black baza raptor surprise @ lorong halus - Jan2012

Was observing the swiftlets (i think) flying about in the late afternoon sky (about 5pm) above the Lorong Halus wetlands when the sky was interrupted by 4 much larger birds flying as a close pack. The swiftlets made a hasty exit and soon the sky was empty of them. The black baza* is a migratory bird which passes through Singapore between the months of September to April each year.


(*thanks to DTJX for the ID)

here are some screen-captures of the raptors :

Read more about this little known bird of prey (to most Singaporeans anyway) :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Baza

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3329

http://www.besgroup.org/2011/01/12/black-baza-in-comfort-behaviour/ 

http://www.besgroup.org/2008/11/19/arrivals-of-the-black-bazas/

http://www.besgroup.org/2007/04/06/black-baza-rescue/

http://www.besgroup.org/2007/12/13/raptor-migration-over-malaysia/

http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2006/12/migratory-habits-of-black-baza.html

http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-black-baza.html

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/black-baza-aviceda-leuphotes