NATURE NEWS SEP-OCT 2016 NEWSLETTER OF THE NATURE SOCIETY () Sep-Oct 2016

MCI (P) 034/08/2016 ISSN: 2010-4308

ACTIVITY CALENDAR CONTENTS Pg NSS’s Participation at the IUCN World Sep 1 to 10 Activities 2 Conservation Congress Advertisement: Arbutus 5 Talk: Why are Asia’s Migratory Shorebirds Disappearing? Sep 2 We are Looking for What Should We Do about It? 6 Festival of Biodiversity Sep 3 & 4 Volunteers th Pesta Ubin 2016: A Tour 13 Fall Migration Bird Census Sep 4 de Force with NSS as a 6 Talk: Sustainable Landscape Management: Conserving Sep 9 Stakeholder Forests & Engaging Communities NSS Kids’ Fun with Creatures 7 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Sep 10 of the Night at Ubin’s Commonest Bird International Coastal Clean-up Singapore Sep 17 8 Quest Art, Nature, Activism: A Visit to The Sovereign Forest Exhibition Sep 17 NSS Congratulates NSS Kids’ Fun with Caterpillars & Butterflies at Bishan-Ang Sep 18 Outstanding Advocate of Our 9 Mo Kio Park Time Dr Ho Hua Chew & Sentosa Ramble Oct 1 Rare Butterflies Galore at 10 Birdwatching for Beginners at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Oct 2 Rifle Range Forest Nature & Landscape Sketching at Oct 8 Announcements 11 32nd Singapore Bird Race Oct 16 NSS Directory 11 Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme Oct 16 NSS All Purpose Form 12 Night Insect Watch in the Vicinity of Kranji Marshes Oct 29 9th Raptor Watch Nov 6 We are Looking for Volunteers Pg 6

Ubin’s Commonest Bird Quest Pg 8

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Activities September 1 to 10 Sep conservation. Time: 7 pm to 8 pm. Venue: Library @ Esplanade. Open to the public. NSS’s Participation at the IUCN World Conservation Congress Weekend 3 & 4 Sep A team of representatives from NSS will be Festival of Biodiversity attending the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1 to 10 September. The Festival of Biodiversity is back for the fifth They are Dr Shawn Lum (President), Leong Kwok year to celebrate Singapore's biodiversity. It will Peng (Vice President), Vinayagan Dharmarajah be held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens with (Environmental Law and Policy Coordinator, IUCN exhibits by nature groups including NSS. Venue: Eco Coordinator), Dr Hsu Chia Chi, Evelyn Ng, and J Lake Lawn, Singapore Botanic Gardens. Time: 9 am Vanitha (Horseshoe Crab Rescue and Research to 7 pm. Open to the public. Project Leader). NSS is the co-host of a poster Sunday 4 Sep session and a discussion forum: i) Interactive Poster th Session on Screen 4 #WCC_9828 on Community 13 Fall Migration Bird Census Participation in International Horseshoe Crab Since 2004, we have been conducting yearly bird Conservation: Education, Citizen Science and census covering the autumn migration period. Our Research in Coastal Habitats on 3 September 2 first count chalked up 8,035 birds from 135 species pm to 2.30 pm; ii) Discussion Forum #WCC_9760 at 25 sites. What will the 2016 census reveal? If on Conservation and Restoration of Estuarine, you have some birdwatching experience, join us Beach and Mangrove Habitats: Horseshoe crabs to help determine the trends affecting our wild as Flagship Specieson 3 September 5 pm to 7 birds. Time: 7.30 am to 10.30 am. To register, please pm. In addition, J Vanitha will present with the email coordinator Wing Chong at wingchongsg@ Mangrove Action Project team at a side event on gmail.com for details on available sites and site 2 September from 5 pm to 7 pm, on Horseshoe leaders. Information is also available on the NSS crabs in Asian Mangroves. Follow us on Twitter (@ website. Site assignments will be confirmed by the mcgnss) and Instagram (@mcgnss) for updates. Or respective site leaders. Open to the public. stay in touch via Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/naturesocietysingapore or our website: Friday 9 Sep https://sites.google. com/site/horseshoecrabsinsg/. Talk: Sustainable Landscape Management – Conserving Forests & Engaging Friday 2 Sep Communities Talk: Why are Asia’s Migratory Shorebirds Landscape management in Indonesia is a complex Disappearing? What Should We Do about It? issue. Where land zoning and demarcation are Millions of migratory shorebirds from Arctic Russia absent, land ownership rights become muddled and Alaska migrate south through Singapore and and governance is a serious problem. Asia Pulp other Asian countries to avoid the harsh northern and Paper (APP) reports that it strives to ensure winter. In one of the great miracles of nature, these that land in its concessions is managed in an birds can fly up to 12,000 km in a single journey. effective and sustainable way, and yet has become However, observers in Australia have seen bird mired in the transboundary haze controversy. numbers dropping quickly, with some shorebird Mr Kavickumar Muruganathan will focus on the populations crashing 80% in 20 years. There is challenges faced by APP and other plantation great concern about what is causing these declines. owners in landscape management. This extends Several species are now globally threatened and to the realms of fire prevention and community face imminent extinction. Join Dr Richard Fuller engagement. The talk will shed light on APP’s to understand how a combination of habitat loss, Forest Conservation Policy and its Integrated climate change and hunting are affecting migratory Sustainable Forest Management Plan. It will allow birds. Learn the exciting solutions to ensure that attendees to meet and question directly one of the these birds remain around long into the future. The companies with direct experience of the whole focus will be on the need for all countries along haze issue. Time: 7 pm to 8 pm. Venue: NSS office. the migratory flyway to work together for their Open to the public.

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Saturday 10 Sep This exhibition highlights the tension between heritage, culture, development and nature, with Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes social, environmental and economic equity. It is This walk is offered in collaboration with NParks. organised around the struggle of farmers and Dr Ho Hua Chew will lead us in exploring Kranji local communities in Odisha (Orissa) State Marshes’ new boardwalks, paths and hides, with against mining and other extractive industries. The excellent views across the freshwater marshes. Birding Sovereign Forest features land use conflicts that highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, affect people and nature the world over, expressed Purple Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Yellow Bittern, through film, photography, poetry, stories and White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle and news archives. Visit: http://ntu.ccasingapore. Grey-headed Fish Eagle. Time: 7.30 am to 10.30 am. org/exhibitions/amar-kanwar/ for exhibition Please email Lee Ee Ling ([email protected]/HP: information or http://ntu.ccasingapore.org/visit/ 9693-5870) by 5 September to register. Max: 20 pax. for general information. Meet at 2.30 pm at NTU Registrations are subject to email confirmation. The Centre for Contemporary Art, located at Block walk is free but participants need to cover transport 43 Malan Road. Nearest MRT: Labrador Park. cost at $10 per person. A hired bus will ferry us from Members only. the meeting point at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve’s new extension at Kranji Way, to the starting point at Sunday 18 Sep Turut Track. Please send your cheque addressed to NSS Kids’ Fun with Caterpillars & ‘Nature Society (Singapore)’ to the NSS Office or Butterflies at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park fund transfer to DBS a/c no: 0339023574. Payment should be made only after confirmation. Open to the Join nine-year old butterfly guide Soh Zhi Bing public. to learn more about caterpillars: how they look, move and the kind of leaves they eat. Kids will get Saturday 17 Sep to see live caterpillars in action. Zhi Bing will then lead us around the park's compact and charming International Coastal Clean-up Singapore Butterfly Garden, lush with well-tended flowering Join us in cleaning up Mandai Mudflats to benefit shrubs and butterfly host plants. On a sunny day, the wildlife that thrives here. Designated as an expect to see beautiful butterflies such as the Plain Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), this Tiger, Blue Glassy Tiger, Lemon Emigrant, Common coastline is a key habitat for horseshoe crabs and Grass Yellow and Tawny Coster. If we are lucky, an important feeding site for wading birds. Please Singapore's National Butterfly by popular vote, the register at http://tinyurl.com/iccsnss. Details will be Common Rose, might make an appearance as its emailed upon registration. For enquiries, contact host plant is found in the garden. Time: 9.30 am to Say Chong at [email protected]. Time: 3.30 pm to 11.30 am. A fee of $5 per child (member) or $10 6.30 pm. Open to the public. per child (non-member) will be collected on the Saturday 17 Sep spot. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to join in at no charge. Please register your children (4 Art, Nature, Activism: A Visit to The to 12 years old) at http://tinyurl.com/nsskidsevent Sovereign Forest Exhibition by 12 September. Confirmation details will be Join Dr Shawn Lum and the Plant Group to emailed on 14 or 15 September. For enquiries, visit The Sovereign Forest, an installation by the contact Gloria Seow at [email protected]. acclaimed New Delhi-based artist Amar Kanwar. Open to the public. Activities October Saturday 1 Oct City. Meet at Labrador MRT station exit at 8.30 am. Bring water, rain wear and snacks. Not suitable for Labrador Nature Reserve & Sentosa Ramble children below 13 years old. Members only Led by Pandian and Sutari, this 12-km ramble starts at Labrador Nature Reserve. We will traverse Sunday 2 Oct Tamarind Hill and experience the Long Ya Men Birdwatching for Beginners at Sungei Buloh (Dragon's Tooth Gate) coastal forest. Thereafter, Wetland Reserve we will cross over to Sentosa’s Mount Imbiah and Bukit Serapong forest before returning to Vivo Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a good place 3 NATURE NEWS SEP-OCT 2016 to learn how to identify the many migratory Look out for details on the NSS website, NSS birds that overwinter in Singapore. This walk is or the Singapore Bird Group’s Facebook pages. targeted at novice birdwatchers to learn the basics Registration fee is $10 for members and $15 for in identifying shorebirds such as the Common non-members. Open to the public. Sandpiper, Pacific Golden Plover, Common Greenshank and Redshank. Bird Group members Sunday 16 Oct will lead the walk. Meet at 7.30 am at the Wetland Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Centre at 301 Neo Tiew Crescent. Members only. Programme Saturday 8 Oct Horseshoe crabs (HSC) are in decline globally due to habitat loss, poaching and overfishing. They get Nature & Landscape Sketching at Bukit trapped in abandoned nets and need our help to Batok Nature Park free them. NSS aims to continually monitor our Join artist Alpana Ahuja and Van Wangye for a fun local HSC population to ensure that they stay and casual site drawing session at Bukit Batok around for generations to come. If you want to be Nature Park. Meet fellow nature art lovers to part of this mission to rescue and study the HSC observe and sketch the park's beautiful landscape at Mandai Mudflats, please register at http://tinyurl. and biodiversity. No drawing experience is com/ nsshscreg. For enquiries, contact Vanitha at necessary. Please register at http://tinyurl.com/ [email protected]. Bring along cap, shoes/ sketchbbnp. Details will be emailed to participants booties, sunblock, repellent, cutters for HSC one week before the activity. Max: 30 pax. Time: 8.30 rescue and camera. Washing facilities are available. am to 10.30 am. For enquiries, contact Kerry at Details will be emailed upon registration. Time: 3.30 [email protected]. Open to the public. pm to 6.30 pm. Open to the public. Sunday 16 Oct Saturday 29 Oct 32nd Singapore Bird Race Night Insect Watch in the Vicinity of Kranji After a one year hiatus, the Singapore Bird Race Marshes will return this year with a few exciting differences. Tan Ming Kai from the Entomological Network Unlike previous editions, this year's race will start of Singapore (ENSING) will lead us on a night at 7.30 am and end at 12.30 pm. Both start and walk to spot insects, including flower-visiting ones, end points are at Sungei Buloh Visitor Centre. in the secondary forest close to Kranji Marshes. There will be three race categories: Advanced, Enter at Neo Tiew Lane 2 and meet at the carpark Novice and Photography, for experienced birders, of Kranji Marshes Visitor Centre at 8 pm. The beginners and bird photographers who will only walk will last for approximately two hours. Come count birds captured by their lenses respectively. with torch or headlight, water, covered shoes and Each team shall comprise 3 members. A buffet insect repellent. For registration or queries, please lunch will be served at the end of the race. contact Amy Tsang (HP: 9817-5549). Members only.

Activities November

Sunday 6 Nov 1 Bukit Timah Lim Kim pittalover@ 9th Raptor Watch Hill Top Chuah yahoo.com.sg Last year, despite rain and overcast weather, we 2 Telok Blangah Alan OwYong alan_owyong@ recorded 533 raptors. What will turn up this year? Hill Park yahoo.com.sg Join us in documenting the peak migration of 3 Kent Ridge Lee Ee Ling leeel60@yahoo. Asian raptors across Singapore. The count starts Park com.sg at 9 am and ends at 4 pm. Please contact the site 4 Lorong Halus Tan Kok Hui kokhuitan@ leaders listed below directly for exact locations, Wetlands yahoo.co.uk or coordinator Tan Gim Cheong (gimcheong345@ gmail.com). More sites may be added later, so 5 Puaka Hill, Jacky Soh jacky_soh@ Pulau Ubin nparks.gov.sg please check the NSS website for updates. Open to the public. 6 Tuas South Ave Low Choon lowchoonhow@ 16 How gmail.com

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5 NATURE NEWS SEP-OCT 2016 We are Looking for Volunteers By Peter Connell, Honorary Secretary ate last year NSS set up two new committees system’s potential and help develop and implement L– covering fundraising and membership – under a plan for making the best use of it. two excellent Acting Chairs Ben Szeto and Paul Finally, one of NSS’s major ongoing projects is Wonnacott respectively. We are still looking for development of an updated Master Plan for Nature members to join these committees as volunteers. Conservation. This exciting project lies at the heart Both committees have already come up with of what the Society stands for. We aim to make plenty of good ideas. But unless we can find more a real difference to the conservation of nature creative brains and willing hands, it will be difficult in Singapore over the next two decades at least. to convert good ideas into real improvements Many members are already involved under the for the Society. So, if you have IT skills, fundraising leadership of our Conservation Committee Vice or membership management experience, or an Chair Dr Ho Hua Chew. Between now and end interest in conceptualising and helping to organise 2016, we are expecting a large volume of materials fundraising events, we need your help. – text, graphics, maps, photos etc – to start flowing Still on the subjects of fundraising and IT skills, we in. We need a volunteer to help Hua Chew manage are planning to make more systematic use of the the process. Experience in structuring, formatting, Google for Nonprofits system. Careful thought laying out and rough editing of a major document will be needed on how to exploit this potentially for eventual publication would be very valuable. very useful platform. Since Ben and his team have For all four roles outlined above, if you have the their hands full, we are looking for a volunteer to interest and some or all of the skills required, work alongside our Programmes and Outreach please email us at [email protected] and we will Officer Kerry Pereira. You will examine the get back to you soonest. Pesta Ubin 2016: A Tour de Force with NSS as a Stakeholder By Gloria Seow Photos by Ria Tan & Naseera Mubashir

sports (5), cycling (3) and a run. Activities focused on nature (40), heritage (15), kampung life (13) and art (12). A special feature this year were night activities (10). There were also many opportunities to volunteer (8) and do clean-ups (5). For a sense of the festival’s magnitude, the single largest turnout drew 400 participants and 41 volunteers to Balik on 5 June. Read more about what happened at Pesta Ubin at http://tinyurl.com/ PestaUbin2016report. NSS chipped in with nine Pesta Ubin activities esta Ubin, a five week festival celebrating including a photo exhibition, coastal and forest Pthe charms of Pulau Ubin, was held from 14 clean-ups, birdwatching trips and surveys, nature May to 12 June 2016. It attracted an estimated sketching, kayaking, a night walk, and a booth 6,000 participants to the island with 60 activities focusing on horseshoe crabs. We feature two NSS- involving 600 volunteers from 45 organising led Pesta Ubin groups. “Pesta Ubin provided an opportunity events in this issue for people who care about Pulau Ubin to come of 'Nature News'. together as a kampong (village),” said Ria Tan, who was the linchpin of this tour de force uniting the Senior Minister nature, heritage, art and sporting communities. of State (Ministry of National As Ria put it in her post-Pesta Ubin report, most Development) Mr activities were for families (53 activities) and kids Desmond Lee and Minister for National (40). Most events were free of charge (41). Many Development Mr did not require registration (33). Activities included Lawrence Wong at the walks (22), workshops (13), games (8), kayaking (6), NSS booth showcasing our horseshoe crabs.

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Pesta Ubin 2016 NSS Kids’ Fun with Creatures of the Night at Pulau Ubin By Gloria Seow, Education Committee Chairperson Photos by Lena Chow he Education Committee and Vertebrate quick disappearing act meant that only a handful TStudy Group joined hands in a critter spotting of us got to see this beauty which was a lifer (seen night safari to Pulau Ubin on 11 June 2016. Given for the first time) for us. The Striped Keelback is a the immense publicity surrounding Pesta Ubin, diurnal reptile active during the day, which made it this activity was oversubscribed by almost four more cool to fold. But as regulations go, we could only take encounter it in 40 participants. Ubin was already bathed in at night. twilight when we met up with a bunch of eager Returning to juniors and their the tarmac, parents. We split we moved as into two clusters, silently as a with Auntie Bee large group Choo, Uncle Sek with excited Chuan and young kids could naturalist Saker move. Before leading the coastal long, Auntie Sensory Trail, while Gloria picked Auntie Gloria, up a great deal of activity in the branches above Uncle Timothy and us. We saw 10 to 15 fruit bats (likely the Common Auntie Lena took Fruit Bat – Cynopterus brachyotis) zipping in and out the second group of a figging tree as well as hanging upside down into the forested to chomp on figs. Kids and parents alike admired interior path. the feeding frenzy with yelps of amazement. We First up, we had glimpses of at least two Large- pointed out several Spotted House Geckos (Gekko tailed Nightjars (Caprimulgus macrurus) as well monarchus). The first was camouflaged against as several tiny Asiatic Lesser Yellow House Bats some wooden planks left by the roadside, while (Scotophilus kuhlii) hawking for insects in the inky the second was on a tree trunk. sky. Then Auntie Lena saw a huge flying form On the way back, we bumped into Auntie Bee which she believed to be the rare Malayan Flying Choo’s group. They reported seeing the Dog- Fox (Pteropus vampyrus). A few of them had been faced Water Snake (Cerberus schneiderii), a family sighted earlier on Ubin. She promptly found a of Eurasian Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa), Asian Toads Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) fast (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), spiders, mudskippers asleep with eyes wide open. Kids learnt that birds and mangrove crabs, amongst other sightings. In a do not have eye lids, and hence cannot shut their cluster of Simpoh Air (Dillenia suffruticosa), Auntie eyes. This birdy was still perched on the same Lena did a quick search and located her target – banana leaf when we looped back some two hours the Giant Shield Bug (Pycanum spp) – a majestic later. It was incredible to see how it could balance insect that feeds on the leaves of this shrub. Back on one leg while at the ponds, we found a sleeping Marbled Goby snoozing soundly. (Oxyeleotris marmorata) known locally as the Soon At the expansive Hock, a Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) lotus-and-water- as large as a clenched fist, and more leaping frogs. lily ponds, we had We had specially arranged for two ferries to get good numbers us back to the mainland. Uncle Tim sent off the of Crab-eating first two groups. The rest of us settled down to Frogs (Fejervarya wait for the boats to come back, and took time to cancrivora) and Field recount the splendid night sights of Unforgettable Frogs (Fejervarya Ubin. Indeed, the island never fails to surprise. limnocharis) that comically leapt out of our way as we trooped in. Next, Uncle Tim spotted a Four-lined Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax) up in a bush. It posed proudly for us, illuminated by the waxing half moon, our torches, and some camera flash. Auntie AGiant Gloria and Auntie Lena exclaimed ‘Snake!’ in unison Shield Bug when we spied a Striped Keelback (Xenochrophis resplendent on the vittatus) slithering along a narrow side path. To leaves of escape, we witnessed the snake lifting up a third of the Simpoh its body and ‘climbing’ into the flanking scrub. Its Air.

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Pesta Ubin 2016 Ubin’s Commonest Bird Quest By Lim Kim Keang, Lim Kim Chuah & Yong Ding Li Photos by Ria Tan & Alan OwYong s part of Pesta Ubin, the Bird Group 13 Pink-necked Green 17 0.33 Aconducted Ubin’s Commonest Bird Quest Pigeon (CBQ) on 5 June 2016, trying out a new 14 Van Hasselt's Sunbird 16 0.31 methodology for indicating which were the island’s 15 Yellow-vented Bulbul 15 0.29 commonest bird species. NSS members have been 16 Oriental Pied Hornbill 15 0.29 birding in Ubin since the 1970s and 80s, with 17 Common Tailorbird 15 0.29 general census data recorded three times a year, 18 Crimson Sunbird 14 0.27 giving us a relatively reliable basic picture. But 19 Asian Glossy Starling 12 0.24 the CBQ is more intensive. Six teams, comprising 20 Ashy Tailorbird 11 0.22 a leader and six participants each, surveyed the Results & Discussion central and eastern parts of Ubin. Routes were The six teams produced a total of 51 lists with 63 carefully selected to cover as much of the area species recorded. The relative abundance indices as possible between 8 am to 10 am. The good ranged from 0.02 weather helped. All except two teams completed to 0.65. The most their task in two hours. abundant species Method turned out to The MacKinnon bird listing method was used. be the Olive- This method involves recording each new species, winged Bulbul seen or heard, until a pre-defined number of birds with a relative is reached (10 birds in our case). Thereafter, a abundance new list is started. Any one species can only be index of 0.65. It recorded once in the first list, but may be recorded was recorded again in subsequent lists. The relative abundance at all surveyed of each species can be calculated by dividing the sites. This was number of contacts by the maximum total number interesting as of contacts in all teams (i.e. total number of lists). past censuses A commoner bird will have a higher relative have consistently abundance index than a less common one. Table 1 found the Yellow- shows the top 20 commonest birds based on their vented Bulbul to be more common in most parts relative abundance indices. of Singapore. Pulau Ubin’s habitat, comprising a Table 1: Top 20 Bird Species in the Commonest Bird Quest mosaic of orchards, old rubber plantations and secondary forest, probably contributed to this Relative Total Rank Common Name Abundance result. Another interesting point was that more Contacts Index species were recorded in the central routes 1 Olive-winged Bulbul 33 0.65 compared to the eastern ones. The more wooded 2 Common Iora 27 0.53 nature and closed canopy along the eastern routes 3 Oriental Magpie Robin 24 0.47 could have resulted in less birds being detected. 4 White-rumped Shama 24 0.47 A significant observation was the relative 5 Brown-throated 23 0.45 abundance of the Straw-headed Bulbul and White- Sunbird rumped Shama. Both species are becoming scarce 6 Swiftlets 22 0.43 in many parts of Southeast Asia due to rampant 7 Javan Myna 21 0.41 trapping for the bird trade. It is critical that the 8 Collared Kingfisher 20 0.39 Authorities and the public remain vigilant against 9 Olive-backed Sunbird 18 0.35 potential poaching, here and in other parts of 10 Dark-necked Tailorbird 18 0.35 Singapore where they are thriving. If the current 11 Straw-headed Bulbul 17 0.33 situation persists, Singapore could become the only place in the world where both species are 12 Red Jungle Fowl 17 0.33 still surviving in the wild. 8 NATURE NEWS SEP-OCT 2016

As with all rapid surveys, it was inevitable that the environment here. A common bird today may there were biases. The most obvious one was the become rare or extinct tomorrow if its habitat shortness of time taken for the count at only 2 to is altered irreversibly or even destroyed. One 2.5 hours. The CBQ was conducted when certain example is the House Swift. Once common, the species might have been more vocal than others, House Swift used to build nests under the Ubin and when most if not all migrants were absent. jetty. But these birds have now been absent for Another detection bias was towards species many years. Are the proliferation of swiftlet houses more vocal or active at the edges of habitats, as in Malaysia and the consequent increase in swiftlet the selected routes were along roads, trails and population the cause of its decline? Or are there boardwalks. In general, this survey provided a fairly more serious environmental problems? good picture of the common resident birds that Acknowledgement one can expect to see in the middle of the year. We thank CBQ leaders and participants including Table 2: Summary of Contacts (heard/seen) Andrew Chow, Doreen Ang, Joseph Chan, Lee Ee in the CBQ Ling, Lim Kim Chuah, Lim Kim Keang, Loh Wang Site W1 CT1 CT2 CJ1 CJ2 CJ3 Overall Chiu, Ng Chay Tuan, Peng Ah Huay, Rob, Willie Foo, Total in Top 20 19 17 19 18 16 13 20 Rob Arnold and Yong Yik Shih. We are also grateful Species List to the Pesta Ubin organisers, especially Ria Tan, for Total Species 39 33 37 31 25 27 63 making the CBQ possible. (heard/seen) Reference Total Contacts 108 79 87 110 57 60 501 MacKinnon J (1993), ‘A field guide to the Birds of Borneo, (heard/seen) Sumatra, Java and Bali’, Oxford University Press. Legend W1 Siam Temple Route CT1 Sensory Trail - Pekan Quarry Loop CT2 Nordin Beach Route CJ1 Chek Jawa Coastal Route CJ2 Chek Jawa Balai Quarry Route CJ3 Murai Hut - Mamam Beach Loop Conclusion The CBQ provided an opportunity to involve the public in a citizen science project. Data collected in this way over an extended duration, in addition to regular census data, could be used to more precisely monitor changes to the avifauna of Pulau Ubin, and more accurately determine the state of NSS Congratulates Outstanding Advocate of Our Time Dr Ho Hua Chew

ong-time conservationist Dr Ho Hua Chew, Lwho is also the Vice Chairperson of the Conservation Committee, was named 'Outstanding Advocate of Our Time' in the Singapore Advocacy Awards on 20 August 2016. Our heartiest congratulations to Hua Chew for winning this well- deserved recognition. Watch out for the full coverage of this award in the upcoming issue of 'Nature Watch'.

9 NATURE NEWS SEP-OCT 2016 Rare Butterflies Galore at Rifle Range Forest By Amy Tsang Photos by Lau Jia Sheng, Soh Kam Yung & K C Tsang here was no delight, we also spotted the dazzling Cruiser, an Tinkling that orange butterfly feeding on a pristine and seldom- the butterfly seen Veiled Stinkhorn Fungus in an uncommon sightings were orange-pink hue. This delicate fungus was a beauty going to be so in its own right. Earlier that morning, K C Tsang exceptional on had found two other Veiled Stinkhorn Fungi in the morning of their regular white veil. These fungi last for just a 6 August 2016. day, and we counted ourselves fortunate to have During the seen them. briefing by walk At the Jelutong Tower trail, we watched a regal- leaders Simon looking butterfly Chan and Amy emerging at noon to feed Tsang, the skies had looked grim. But at the word continuously on a stand go, the sun broke free to shine brightly, making of Lea Indica blossoms. light dapples on the forest floor. This sudden Our excitement reached intense heat seemed to rouse the butterflies a fever pitch when we as they congregated in numbers on blossoming identified it to be the very rare and critically- trees and shrubs, fed furiously and pursued each endangered Great another in mating interest or competition. On Imperial, truly the highlight one flowering tree alone, we counted at least of the day and such a 10 butterflies radiant in the morning light. As we long encounter too. peered at the treetop blossoms with binoculars, The sudden appearance excited calls were heard, “I see a Yellow Flash… of Singapore’s largest yes, and a Suffused Flash too. Oh, and two female dragonfly, the Sultan, Green Barons right at the top.” caught everybody off Somebody remarked light-heartedly that there guard. It settled peaceably on a branch and afforded us great shots. This 55- were many 'Sergeants' present, namely the Lance, mm long treasure belongs to the family Libellulidae, Studded, and is said to be rare even though it occurs from Colour, and North India to Southeast Asia and New Guinea. Malay Staff In the final count, we chalked up over 50 butterfly 'Sergeant' and one moth species. Particularly sweet was the butterflies, fact that we collectively saw 12 rare butterflies: with even one presiding 1 Very Rare Great Imperial (Jacoona anasuja Commander anasuja), Malay Staff Sergeant (Moduza procis (Athyma reta moorei) milonia). On 2 Rare Studded Sergeant (Athyma asura another side idita), Pygmy Posy (Drupadia of the trail, we rufotaenia rufotaenia), Yellow Flash found butterflies hidden under leaves including the (Rapala domitia domitia), White rare White Banded Awl, as well as a male Purple Banded Awl (Hasora taminatus malayana), Ultra Snow Flat Duke. Mrs Purple Duke was more brazen, flitting (Tagiades ultra), Burmese Lascar about in the open. (Lasippa heliodore dorelia) As we moved towards Jelutong Tower, we 3 Moderately Lance Sergeant (Athyma pravara encountered other butterfly species at various Rare helma), Colonel (Pandita sinope points including the sinope), Great Helen (Papilio iswara rare Ultra Snow Flat. iswara), Sumatran Gem (Poritia It darted in and out of sumatrae sumatrae) foliage, long enough for a shot by some While the experience of finding so many rarities was exhilarating, there was a realisation that lucky members. To our these sightings were from the Rifle Range forests through to MacRitchie Reservoir, where plans for the Cross Island MRT Line are underfoot. It is our hope that we will not lose this forest – home to our beautiful butterflies and other wildlife – as those plans unfold. Once lost, our natural heritage will be gone forever. The pain strikes deeper when you know and love what you could be losing.

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