Dogged Nature

Studioesque male Green-crested lizard

Whip spider - finally shot the little thin bugger  

More: photos from Buloh.

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Yesterday could easily have been one of my most enjoyable days at Sungei Buloh - it was a day of camaradarie and fun - nature walks with Krish the guide of all guides, boat rides around the estuaries of the Reserve, ceremonies of appreciation, sing-along sessions, banner-writing and terracotta moulding, video documentary viewing  (who better than David Attenborough for an hour of educational entertainment?), catered buffet tea and dinner, and top top it off, a night walk in the Reserve, during which we saw many beautiful invertebrates, Puff-faced watersnakes, and even fireflies. Ria managed to make it for the night walk, after having presented at the NYEF pre-forum event in the morning. I was really glad she came, when we had at the chance to talk, to catch up, and best of all to wander about in Buloh together, accompanied by our faithful Nikons. (When I crawled out of bed today, she had already posted on the Wildfilms blog!)

Through the years, we have seen the volunteer group grow… there are so many new faces, all so enthusiastic and best of all, they're getting younger. The former staff and old-time veterans of Buloh were all around, as where the NParks big bosses. It was all chit-chatty and happy, a celebration of the group which helped make Buloh the success it is today: not only the official recognition of it as an international and regional natural heritage site, but also all the new animals which have been making Buloh their home these years. 

It's been an honour to be a part of the family, and it's what's been helping me nurture my passion in nature since the early ages. At the banner-writing session, someone recommended that I write, "I grew up here!" - which wasn't far from the truth. 

A group of volunteers enjoying their ride

Mangrove crabs are good climbers

A Puff-faced watersnake. There were hordes of these at the aquatic plant pond!

A beautiful little moth - ID t.b.c.

Hatched spiderlings

There was a sleeping tailorbird by the path… didn't wanna flash it so just took a record shot

Saw a few Ornamental treetrunk spiders

A spikey Lynx spider

An ant-mimicking crab spider eating the weaver ant it mimics

Chrysalis of the Short Banded Sailor

And more photos of animals and people on Zoto.

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I realise that the more mozzies I feed, the more interesting the animals are that I get to see. Why must this be so?

Was called to Sungei Buloh yesterday to take on a group of schoolkids from Pat's Schoolhouse. Very inquisitive minds… endless questions. Very rewarding. I'm glad I had a choice between this and a bunch of teenage boys from SJI! 

My duty was but in the morning. I had the rest of the day to myself. I knew of the treasures the KNT held and also its better birding spots, so that was where I ventured. It was mozzie frontier, but it was all worth it! Saw some pretty strange creatures along the way… and I came out through the other end and met with the Kranji Dam, where the terns where, where I've always been wanting to shoot. Darn my D70… too slow with my 80-400 VR! I could barely keep track of the terns in my viewfinder; how was I to focus on them as they swept past above my head? It was fun though, and the place stank of rotten fish washed up from the reservoir.

Little Tern

Giant Ant-mimicking Spider

Pentatomid stink bug nymph (Pycanum sp.?)

Some Plume Moth (Pterophoridae)

Cotton Stainer nymphs

After Buloh and Kranji was Geylang, to the headquarters of Nature Society. Some President's Chat thingy, was invited along. It turned out to be a meeting to do with the constitution and resolutions passed at the AGM, and some other discussions. My first time dealing with the NSS and meeting it's who's who and legal advisors… all rather exciting. I wish I had met them sooner, it would have helped in some things. I've met a few of them before in my wanderings about nature places, and it's usually a "you look familiar, have I seen you before?" before we're formally introduced. I don't know where this would all lead to, but I think I've really got my hands tied. 

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We started off from Mandai Orchid Gardens, Kiat, Steven (our first time meeting; he figured I was Husky from the butterfly-pal forums! He was Birdwing) and I. We had high hopes for MOG, having heard and seen the great sunbird shots - especially of the Crimson sunbird and the spiderhunter - that other photographers managed to get from that place. It was tooo quiet. Hardly anything besides the Olive-backed and my good friends the Changeable lizards. I bumped into Keith there… a pleasant coincidence! We seem to have a tendency of bumping into each other in places.

We went on to the Kranji dam in search of the terns. Funnily enough, I see them every time I pass by on my way to Buloh, but when I go there specifically to shoot them, they're never there. No terns, no raptors. So… onwards to Buloh. Bob's smaller croc cousin was there by the main bridge, and there was a Paradise Tree snake in the main hide. Saw the tailorbirds, sunbirds, and the Common Iora. Lepidoptera-wise, the sunbeams and lascars were out in full force - 'tis the season for them perhaps.

Nothing much else, so we went to Sembawang after lunch to a former bee-eater hotspot. The long grasslands were trimmed, the bee-eaters were nowhere to be found. No luck whatsoever! Next, to Sringleaf. A Stork-billed kingfisher, and a Purple heron in the canals. Nothing special. We picked up a Painted Bronzeback - it was dead with two punctures in its sides and its innards were spilling out - in one of the smaller drains. Not a bad end to a bad birding day, but it would have been more exciting had it been alive. 

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I find it rather hard to believe that I haven't been to Sungei Buloh since last September. It's almost like I never left. 

My favourite nature reserve doesn't disappoint. Early in the morning, I saw Robert on the main bridge, who then pointed out the submerged croc - he looked like Mr Bob. There're at least two now, or so I hear. Some stories from Jeremy about one that the neighbouring farmers caught which was then released into the reserve. 

Then I met Ria for lunch (thanks for the treat!), and we chatted about the stuff that wildsingapore's up to and some potential projects. Three months isn't that much time, but I hope something can be accomplished. 

In the afternoon I hung out on the main bridge, pointing out the fishies and the croc to passing visitors. There were some Germans (we chatted a bit about the World Cup) and I guided some Singaporeanised-Americans and Koreans in the arvo - the mother wasted no effort in emphasising that they were South Koreans! Her children were lovely… the younger one didn't really know English, and she'd speak to me in Korean as though I knew everything she'd said… and her older sis would have to translate. They gave me a box of Korean chocolate as a token of thanks, which was simply sweet. 

Jeremy and I spent a bit of time stalking the otters in the mangroves… that was when I received the seven love bites from the mozzies… just when I thought I'd manage to pull through the entire day without being bitten! Ugh. The itch… but they were worth it… I've never been this close to the wild otters before… I daresay the male was less than 5m away from me when he made his crossing… 

All pics from today have been uploaded; a selection's presented here: 

An Estuarine crocodile, very possibly Mr Bob

Closer view

A Plantain squirrel 

Smooth Otter 

A lovey dovey couple? 

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MacRitchie was on the agenda for today. My last visit to CNR was more than a year ago, and I haven't been to Sungei Buloh since Sept last year. It's been a long time since I've gone to any nature reserves in Singapore. 

It was the usual trio - Thiha, Jeanne, and myself, plus my sis. We met Uncle Tay at the Ranger Station; he's transferred from Buloh! Lots more reorganisation of the staff at the NParks reserves, I hear. New CEO, new plans, more reshuffles.

Today was a rewarding day… totally worth missing the morning's sleep. Spent a couple of hours going through the forests, sweating it out. First time to the tree-top walk (a fact which might surprise some people)… at 27m above ground it did put me off at first - the heights! - but it wasn't as bad the wobbly suspension bridges I've been through in Malaysia. It was mainly canopies below, so I couldn't really see the ground. Went out through the Rifle Range Rd exit… there was no signal from the MacRitchie trail onwards and so getting through to the outside world was kinda hard… we wanted to call for a cab and had to pass through hordes of macaques along the road. Hissing males and staring females… they've become much fiercer. 

I wonder if I can manage Buloh this Sat. I'll be helping out at the Zingiberaceae symposium at the Botanics on Monday… looking at the names I think I'll be meeting a lot of planty people.  

More photos here.  

This might be the highlight of the summer yet - my first sighting of an Earless Agamid. She's so cute!!  

White-handed fly 

Two fighting ants - they've got pronounced thoracic spines… I wonder what they are? 

A phasmid! Some green, thick, juicy stick insect 

An assortment of spiders - Salticidae and Tetragnathida

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