Quarterly Roundup: Oct-Dec 2025

Oct to Dec 2025 yielded lots of action, with three new species recorded for Singapore—Rhinoceros Hornbill, Rustic Bunting and Willow Warbler, as well as several other rarities.

Asian Emerald Cuckoo at Bidadari Park A Himalayan/Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus/optatus was found feeding among the fig trees at Jurong Lake Gardens (23–28 Dec; WHL) and a female Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus was seen at Bidadari Park (14–15 Dec; DL). Five Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon Treron fulvicollis were sighted at their usual location at Pulau Ubin Living Lab on 2 Dec (TW). Elsewhere in Sengkang, a Slaty-legged Crake Rallina eurizonoides was photographed at dusk at a basketball court in a housing estate (24 Dec; VK). Eurasian Curlew at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Two Greater Sand Plover Anarhynchus leschenaultii were seen at Chek Jawa (19–22 Nov; TW), and up to four White-faced Plover Anarhynchus dealbatus were observed at their usual location at Marina East Drive through the whole period of reporting (TW). A single Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata was spotted at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve was the first twitchable one in several years (31 Oct–22 Dec; ST), and a single Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus was sighted on the mudflats at Chek Jawa (7 Oct– 4 Nov; TW). A remarkable two Swinhoe’s Snipe Gallinago megala were found on the same day at separate locations at Neo Tiew Harvest Lane (CNL) and Changi Business Park (RT) on 26 Dec. Photographs of the outer tail feathers were obtained for both birds allowing for positive identification. One Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianus chirurgus was picked out by FY on the floating buoys off Lorong Halus on 29 Nov. Steppe Eagle at Henderson Waves Raptor migration numbers were unusually low during the winter migration, but it proved to be a bumper year for Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus, which had seven records: 20 Oct at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (RC), 29 Oct and 2 Nov at Henderson Waves (TW, CNL), and 1, 8, 10 and 12 Nov at Mount Faber (YZN, CNL). The scarce Common Buzzard Buteo buteo was sighted on 15 and 26 Oct at Mount Faber (RT, WHL). Adding excitement to an otherwise slow raptor migration, a few vagrants showed up in the form of Singapore’s fifth Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve on 29 Oct (CNL), Singapore’s ninth Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus at Mount Faber (4 Nov; JaT), and a Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis at Henderson Waves (2 Nov; RW) — Singapore’s seventh record and first in 26 years. There were five records of Pied Harrier Circus melanoleucos— at Mount Faber on 4, 5 and 7 Nov (JaT, RT, CNL), at Marina East Drive on 6 Dec (CNL), and over Bukit Panjang on 11 Dec (NL). The increasingly regular Himalayan Vulture Gyps himalayensis was seen twice, with two birds sighted flying over Tampines (25 Dec; MN) and a single bird over Pinnacle@Duxton (31 Dec; BTT). The long-staying visitor Black-thighed Falconet Microhierax fringillarius continued to be observed at Punggol Seventeenth Avenue throughout the period of reporting (JC). Dusky Warbler at West Coast Park Rare owl species recorded included the resident Barred Eagle-Owl Ketupa sumatrana at Jalan Asas from (4 Oct–28 Dec; JaT) and at Rifle Range Link (9–12 Dec; FY). A migratory Northern Boobook Ninox japonica was found perched along a canal at West Coast Park on 6 Dec and was successfully twitched by many (JG). Singapore’s eighth Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus was also found feeding just above the water’s surface at the same location (22 Nov–9 Dec; LZW). The vocal Sakhalin Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealoides was recorded at four locations — Upper Seletar Reservoir (24 Oct–31 Dec; JoT), Pulau Ubin (24 Nov; JWY), Singapore Botanic Gardens (26 Nov–31 Dec; JC), and an unusually confiding individual at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (22 Dec–31 Dec; TW, WHL). Common Swift at Mount Faber Those raptor-watching at Mount Faber on 7 Nov were treated to a rare sight of Singapore’s fourth Common Swift Apus apus (SP). The scarce but annual Brown-backed Needletail was sighted at Mount Faber (12 Nov; CNL) and Henderson Waves (22 Dec; TW). Two White-throated Needletail were seen at Mount Faber (16 Oct; TW), three at Henderson Waves (2 Nov; RW) and a single bird at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (25–27 Nov; TW). Lesser Frigatebird at Mount Faber Hardworking birders looking to the skies towards the tail end of the raptor migration season were rewarded with a rare sighting of a Lesser Frigatebird Fregata ariel soaring over Mount Faber on 6 Dec (AT). Other uncommon pelagic species included four sightings of Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus on 19 Nov and 9 Dec at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (FWC, CNL), 22 to 23 Nov at Chek Jawa (YZN), and 18 Dec at Tanah Merah Coast Road (DL). Singapore’s sixth Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia arrived and rested for a short while at Chek Jawa on the evening of 22 Nov before departing and never to be seen again (YZN), and a single Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica was seen out along the Singapore Strait (4 Oct; JaT). Caspian Tern at Chek Jawa Rhinoceros Hornbill at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve A Rhinoceros Hornbill...