NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2011 Jul-Aug 2011 MICA (P) 073/07/2010 ISSN: 2010-4308 Railway Ramble from Bukit Timah to Ten Mile Junction Jul 2 Activities 2 Plant Walk at Mount Faber Jul 9 Colugo Encounter near Changi Village 5 Birdwatching at Bukit Batok Nature Park Jul 10 Minutes of the NSS 57th Annual Talk on Singapore’s Wild Marine Mammals Jul 15 General Meeting 6 Nature Walk at Kranji Marshes Jul 17 Loss of Sea Eagles' Nest 8 Butterfly Walk at the Jurong Railway Track Jul 23 AGM Statement of Income & 9 Birdwatching at Halus Wetland Jul 24 Expenditure AGM President’s Report 10 Discussion on The Seacil Artificial Reef Jul 27 Talk on Impact of Climate Change on Singapore's Fun at Chek Jawa 12 Jul 29 Biodiversity AGM Special Interest Group & 13 NSS Kids’ Fun with Dragons and Damsels Aug 13 Committee Reports 26th Annual Bird Census 25 Butterfly Walk and Picnic from Rifle Range to Jelutong Aug 13 Tower Announcements 26 Birdwatching at Bukit Brown Aug 20 NSS Directory 27 Birdwatching at Botanic Gardens Aug 21 All Purpose Form 28 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Aug 27 Public Walk at Butterfly Trail @ Orchard Aug 28 International Coastal Cleanup at Mandai Mudflats Oct 29 LOCAL & OVERSEAS TRIPS LED BY NSS MEMBERS 1D Trek at Gunung Lambak in Kluang Jul 23 or (two departures) Aug 20 3D/3N The Lost Waterfalls of Pahang Jul 28 to 31 4D/3N Explore Endau Rompin with Raja Aug 7 to 10 Colugo 1D Explore Mata Kuching Forest Reserve Aug 13 in Batam Encounter Minutes of the NSS near 57th Annual General Changi Meeting Pg 6 Village Pg 5 As we were going to press, we were deeply sadden to learn of the passing of Dr Navjot Sodhi, eminent ornithologist and NUS professor in conservation ecology on 12 June 2011, and Dr Daryl Karns, herpetologist and professor of biology at Hanover College, Indiana on 9 June 2011. 1 NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2011 Activities July Saturday 2 Marine Science Institute (TMSI) in NUS have Saturday 2 confirmed that several species of coastal dolphins Railway Ramble from Bukit Timah to Ten can be found in Singapore waters, even the rare Mile Junction Finless Porpoise and Dugong. TMSI has launched Marking the end of a railway era in Singapore, the the Singapore Wild Marine Mammal Survey Nature Ramblers will lead a trek from Bukit Timah (SWiMMS), a research project where it wants Railway Station to Ten Mile Junction, an estimated to establish a volunteer network and sighting distance of 6 km. This is an attempt to retrace the reporting system, as well as carry out field studies. northbound train journey. Expect to see interesting Reliable observations from South-east Asia are plants, birds and landmarks along the way. Meet also welcome, and will help TMSI study whether Benjamin Ho at Bukit Timah Railway Station near Singapore contributes to seasonal trans-national King Albert Park at 3.45 pm. The trip will end at migration routes. Meet at 8 pm at The Sunflower. Bukit Panjang Housing Estate. We will depart at 4 Open to the Public. pm sharp, and should finish by 7 pm. Wear good Sunday 17 walking shoes and have adequate sun protection. Sunday 17 For members only. Nature Walk at Kranji Marshes Meet Gerard Francis at 7.45 am at the Kranji SaturdaySaturday 9 9 Dam Carpark near the Tidal Gates of Kranji Plant Walk at Mount Faber Reservoir, off Kranji Way. Reachable by Bus 925 In celebration of International Year of Forests, join from Kranji MRT Station. From here, a hired bus Yap Von Bing and the Plant Group at Mount Faber. will ferry us to our destination. This walk will Expect to see mature and juvenile specimens of cover the plant life of the marshland as well as native trees, cultivated trees (including fruit trees) provide good birdwatching opportunities. The and attractive ferns. There will be numerous marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park bird calls and the likely sighting of thermal-riding and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB’s raptors. Get acquainted with this regenerating ABC Waters Programme. Register with Gerard at forest and be inspired to think about promoting [email protected] by 8 July. Max: 20 pax. habitat restoration in other locations. Meet at 9 Open to the Public. am at the bus stop on Telok Blangah Way opposite Saturday 23 Radin Mas Community Centre. The walk will take Saturday 23 about two hours. For members only. Butterfly Walk at the Jurong Railway Track This is a nice butterfly walk starting at King Albert SundaySunday 10 10 Park, passing through the Bukit Timah Railway Birdwatching at Bukit Batok Nature Park Station, and ending at Old Holland Road. Steven Situated in a densely populated corner of Singapore, Chong will lead us on a journey following the railway Bukit Batok Nature Park is a green gem. This patch track. He will take us through areas with plenty of of woods is no bigger than the Botanical Gardens, Pansy and Emigrant butterflies. Expect to also see a yet support a surprising variety of bird species. good mix of forest and open field butterflies and lots These include locally threatened birds like the of Bush Browns. This is also a Common Birdwing Violet Cuckoo and the Changeable Hawk Eagle. habitat. Bring along your binoculars, a cap and lots of It is also one of the best places in Singapore, and sunblock. Meet at 9:30 am outside McDonalds, at the perhaps even in South-east Asia, to see the highly- intersection of Bukit Timah Road and King Albert threatened Straw-headed Bulbul. Join Yong Ding Li Park. For members only.y as he leads us in exploring the Park. Meet at 7.30 SundayS 24 July 24 am at the main entrance. The walk should end at 12 unday noon. For members only. Birdwatching at Halus Wetland For years, Little Grebes and Common Moorhens FridayFriday 15 15 have made their home in Lorong Halus, an old Talk on Singapore’s Wild Marine Mammals rubbish dump site. Grassland birds such as Yellow- Join Cyrena Lim to learn how you can help NUS bellied Prinias, Munias, Baya Weavers, Long-tailed researchers discover more about Singapore’s wild Shrikes and more thrive here. Under the ABC marine mammals. Pilot studies by the Tropical Waters Programme, PUB recently completed 2 NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2011 works to create Halus Wetland, to help purify run- Friday 29 Friday 29 offs from the dump site. Join Wong Chung Cheong from 7.30 am to 12 noon, in an enjoyable morning Talk on Impact of Climate Change on of sights and sounds presented by these birds. Singapore's Biodiversity Send a completed All Purpose Form to the NSS Much information is now available on global office or register at the NSS website by 18 July climate change, including some frightening 2011. Max: 30 pax. Open to the Public. predictions. Temperatures and sea levels are WednesdayW 27 expected to rise worldwide, while many areas will Wednesday 27 receive less rain. What then will happen to the Discussion on The Seacil Artificial Reef biodiversity and natural vegetation in Singapore The Seacil Artificial Reef project was a source of and South-east Asia? Going by current predictions, controversy a few years back. It aimed to restore Yong Ding Li will explore the likely changes to and preserve corals at Sentosa and Labrador Singapore's flora and fauna by the years 2030 and Park. Project leader Charles Rowe will give a 2050. Will our rainforests still remain as it is, given presentation on its merits. Detractors in this fragmentation and a different climate? Will our project will also be invited to air their views and forest birds still be around? What should we do concerns. Join us in this discussion, and judge for now? For more information, contact Ding Li at yourself if the project is more of a boon or a bane [email protected]. Talk from 8 pm to 9.30 pm to local coral conservation. Meet at 8 pm at The at The Sunflower. Open to the Public. Sunflower. Open to the Public. Activities August SaturdayS d 1313 Sailors. We intend to pause for a 30-minute picnic Saturday 13 at the scenic water edge. Bring along some snacks NSS Kids’ Fun with Dragons and Damsels and plenty of water. Thereafter, our butterfly trek If you were a little insect, a dragon that flies is a will continue to Jelutong Tower in MacRitchie terrifying thing. Find out more about dragonflies Reservoir. We target to return back to the starting and damselflies, how they hunt in our freshwater point between 1 pm to 1.30 pm. Members should streams, and learn how to recognise some of the arrange for their own car pool to get to the commoner species. Tang Hung Bun, author of the starting point. For any queries, kindly email KC at book “A photographic guide to the Dragonflies of [email protected]. For members only. Singapore”, will lead us in a fascinating walk along SaturdaySaturday 20 20 the Venus Drive stream. Dragonfly enthusiasts Dr Cheong Loong Fah, Robin Ngiam, Cheong Yu Jia Birdwatching at Bukit Brown and Cheong Yiwei will also be our guides. Time: 9 Meet Sutari Supari at 7.30 am at the junction am to 11.30 am. Please register your children (4 to of Sime Road and Kheam Hock Road, near the 12 years old) with Gloria Seow at gloria_seow@ entrance to Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery. We yahoo.com, stating their names and ages, if they are will take a casual walk around this unique and NSS members or not, if you need us to loan you quiet corner of Singapore.