Migration has started! Birding in August

1st August 

After an uneventful July, A sighting of a Brown Streaked Flycatcher at Jurong Lake Gardens was a great sign that migration had begun. We reached early and immediately went to the grasslands at the Oval, hoping to get improvement shots of the Barred Buttonquail. Upon arrival, I climbed up one of the small knolls that littered the grassland. It was a great vantage point to see any birds perching atop the tall grass. An elusive Slaty Breasted Rail emerged next to the knoll. It briefly appeared and gave unsatisfactory views.

Slaty-Breasted Rail

The knoll proved to be a great vantage point as Javan Munias flocked to feed on seeds of the long grasses next to it. My mother also spotted a Lesser Coucal basking in the sun. 

Javan Munia

Lesser Coucal

Afterward, we explored the grassland, slowly walking through the long grass, a Barred Buttonquail and Ruddy Breasted Crake were strolling across the gravel path. These birds are extremely elusive and incredibly difficult to photograph.  

Barred Buttonquail

Next to the lake, at the viewing platform at Alstonia Island, a juvenile White Breasted Waterhen showed well and a flock of Long-tailed Parakeets landed close by. A juvenile parakeet was being fed by an adult. 

White-Breasted Waterhen

Long-tailed Parakeet

Long-tailed Parakeet

At the old Japanese Garden entrance, a noisy Tanimbar Corella made an appearance. Upon closer inspection, it had a chain tied to its leg. So this is possibly an escapee and not part of the feral population. The Coppersmith Barbets which were calling incessantly throughout the park made a very far away appearance.

Tanimbar Corella

Coppersmith Barbet

At the forest ramble playground, many common garden birds were flying around and calling. After looking meticulously at the dense bushes, I managed to spot a Large-tailed Nightjar through a small window in the bush. Its eyes occasionally opened widely probably disturbed by the loud children. After returning to the old Japanese Garden entrance, the Brown Streaked Flycatcher finally appeared. I got my first Brown Streaked Flycatcher last year at the same spot so I was elated to get improvement shots. 

Large-tailed Nightjar

Brown-streaked Flycatcher

5th August

After a long and tiring day in school, I went down to my neighborhood park to take a break from studying. The calls of Hill Mynahs resonated through the forest of Chua Chu Kang Park and a pair showed nicely next to the road.

Common Hill Mynah

At the bridge to the right of the park's toilet, a family of Javan Munia was preening in a small tree and nearby a Malaysian Pied Fantail hawked for insects at the short trees next to the toilet.

Javan Munia

Malaysian Pied Fantail

At the skateboarding plaza. There was a row of fruiting trees attracting many starlings and koels. A single juvenile sunbird was seen in the trees. In the short trees around the skateboarding plaza, 2 fantails were frantically feeding.

Olive Backed Sunbird-Juvenile

Malaysian Pied Fantail

While trying to locate a female Koel, I saw a small brown bird dart past me and into the tree beside me. Thinking it was nothing special, I almost walked away but realized the way it flew reminded me of a Flycatcher. Inside a flowering tree, the flycatcher showed its rich tertials and marked throat. Features that rule out other muscicapa Flycatchers. Its lower mandible was also quite orange. All these features pointed to a Brown Streaked Flycatcher and ruled out the similar-looking Asian Brown Flycatcher. What an experience to find this uncommon migrant in an urban park.

The Brown Streaked Flycatcher

At the allotment gardens, a new bird for my neighborhood park called loudly as they foraged on a tall tree. It was the dazzling Coconut Lorikeet. A high-pitched chirp from the allotment gardens lead me to a gorgeous male Olive Backed Sunbird 

Coconut Lorikeet- 81st bird for my neighborhood park list

male Olive Backed Sunbird

6th August

A very disappointing trip to Yishun Dam yielded no plovers and many many crows and mynahs. However, an otter with 2 pups and an obliging Striated Heron entertained us as we waited for the plovers to come.

Smooth-coated Otters

Striated Heron

7th August

A trip to Singapore Botanical Gardens for early migrants proved to be a waste of time. Visiting in October or November would give better results. However, the Olive Winged Bulbuls and Lesser Whistling Ducks provided good views. 

Pair of Whistling Ducks

After hearing the news that the flycatcher I found at Chua Chu Kang was extremely obliging, I made a return trip there to get improvement shots. It was such an experience to see this migrant sometimes right next to me.

Brown Streaked Flycatcher

Although the best find that day would be the Straw Headed bulbul. I could hear it calling from a nearby tree at the fitness corner near the skating plaza. After a short wait, it appeared in the open. This was very memorable find to find a critically endangered bird in a park near my house. This also reinforces that Singapore is one of the last remaining strongholds for this bird. 

Straw Headed Bulbul

27th August

This was my last remaining trip in August and I had yet to find any year birds for my Big Year, Knowing that a White Browed Crake has been showing up reliably at a pond behind River Five Fish Farm along Neo Tiew Crescent, I decided to attempt to add this extremely difficult bird to my Big Year list. We reached at 7:45 and parked along Neo Tiew Crescent. We walked along the canal and peered through the gate into the pond. After a few minutes of scanning, my dad spotted the crake happily foraging for 30 minutes. Although it was very far away, this was my first lifer in 2 months.

White Browed Crake- 60m away

We then made our way to Bollywood Veggies for breakfast where they served good Nasi Lemak and breakfast meals. On our way towards Sungei Buloh. We made a quick stop at Kranji Marsh to find the Rusty Breasted Cuckoo parasitizing off a fantail. When we arrived, we heard its begging call and managed to track it down. Although it was scared away by photographers before we could witness it being fed by its fantail "foster parents".

Rusty-breasted Cuckoo Juvenile 

At Sungei Buloh's mangrove boardwalk, many Ashy Tailorbirds and Copper-throated Sunbirds were flitting about, occasionally stopping. At one point, the Copper-throated Sunbird even perched on the railing of the boardwalk.

Ashy Tailorbird

male Copper-throated Sunbird

At the main bridge, I heard a faint 2-note call that resembled a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, following the call lead me to the second-year bird of the day, the Blyth's Paradise Flycatcher. It was an extremely skittish bird, rarely giving open perches before launching back into the dense foliage. It stopped at the canopy of a tall tree to preen for a few seconds before continuing its previous behavior. It can be identified as Blyth's because they arrive earlier than Amur and also through binoculars, it was observed to have no clear demarcation between the head and breast meaning the dark blue slowly faded into light blue instead of a sudden change.

At the main hide, a group of redshanks and 3 greenshanks were feeding on the mudflats and a juvenile Ashy Tailorbird called from above us. On the way out, a Buffy Fish Owl gave very blocked views at the boardwalk from the wetland center to the neo view crescent car park.

Ashy Tailorbird

Common Redshanks

Common Greenshank

On 28th August, An Asian Dowitcher was reported at Marina East Drive, a mad rush down to the site was in vain as there was no sign of it and the fields were completely barren of avifauna only having spotted doves and mynahs. At the breakwaters, a Little Tern, Lesser Sand and Malaysian Plover gave distant views. Not a great way to end the month. 

Little Tern

Malaysian Plover

Lesser Sand Plover

Malaysian Plover

Lesser Sand Plover- slightly closer

First Overseas Trip, Birding in Fraser Hill Part 4

 Fraser Hill Part 4

15th June Morning,

In our last day at Fraser Hill, we decided to go Telecom Loop for a chance of getting a photograph of the Collared Owlet. Outside Stephen's Place, barbets were swarming at a fruiting tree. A Stripe-Throated Bulbul also joined the feast when the light started getting better. 

Fire-Tufted Barbet

Stripe-throated Bulbul

While driving to a possible Owlet spot, I spotted a Long-Billed Broadbill by the roadside. Luckily, there was no traffic and we quickly stopped the car and discovered a family of Long-Tailed Broadbills! I was overjoyed to get some improvement shots.

"Long"-Tailed Broadbill fledgling 

Long-tailed Broadbill 

Further down the road, the Collared Owlet called. We had heard it call 3 times this morning but this was the closest sounding one. After painstakingly looking up into the trees, I finally spotted it all the way up in the canopy. Although all our necks were sore, we were able to finally see our lifer being mobbed by a Spiderhunter. Nearby a Lesser Shortwing melodiously vocalised.

Collared Owlet

Lesser Shortwing

We returned to the junction near Bishop Trail where we heard a Buff-Breasted Babbler and White Tailed Robin. A Large Niltava joined in as a bird wave with Black-Eared Shrike babblers, Lesser Racket-Tailed Drongos and Chestnut Crowned Warblers passed through.

Black-Eared Shrike Babbler

Large Niltava

White-Tailed Robin

After eating our final lunch at the Pines, we started our journey down the hill and to KLIA. We stopped next to the waterfall to try and get the Black-and-Yellow Broadbill. Weng Chun spotted a Whiskered Treeswift pair and we heard a Banded Woodpecker and Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher. My parents spotted a pair of bulbuls.The bulbuls were very elusive and just as we were about to leave, I spotted them preening in the open and realized it was a Buff Vented Bulbul. 

Whiskered Treeswift(female)

Whiskered Treeswift(male)

Further down the road, we made another attempt for my main targets, the Black-and-Yellow Broadbill and Red Billed Malkoha. After a short wait, We heard it briefly and I found it extremely high up in the canopy of a huge tree. It was truly an extremely small bird! We also heard the sharp calls of the Dusky Broadbill and found a flock of 3 Dusky Broadbills. 

Black-and-Yellow Broadbill

Dusky Broadbill

While waiting for the broadbill to reappear, Weng Chun spotted a gorgeous Red Billed Malkoha which caught a praying mantis! It was such a wonderful encounter with this beautiful bird! The Black-and-Yellow Broadbill loudly called and finally came down low and gave good views. 

Red-Billed Malkoha

 Black-and-Yellow Broadbill

After a few minutes, drive we reached a car park where we heard a horsefield’s babbler and encountered a lot of birds. There was an entire valley of fruiting trees where Spectacled Bulbuls, Grey-Bellied Bulbuls, Cream Vented and Yellow Bellied Bulbuls were feeding. Our final bird at Fraser Hill was a bird that consistently eluded and taunted us, it was a calling Red-Bearded Bee Eater. I spotted it high up in the tree and after a few bursts of playback, it flew closer and my dad spotted it on a nice perch. Along the road at Selangor Dam, Weng Chun spotted 3 Whiskered Tree Swift perched quite low and they gave very good views.

Yellow-Bellied Bulbul

                              

Gray-bellied Bulbul

 Spectacled Bulbul

 Red Bearded Bee Eater

Whiskered Treeswift 

After leaving Fraser Hill, We only had a few targets left on our list, due to time constraints we only had time to search for the Black-thighed Falconet. When we reached the location. Weng Chun spotted them on a wire mating! What a sighting the end the trip. 

Black-Thighed Falconet

Our trip in Fraser Hill was amazing. Not only was the bird life plentiful, the wildlife was too! There were many mammals and moths. The scenery was also breathtaking. The highlights were easily the Dark-hawk Cuckoo, the Rusty-naped Pitta, Red-Billed Malkoha and Raffles Malkoha.

Mammal List:

Dusky Langur

White Tailed Surili

Siamang

Pig-Tailed Macaque

Himalayan Striped Squirrel

Grey Bellied Squirrel

Short tailed Gynmure

Yellow Throated Marten

Red Cheeked Squirrel

Red Bellied Squirrel

Our accommodation, the Pines Resort(booked online) was nice with a few maintenance issues with the shower. The water was either extremely hot or extremely cool but otherwise it is a cozy place to stay in. The place was extremely spacious and were like entire apartments. There were sometimes a lot of ants at some places. From the balcony, it is easy to enter so ensure it is locked whenever leaving the accommodation or sleeping. From the balcony, Rufous-Bellied Swallows and swifts are a common sight.

The food was amazing at the Pines and the Smokehouse although the prices at the smokehouse were slightly pricey. The service at both the restaurants and the accommodation were good too. The pines and Hillview had delicious chinese meals such as tofu, bee hoon, fried rice and even a steambot. The smokehouse had very good western food and were very filling after a long day of birding.

For Mobile we used a portable wifi router which sometimes failed to work, but from the accommodation and certain random parts of the hill, it worked fine and fast. 

Testimonial:

109 species, 92 lifers and 12 out of 15 targets ticked off the list. This would not have been possible if not for guide Weng Chun's amazing knowledge of the birds in Fraser Hill. He brought us to specific spots and tried his best to find targets and also get as many lifers as possible. His extensive experience and knowledge and bird calls helped us gain many lifers and also taught me the many different vocalizations of Fraser Hill's avifauna. When I was unable to get a photograph of a Red Bearded Bee Eater because I was distracted by an Orange Breasted Trogon. Weng Chun tried relentlessly at many spots to find the Bee Eater and just before the end of our trip due to his passion and determination we were able to photograph it in the end! His wonderful guidance and passion has sparked my interest even more and expanded my spectrum of birds to Malaysia! If we ever go birding in Malaysia, Weng Chun will be the first choice!  

Guide contact: https://www.facebook.com/malaysianbirder

Photographed 

Fraser Hill:

1. Pin Tailed Parrotfinch

2. Orange bellied leafbird

3. Streaked Spiderhunter

4. Black Throated Sunbird

5. Fire Breasted Flowerpecker

6. Little Pied Flycatcher

7. Rufous Browed Flycatcher 

8. Oriental Magpie Robin

9. Chestnut Capped Laughingthrush 

10. Silver Eared Mesia

11. Blue Winged Minla

12. Long Tailed Sibia

13. Mountain Fulvetta

14. Golden Babbler

15. Hume's White Eye

16. Mountain Tailorbird (Out of focus)

17. Chestnut Crowned Warbler

18. Rufous Bellied Swallow 

19. Pacific Swallow 

20. Common Tailorbird 

21. White Throated Fantail

22. Black N Crimson Oriole

23. Black Eared Shrike Babbler

24. Blyth's Shrike Babbler

25. Gray Chinned Minivet 

26. Long Tailed Broadbill 

27. Black Browed Barbet

28. Fire Tufted barbet 

29. House Swift 

30. Little Cuckoo Dove

31. Malayan Partridge 

32. White Tailed Robin

33. Lesser Shortwing

34. Large Niltava 

35. Blue Nuthatch

36. Malayan Laughingthrush 

37. Streaked Wren Babbler

38. Buff Breasted Babbler

39. Mountain Bulbul

40. Ochraeous Bulbul

41. Stripe Throated Bulbul

42. Pygmy Cupwing

43. Sultan Tit

44. Common Green Magpie

45. Lesser Racket Tailed Drongo

46. Large Cuckooshrike

47. Banded Broadbill

48. Lesser Yellownape

49. Red Headed Trogon

50. Crested Serpent Eagle 

51. Plume Toed Swiftlet 

52. Dark Hawk Cuckoo

53. Hill Blue Flycatcher (Out of focus)

54. Yellow Bellied Warbler

55. Bar Winged Flycatcher Shrike 

56. Long Billed Spiderhunter 

57. Orange bellied Flowerpecker 

58. Malayan Whistling Thrush

59. Pin Striped Tit Babbler

60. Cinereous Bulbul 

61. Black Crested Bulbul 

62. Rufescent Prinia 

63. Dark Necked Tailorbird 

64. Large Woodshrike

65. Lesser Cuckooshrike

66. Bamboo Woodpecker 

67. Red Throated Barbet

68. Sooty Barbet

69. Red Bearded Bee Eater

70. Orange Breasted Trogon

71. Blyth's Hawk Eagle

72. Oriental Honey Buzzard 

73. Green Billed Malkoha

74. Raffles Malkoha

75. Collared Owlet

76. Buff Vented Bulbul

77. Cream Vented Bulbul 

78. Yellow Bellied Bulbul

79. Grey Bellied Bulbul

80. Spectacled bulbul

81. Black N Yellow Broadbill

82. Dusky Broadbill

83. Whiskered Tree Swift

84. Red Billed Malkoha

85. Black Laughingthrush 

Melaka:

86. Purple Naped Spiderhunter 

KL:

87. Black Thighed Falconet 

Seen(No photos)

1(88). Sunda Cuckoo

2(89). Grey Throated Babbler 

3(90). Mountain Imperial Pigeon 

4(91). White Rumped Munia 

5(92). Blue Winged Leafbird 

6(93). Black Laughingthrush 

7(94). Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (NL)

8(95). Bronzed Drongo 

9(96). Asian Emerald Dove 

10(97). Maroon Woodpecker

11.(98). Swinhoe's White Eye 

Heard

1(99). Rusty Naped Pitta

2(100). Greater Yellownape

3(101). Bay Woodpecker 

4(102). Velvet Fronted Nuthatch

5(103). Gray Headed Canary Flycatcher 

6(104). Silver breasted Broadbill

7(105). Golden Whiskered Barbet

8(106). Blue Eared Barbet

9(107). Rusty Breasted Cuckoo 

10(108). Horsefield's Babbler

11(109). White Bellied Erponis

Seen

KL:

110: Great Myna

Photographed:

Golden-Throated Barbet

https://ebird.org/tripreport/67415