Forest Wagtail 286th Lifer!

 17th September 

While leaving towards Sungei Buloh, I spotted this magnificent Hawk Eagle by the side of the road at Chua Chu Kang Park. The wooded area behind the community garden has been home to a family of these majestic raptors. This light morph adult gave very good views,

light morph Changeable Hawk Eagle

A juvenile Dark Morph Changeable Hawk Eagle was calling loudly from behind the light morph, I was shocked when they both landed in a nest. I was not sure if this was the juvenile from a few months ago or a new juvenile. 

Parent and Child Changeable Hawk Eagles

After being distracted by the eagles, we continued our journey to Sungei Buloh. The resident Buffy Fish Owl once again greeted us at the boardwalk going into the wetland centre. Nearby, in a fruiting tree next to the centre, a pair of Ashy Tailorbirds gave good views.

Buffy Fish Owl

Ashy Tailorbird

At the main hide, a flock of Pacific Golden Plovers were resting at the mudflats, upon closer inspection, two Sand Plovers were among the flock. However, their bills were not thick and long enough to be the Greater Sand Plover spotted recently. Their black legs and general size and shape pointed to Lesser Sand Plovers

Lesser Sand Plovers

Pacific Golden Plovers

At the sluice gate, a flock of redshanks foraged in the mudflats. More Pacific Golden Plovers few in as I spotted the Terek Sandpiper which was once again amongst the redshank flock. 

Common Redshank

Terek Sandpiper

 

Usually at hide 1E there are very little birds, however I noticed something moving in the tall grass. I almost overlooked it as a spotted dove but its plumage was distinctively different. Turns out it was a Red Turtle Dove. Despite the huge distance, I was elated to finally get a photo of the female.

Red Collared Dove

At the sluice gate, a Grey Heron was feasting on a fish. At platform 2, a pair of Lesser Adjutants were feeding at the river mouth as a Grey Headed Fish Eagle gave distant views. 

Grey Heron

Lesser Adjutant 

At hide 1C, the flock of Pacific Golden Plovers showed very well with them being only 10-15 meters away. There was at least 74 Pacific Golden Plovers and 2 Lesser Sand Plovers. A few of the golden plovers were moulting out of breeding plumage.

 

Pacific Golden Plover

Lesser Sand Plover

At the sluice gate, there was a flock of little egrets. There was a cattle egret within the flock. A sudden blue flash brought our attention to a Stork Billed Kingfisher which was gave amazing views. It dived numerous times but failed to catch any fish. While leaving, we spotted the owl once again at the same spot.

Egrets

Stork-billed Kingfisher

Buffy Fish Owl

18th September 

The previous day at Dairy Farm Nature Park, a Ferruginous Flycatcher was reported at the Wallace Trail platform. At car park B, I spotted a juvenile Little Spiderhunter being fed by its parent and we walked in towards Wallace Trail. At the platform, a juvenile Tiger Shrike and adult Little spiderhunter showed very well

Little Spiderhunter

Tiger Shrike

Little Spiderhunter

Afterwards, we went Yishun again, hoping to see if there were any rare wagtails within the flock. When we arrived at 6:05pm, the wagtails were already flying from block to block. They would first land on top of block 153,153, 151 and the red roof of 156. At 6:30pm, they flew down to the palm trees in between 154 and 153.

Grey Wagtail

It was 6:40pm, I slowly scanned each and every palm tree using my binoculars when I noticed one that did not have a yellow underside. I overlooked it as an Eastern Yellow Wagtail which, during that period would be ironically be completely grey. However, a closer look revealed its wing bars, brownish back, light underparts and black "bib". Hence, I could confidently identify it as a Forest Wagtail. A lifer and a year bird! A great way to end the weekend before exam period begins. 

Forest Wagtail