reference: http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2126&Bird_Image_ID=150333

I was assuming BT as they have a very pronounced yellow eye-ring in line with the spiderhunter: http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2122&Bird_Image_ID=34004

Thanks again for taking the time.

I wouldn't have got that even if I had the full field guide with me, now home and text doesn't mention juvenile leg colour and plate is unclear but just having colour plates on screen with no text has certainly led to a few errors.


Redshank, on bigger screen looks like is just a very dark Common, or for a second I even thought of Nordman's GS but I have only ever seen this once in Hong Kong many years ago would have questioned my ID had I called it that.

 

[MKinHK]

Agree with your Redshank being Common

Cheers
Mike

 

[dandsblair]

Bali and Bangkok

Bedugul

We only allowed ourselves 90 minutes here on the way to Canggu, we had already agreed a rate with a driver, Restu, who took us to Menjangan and the Naya Gawana Resort and that was the maximum stop we could have. We knew that we had quite a few targets and
Bayu had told us quite a few were tricky, not helped by some of my Xeno Canto downloads failing. That said we did see a few birds, a Long-tailed Shrike, Brown Shrike and a probable Indonesian Honeyeater, right size and shape but we couldn’t pick it up again after the Shrikes had spooked it, so no tick. We did get reasonable views of Javan Whistling Thrush, glad that call worked and brought it in, but no sign of Sunda Bush Warbler or Javan Flameback, we did get flight views of a couple of Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon but after that it was just Myna, Flowerpecker and Sunbirds, birding wasn’t helped by a little bit of rain and loud music from some visitors from Java (our driver said it was a school holiday and they all come to Bali for the day). So birds were probably well off the trails.

Naya Gawana

We did a little birding around the resort which is more famous for snorkelling and diving. Best birds were two Bali Myna (Starlings), Sooty-headed Bulbul, Scarlet Minivet, Javan tailorbird, Ornate Sunbird, Sunda Pied Fantail and Grey-cheeked Green Pigeon.

Thailand

Only one morning birding at Lumpini Park. We didn’t do Thailand justice on an earlier trip and certainly need to go back to better birding areas at a better time. So as expected nothing too stunning seen on a baking hot morning, Asian Koel, Coppersmith Barbet, Olive-backed Sunbird, White-vented and Common Myna, Chinese Pond Heron, Little Egret, Javan Pond Heron, Glossy Swiftlet, Streak-eared Bulbul, White-cheeked and Black-collared Starlings and a Grey-backed Shrike.

 

[Rayavidas]

I have seen the red crest cardinal in shops in Europe aorund 500€, its really nice.



Sent from my iphone in Razasdepajaros

 

[dandsblair]

Unfortunately a lot of birds were seen in cages

I have seen the red crest cardinal in shops in Europe aorund 500€, its really nice.



Sent from my iphone in Razasdepajaros

Unfortunately a lot of birds were seen in cages in Bali, Singapore, Myanmar and Thailand.
Earlier this year it was even worse in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

 

[dandsblair]

Last legs

Myanmar

Myanmar probably deserves a proper full-on birding trip but that was due to the nature of our trip which at times almost felt like business birding (I used to travel a lot with work and would do a couple of days around the city I was based in and this was similar). In this trip we were based in Yangon and only did a mornings birding at Hlawga Park. This park has a mini zoo, a wild area and a transition area.
We took a taxi (US$30 return including 3 hours waiting time). We arrived before the park officially opened, got our tickets 5000K each (about $3) but there was no maps or information and the little shuttle bus hadn’t started yet, so we navigated using MAPS ME to just get around the lake and into the forest.
It did mean we had to walk around the zoo as well, not a great experience although we did speak to a keeper who had just cleaned up the pond and was really happy to see the tiger enjoying it and having a good stretch and wash.

On the first trail we had Black-crested Bulbul, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Coppersmith Barbet, White-throated Kingfisher and Tree Sparrow. When we walked down to the lake edge we had Racket-tailed Treepie, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Red JungleFowl, Green Peafowl, Red-wattled Lapwing and Green Bee-eaters before we lucked upon a couple of the main target birds, the Ayeyarwady Bulbul other birds in this area included Red-vented Bulbul, Common Iora, flyover Black Baza, White-rumped Shama and Sarah spotted a Lesser-necklaced Laughing Thrush and got me on the flying bird.
Sarah also spotted a Greater Coucal which I missed.

Other wildlife was disappointing with only Rhesus Macaque, Plantain Squirrel and some unidentified Lizards seen.

Brussels / Bruges

No birding as such but we did add Jackdaw, Shelduck, Mute Swan, Rook, Magpie, Great Tit, Blue Tit and Common Kestrel to our trip list.

Summary

This was far from being a birding trip so to add 67 life birds was a good haul and almost 500 birds wasn’t bad either, although a couple of dedicated weeks in Indonesia or Ecuador could easily have surpassed this total.

 

[dandsblair]

Full report with a few more photos

Nearly final version with corrections made and a few more photos.
Also more on flickr