Quarterly Roundup: Jul–Sep 2026

The July–September 2026 quarter was dominated by rare seabirds and waders, with highlights including Grey-tailed Tattler, Asian Dowitcher, Red-footed Booby, Long-tailed Jaeger, Lesser Frigatebird and Yellow-bellied Warbler.

The period from July to September was dominated by rare seabirds and waders. A Red-footed Booby Sula sula was found beached at East Coast Park and subsequently collected by ACRES, but unfortunately it did not survive (20 Aug; LC, CNL, TR).Red-footed BoobyAt Marina East Drive and East Coast Park, many were able to catch a sight of an adult female Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel which had a fishing line trapped around its legs, as it flew around the eastern coastline from the morning to mid-afternoon and even perched on a tree (2 Sep; PS). A Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus was observed along the Singapore Strait on 19 Sep – the first sighting of any jaeger species in Singapore since 2021 (TW).Lesser Frigatebird at Marina EastLong-tailed Jaeger at the Singapore StraitThere were multiple sightings of Common Tern Sterna hirundo, with two observed at Kusu Island (12 Sep; YZN), Marina East Drive (12–14 Sep; DL), and the Singapore Strait (19–26 Sep; sev obs). For Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica, two were observed at Chek Jawa (13 Sep; CNL, DL, YZN, KW), and one each along the Singapore Strait (19 Sep; sev obs) and Tanah Merah Coast Road (15–29 Sep; DL, HP).Gull-billed Tern at Chek JawaThe shorebird season started off with a surprise Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes at Marina East Drive (27–28 Jul; JN). This is the first record of this increasingly rare species in Singapore since 2021 and the first on the mainland since 2016.Grey-tailed Tattler at Marina EastContinuing on from the last season, Tanah Merah Coast Road continued to attract uncommon wader species amidst the ongoing land reclamation works, including up to three Broad-billed Sandpipers Calidris falcinellus (16–30 Sep; TR), up to 12 Terek Sandpipers Xenus cinereus (2 Jul–30 Sep; TR, DL), and up to three Curlew Sandpipers (5 Jul–30 Sep; TR). Javan Plover Anarhynchus javanicus continued to be seen at this site, with a single individual observed from 13–15 Jul (TR). Up to three Pied Stilts Himantopus leucocephalus continued to be seen here (7 Jul–4 Aug; TR), along with continued sightings of up to 14 Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus. Four chicks which had first been sighted on 19 Jun were observed until 11 Jul (DL, TR), constituting the first breeding record of this species on mainland Singapore.There were multiple records of Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, with up to three at Tanah Merah Coast Road (24 Jul–30 Sep; DL), one at Yishun Dam (5 Aug; PG), and one each at Chek Jawa on 30 Aug (CD) and 11 Sep (WHL), which could potentially be the same individuals as those found at Tanah Merah Coast Road given the close proximity of the two locations.Eurasian Curlew at Tanah Merah Coast RoadOn 12 Sep, an Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus was first seen at Tanah Merah Coast Road (CD), which was also later connected with at Chek Jawa (TW). At Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, a lone Long-toed Stint Calidris subminuta was found on 5 Sep by AC. Single Greater Sand Plovers were seen at Chek Jawa (17 Aug; TW), Marina East Drive (8 Aug; JWY) and Tanah Merah Coast Road from 13–23 Jul (DL) and 14–17 Sep (TR).Asian Dowitcher at Tanah Merah Coast RoadLong-toed Stint at Sungei Buloh Wetland ReserveMoving further inland, one of the most surprising finds for the quarter was a Yellow-bellied Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris observed at Dairy Farm Nature Park (23–24 Sep; LOO). The bird was difficult to connect with, providing fleeting appearances in the early morning and late evening. This is the first record of this species in Singapore, and its status is currently being deliberated upon by the Records Committee. A Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus was photographed in Jurong Lake Gardens on 15 Sep (LYC).Yellow-bellied Warbler at Dairy Farm Nature ParkCinereous Tit at Jurong Lake GardensSingle Blue Rock Thrushes Monticola solitarius were sighted at Pinnacle@Duxton (18 Sep; BTT), Victoria Junior College (18 Sep; HH), and St. John’s Island (26 Sep; YZN). At Punggol Promenade Park Connector, the female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher continued to be observed up to 11 Jul (AN). This individual has been classified as a possible escapee due to concerns over its feather condition. Up to two Mangrove Whistlers Pachycephala cinerea continued to be sighted along Tanah Merah Coast Road (2 Jul–22 Sep; TR). The long-staying Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius continued to be sighted at Punggol Seventeenth Avenue until 22 Jul (HP), and a female Black-winged Flycatcher-Shrike Hemipus hirundinaceus at Chek Jawa was sighted on 20 Sep by HW. A very young-looking juvenile Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax seen at Thomson Nature Park on 21 Aug may suggest the possibility of breeding in Singapore (PG). On 12 Sep, Singapore's third record of Western Hooded Pitta Pitta sordida of the subspecies mulleri was found at Kovan after crashing into a window. Unfortunately the bird did not survive despite rehabilitative efforts and was collected by the Lee Kong Chian...