changeable hawk eagles @ tanah merah - Nov2012

Tanah Merah seems to be a good spot (for now) to see Changeable Hawk Eagles. This species comes in two main morphs...pale or dark (and quite a few variations in between depending on the stage of maturity of the bird). The clip shows three different birds.
The first is seated on a Casuarina branch silhouetted by the morning sun. It was observed for about 5 minutes before it took flight calling whilst it flew off.
The second was seated on another tree looking around whilst highlighted by the morning sun. This one had a rich brown colour and the distinctive yellow feet can be clearly seen.
The third hawk eagle was a juvenile pale morph. This one had a white head and a pale coloured body with dark grey wings. It also had a small black crest atop its head. When it was first noticed, it was wagging its tail from side to side. Facing away from its observers, it was quite content until a motorbiker came by. Unfortunately, the noise from the bike set the bird off and it took off deeper into the nearby forest.

changeable hawk eagles @ tanah merah - Nov2012 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

Habitat loss continues to be a problem for these shy birds which seem to prefer more quiet and non-habited areas.

Find out more about these rarely seen Singapore resident birds here :

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=31546

http://www.besgroup.org/2007/10/07/changeable-hawk-eagle-pale-x-dark-morph/

http://www.besgroup.org/2007/08/16/portrait-of-an-eagle-changeable-hawk-eagle/

 http://besgroup.blogspot.com/2007/01/changeable-eagle-attacking-colugo.html

http://www.besgroup.org/2006/11/02/changeable-hawk-eagle-and-the-long-tailed-macaque/

http://www.besgroup.org/2007/07/21/changeable-hawk-eagle-nesting-observations/

http://nusavifauna.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/changeable-hawk-eagle/

http://singaporebirds.blogspot.com/2012/06/buttonquail.html

http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Nisaetus-cirrhatus

http://wildbirdsingapore.nss.org.sg/Raptor%20Manual_circa.pdf

stork-billed kingfisher @ SBWR - OCT2012

The resident stork-billed kingfisher (Singapore's largest resident kingfisher) was at the cafe pond sitting nicely on a fallen bamboo stalk. There was also a barrage of megalensed photographers who had set up in the cafe intruding into the king's privacy. It did the best it could by flying off and returning with a fish in its beak only if was facing the opposite direction much to the annoyance of the persons behind some expensive glass.

The bird promptly made quick work of the fish swallowing it. Shortly thereafter, it did a quick neck swing and ruffled its feathers and wings as if to reset itself after the dive to catch the fish. The neck swinging seemed particularly 'violent' ... much more severe than any you might get in an old style barber's chair after a cut.  The resetting neck swing shows the power the kingfisher has in its neck muscles when it uses the same action to knock prey (eg. fish, lizards etc.) senseless against branches before swallowing them.

stork-billed kingfisher @ sg buloh wetland reserve - Oct2012 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

here is the replay of the neck swing (@12.5% normal speed)

stork-billed kingfisher slowmo @ sg buloh wetland reserve - Oct2012 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

grey-headed fish eagle @ sg buloh wetland reserve - Oct2012

It was about 1030 am when I spotted a raptor quite far off flying in tight circular. It was only when I got a faraway glimpse of the top edge of its tail that I knew what it was...a rare grey-headed fish eagle. (There was a distinctive black edge to the white tail). This was my second time seeing it at SBWR. The first was in July 2012 when it flew almost directly overhead the main bridge giving me a fabulous short clip. (see this post from July 2012).

The eagle was flying somewhere near the outdoor classroom area beyond the main tower aerie. It kept to a tight circle for a few minutes before flying off towards the coast. It seemed as if it was somehow interested in the area below its flight circle. Hopefully it was scouting out a roost or fishing spot.

grey-headed fish eagle @ sg buloh wetland reserve - Oct2012 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.

Good to know that the grey-headed fish eagles are finding SBWR suitable. I hope they stay.

Towards the mid-afternoon whilst I was occupying a quiet gazebo at the mangrove boardwalk area when the air was interrupted by the unmistakable squawking of white-bellied fish eagles coming from the direction of the currently closed (for renovations) Kranji Nature Trail. I hope the renovations do not inconvenience the WBSEs too much.  Let's hope they stay too!