Compiled by Jared Tan.

At Jelutong Tower, a Mountain Imperial Pigeon Duculia badia was photographed in flight on 22 Apr (RW, FY)—the 4th record for Singapore. The Singapore Bird List had its newest addition with a female Fiery Minivet Pericrocotus igneus also photographed in flight at the same location (27 May; YZN, WHL, CNL, SP, CYL). This is the first modern record for Singapore.

One Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon Treron fulvicollis continued to be seen at Pulau Ubin on 3 Apr (KW, WHL). Up to five Little Grebes Tachybabtus ruficollis continued to be sighted at Marina Grove (m.o.) and one at Pekan Quarry at Pulau Ubin (KW) throughout the period of reporting. Another individual was seen at the waterlogged field at Park Street (27 May; SB). The only record of Chestnut-winged Babbler Cyanoderma erythropterum for the year was two birds at Upper Peirce Reservoir (16 Apr–7 Jun; WHL, KW). 

Multiple Indian Pond Herons Ardeola grayii were seen around the island—at Park Street (until 27 Apr; ZYW), Seletar End (7–11 Apr; TO), Jurong Lake Gardens (8–25 Apr; BC, KGT), Punggol Field (27–29 Apr; XX), and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park (9–18 May; SC). The period from April to May is the best time of the year to spot this species as pond-herons develop their breeding plumage before returning back home to breed. At Chek Jawa, a single Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes was found by TW (8 Apr–10 May). This continues to be the only reliable spot in Singapore to see this rare species annually. 

The Chek Jawa picnic table continued for its fifth consecutive year. The female Crimson-breasted Flowerpecker Prionochilus percussus continued to be sighted until 21 Apr (m.o.), while a Stripe-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus finlaysoni was only seen for two days from 11–12 Apr (DL). Both birds could have been the same individuals continuing from the previous year. Three Ruby-cheeked Sunbirds Chalcoparia singalensis were sighted—two females (until 14 Apr; CNL, DT) and a male (23 Apr; EL). Up to four Black-headed Bulbuls Microtarsus melanocephalos continued to be seen at the location and were even observed collecting nesting material (until 4 Jun; TW). The last sighting on the main island of Singapore was three years ago on 12 Mar 2023. The biggest sighting at Chek Jawa ended up being a White-bellied Erpornis Erpornis zantholeuca  which was first heard on 12 Apr and later photographed on 14 Apr (WHL, CNL). While the bird remained until 26 Apr, its appearances were extremely inconsistent and proved to be difficult for birders to connect with.

A female Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus was also found at the same location (13 May–4 Jun; TR). The final bird spotted at the picnic table was a Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius on 1 Jun (WTK). The individual at Punggol Seventeenth Avenue continued to be spotted until the end of the month (JT). A Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica was spotted on the mudflats on 21 Jun, which could be the same individual subsequently spotted at Tanah Merah Coast Road (WHL, SP, CYL).

Those making the long walk in to Chek Jawa Wetlands managed to spot the rare local subspecies minor of Ruddy Kingfisher Halcyon coromanda and Mangrove Pitta Pitta megarhynca at the mangroves near Kelichap Hut. On 2 May, while looking for these birds at midday, AL photographed a White-chested Babbler Pellorneum rostratum at the water’s edge, which was also later found to have been spotted by others as early as 18 Apr (KSC). The bird remained until at least 12 May. This was a very welcome find as the previous two recent records in 2023 were not twitchable. 

For shorebirds, Tanah Merah Coast Road continued to yield a number of scarce species, such as a Sanderling Calidris alba and two White-faced Plovers Anarhynchus dealbatus (10 Apr; CNL, DL, TW, WHL), and up to four Broad-billed Sandpipers Calidris falcinellus (1–10 Apr; TR). Following on from a sighting in February, two Javan Plovers Anarhynchus javanicus were also found at this location (10–17 May; TR, WHL, FY). 

Interestingly, several migratory shorebird species were observed to be present at the location in the later part of June, including a Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica (possibly the same one earlier seen at Chek Jawa), Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus, Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola and Tibetan Sand Plover Anarhynchus atrifrons which could either be early arrivals or overstayers (CNL, TR, DL). 

There were multiple sightings of Pied Stilts Himantopus leucocephalus, with two each at East Coast Park (3 Apr; GBK), Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (27 Apr; KaT), Marina East (7 May; FY), and Tanah Merah Coast Road (29 May–22 Jun; EL, DL). For Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, single birds were seen at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (2 May; HRK) and Chek Jawa Wetlands (16 May; DL), and two at Marina East (24 Jun; AP, JP). Up to five adults were also spotted along around Tanah Merah Coast Road (10 May onwards; TR), with the count brought up to a minimum of eight with the sighting of three recently-fledged juveniles (19 Jun; DL, TR). This is the first breeding record for mainland Singapore.

Three Pheasant-tailed Jacanas Hydrophasianus chirurgus were observed flying rounds over Upper Seletar Reservoir from the vantage point of Mandai Rainforest Resort (6 May; AB).

Those seawatching at Kusu Island had a productive time, with at least two Lesser Frigatebirds Fregata ariel sighted on 26 Apr (CNL, SP, TW, YZN). Several Short-tailed Shearwaters Ardenna tenuirostris were seen migrating over the open waters of the Singapore Strait from 30 Apr–23 May (m.o.). This reaffirms late April to May as the peak migration period for the species through our waters.

The 3rd record of Fairy Pitta Pitta nympha for Singapore continued to be observed at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Rainforest Trail until 14 April (m.o.). The 4th national record was a crashed bird found at Tanah Merah (13 Apr; AO), and subsequently collected by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. Unlike its counterpart at the Botanic Gardens, this individual was in bad condition—very skinny and covered with lice, as shared by YYT, the museum’s curator of birds.

The Taiga Flycatcher Ficedula albicilla at Marina Grove remained at the location until 9 Apr (m.o.). There were three unusually late sightings of Blue Rock Thrush Montica solitarius—two at a balcony near Singapore Polo Club (19 Apr; CT), one at Pinnacle@Duxton (28 May; BTT), and two at CapitaSpring (20 Jun; WC). A Northern Boobook Ninox japonica was also sighted perched on a tree at Mandarin Gardens on 5 Apr (RR). Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides continued to be heard at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve until 3 Apr (MF). 

Up to three Mangrove Whistlers Pachycephala cinerea each were recorded at Tanah Merah Coast Road (until 21 Jun; DL) and one at Changi Bay Point where the existing location is currently undergoing heavy development (4 Apr; RC). The long-staying Black-and-Red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos continued to be seen and heard at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (until 6 Jun; m.o.). A female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra was found at Sungei Serangoon on 27 May, remaining at the location until at least 23 Jun (AN).

A juvenile White Wagtail Motacilla alba ssp. leucopsis was observed being fed numerous times by an adult at a canal off Jurong Town Hall Road, which could possibly constitute the first confirmed breeding record for Singapore (19–25 Apr; MAI, KW). Separately, another two juveniles were spotted at Changi Business Park on 17 May (MN). While no feeding was observed, it is highly suspicious given that an adult pair was known to have spent the previous summer at this location, and are likely to also be overstaying this year. In 2025, a juvenile was also seen at this location (10 May; TR), while another was also spotted at Kallang River (28 Jul; IHT). The status of this species in Singapore will be closely evaluated by the Records Committee.

Contributors: Many observers (m.o.), Adrian Brooks (AB), Andy Lee (AL), Angelyn Ong (AO), Alex Pizel (AP), Ben Choo (BC), Teo Boon Tong (BTT), Lee Chien Nien (CNL), Catalina Tong (CT), Low Chong Yang (CYL), Dylan CK Lee (DL), Dana Tan (DT), Daryl Yeo (DY), Evelyn Lee (EL), Francis Yap (FY), Kim Gyu Byeom (GBK), Kow Hao Rui (HRK), Tung Ing Huat (IHT), Jo Pizel (JP), Jared Tan (JT), Yip Jen Wei (JWY), Tay Kian Guan (KGT), Chew Kee Seng (KSC), Kathy Tang (KT), Koh Wild (KW), Mohd Azmi Ibrahim (MAI), Mohamed Fazlin (MF), Mac Ng (MN), Ramesh Cyan (RC), Rahish Rauther (RR), Richard White (RW), Sabre (SB), Shaun Chang (SC), Swee Peng (SP), Tony Ou (TO), T. Ramesh (TR), Tony Wong (TW), Wesley Chai (WC), Lua Wai Heng (WHL), Kiang Wenting (WTK), Xuan Xi (XX), Tan Yen Yi (YYT), Ng Yan Ze (YZN), Wang Zhongyu (ZYW)