Singapore Raptor Watch Pg 4 - Nature Society · the bumboat from Changi Jetty to Pulau Ubin ($2.50...

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NATURE NEWS JAN-FEB 2014

Jan-Feb 2014

MCI (P) 027/08/2013 ISSN: 2010-4308

Birdwatching at Bidadari Jan 11

Asian Waterfowl Census Jan 12

NSS Kids’ Fun with Nature at Gardens by the Bay Jan 18

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Jan 19

CCNR Ramble Jan 25

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Feb 8

Birdwatching at Bukit Brown Feb 9

Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Feb 15

4th Parrot Count Feb 15

Birdwatching at Pulau Ubin Feb 22

Southern Ridges Butterfly Walk Feb 22

VSG’s Wildlife Blitz@Pulau Ubin Mar 1

Activities 26th Singapore Raptor Watch 4

Counting Raptors at Chek Jawa 5

Kranji Night Ramble 6

Bidadari’s Natural Beauty is Worth Saving 7

Butterf ly Walk at Bukit Panjang Park & its Forest Fringe

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NSS Kids’ Watery Fun at Kallang River@Bishan-AMK Park

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30th Singapore Bird Race 10Announcements 11NSS Directory 11All Purpose Form 12

Bidadari’s Natural Beauty is Worth Saving Pg 7

6th Singapore Raptor Watch

Pg 4

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Saturday 8

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Meet Lee Ee Ling (HP: 9693-5870) at 7.30 am at Kranji Dam Carpark B near the tidal gates of

Kranji Reservoir, off Kranji Way. Reachable by Bus 925 from Kranji MRT Station. From here, a hired bus will ferry us to our destination. We begin with a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the

Saturday 11

Birdwatching at Bidadari The former Bidadari Muslim Cemetery, bounded by Bartley Road on one side and Upper Serangoon Road on another, has proven to be an interesting site for migrants and visitors in recent years. Notable sightings include the Blue-winged Pitta, Black-backed Kingfisher, Crow-billed Drongo, as well as various cuckoos and flycatchers. Development work may start soon at Bidadari so join Lee Ee Ling (HP: 9693-5870) in exploring this spot while it is still a peaceful haven for birds. Meet at 7.30 am by the Woodleigh MRT Station Entrance C, at the junction of Upper Serangoon Road and Upper Aljunied Road. Members only.

Sunday 12

Asian Waterfowl Census The annual Asian Waterfowl Census (AWC) seeks to obtain information on water bird populations at various sites around Singapore. The data collected will be used as a basis for evaluating sites, monitoring bird populations and determining the conditions of wetlands in Singapore. This census also aims to encourage a greater interest in water birds and wetlands, thereby promoting their conservation. We need your help in carrying out various site surveys. Some experience is required as we have a fixed census period from 2 pm to 5 pm during low tide (1.1 m, 0.9 m, 1.1 m, 1.3 m). To register or obtain information on sites and their leaders, please contact Lim Kim Keang at HP: 9739-1142 or Lee Ee Ling at HP: 9693-5870 by 6 January 2014. Please note that we will not be able to accept any late registrations. Open to the public.

Saturday 18

NSS Kids’ Fun with Nature at Gardens by the BayApart from super trees and conservatories, Gardens by the Bay has an expansive and verdant outdoor area. Join us as we stroll through its manicured grounds to spot wildlife including resident and migratory birds, butterflies and dragonflies. We will also come face-to-face with the Brown Anole, a native lizard of the Caribbean, likely introduced via imported plants. Time: 8 am to

10 am. Please register your children (4 to 12 years old) with Gloria Seow at [email protected], stating their names and ages, if they are NSS members or not, if you need us to loan you a pair of binoculars or not (FOC), and let us have your mobile number. A fee of $5 per child (member) or $10 per child (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join in at no charge. Details will be emailed to those who sign up. Open to the public.

Sunday 19

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Meet Gerard Francis ([email protected]) at 7.30 am at Kranji Dam Carpark B near the tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir, off Kranji Way. Reachable by Bus 925 from Kranji MRT Station. From here, a hired bus will ferry us to our destination. We begin with a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the Kranji Marshes where we will continue our walk along the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB’s ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more. We will also look at plants along the way. Please register by 10 January on our website. A registration form will then be emailed to you. Max: 20 pax. Open to the public.

Saturday 25

CCNR RambleLet us ramble and enjoy the fresh morning air as we traverse the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR), from MacRitchie Reservoir to Peirce Reservoir. Listen to melodious bird songs as well as music emanating from a myriad of insects found under the cover of trees towering above our heads This10-km ramble will bring us to the heart of the forest catchment area, ending at Old Upper Thomson Road. Meet Sutari Supari at the MacRitchie Reservoir Public Canteen at 7.30 am. Wear good footwear and bring titbits, fruits, chocolates and drinks. Not suitable for children below 12 years of age. Members only.

Activities JanuarySaturday 11

Activities February

Sunday 12

Sunday 19

Saturday 18

Saturday 25

Saturday 8

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Kranji Marshes where we will continue our walk along the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB’s ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more. Please register by 29 January on our website. A registration form will then be emailed to you. Max: 20 pax. Open to the public.

Sunday 9

Birdwatching at Bukit Brown Meet Wing Chong (HP: 9227-2020) at 7.30 am at the entrance of Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery near the junction of Sime Road and Kheam Hock Road. Join us for a walk around this unique and quiet corner of Singapore, while it is still relatively undisturbed. This area is partially open with some huge trees. Expect to see a mix of parkland, open-country and forest birds such as babblers, bulbuls, doves, flowerpeckers, parakeets, sunbirds and woodpeckers. Members only.

Saturday 15

Horseshoe Crab Rescue & ResearchPlease register with Kerry Pereira ([email protected]) or at the NSS website stating your name, if you a NSS member or not, affiliations (eg. school or company), experience if any, and contact details for this mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crabs (HSC) at the Mandai mudflats. Time: 4 pm to 7 pm. Meet at the extension of Kranji Road near the junction with Kranji Loop. Take Bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the first stop as the bus turns from Kranji Road into Kranji Loop. Cross the road and look for the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd (251 Kranji Road). Bring along a cap, shoes/booties, sunblock, repellent, cutter for HSC rescue and a camera. Washing facilities available. Details will be emailed upon registration. Open to the Public.

Saturday 15

4th Parrot CountThis will be our 4th Parrot Count and we hope to cover more roosting sites. We will start counting at 5.30 pm just before the parrots return to roost. Both introduced and native species of parrots, parakeets, lorikeets and cockatoos should be counted. If possible, do note down the tree species used as roosts. A list of sites and

site leaders will be posted on the NSS website nearer the count date. Please contact Albert Low ([email protected]) if you wish to take part. Open to the public.

Saturday 22

Birdwatching at Pulau Ubin Meet Lim Kim Keang at Changi Jetty at 7.30 am. We will take a bumboat ride to Pulau Ubin, an island that never fails to surprise with many new things still waiting to be discovered. We will bird from Ubin Jetty to Chek Jawa. Island specialities include the Red Junglefowl, Oriental Pied Hornbill and the globally endangered Straw-headed Bulbul. We then return to Ubin Jetty by island taxi. Both bumboat and taxi fares are to be borne by participants. Members only.

Saturday 22

Southern Ridges Butterfly Walk Join Anuj Jain (HP: 8139-1564) and Gan Cheong Weei for a pleasant walk through the Southern Ridges. Meet at 9:30 am at the Hort Park visitor centre. We will take the forest and hilltop route via the Henderson Waves bridge to reach Telok Blangah Hill Park. Tired legs may go off from here while we continue on, ending the walk at Mount Faber Park’s Marang Trail. The Southern Ridges is home to over 100 butterfly species including uncommon ones such as the Ambon Oynx and Silver Royal. Let us see which rarities we can spot this time!

Saturday 1 March

VSG’s Wildlife Blitz@Pulau UbinThe Vertebrate Study Group’s (VSG) Wildlife Blitz@Pulau Ubin will introduce you to some of Singapore's not-so-conspicuous wildlife including mammals, lizards, snakes, freshwater fishes and amphibians. This event is only open to 60 members including family members. Children must be 6 years old and above. Please register at http://tinyurl.com/wildlifeblitz. Participants have to take the bumboat from Changi Jetty to Pulau Ubin ($2.50 each way) themselves. Meet in front of the Ubin-HSBC V-Hub at 3.30 pm. The walk ends at Ubin at 7 pm. Please bring water and food along. Ubin has some Chinese restaurants but no halal or vegetarian food. Participants are invited to take pictures and send their best shots to VSG. The 10 best photos will each win a copy of the book ‘Wild Animals of Singapore’. Winning photos will also be published in Nature Watch. For enquiries, please contact VSG Chairperson Ng Bee Choo at [email protected]. Members only.

Saturday 1 March

Saturday 22

Sunday 9

Saturday 22

Saturday 15

Saturday 15

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Th e 6 t h

S i n g a p o r e Rap to r Wa t ch was he ld on 3 November 2013, documenting the autumn migration period. It involved

54 participants across eight sites, see Figure 1. The day started well with fine weather. But rain hit CCNR’s Jelutong Tower at 1 pm, forcing the team there to end their count. Luckily, the other sites were spared. Peak period for raptor activity occurred between 11 am to 1 pm. The richest site in terms of number of raptors seen was Tuas South followed by Kent Ridge Park, same as the year before.

We had 292 migrants from nine species and another 31 unidentified but probable migrants. Tuas South returned the highest counts at 165 migrant raptors, followed by Kent Ridge Park (54). A rarity highlight came in the form of a migrant

Common Kestrel at Tuas South. It burst suddenly into the open spaces at 3 pm, chasing after the small birds. The hunt failed and it started to circle, allowing us good looks at it. Less common migrants spotted included the Common Buzzard and Booted Eagle, both at Pulau Punggol. Table 1 provides the details of raptor species counted at each site.

The richest site by migrant species was shared between Punggol, Kent Ridge Park and Tuas South. They each produced six migrants. All other sites had between one to five migrants. The most numerous migrant was the Oriental Honey Buzzard with 140 birds. Still, this was a drop of 70% compared to last year. The Black Baza was a distant second at 63 birds. In third place was the Japanese Sparrowhawk with 59 birds, almost three times last year's numbers. Fourth on the list was the Chinese Sparrowhawk with 21 birds, similar to last year’s figures. Other migrants seen included one Common Buzzard, one Booted Eagle, three Peregrine Falcons, three Ospreys and

6th Singapore Raptor WatchBy Tan Gim Cheong

Photos by Goh Pei Hao

Figure 1: 2013 Raptor Watch Sites (Source: maps.google.com.sg)

Japanese Gardens

JJapanese Gardens

Kent Ridge

Marina Barrage Tuas South

Jelutong TowerChangi BP

Chek Jawa

Pulau Punggol

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Wh i l e most

families were stil l sound

asleep, a group of 10 volunteers from NSS and NParks gathered at the Ubin-HSBC Volunteer Hub for the annual Raptor Watch on 3 November 2013. The Pulau Ubin count was mainly held at Chek Jawa Wetlands’ Jejawi Tower from 8.50 am to 3.10 pm, led by NParks’ Assistant Officer/Conservation Lioe Kim Swee.

Upon reaching the site, Lioe pasted compass direction labels on Jejawi Tower. This helped us determine the flight direction of observed raptors. We then started scanning the blue skies enthusiastically. It was a sunny morning with about 40% cloud cover. Just five minutes into the watch, we spotted our first raptor, a Chinese Sparrowhawk (Accipiter soloensis)!

Resident raptors seen included the Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus), White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Changeable Hawk Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus), and Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus).

We felt lucky to observe the migrant Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) at its usual spot, perched atop the telecom tower near the Information Kiosk. This particular Peregrine Falcon tended to stick around for long stretches of time during its annual visits.

We even skipped lunch in the hopes of spotting more raptors. In all, we tallied a total of 54 raptors, 13 of which remain unidentified. Forty nine raptors were from Jejawi Tower alone. We had 21 migrants including 10 Black Bazas (Aviceda leuphotes), five Oriental Honey Buzzards (Pernis ptilorhynchus), five Japanese Sparrowhawks (Accipiter gularis) and one Chinese Sparrowhawk (Accipiter soloensis). Our counts contributed valuable data, helping NSS and NParks get a better sense of the migratory raptors passing through Singapore annually.

one Common Kestrel.

The most numerous resident raptor was the Brahminy Kite with 52 birds, followed by the White-bellied Sea Eagle with 36 individuals, and the Changeable Hawk Eagle with 13 birds. There were 10 Black-winged Kites and three Grey-headed Fish Eagles. Three Crested Goshawks showed up at Kent Ridge. Two of these had been observed over the past two years and were probably holding territory there. Do note that the number of resident raptors may be over-stated, especially for the top two species. The possibility of the same birds appearing more than once cannot be ruled out.

An appreciation dinner was held two weeks later where we had a slide show and enjoyed a video of the life of the Black Eagle in Taiwan. Results of the count were also discussed. In addition, Gim Cheong shared his experiences at the Taiping Raptor Festival in Perak (Malaysia) as well as the Bedong Raptor Workshop in Kedah (Malaysia).

We would like to thank the 54 wonderful people, both leaders and participants, for spending their Sunday counting raptors. NParks staff and volunteers also participated in the count.

Table 1: Raptor Species Counted at Each Site

SITE T u a s South

K e n t R i d g e Park

C h e k J a w a , J e j a w i Tower

Japanese Garden

Chang i B u s s i -n e s s Park

P u l a u Punggol

CCNR, Jelutong Tower

Mar ina Barrage R o o f Garden

Grand Total

SITE TOTAL 181 65 54 54 37 29 15 5 440Migrants = 292

Total

Osprey 1 1 1 3Black Baza 11 33 10 1 7 1 63O r i e n t a l H o n e y Buzzard

107 10 5 12 4 1 1 140

C h i n e s e Sparrowhawk

14 3 1 2 1 21

J a p a n e s e Sparrowhawk

31 6 5 11 2 3 1 59

C o m m o n Kestrel

1 1

C o m m o n Buzzard

1 1

Booted Eagle 1 1P e r e g r i n e Falcon

1 1 1 3

Residents = 117

Black-winged Kite

5 1 1 2 1 10

Brahminy Kite 7 5 3 15 15 4 1 2 52White-bellied Sea Eagle

2 1 14 6 7 4 2 36

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

1 2 3

C r e s t e d Goshawk

3 3

Changeab l e Hawk Eagle

1 2 3 4 1 2 13

Unidentified = 31

Unid Accipiter 1 6 2 1 2 12Unid Raptor 7 4 1 3 4 19

Counting Raptors at Chek Jawa

We f e l t lucky t o o b s e r v e t h e m i g r a n t P e r e g r i n e F a l c o n a t i t s u s u a l p e r c h , atop the telecom tower near the I n f o r m a t i o n Kiosk.

By Jonathan Ee

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Tr i p l e a d e r s Pand i an and

Sutari welcomed 22 members to the Kranji Night R a m b l e o n 7 December 2013.

Warned about the monsoon rains, we had plastic bags encasing our wallets, hand phones and cameras. After a safety briefing, the ramble started promptly at 6.30 pm. Both leaders were armed with spotlights, one leading the front while the other brought up the rear. The spotlights helped alert drivers to our presence as we trotted in a single file along the narrow roads. Traffic turned out to be light. Thankfully, the stormy-looking sky somewhat improved and we escaped being rained out that evening.Sutari paused periodically to talk about the history and points of interest along Neo Tiew Road. We learnt that this road has been gazetted by the government as a “heritage road”, free from urban development. Farm operators here use compost for the eco-farming of organic vegetables. Sutari then spoke about 'Liang Teh’, a ‘cooling’ tea made from the leaves of the Chinese Rose plant. These have to be steeped in hot water and

the tea is best drunk with a dash of sugar. ‘Liang Teh’ is said to be good for treating high blood pressure, arthritis, d i abe te s , m i g r a i ne , poor blood circulation, amongst other ailments. Soon a f ter , Pand ian

pointed out the Hibiscus flower and its edible petals. We were surprised to discover that its leaves can be eaten as a stewed vegetable. Sutari next showed us the bright orange-red flowers of the African Tulip. Originally from Central Africa and the Congo region, it was introduced by British horticulturists as a wayside tree to beautify our roads, parks and gardens. At 7.15 pm, we witnessed a mixed flock of startled Pink-necked Green Pigeons and Spotted Doves rising suddenly from their night roosts, apparently alarmed by something unseen.As day transformed into night, we found ourselves walking alongside an opaque fenced-up area. Our leaders said that the other side of the fence held stockpiles of sand, granite chips and coarse aggregates used for road works and building construction. The crescent moon and Venus soon became visible in the

western twilight sky. Venus was particularly bright and yellowish that night, as our walk corresponded with its period of greatest brilliance (GB), with the next GB in July 2015. Our torches readily p i cked up the eye s h i n e o f L a r g e -ta i led Night jars as t h e y hove red and hawked for insects. T h e o r c h e s t r a t e d calls of frogs, cicadas and crickets accompanied us as we rambled along Jalan Gemala 3. Here, the Nutmeg and Belinjau trees were spotted. One particular tree stumped us as to its identity. It had large mango-like green (unripe) and yellow (ripe) fruits.We sprayed more repellent before tackling the tall lallang grass area fringing the monsoon drain that led to Sungei Kangkar. The path here was muddy and slippery. As we walked, we kept our eyes peeled on the surrounding Acacia trees in the hope of seeing some fireflies. Before long, two twinkling blue-green lights were observed. This set off a chorus of thrilled "oohs" and "aahs". Later on, more fireflies were seen. Sutari explained the life cycle of fireflies and the mating function of the blue-green ‘Christmas tree’ bioluminescence of their lower abdomens. We had a well-deserved 20-minute break, snacking on coconut and corn buns and guzzling down energy drinks. Dr Ho Hua Chew took the opportunity to talk about conservation issues including Bukit Brown, Bidadari and the latest Green Master Plan. Members were both responsive and supportive.Next, we proceeded to Neo Tiew Lane 2 where loud karaoke Hokkien songs greeted us from the nearby De Kranji Farm Resort. We continued our stroll to the end of the road, which led to the edge of Kranji Reservoir. The PUB guards here made us identify ourselves. They then warned us to the presence of "riverine (saltwater) crocodiles" in the vicinity. By now, Venus and the moon were low in the west, framed by the scenic nightscape of Kranji Reservoir. We took our customary group photo before returning to the De Kranji Farm Resort for our vehicles and carpooling arrangements.

By Sutari Supari

Kranj i Night Ramble

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I cannot agree more with the article "Save Bidadari's Bird Haven: Nature Society" published

in the Sunday Times on 3 November 2013. On any of my visits to Bidadari, I would invariably find interest groups and people from all walks of life searching for beloved targets like birds or insects. Others could be s een l e i s u re l y strolling in the park, seeking a quiet peace away from the jarring crowd. Bidadari has become a na tura l haven that people have come to love and associate with.

What is it that sets Bidadari apart from other forested areas? Over here, the vegetation is not as densely packed as that of matured primary forests such as MacRitchie, and the ground is generally level. This unique combination allows one to wander easily through Bidadari’s inviting terrain, to take in the natural sights at an intimate level. In contrast, MacRitchie’s terrain is too dense and steep to do that, and one is confined only to the designated pathways. Bidadari allows one to enter into the "heart" of the wooded forest. There are always surprise sightings, in the form of rare avian migrants or even the seldom-seen Common Palm Civet (also known as the Civet Cat or Musang), Singapore’s only wild carnivore.

In developing Bidadari for housing, I urge the authorities not to chop down the matured trees and shrubs to create manicured and sanitised parks. This sad state of sterility is already seen in places like Choa Chu Kang Park and Pang Sua Park Connector. Here, there used to be tall and shady trees but they have since been removed in an effort to redesign the place. As such, the butterflies and birds that once abounded are now gone. So have the folks who used to frequent these parks at all

times of the day. Now, both parks are significantly drier and hotter, with people coming through

only in the early mornings or late evenings to avoid the scorching sun.

I n i t s c u r r e n t state, Bidadari’s green lungs remain inviting at all hours of the day. Most of us prefer natural areas instead of neat and manicured p a r k s t o f u l f i l our recreational, s p i r i t u a l a n d l e i s u r e n e e d s .

This is evidenced by increasing numbers of public objections to the clearance of forested areas for development. While accommodating the housing needs of Singapore’s ever-growing population, it is equally important that we leave Bidadari as untouched as possible, or include the current vegetation into development plans. I urge the authorities and developers to work closely with interest groups including the Nature Society (Singapore), which has given its invaluable feedback to preserve as much of Bidadari as possible.

We need to be responsible stewards of the natural world. We are also morally obligated to leave behind beautiful natural legacies for future generations to enjoy. How sad it will be if our children were to relish natural wonders only through photographs. If the legacy of Bidadari is destroyed simply to make way for urban development, our offspring would be sorely deprived of the chance to see, smell, feel and touch the priceless experience that is Bidadari. Even though the ecological and aesthetic value of Bidadari cannot be measured financially, the sense of well-being and oneness with nature that it offers is something that money cannot buy. Indeed, Bidadari has the rare attribute of being able to restore our lifestyle to a balanced, unhurried pace.

By Felix Wong

This letter, in its shortened form, was published in the Sunday Times Forum Page on 10 November 2013. The full version is reproduced below.

Bidadari’s Natural Beauty is Worth Saving

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By Amy Tsang

Photos by Lena Chow, Tan Kim Huat, Irene Tan & Amy Tsang

Butterfly Walk at Bukit Panjang Park & its Forest Fringe

Wi l l f o r e s t but ter f l i es

s t i l l g r a c e t h e s e c o n d a r y

forest edges at Bukit Panjang Park, given the ongoing construction of new condominiums nearby? About 30 curious butterfly and nature watchers, some with family in tow, sussed out the situation on 31 August 2013. The day’s warm sunshine and clear blue skies definitely upped our chances, and we were not disappointed!

Several good forest butterflies were spotted. The distinctive male Horsefield Baron (Tanaecia iapis puseda) turned up on cue, flitting gently and resting periodically on lush Simpoh Air plants. It had been seen on all earlier trips. Following close behind was its female partner, which lacked the lovely light-blue wing edge, but had markings similar to that of the Malay Viscount (Tanaecia pelea pelea). Soon a Plain Nawab (Polyura hebe plautus) settled amongst the tall shrubs, still within shot of our cameras. Next, a Bigg’s Brownie (Miletus biggsii biggsii) zipped by. Previously, we had observed this species sipping nectar on Mahang saplings, alongside some ants.

Other butterf l ies seen a long the forest s tr ip include the Baron (Euthalia acon thea gu rda ) , L ime Butterfly (Papilio demoleus malayanus), Psyche (Leptosia nina malayana) and a pair of Painted Jezebels (Delias hyparete metarete). The Psyche was observed flying slowly near ground level but it hardly ever stopped. This posed a challenge to our photographers. Then we found a dead female Green Baron (Euthalia adonia pinwilli) with wings quite intact, the third Baron species for the day. This indicates that Bukit Panjang Park’s forest

f r i n g e r e m a i n s a t t rac t i ve to the Baron family.

More exc i tement awaited us as we left the forest pathway f o r t h e B u k i t Panjang Community Vegetable Garden, which is also backed

by fringe forest. Both small and medium sized butterflies were spotted amongst the cultivated beds. They included the Dark Glassy Tiger (Parantica agleoides agleoides), Orange Emigrant (Catopsilia scylla cornelia), Lemon Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona pomona), Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana javana), Stripped Albatross (Appias libythea olferna), Cycad Blue (Chilades pandava pandava), Short Banded Sailor (Phaedyma columella singa), Small Branded Swift (Pelopidas mathias mathias) and Chestnut Bob (Iambrix salsala salsala).

S e v e r a l s p e c i e s o f butterflies were seen in a wide range of habitats including the forest fringe, grass and scrub areas. They were the Chocolate Pansy (Junonia hedonia ida ) , f ly ing around in its characteristic jerky manne r a nd v a r i ou s species of Grass Yellows, Bush Browns, Common Rings and Grass Blues.

We next explored the grassland fronting the community garden. Here, we encountered the attractive and bright orange Tawny Coster (Acraea violae), Grass Demon (Udaspes folus), and Autumn Leaf (Doleschallia bisaltide bisaltide). The lower elevation pathways beyond the grassland revealed a pair of Grey Pansies (Junonia atlites atlites), Common Blue Bottle (Graphium sarpedon luctatius), Common Mormon (Papillio polytes romulus), Palm Dart (Cephrenes acalle niasicus) and a pair of mating Tiger Moths which somehow landed on a member’s pants, providing unmatchable views. Indeed, we had a productive two and a half hours walk. We saw a total of 28 species: six from the Pieridae family, five from Nymphalidae, three from Lycaenidae, four from Hesperiidae, and one from Pallionidae. It is our hope that the construct ion of new condos will not degrade or disturb the environment further. We are par t icular ly concerned with the new pathways being forged in the forest fr inge as this could i m p a c t b u t t e r f l y diversity and density.

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W a t e r w a t e r everywhere, but its va lue i s nowhere near apprec i ated e n o u g h . W i t h t h e s u p p o r t o f Singapore's National Water Agency PUB, we brought home the importance of Singapore’s water management to a

small group of NSS Kids and their families at the Kallang River at ABC Waters@Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on 21 September 2013.PUB has turned the once concretised river channel running straight alongside Bishan Park into a wending languid river complete with attractive aquatic plants, stepping stones and open flood plains. Thanks to innovative bioengineering techniques , the newly-created habitat has in turn attracted a host of wildlife. We easi ly spot ted the conspicuous Little Egret in its all-white plumage and ‘Phua Chu Kang’ yellow feet contrasting with black legs; the Paddyfield Pipit running merrily along grassy plains to hunt for food; and a pair of twittering Olive-backed Sunbirds drinking nectar and flitting about playfully. The small Opticron binoculars that we loaned out proved useful in observing wildlife up close. Before long, some of the kids were finding their own birds, and were well on track to becoming bona fide birdwatchers!We made our way down the gentle banks to the river’s edge. Here, we saw the pink-clustered eggs of the Apple Snail, plastered on rocks and at the base of plants. Soon enough, Auntie Gloria hauled two slimy Apple Snails out of the water. They were tightly locked together in the act of procreation. We snapped our photos before returning them back to their home. Being regulars at this park, two of the NSS kids spontaneously rolled up their pants and waded into the inviting waters in their sandals. Other families had fun catching the ‘longkang’ (drain) fishes with tiny nets and pails. There were also larger fishes such as snakeheads lurking in the deeper parts. Then one of the families tipped us to the presence of a ‘snake’ on the opposite bank. It turned

out to be a lone Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus) suspended in the cool stream. This 40-cm long critter lifted its head out of the water occasionally to gulp air and had an abandoned glass bottle as its hidey hole.Then came the pièce de résistance of the excursion – the super-fun water testing session – with test kits supplied by PUB. The kids first checked out the river’s turbidity (cloudiness). Our collected water sample was clear enough to see the faintest number on a disc placed at the bottom of a filled white container. Next up was the pH test. We placed two large tablets into a watery test tube and waited. Soon, it turned a light greenish-yellow, indicating an ideal pH of 7. The final test was for dissolved oxygen levels. We carefully dropped a pill into a filled-to-the-brim tube of river water and capped it. Everybody had a good laugh when the kids shook and danced with their tubes until the pill finally dissolved. By then, the water took on a reddish tint, indicating good oxygen levels of approximately 8 ppm (parts per million). Our conclusion? Kallang River is clean and healthy!Kids then learnt some salient f acts about S ingapore’s water story. Our little island has four national taps, namely reservoir water, piped water from Malaysia, reclaimed water (ie. NEWater) and desalinated (sea) water, the last two sources obtained through reverse osmosis. Kallang River itself originates near Bukit Kalang and flows out of the Lower Pierce Reservoir into the park. It runs on south and finally empties itself into the Marina Reservoir. This, Singapore’s 17th and newest reservoir, was formed when the Marina Barrage was erected to separate the sea from the once brackish water. Overtime, its salinity has been slowly reduced by rainfall to eventually become fresh water. In fact, kids discovered that rain water is harvested from 69% of Singapore’s land area via our vast drainage network! On our walk back, Auntie Lena pointed out the park’s butterflies, including the Plain Tiger, Common Grass Yellow and Striped Albatross. We also encountered a good number of dragonflies such as the Blue Dasher and Crimson Dropwing, as well as damselflies like the male and female Variable Wisp. The kids were thrilled to observe a Changeable Lizard as it scaled a small tree to escape our camera lenses. It was truly a delightful morning learning about nature and water in a popular heartland park.

NSS Kids’ Watery Fun at Kallang River@Bishan-AMK ParkBy Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson

Photos by Lena Chow

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While this was the

30th anniversary o f t h e Singapore Bird Race , i t was

also a celebration of many firsts. For the first time, the competition had a Photography Category where racers had to submit a picture of every bird species seen. Our prize-giving-cum-closing ceremony was held in a hotel with a scrumptious buffet lunch of local delicacies, an unheard of luxury in all the years of the Bird Race since 1984! The race itself received widespread publicity when The Straits Times did a prominent feature article on it, another first for us! Last but not least, the Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee entered as a participant, a historic honour for the race. His team even won second place in the

A d v a n c e d Category. I n a l l , t h e f i e l d o f 1 2 teams packed a good deal of birding in the 24-hour race held on the weekend of 19 to 20 O c t o b e r 2013. From l a t e n i g h t o w l i n g t o p r e - d a w n

forest treks, the racers managed to spot several uncommon and interesting species including the Bar-tailed Godwit, Greater Painted Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Gull-billed Tern, Spotted Wood Owl and Booted Eagle. Despite the overt rivalry, strong camaraderie prevailed, with teams sharing tips and

even pointing out birds to each other. From the lively chatter and stories being swapped at the closing lunch, it was obvious that everyone had fun. In celebration of the race’s 30th anniversary, each participant received a T-shirt featuring a Crested Goshawk drawn by well-known bird illustrator Alan Pearson. Local bird artist Teo Nam Siang donated five exquisitely-painted resident birds. These were presented

as tokens of appreciation to race supporters. One of his paintings was auctioned off and the proceeds donated to the Society. We would like to thank our race sponsors Leica Cameras Asia Pacific and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for their generosity; PUB for its support; the Organising Committee chaired by Alan Owyong for its splendid work; our Guest-of-Honour Faizah Jamal for her help and support; as well as all participants for making this a truly

memorable occasion!

C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p left: Champions in the Advanced Category ‘Little T e r n s ’ , P h o t o g r a p h y Category ‘Sparrowhawk’ and Novice Category ‘The Shanks’.

By Lee Ee Ling Photos by Willie Foo, Sutari Supari & Wong Chung Cheong

30th Singapore Bird Race

NOVICE1.The Shanks (Ann Ang, John Ang & Khoo Kar Hoe) – 64 species2.Tailorbirds – 37 species 3.Little Barbet – 37 species

PHOTOGRAPHY1. Sparrowhawk (Francis Yap & Lawrence Cher) – 76 species2. Lao Jiao – 73 species3. Weekend Warriors – 62 species4. Pajaro Loco – 57 species

ADVANCED1. Little Terns (Lim Kim Keang, See Swee Leng & Tan Ju Lin) – 110 species2. Crimson Sunbird – 106 species3. Malay Pot-bellied Laughingthrush – 102 species4. LBJs – 98 species5. Wingspirations – 95 speciesBIRD OF THE DAY – Greater Painted Snipe spotted by WingspirationsCENTURY SHIELD – First 100 birds clocked at 8.25 am by Little TernsCompiled by Bird Race Arbitrators: Kenneth Kee, Yang Pah Liang & Willie Foo

Results of the 30th Singapore Bird Race

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NSS Welcomes Tax-Exempt DonationsIf you believe in the importance of nature appreciation and conservation in Singapore, help us keep our work going with a donation to NSS. All donations are tax-exempt. Please make out your cheques to “Nature Society (Singapore)”. For individual donors, do write your full name, contact number and NRIC/FIN number at the back of your cheque. Giving us your NRIC/FIN means that tax deduction claims are automatically reflected in your tax assessment. We look forward to your financial support!Paperless Nature News If you wish to opt-out from receiving hard copies of Nature News to save trees, please inform Joe at [email protected]. Please state if you prefer: A) get your copy of Nature News via an emailed PDF file (less than 5MB), or B) download the same PDF file from the NSS website.Wanted: Used Stamps for the NSS Stamp FundThe Stamp Fund is boosted by members and friends who collect and send us used postage stamps. These are then sold to an overseas collector once or twice a year. Simply cut out the stamps from the envelope without cutting into their edges. No need to soak the stamps off the envelope paper. Keep sending your stamps to the NSS office in an envelope marked “Stamp Fund”! Our grateful thanks to all contributors. The NSS Stamp Fund now stands at $19,782.26.NSS Nature ForumThe NSS Nature Forum, found at http://www.nss.org.sg/forum/, is a virtual gathering place that serves to facilitate discussions on a whole range of nature-related topics. You can share photos and ideas, ask questions and forge friendships with fellow nature lovers. The forum is open to both members and non-members. Register now for a free account! New Members: Join us in our Special Interest Group & Other Activities All members are welcome to participate in any of our listed activities. Most events do not require prior registration. Simply turn up at the appointed time and place, and you will be off to discover and learn about Singapore’s natural offerings. Do not be nervous about your lack of nature knowledge. Just let your trip leader(s) know that you are new and he/she/they will gladly guide you. NSS Membership Benefits Show your NSS membership card to enjoy discounts! Please contact us if your business is interested in offering NSS Membership Benefits. 1) Nature’s Niche 29 Transit Road, #04-13, S 778905 Tel: 6475-2319 * 10% discount at the online store www.naturesniche.com for nature books, gifts and optics (eg. binoculars). Discount applies for self-collection only and not for postal orders. 2) Pharmaplus1 Orchard Boulevard, Camden Medical Centre #01-04 S248649. Tel: 6887-3456. www.pharmaplus.com.sg* Up to 10% discount for walk-in customers onlyContributions for Nature NewsPlease send in your contributions for the Mar/Apr 2014 issue by 5 February 2014. Email them to [email protected]. All original photos should be in JPEG format with a minimum size of 1 MB. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to select and edit appropriate contributions for use.

Announcements NSS DIRECTORY

PatronPROF TOMMY KOH

PresidentDR SHAWN LUM – Office: 6790-3835

Vice-PresidentMR LEONG KWOK PENG – Mobile: 9766-7047

Honorary TreasurerMR SOO CHOON KIAT

Honorary Assistant TreasurerMR DAVID TEO

Honorary SecretaryMS MARGIE HALL – Mobile: 9730-5562

Honorary Assistant SecretaryMR TAN HANG CHONG

Executive Committee MembersMR GOH SI GUIM, DR HO HUA CHEW, DR HSU CHIA CHI

Finance Advisory Group MembersMR LEE CHIU-SAN , DR LEE LAY TIN, MR LIM CHIN KHENG

Immediate Past PresidentDR GEH MIN

Co-opted Council Members PROF P N AVADHANI, MR GAN CHEONG WEEI,

MS FAIZAH JAMAL, MR TONY O’DEMPSEYAdvisory Council Members

MR IAIN EWING, MR WARREN KHOO, PROF KOH KHENG LIAN, MR KWEK LENG JOO, MR LIM JIM KHOON, MR LIU THAI KER,

PROF NG SOON CHYE, MR SIM WONG HOO, MR MASON TAN, MR. RICHARD HALE

BirdLife International CoordinatorMR LIM KIM KEANG

Environmental Law and Policy Coordinator/IUCN CoordinatorMR VINAYAGAN DHARMARAJAH

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Conservation CommitteeActing Chairperson MR LEONG KWOK PENG

Vice Chairperson DR HO HUA CHEWEducation Group

Chairperson MS GLORIA SEOW

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP CHAIRPERSONS

Bird GroupChairperson MR WING CHONG

Secretary MR WILLIE FOO

Butterfly Interest GroupChairperson MR ANUJ JAIN

Vice Chairperson MR GAN CHEONG WEEI

Jalan HijauChairperson MR TAN HANG CHONG

Marine Conservation GroupChairperson DR HSU CHIA CHI

Plant GroupActing Chairperson DR SHAWN LUM

The Nature RamblersChairperson MR PARTHASARATHY PANDIAN

Vertebrate Study GroupChairperson MS NG BEE CHOOSecretary DR LEONG TZI MING

Nature News Editorial Committee

MS GLORIA SEOW – [email protected] TIMOTHY PWEE – Mobile: 9791-8300

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Secretariat Contact Details510 Geylang Road, #02-05 The Sunflower, Singapore 389466

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Singapore Raptor Watch Pg 4 - Nature Society · the bumboat from Changi Jetty to Pulau Ubin ($2.50...

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Transcript of Singapore Raptor Watch Pg 4 - Nature Society · the bumboat from Changi Jetty to Pulau Ubin ($2.50...