NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2010 NEWSLETTER OF THE NATURE … · 2D/1N Plant Trip to Gunung Arong Aug 28 to...

1

NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2010

TRIPS ABROAD LED BY NSS MEMBERS

NSS Green Hub @ Ubin: A Green Venue for the

Greater Community Pg 22

AGM Minutes 2010 Pg 8

AGM Minutes AGM Minutess2010 Pg 82010 Pgg 88

Activities & Trips 2Update of Kranji Reservoir Adoption Programme

5

Feng shan Eco -Heroes Spruce Up the NSS Green Hub @ Ubin

6

Little Great Givers: $10K Donation from the Turf Club

6

Thoughts from the NSS President

7

Minutes of NSS 56th Annual General Meeting

8

Statement of Income & Expenditure

12

Statement of F inancia l Position

12

AGM Subgroup Reports 13Donat ions needed for Horseshoe Crab Electronic Tracking Equipment

18

Birdwatching with Kenneth Kee at the Shanghai World Expo

18

Book Review: The Natural Heritage of Singapore 3rd Edition

19

25th Annual Bird Census 20N S S K i d s ’ E n c h a n t e d Butterfly Exploration at Changi T3

22

NSS Green Hub @ Ubin: A Green Venue for the Greater Community

22

Announcements 23NSS Directory 23All Purpose Form 24

Dragonfly Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir Jul 1011th Mid-Year Bird Census Jul 17 to 18Butterfly Walk at Teck Whye with Steven Chong Jul 17Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Jul 18Cancelled – Mingle with Butterflies at Changi Airport T3 Jul 25Birdwatching at Bukit Brown with Sutari Supari Jul 25Plant & Bird Walk at Kranji Marsh with Gerard Francis Jul 31Railway Ramble from Ulu Pandan to Bukit Timah Aug 1Talk on Indian Wildlife by Rina Khatau Aug 13Birdwatching at Kranji Marsh with Dr Ho Hua Chew Aug 218th Flora Malesiana Symposium Aug 23 to 27NSS Kids’ Visit to Green Circle Eco Farm (non-parents welcome too!)

Aug 29

Birdwatching at Botanic Gardens with Wong Chung Cheong

Aug 29

7th Fall Migration Bird Census Sep 12International Coastal Cleanup Activities Sep 25

4D/4N Rainforest Conservation Course in Malaysia Aug 5 to 9 Aug4D/3N Endau Rompin Trip Aug 7 to 102D/1N Plant Trip to Gunung Arong Aug 28 to 29 4D/3N Trip to Tasek Bera Sep 4 to 7

Jan-Feb 2009

MICA (P) 224/07/2009 www.nss.org.sg

Nature NewsNEWSLETTER OF THE NATURE SOCIETY (SINGAPORE) Jul-Aug 2010

ACTIVITY CALENDAR CONTENTS Pg

2


Saturday 10

Dragonfly Walk at MacRitchie ReservoirOur very first dragonfly spotting walk will be held at the MacRitchie reservoir, conducted by enthusiasts Dr Cheong Loong Fah, Tang Hung Bun and Robin Ngiam who recently co-wrote an excellent article in Nature Watch. Please meet at 8.30 am at the fitness corner located around 200 m from the MacRitchie trail entrance near the junction of Sime Road and Lornie Road. You can park your vehicle around Bukit Brown Cemetery, cross the road, locate the trailhead and walk in from Lornie Road along the boundary of the forest and golf course. The entire trip will take around four hours. We will walk along the southern edge of the reservoir until we reach the Golf Link / Jelutong tower area. Binoculars will be useful.

Saturday & Sunday 17 to 18

11th Mid-Year Bird CensusThis is the time of the year when our resident birds complete their breeding season and some early migrants have started arriving. We are now into our second decade of this census which strives to monitor these two groups of birds. Such censuses provide the hard data required to formulate conservation proposals to the government. Unlike single-day censuses, this two-day event allows birdwatchers to survey their backyards, neighbourhood parks and home patches. We would like to invite all birdwatchers, especially newcomers to the Society, to join us. There is no need to worry about being unable to identify some birds as we will assign experts to each site. Time: 7.30 am to 10.30 am. If you can help, please email coordinator Lim Kim Seng at [email protected] before 10 July, stating which day you are available. Better still if you can make it for both days!

Saturday 17

Butterfly Walk at Teck Whye with Steven Chong Hidden behind the backyard of Teck Whye Secondary School lies a pretty butterfly garden fronted by a canal with a wooded area on the opposite side. Supported by NParks, this garden boasts no less than 20 butterfly species. Butterflies that can be spotted here include the Common Mime, Painted Jezebel, Striped Albatross, Lemon Emigrant, Common Grass Yellow, Plain Tiger, Leopard Lacewing and Peacock Pansy. Time: 9.30 am to 12 pm. Meet Steven Chong (HP: 9796-9193) at the park connector between Blk 160A and Gracefield Kindergarten just off Jalan Teck Whye.

Sunday 18

Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Please register with Lesley Cartwright-Taylor at [email protected], stating your name, if

you are a NSS member or not, affiliations (eg. school/company), experience (if any) and contact details for this monthly mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (HSC). We have started an ongoing HSC Training & Accreditation Programme for anyone keen to become a qualified HSC R&Rer. Meet at the extension of Kranji Road near the junction with Kranji Loop at 9.30 am. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the Chinese temple along Kranji Loop, cross the road and look for the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd (251 Kranji Road). We recommend that you bring a cap, shoes/booties, sun block, repellent, cutter for HSC rescue and camera. Washing facilities available.

Sunday 25Cancelled – Mingle with Butterflies at Changi Airport T3 Please note that this walk has been cancelled. In view of airport security, the airport authorities are in the midst of discussing with the airport police on the issue of public access to restricted areas for non-official purposes.

Sunday 25

Birdwatching at Bukit Brown with Sutari SupariMeet Sutari at 7.30 am at the junction of Sime Road and Kheam Hock Road, near the entrance to historic Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery. We will take a casual bird walk around this unique and quiet corner of Singapore. The cemetery has both partially open areas and well-covered ones with huge trees. Expect to see a mix of parkland, open-country and forest birds such as babblers, bulbuls, doves, flower-peckers, parakeets, sunbirds and woodpeckers.

Saturday 31

Plant & Bird Walk at Kranji Marsh with Gerard Francis Meet at 8 am at the Kranji Dam carpark near the tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir (off Kranji Way), reachable by Bus 925 from Kranji MRT Station. From here, a hired bus will fetch us to the starting point. We begin with a pleasant walk along a countryside road to the scenic Kranji Marsh where we will continue to stroll along the lovely PUB bund. This marsh is designated as a Nature Park and is adopted by NSS under the PUB’s ABC Waters Programme. Interesting plants will be highlighted along the way. Bird species that can be seen here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle and more. Booking required by 23 July 2010 (maximum: 20 pax). To register, please email [email protected] or call Justin at Tel: 6741-2036.

Activities JulySaturday 10

Saturday & Sunday 17 to 18

Saturday 17

yySunday 25

Sunday 25

Saturday 31

Sunday 18

3


Sunday 1 Railway Ramble from Ulu Pandan to Bukit Timah Led by The Nature Ramblers, this is a good chance to see and photograph this historic railway track before it makes way for other plans. NSS is doing up a conservation proposal to turn this track into a green corridor for nature and recreation. Our Railway Ramble will also explore the wooded areas along the canal leading to Ulu Pandan River at Old Holland Road. This 7km/4hr trek is geared for robust walkers above 12 years old. Meet Benjamin Ho at 7.30 am at the bus stop near Blk 343 Clementi Road. We will end near King Albert Park at Bukit Timah Road. Email Ben at [email protected] for enquiries.

Friday 13

Talk on Indian Wildlife by Rina Khatau Interested to see Indian’s wildlife including the mighty tiger roaming in its native forest? Rina will share with us about the wildlife and wilderness of India, as well as her work with The Corbett Foundation (TCF). TCF is a non-profit organisation that strives to protect tiger habitats and the vast wilderness of India. It focuses on wildlife conservation, research and awareness programmes in tiger reserves like Corbett, Bandhavgarh and Kanha; as well as the fragile grassland ecosystem of Kutch. TCF, along with its parent organisation Infinity Resorts, has been practicing sustainable tourism at these tiger reserves. Join us for this talk at 8 pm at The Sunflower.

Saturday 21

Birdwatching at Kranji Marsh with Dr Ho Hua Chew Meet at 8 am at the Kranji Dam carpark near the tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir (off Kranji Way), reachable by Bus 925 from Kranji MRT Station. From here, a hired bus will fetch us to the starting point. We begin with a pleasant walk along a countryside road to the scenic Kranji Marsh (Reservoir) where we will continue to stroll along the lovely PUB bund. This marsh is designated as a Nature Park and is adopted by NSS under the PUB’s ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle and more. Booking required by 13 August 2010 (maximum: 20 pax). To register, please email [email protected] or call Justin at Tel: 6741-2036.

Monday to Friday 23 to 278th Flora Malesiana Symposium Since 1989, the Flora Malesiana Symposium has been

an important forum for the exchange of taxonomic and systematic ideas and new research findings on the flora of the Malesian region. Today, it has become an international gathering of botanists and post-graduate students who study the diversity, ecology, biogeography, evolution and conservation of plants from the region, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor and Papua New Guinea, as well as bordering countries. This year’s symposium will be held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Enjoy an early bird discount if you register by 15 May 2010. Check out its website www.sbg.org.sg/fm8 or email [email protected] for details.

Sunday 29

NSS Kids’ Visit to Green Circle Eco Farm (non-parents welcome too!)Been to an organic farm? This educational tour is suited for both adults and children (4 to 12 years old). Those without kids are welcome to join us. Held at the Green Circle Eco Farm in Neo Tiew Road, this tour will introduce participants to different farming methods including organic farming, and reveal how organic produce can benefit our body and the environment. Participants will be led around the farm to see how composts are made, observe the different practices adopted to control pest, and learn how to identify the wide variety of vegetables, herbs and fruit trees present. You can even purchase organic vegetables harvested on the spot. Time: 9 am to 11 am. Please register with Gloria at [email protected], stating all participants’ names and ages, if NSS member or not, and give us your mobile number. A fee of $7 per participant (member) or $10 per participant (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Please note that fees apply to both adults and children. Details will be emailed to those who sign up.

Sunday 29

Birdwatching at Botanic Gardens with Wong Chung CheongMeet Chung Cheong at the SBG Visitor Centre at 7.30 am. We will take an early morning stroll through one of the best botanical gardens in the region. Many bird species call this place home, including colourful ones like the Long-tailed Parakeet, Crimson Sunbird, Banded Woodpecker, Common Iora, Pink-necked Green-Pigeon and Stork-billed Kingfisher. We might also get to see some early migrants.

Spetember 12 7th Fall Migration Bird CensusIn September 2004, we conducted our first ever bird census covering the autumn migration period. Fifty-

Activities August

Sunday 29

yySunday 1

y yMonday to Friday 23 to 27

ppSeptember 12

Friday 13

yySaturday 21

Sunday 29

4


2D/1N Plant Trip to Gunung Arong

Organised by the Plant Group, Gunung Arong Forest Reserve is located north of Mersing

in NE Johor. It is a primary hill dipterocarp forest with rich flora, including large stands of Shorea and Licuala palms. A trek up Gunung Arong (300 m) offers a panoramic view of the South China Sea and its islands including Pulau Sri Buat and Pulau Tioman. We will traverse the mountain to a wonderful beach for a coastal walk back to Tg Resang. The trip coincides with the mass fruiting of dipterocarp trees. For details and registration, please contact Sutari Supari at HP: 9770-0432 or

email [email protected]. Itinerary: Day 1 Depart from Newton Circus car park at 8 am for Tg Resang Resort; check into resort; lunch; brief overview of dipterocarp biology and introduction to coastal forests; coastal walk to explore seaward side of Gunung Arong; dinner; free and easy. Day 2 Breakfast (packed lunch); trek up Gunung Arong from the landward side (with stops at selected points along the trail); return to resort to pack up; seafood dinner at Mersing; return to Singapore.

Price: $190 per pax, inclusive of meals, land transport, accommodation in basic beachside chalets and local guide.

Date: 28 to 29 Aug 2010 Closing Date: 20 Aug 2010Minimum: 10 paxMaximum: 30 pax

five people were involved in the country-wide effort counting a total of 25 sites. The 2004 census unveiled 8,035 birds from 135 species, or roughly 35% of Singapore’s avifauna. In 2009, we recorded 7,381 birds from 119 species. Will we see a decline or upsurge in 2010? Join us to find out and help uncover the trends affecting our wild birds. All birdwatchers are welcome. Time: 7.30 am to 10.30 am. If you can help, please email coordinator Lim Kim Seng at [email protected] before 7 September 2010.

September 25

International Coastal Cleanup Activities The NSS-led participation at the annual International

Coast Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) takes place at Mandai Mudflats (main habitat for horseshoe crabs) from 4 pm to 7 pm. If you are keen to make a difference at these mudflats, please register with Dr Hsu Chia Chi at [email protected]. There are also other ICCS events organised by RMBR which you can help: 1. Sat 11 Sep 2010, morning - Mangrove Cleanup 2. Sat 18 Sep 2010, morning - Beach Cleanup ICCS organisational events: 3. Sat 10 Jul 2010 - Organiser's Workshop 4. Sat 28 Aug 2010 - Briefing for Site Buddies To participate in the above four events, please register at this website http://iccs-individual.rafflesmuseum.net/.

September 25

TRIPS ABROAD LED BY NSS MEMBERS

4D/3N Trip to Tasek Bera Date: 4 to 7 Sep 2010 Closing Date: 1 Aug 2010Price: $195 per pax full board

Let experienced guide Raja help you get acquainted with Malaysia's largest natural

lake Tasek Bera. Activities include river cruising, kayaking and jungle trekking. Price inclusive of two-way coach transport and accommodation in chalets. To register, please fill in the All Purpose Form (APF) at the back of Nature News. Kindly use one form per person. Please make your cheque out to ‘Nature Society (Singapore)’ and mail the APF(s) and cheque to S Rajamanickam, 61 Chestnut Crescent, Singapore 679412. For details, please email Raja at [email protected].

4D/3N Endau Rompin TripDate: 7 to 10 Aug 2010Closing Date: 10 July 2010Price: $240 per pax full board

Join experienced guide Raja to explore the wilderness of Endau Rompin nature reserve

in Johor, Malaysia. Activities include trekking, waterfall visit, rafting, night safari and hill climbing. Price inclusive of two-way coach transport and accommodation in chalets. To register, please fill in the All Purpose Form (APF) at the back of Nature News. Kindly use one form per person. Please make your cheque out to ‘Nature Society (Singapore)’ and mail the APF(s) and cheque to S Rajamanickam, 61 Chestnut Crescent, Singapore 679412. For details, please email Raja at [email protected]

5


Pond Maintenance

Maintenance work for the Marshy and Clearwater ponds, at their landward edges

and shallower parts, were continued by volunteers. Twenty River Valley High School students came back for a second time on 31 April 2010 to resume the clearing of unwanted vegetation. This was followed by 16 staff from Bloomberg in May 2010. Apart from voluntary work, professional contract maintenance was also carried out in May at the deeper ends of both ponds. Aside from clearing the unwanted pond vegetation, workers also opened up a clogged stream that flows into the Marshy Pond and cleared the vegetation at the edge of the small bund dividing the two ponds. The cleared plants were sent once again to Green Circle Eco Farm for composting.

Bird Surveys Three birdlife surveys were carried out in February and March 2010, with the objective of setting up an inventory of the types and numbers of bird species that can be found at the reservoir’s Intake Bund and at the marshland fringe along the Intake Channel. One survey was conducted in the late

afternoon while the other two were done i n t h e m o r n i n g . T h e t r a n s e c t was along the two kilometer Intake Bund, which is currently under restricted access controlled by PUB. These surveys will provide ecological information relevant to the issue of opening up the Bund on a free-and-easy basis to visitors, hikers, cyclists etc. We are concerned that the establishment of a park connector along the Bund will disrupt the birdlife that are using these areas for resting and feeding. The surveys recorded 39 species numbering 204 birds in all. These include the Little Tern (endangered), Grey Heron (vulnerable), Purple Heron (endangered), Yellow-billed Egret, Yellow Bittern and Yellow Wagtail. At least 17 Grey Herons were regularly using the Bund proper for resting and fish foraging. A report based on these surveys, as well as information from recent observations outside the surveys, is in the process of being formulated and will be submitted to the relevant authorities by June 2010.

Update of Kranji Reservoir Adoption Programme

By Dr Ho Hua Chew

4D/4N Rainforest Conservation Course in Malaysia

At an altitude of 800 m, Moonriver Lodge is located amidst the forests of Sigar Highlands in

Lojing, 10 minutes from Cameron Highlands. Enjoy the cool climate and quiet natural surroundings as you immerse yourself in day-to-day organic farming activities. You will learn about permaculture and the designs in place; trek into the forest to see the Rafflesia flower; visit the indigenous Temiars people and watch a Blowpipe demonstration that originally used the poisonous sap of the Ipoh tree. The Rainforest Conservation Course is conducted by WildAsia. It is suited for those who want a deeper understanding of Malaysia's natural heritage in relation to conservation. Topics like ecology, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and climate

change will be covered. Practical outdoor and jungle trek assignments will give participants a hands-on experience. For details and registration, please contact Leong Kwok Peng at [email protected] or HP: 9766-7047. Itinerary:Day 1: Moonriver Orientation and Bamboo Canopy Trek to visit an Asli village and local marketDay 2: Rainforest Conservation Course with outdoor session at Tree Nursery (BBQ Dinner)Day 3: Outdoor experiential learning on Rainforest Architecture with Rafflesia Trek (Steamboat dinner)Day 4: Depart for Singapore

Date: 5 to 9 Aug 2010 (departing Singapore at 10 pm)Closing Date: 23 July 2010Location: Moonriver Lodge, Malaysia Minimum: 8 paxMaximum: 18 pax

Price: $650 per pax. Price inclusive of transport, accommodation,

two days rainforest conservation course, specified meals, activities and guides.

Bloomberg staff clipping the tall grass

6


Fengshan Eco-Heroes Spruce Up the NSS Green Hub @ Ubin

By Moira Khaw and Gloria Seow

Th i s o u t i n g o f n i n e l i v e l y 1 0 -

year old Science Club volunteers, along with their teachers and mums to Pulau Ubin on 20 February 2010, resulted from a chance conversation between Tan Hang Chong and NSS member Cheryl Lao, who is also a teacher at Fengshan Primary School.

The Fengshan pupils got to know every nook and cranny of the NSS Green Hub @ Ubin when they enthusiastically combed the area for non-biodegradable rubbish, greatly sprucing up this property. Under Hang Chong's care, they were also learning non-stop about nature as they traipsed off on a walk around Ubin. Along the way, they bumped into the NSS Kids’ excursion, where Auntie Gloria was lining up children to show them a perched Peregrine Falcon. Fengshan pupils also took turns peering through the scope at this majestic bird of prey.

The spanking clean NSS Green Hub had its first visitors in the form of the NSS Kids' group. After their three-hour fun with nature walk, these kids

were still full of beans, popping up and down answering Auntie Gloria's quiz questions.

NSS Executive Officer Justin Wong secured a sponsor, Mr Richard Ng, who had four 1m x 1m solar panels, energy-saving LED lights and fans installed at the Green Hub on 5 March 2010.

The hub’s first official event took place on 7 March 2010, where Ms Linda Loo from The Vegetarian Society led a session on breathing exercises to clear minds and energise bodies.

She also expounded on the topic of “Why we should eat raw and why raw is green?”, and held a food demonstration on making raw vegan rojak.

Little Great Givers is a local documentary series that followed the lives of seven young

volunteers who had selflessly contributed to various noble causes. Leshon Lee, Singapore’s youngest nature guide, was one of the seven Little Great Givers featured. In the final episode of the show, the Singapore Turf Club rewarded these role models with a triple surprise: An exclusive tour of the stables; a $10,000 donation to their charity of choice, cause or personal aspiration; and a personal gift within $200. On behalf of the Turf Club, Leshon chose to donate his $10,000 to NSS.

“We were asked to pull the red cloth covering the stand to reveal who we were going to donate the $10,000 to, and for what reason. We were then invited on stage to receive our personal gift. It turned out that my prize was a $200 Borders Gift Card. No words could express my happiness then, not just because of my personal gift, but because I could contribute something to nature as a whole,” said Leshon.NSS is grateful for this donation and wishes to thank both the Singapore Turf Club and Leshon for their generosity and thoughtfulness.

Little Great Givers: $10K Donation from the

Turf ClubBy Gloria Seow and Leshon Lee

7


I spoke recently with a friend of mine who has spent the past 20 years studying the ecology

of some of the most diverse rainforests in the world. He asked me how many professions were like conservation, where the long-term trend was diminution rather than growth, when success usually meant the absence of bad news, and where futility was often a general expectation rather than a worst case scenario.

I have never articulated these sentiments before, cer ta in ly not in publ ic . Besides, I work in forests t h a t were reduced to almost nothing over 100 years ago but have been recover ing s lowly ever since. On the other hand, my friend had his research area – one of the most species-rich and pristine lowland forest sites in Borneo – violated repeatedly by illegal logging. Living through that must have been traumatic, but my friend perseveres both in basic research as well as forest restoration, where there is now much work to be done.

There are very few tropical lowland forests that are as threatened as those of Sumatra. What remains are isolated pockets of forest that total some 5000 km2. This may seem large, but if you consider that the figure represents a miniscule fraction of what has been lost – logged, pulped for paper, or converted to plantation agriculture – then one begins to realise just how tenuous the future of Sumatra’s forests actually is. Primeval lowland forests that covered one of the world’s largest islands only a few generations ago are now mostly gone. As recent as 20 years ago when I first came to Singapore, Sumatra still had a sizeable portion of its lowland forests remaining.

But there is hope yet for Sumatra’s lowland forests in the form of the Harapan (meaning ‘Hope’) Project of BirdLife International. This ambitious and forward-looking project, which aims to

conserve and restore a 1000 km2 chunk of lowland rainforest – 20% of all that remains in Sumatra – has already been written about in Nature News. I can point with pride to a handful of NSS members who have been active contributors to this. This forest could much more easily have

been logged than to have been secured for restoration if not for the tenacity and dedication of conservationists in Indones i a and the i r partners at BirdLife and the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).

The Harapan Project has since spawned other “ Fo re s t s o f H o p e ” p ro j e c t s e l s ewhere in the trop ics . I am de l i g h t ed t h a t a s a

member of BirdLife’s international network, the Nature Society is a stakeholder in Harapan and other Forests of Hope. My own wish is that NSS members will soon be active participants in the Harapan Project, by assisting on the ground or by providing logistical support. However, our biggest contribution to regional conservation may be to open people’s eyes to the wonders of the natural heritage of our region. While Singapore’s biodiversity today is a diminished version of what Sir Stamford Raffles might have encountered, it is nonetheless a dazzling array of life that is shared with Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. We too are stewards of the priceless natural heritage of the Sunda region. By learning about it, sharing it with others and doing what we can to save it, we become part of a critically important international effort that spawns hope for our forests.

Harapan: Spawning ‘Forests of Hope’

Best wishes,

Dr Shawn Lum [email protected]

Thoughts from the NSS President…

8


Minutes of the Nature Society (Singapore) 56th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held on 15 May 2010 at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre

MEMBERS PRESENT at 2.30 pm: NSS Outgoing Exco: 7 people Shawn Lum Margie Hall Leong Kwok Peng Ho Hua Chew Hsu Chia Chi Goh Si Guim Soon Tze Chien NSS Members: 36 people S. Rajamanickam Robert Casteels Alan Owyong Vinayagan Dharmarajah Kua Kay Yaw Lau Yim May Evelyn Ng Allan Teo Doreen Lee Kook Chin Wong Kum Sang Robert Heigermoser Chew Leong Hai Gloria Seow Lim Chin Kheng Prof P N Avadhani Bernie Tan Sutari Bin Supari Yap Von Bing Anne Chong (non-voting) Morten Strange Gerard Francis Rehan Yusoff Ali Jaafar Benjamin Ho Chua Leng Sim Ben Lee Ching Chabo Lesley Cartwright-Taylor Lee Chiu San Wong Yew Chuen Michael Quinn Tony O’Dempsey Mabel Choi Tan Hang Chong Tang Peck Chan Ong Eng Hin Apologies: 5 people Gan Cheong Weei Simon Chan Kee Mun Steven Chong Peng Seen Geh Min Soo Choon Kiat

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) started at 2.30 pm without the quorum of 60 members excluding outgoing Executive Committee members.

1. ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE The Meeting held one minute of silence to pay respects to the late Dr Goh Keng Swee who had passed away the previous day.

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE 2009 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Minutes were read. Vinayagan Dharmarajah (Vina) proposed that they be accepted and Leong Kwok Peng seconded this proposal. There were no matters arising from the Minutes.

3. PRESIDENT’S REPORT On behalf of the 2009/2010 Executive Committee (Exco), Dr Shawn Lum outlined four areas of his report: (1) How the Executive Committee had worked; (2) What the goals had been at the beginning of the year; (3) What had been accomplished; and (4) What were the plans for the year ahead.

The basic principles on which the Exco had worked were based on frequent internal communication; the seeking of input from the Council and ordinary members with expertise on given issues; additional meetings on top of regular monthly meetings on important discussion items; a close working relationship with the Secretariat; and getting the

approval of at least four of the seven Exco members for any decision made. He highlighted the good work of our two Secretariat staff members, Joe Lim who has been with the Society for 15 years and Justin Wong who joined us almost a year ago.

The goals stated at the 2009 AGM were: (1) To expand the staff strength of the Secretariat by bringing in an Executive Officer and additional staff members if possible; (2) To put in place a systematic plan for fundraising and membership drives; (3) To continue to work on communication at all levels, both within and outside the green community; (4) To develop clear outreach priorities for raising the level of nature awareness and nature conservation; (5) To improve outreach via the NSS website, through a greater reach to schools and community groups; and (6) To strengthen collaboration with other groups, including government agencies,

as well as local and overseas non-governmental organizations (NGOs). All these goals have been achieved, except for the one to put in place a systematic plan for fundraising and membership drives.

With regards to Communications and Operations, there were two President’s Chats in 2009/2010, a 100% increase over the previous year! The NSS magazine ‘Nature Watch’ has a new editorial team helmed by Morten Strange and supported by Margie Hall. This team has been able to build on the excellent work of Andrew Tay, Trixie Tan and Faizah Jamal in past years, and catch up significantly with the backlog by producing a new issue every two months. The Orchard Road Butterfly Trail, pioneered by Margaret Clarkson, Christy Davis, Gan Cheong Weei and Simon Chan, and supported by Justin and Margie, was featured in ‘The Straits Times’. Gan Cheong Weei has assumed a new role as our webmaster, to ensure speedy transmission of news; to work on revamping our website soon; and to set up the NSS Nature Forum which has been done. The New Constitution has finally come into effect thanks to Margie, Lye Lin Heng, Vina and Joe. Junior Membership issues have been worked on by Hsu Chia Chi and Margie. Soon Tze Chien has advanced our financial policies

9


with an internal controls review. Justin has ensured a stronger financial position for us by making sure that administrative costs are built into the recent grants we received for projects. An Outreach Officer and a Butterfly Trail Project Officer have just been appointed and would be starting work in early July and late June respectively.

In terms of policy and position papers, a Wildlife Code of Ethics has been drafted by Vina and Gloria Seow, with the final version at its last stages of preparation. Outreach efforts have increased through Gan’s website revamp and through the launch of the NSS Nature Forum. Leong Kwok Peng and Tan Hang Chong have set up the NSS Facebook page. Hang Chong and Angie Ng have helped initiate green group utilisation of the NSS Green Hub @ Pulau Ubin. The various surveys undertaken by the Bird Group, Vertebrate Study Group and Horseshoe Crab Rescue and Research Project have been augmented by the Sentosa Biodiversity Survey, as coordinated by Justin. This involves independent surveys of Sentosa by most of our subgroups including the Bird, Butterfly, Plant, Vertebrate and Marine Conservation groups. The Kranji Marsh is also regularly surveyed by members of the various subgroups, coordinated by Ho Hua Chew.

The watchdog and advocacy role of NSS has resulted in several conservation dialogues held with external parties. One of them was on the North Face 100 Run through the sensitive Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Margie, Hua Chew and Shawn met up with the run’s organisers and NParks staff. A second conservation dialogue concerned the culling of White-bellied Sea Eagles at Changi Airport. Alan Owyong, Lim Kim Keang, Vina and Margie met up with staff from Changi Airport Group and their overseas consultant. The happy outcome was that the airport’s consultant recommended that all bird culling activities be stopped.

We have several ongoing collaborations with organisations such as: (1) Serangoon Junior College on a Tree Planting Initiative to raise $10,000, handled by Justin, Shawn and Angie; (2) PUB and Southwest Community Development Council for the Ulu Pandan One Million Tree Planting Project handled by Ho Hua Chew; (3) ‘Save the Pangolin’ fundraising dinner for TRAFFIC handled by the Vertebrate Study Group in conjunction with other local groups; (4) The Harapan Forest Project handled by Vina, Kwok Peng, Allan Teo and Sutari Supari; (5) Birdlife International handled by Willie Foo and Vina; and (6) Collaboration with music composer Dr Robert Casteels on the creation of "Bird Songs", a piece commissioned for the 150th Anniversary

Celebrations of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, handled by Sutari Supari.

The Society is represented on various government and other committees such as: (1) URA Focus Group (Shawn); (2) Sungei Buloh Master Plan Working Group (Shawn and Hua Chew); (3) PUB Water Network (Hua Chew); (4) MEWR Green Groups (Justin and Shawn); (5) Wildlife Reserves Singapore Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee (Shawn – from which he is prepared to step down if members prefer that NSS does not participate); (6) PUB Lorong Halus Outdoor Classroom discussions (Hua Chew); (7) LTA discussions on trees affected by MRT works (Angie Ng); (8) NParks discussions on the Ecolink which will join the forests of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (Shawn and Hua Chew); (9) Pulau Tekong mangroves; (10) Conservation International working discussions (Vina); and (11) WWF working discussions (Shawn and Justin).

There were some objectives that were not achieved in the year under review. These include: (1) Greater collaboration with MNS; (2) More restoration projects; (3) Fundraising and membership drives for the medium to long term; (4) The development of a proper working relationship with our Advisory Committee, although individuals have been consulted on a few specific issues; and (5) The development of more outreach and research programmes.

Shawn ended with acknowledgements of help and support from our sponsors and partners in ongoing projects. These include: (1) Far East Organization; (2) Sentosa Development Corporation; (3) Amy Ho at WWF Singapore; and (4) Deirdre Moss at SPCA who has twice given up her Saturdays to interview potential NSS staff. Shawn also took the opportunity to thank several key members including: (1) Outgoing council members, Dr Wee Yeow Chin (BESG), Subaraj Rajathurai (VSG) and Rehan Yusoff (The Nature Ramblers); (2) Long term supporter Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice who has donated a leather-bound copy of the latest volume of ‘Birds of the Thai and Malay Peninsula’ to NSS; (3) Our Immediate Past President Dr Geh Min who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes on behalf of nature conservation and the Society; and (4) Our Patron Professor Tommy Koh who has put us in touch with likely supporters.

He also wished to thank the partners and spouses of all Exco and Council members for their support and understanding. They have tolerated an unstinting amount of time away from them, with time dedicated instead to Society matters and activities. He also thanked the Exco and Council members themselves,

10


particularly Soon Tze Chien who was stepping down as Treasurer.

4. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP AND COMMITTEE REPORTS. Prepared subgroup reports were presented in this order: Education Group by Gloria Seow; Bird Group by Alan Owyong; Butterfly Interest Group by Margie Hall on behalf of Gan Cheong Weei; Conservation Group by Ho Hua Chew, Hsu Chia Chi and Lesley Cartwright-Taylor; Marine Conservation Group by Kua Kay Yaw; Plant Group by Angie Ng; and The Nature Ramblers by Rehan Yusoff. These reports will be written up separately. An off-the-cuff report was given for the Vertebrate Study Group by incoming chairperson Tony O’Dempsey.

The President thanked the Education Group for its plans to take the HSBC Fun with Nature programme to the next level, where students will be equipped with nature and bird appreciation skills through an online Bird Tutorial, workshops and other activities. He was appreciative of the activities and effort of the Bird Group in organising an average of six events per month, and to Alan Owyong for confidently and efficiently taking over the role of its Chairperson. He commended Gan Cheong Weei of the Butterfly Interest Group for wearing three hats during the year: as its Chairperson, as NSS webmaster and as the driver of the Orchard Road Butterfly Trail project. He also praised Angie Ng for helping the Plant Group expand and blossom into new areas. There were lively discussions during the presentations of the various NSS programmes, particularly on the findings on horseshoe crabs, their breeding habits and their status as a non-protected species.

Tony O’Dempsey, as incoming Vertebrate Study Group Chairperson, promised a full report next year. He mentioned that the Group has been extensively involved in surveys of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve over the last year. There were some exciting finds that saw the updating of the checklist for bats and a greater understanding of the prevalence of flying squirrels. The Group is now involved in the Sentosa Surveys and is looking forward to surveys in the Southern Islands.

Lesley Cartwright-Taylor raised the issue of the desirability of the Society’s surveys leading to publications in international peer-reviewed journals. Shawn supported this. He noted that special interest groups such as the Bird Group already had extensive survey data which could be published, and is indeed being worked on to this end. Prof Avadhani noted that it was a matter of priorities, putting the issue

in the context of the Society’s development. Shawn agreed that a Scientific Officer would be desirable. Vina added that we should look towards the production of a journal like that produced by the Malayan Nature Society.

5. TREASURER’S REPORT Shawn introduced Soon Tze Chien, our outgoing Treasurer, acknowledging that it had been a real honour and privilege to have Tze Chien on the Executive Committee for the last two years. He thanked both Tze Chien and Joe Lim for all their good work in handling the Society’s accounts.

Tze Chien presented the Audited Accounts (Financial Statements) for the financial and calendar year 2009, audited by Helmi Talib & Co (see Statement of Financial Position as of 31 December 2009, and Statement of Income and Expenditure as of 31 December 2009). He was happy to announce that the auditors had accepted the measures put in place during the year for handling cash. This has been made possible by the employment of two staff members rather than one, to the extent that the Auditors no longer needed to qualify the accounts with respect to cash handling. He explained that the general philosophy of the Exco is to only spend money that we already have for specific purposes or projects. This would apply to the Butterfly Trail Project which has a large projected budget of $375,000.

During the year, Sze Chien reviewed the issue of a reserves policy. This involves balancing the obvious need to survive in future against the possibility of hoarding too much money. The Exco has agreed on a policy of holding reserves equivalent to three years of standard running expenses. At present, our reserves can actually cover six years. However, we are in a phase of necessary annual deficits, and for 2009, our deficit was $73,955. These deficits have arisen due to two reasons. First, the Society was spending money received in previous years that had been allocated for specific projects. Second, we employed new staff members on the basis of large donations received two years ago. A year ago, the budget for 2009 had predicted a deficit of $100,000. The true deficit incurred was not as great as predicted as a number of projects were still unconcluded. But this means that Tze Chien predicts an even larger deficit of $273,467 for 2010. However, if some of these projects proceed at a slower than expected pace, such expenditures might not occur till 2011. This will create a lower than predicted deficit in 2010, but will result in another budget deficit in 2011. On the staffing front, staff members are aware that human resource expansion is occurring on the basis of past donations. They

11


are also aware that continued employment is based on helping to ensure future income to the Society. A summary of the projected income and expenditure statement as of 31 December 2010 was presented.

Lee Chui San asked about the depreciation rate and the latest valuation of the NSS Sunflower Office. Tze Chien replied that depreciation in 2009 was $17,047, given the policy of 2% depreciation. The office had been valued in 2008 at $580,000. Lesley Cartwright-Taylor asked if the Society could accept GIRO for subscription payments. Joe Lim replied that this is already possible. Ching Chabo queried about the hiring of additional staff whilst running a deficit. Tze Chien repeated his outline of the accounting situation as stated above. Ching Chabo also queried about the inactive Jalan Hijau account. Margie replied that the Exco had at first agreed to close the account and reallocate the funds. However, this decision has been deferred as Tan Hang Chong is now hoping to revive the Jalan Hijau group.

The approval of the President’s Report on the work of the Executive Committee, the Subgroup Reports and the Treasurer’s Report including the Financial Report/Audited Accounts was proposed by Mr Vinayagan Dharmarajah, seconded by Alan Owyong and agreed unanimously by the Meeting.

6. ELECTION OF THE 2010/2011 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EXCO) MEMBERS We received a single nomination for each of the Executive Committee positions and so the following were automatically elected:

President:

Dr Shawn Lum, proposed by Anuj Jain, seconded by Dr Ho Hua Chew.

Vice President:

Leong Kwok Peng, proposed by Ong Eng Hin, seconded by Chew Leong Hai.

Honorary Treasurer:

Soo Choon Kiat, proposed by Leong Kwok Peng, seconded by Tan Hang Chong.

Honorary Secretary:

Margaret E Hall (Margie Hall), proposed by Khoo Kim Choo,, seconded by Cyril Ng.

Honorary Assistant Treasurer:

Ong Eng Hin, proposed by Leong Kwok Peng, seconded by Chew Leong Hai.

Honorary Assistant Secretary:

Tan Hang Chong, proposed by Catherine Chong Bee Neo, seconded by Ang Lay Keng Alyce.

Committee Members:

Goh Si Guim, proposed by Mei C Cheok, seconded by Tan Kok Wee

Dr Ho Hua Chew, proposed by Alan Owyong, seconded by Rehan Yusoff

Dr Hsu Chia Chi, proposed by Lesley Cartwright-Taylor, seconded by Margaret E Hall

7. ELECTION OF FINANCE ADVISORY GROUP Margie outlined the nature of the new Finance Advisory Group. Members can serve a maximum of three years. One member has to step down each year to be replaced by a new elected member. As this was the first year of operation, one member would only need to serve for one year, while another would only need to serve for two years. The role was essentially to review the use of accumulated reserves. It might take time to determine what procedures would work best. As Honorary Secretary, Margie would, for the time being, ensure that members of the Finance Advisory Group be kept informed when Exco proposes to use any accumulated reserves. As the Finance Advisory Group is new, Margie had sounded out three ordinary members prepared to be the first Finance Advisory Group members, namely Ms Ching Chabo, Dr Robert Casteels and Mr S Rajamanickam. Alan Owyong proposed that these three ordinary members form the Finance Advisory Group and Angie Ng seconded this. The Meeting unanimously supported this.

8. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS Soon Tze Chien proposed that we appoint Helmi Talib & Co. The Meeting unanimously supported this.

9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Dr Robert Casteels queried about the time needed to read last year’s AGM Minutes at this Meeting. He wondered if the Minutes could be made available in advance. Margie Hall agreed on the issue of extra time spent unnecessarily. The 2009 AGM Minutes were actually printed in ‘Nature News’ almost a year ago. She suggested that they could be reprinted in the issue just before the AGM and/or be made available on our website. She committed to making a change next year. She also pointed out that huge amounts of paper are used in printing copies of the Financial Reports and hopes that we would find a solution to this too.

10. CLOSING OF THE MEETING The Meeting ended at 5.50 pm with Dr Shawn Lum thanking everyone for attending and helping to create a vibrant Society.

Minutes taken by Honorary Secretary Margie Hall.

12


NATURE SOCIETY (SINGAPORE)

Statement of Income & Expenditure for the financial year ended 31 December 20092009 $ 2008 $

INCOMEMembership subscriptions 54,301 55,315Donation income 40,366 426,831

Special Interest Group & Committee activities 31,906 52,089Event and activities income 14,589 4,680Interest income 818 1,671Other income 11,266 4,722

TOTAL INCOME 153,246 545,308

EXPENSESAudit fee 1,766 2,784Bank charges 806 987Central Provident Fund 7,195 5,196Depreciation 17,047 16,650General expenses 4,275 3,628Insurance 797 -----Maintenance 3,726 3,643Nature Watch 22,620 25,267Nature News 13,523 11,251Postage 7,030 7,493Printing and stationery 1,793 2,544Project Painted Wings Funds ----- 3,680Property tax 1,242 2,070Rental and Maintenance for Pulau Ubin House 12,084 -----Skill Development Levy 143 24Special Interest Group & Committee expenses 60,694 50,761Staff salaries 62,523 35,800

Telephone 1,868 2,032Transportation 811 549Trip and talks expense (local and overseas) 5,524 390Utilities 1,389 1,288Website maintenance 345 481

TOTAL EXPENSES 227,201 176,518(Deficit)/Surplus before income tax (73,955) 368,790Less:(Income tax expense)/Income tax benefits ----- 1,253

(Deficit)/Surplus after income tax (73,955) 370,043

Statement of Financial Position as at 31 December 2009ASSETS 2009 $ 2008 $Non-current assetsProperty, plant and equipment 531,666 548,713

Current assetsOther receivables 3,733 410Cash and cash equivalents 887,522 939,694Total current assets 891,255 940,104

TOTAL ASSETS 1,422,921 1,488,817

LIABILITIESCurrent liabilitiesOther payables 29,997 22,193Liability arising from fund held in trust 31,051 30,796

TOTAL LIABILITIES 61,048 52,989

UNRESTRICTED FUNDGeneral fund 1,330,140 1,404,095

RESTRICTED FUNDProject Painted Wings Fund 31,733 31,733TOTAL FUNDS 1,361,873 1,435,828

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUNDS 1,422,921 1,488,817

13


AGM Subgroup ReportsBird Group By Alan OwYong, Chairperson

The Bird Group had a very busy 12 months. In all, we had a record of 72 activities in the year under

review. We conducted 32 local and overseas bird trips to places like Semakau and Kranji; as well as organised four bird talks. Fifteen bird surveys were carried out mainly in Sentosa for the Sentosa Development Corporation and Changi Airport. We also had our usual programme of annual and raptor surveys of which there were four. We took part in seven international activities such as bird fairs to network with regional bird groups. There were five collaborations with local government agencies including the Singapore Tourism Board to promote birdwatching in Singapore at the Shanghai World Expo; and Nparks with bird surveys and the launch of the Western Park Connector Network. We are glad that the collaboration with the Changi Airport Group resulted in the recommendation by their consultant to stop all culling of birds (including the White-bellied Sea Eagle) at the airport immediately.

Three special projects were launched this year: the creation of Birdwatching Hotspots (maps) on Singapore Land Authority’s Onemap.sg website; fund raising via the sale of Aardwolf 2010 Calendar; and the Bird Study and Research Grant. We hope that more ecological studies of local birds will be undertaken with this grant. Lim Kim Seng conducted two highly popular birdwatching courses to equip our next generation of birders with birding skills and knowledge.

Last year, the Society published and launched ‘The Avifauna of Singapore’ authored by Lim Kim Seng, and the ‘State of Singapore’s Wild Birds and Bird Habitats’ authored by Lim Kim Seng and Lim Kim Chuah. The ‘The Avifauna of Singapore’ book came about when Wang Luan Keng approached Lim Kim Seng in 2001 to collaborate as co-authors to publish ‘The Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Singapore’ with the British Ornithological Union and NSS. But instead of doing as planned, the said book was published in 2007 by the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology with Wang Luan Keng and Chris Hails as co-authors. NSS and Lim Kim Seng were cast aside. Many of the unpublished ringing records belonging to Lim Kim Keang and the Bird Group were used in the publication without permission. The Society and the Bird Group decided to go ahead and publish ‘The Avifauna of Singapore’ to publicly establish the ownership of these bird records.

‘The Singapore Avifauna’, the Bird Group’s own quarterly newsletter, went online in 2009. Thanks to the hard work of the editorial team, this e-publication

has caught up with back issues and is now current for the year ended. David Bakewell conducted a successful Advanced Waders Workshop for more than 50 birders. We all benefited from David’s deep knowledge and experience with these difficult-to-identify waders. The highlight of the birding year was our first Green Bird Race in October 2009. Despite having to leave their cars at home, birders gamely took public transport or bicycled around Singapore to spot and list as many birds as possible in either an 18 or 24 hours time span. The coming Bird Race in October 2010 will also be a green one.

Moving forward, we will see two more publications in 2010. ‘The Birds of South Johor’ should hit the press soon, while a ‘Pocket Checklist of the Birds of Singapore’ will go on sale by the middle of this year. We will continue running the Birdwatching Course to meet growing demand, and will also organise a Waders Workshop for beginners this time. The 1st Asian Bird Fair will be held in Davao City, the Philippines, in September 2010. We will send representatives to this inaugural event. Yong Ding Li and myself will be attending the 6th International Raptor Symposium in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, in June 2010 to present the results of our three-year findings on raptor migration in Singapore to the international community. We are in the process of implementing Bird Life International’s Worldbirds electronic database for Singapore. This will enable all bird sightings for any one site to be recorded. This is another step for us to continue gathering bird sighting records to complement our own database.

It leaves me to say a big thank you to all volunteers who have given up their time during weekends and holidays to lead trips, conduct surveys, give talks, report sightings and share their experiences online. In the coming year, we would like to have more volunteers come forward to help organise and lead trips for the benefit of all members. Happy birding.

Butterfly Interest Group (BIG)By Gan Cheong Weei, ChairpersonThis has been a busy and exciting year for BIG. We were involved in these initiatives:

Butterfly Trail @ Orchard (BTO) Project The BTO project started as an idea in early 2009 to increase the population of the graceful and spectacular Common Birdwing butterfly in Singapore. After a couple of meetings and brainstorming sessions with Dr Shawn Lum and Margaret Clarkson, this idea

14


morphed into a 4 km long butterfly trail stretching from Botanical Gardens to Fort Canning Park. The trail will link pockets of green spaces between these two anchor locations to create a green corridor conducive to butterflies, located close to the busy Orchard Road shopping district.

Launch of the SingPost Butterfly Stamp series BIG started collaborating with SingPost in late 2008 on a series of butterfly stamps. Over a period of eight months, BIG provided photos of butterflies and caterpillars to SingPost, assisted in the selection of four butterfly species for the stamp series, verified the accuracy of visuals and provided feedback on the write-up for the presentation pack. The design of these stamps was completed in June 2009 and they were launched on 21 April 2010. In addition, SingPost also released a special promotional bundle which consists of a Butterflies First-Day Cover, Presentation Pack and the Society’s Butterfly Field Guide.

Launch of the NSS Nature Forum The NSS Nature Forum at http://www.nss.org.sg/forum/ was launched in March 2010 and announced in the March/April issue of Nature News. This forum is an initiative led by BIG to provide a virtual gathering place for nature lovers to facilitate nature discussion, share ideas and photos, ask questions and forge friendships. The forum covers 10 topics: Gardens and Nature Areas, Plants, Arthropods (insects and other invertebrates), Aquatic Animals, Birds, Butterflies and Moths, Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians, Equipment and Accessories and Miscellaneous issues. To date, it has attracted over 200 members and 2,000 postings.

Sentosa Biodiversity Survey We participated in a six-month long biodiversity survey of Sentosa Island. As of May 2010, BIG has conducted a total of 5 surveys, recording 62 butterfly species.

Reprint of the Butterfly Field Guide The first print run of 1,000 copies of the butterfly pocket field guide sold out in early 2010. A second print run of 2,000 copies was delivered in May 2010. This included corrections, updated photos, latest Lepidoptera classification and a new format. This format will serve as a template for future NSS Pocket Guides.

ConsultationDuring the year, BIG provided consultation and advice on the introduction of plants to attract butterflies to SMU, Singapore Polytechnic and the Sungei Pandan Planting project.

Butterfly WalksBIG conducted six butterfly walks in the year under review at these places: 1. Jun 2009 - Bukit Batok Nature Park 2. Jun 2009 - Changi Airport Terminal 3

3. Jul 2009 - MacRitchie Trail 4. Sep 2009 - Singapore Botanical Garden 5. Mar 2010 - Hort Park 6. Apr 2010 - Changi Airport Terminal 3 for NSS Kids

Activities in the Coming YearFor 2010, our primary focus will be on the BTO project, education programmes and the setting up of an online checklist and survey repository for Lepidoptera. Here are some of the activities planned for 2010:

1. Butterfly Trail @ Orchard - Consultation and implementation; develop education programmes and train volunteers.2. Conduct five butterfly walks3. Lead the NSS website upgrade project4. Develop an online checklist for Lepidoptera5. Attend the 3rd Asian Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium in India in October 2010

Conservation Committee ReportBy Dr Ho Hua Chew & Leong Kwok PengKranji Reservoir Adoption Programmea) Kranji Nature Walks A total of 10 nature walks were conducted in

conjunction with the Bird and Plant Groups. Six of these were for the public with an average turn out of 12 participants; while four members-only walks had an average turn out of 18 participants. This gives a combined average of 15 participants per trip, a decline from last year which had an average of 20 participants.

b) Marshy Pond Restoration The Marshy Pond Restoration was carried out in

two phases. The first phase was in September 2009 while the second phase took place in October 2009. As planned, the restoration work opened up about two thirds of the Marshy Pond, which previously was almost completely overwhelmed by aquatic and semi-aquatic plants. On top of this, two small mud islands were created as a resting place and extra-foraging grounds for wetland birds.

c) Pond Maintenance Volunteers carried out maintenance work at the

Marshy and Clearwater ponds, at their landward edges and shallower parts. They came from River Valley (RV) High School and Bloomberg. Twenty RV students had two working sessions in April 2010, while the 16 staff from Bloomberg helped out in one session in May 2010. Professional contract maintenance was also carried out at the deeper parts of both ponds in February and May 2010. The cleared vegetation was sent to Green Circle Eco Farm for composting.

15


d) Birdlife Monitoring Monitoring of birdlife was conducted after the

restoration work. The results were encouraging with the return of the following species after an absence of many years: Common Moorhen (uncommon) and Red-wattled Lapwing (uncommon and endangered). Bird species not previously seen at the ponds also appeared post-restoration: Yellow-billed Egret, Yellow Wagtail and Von Schrenck’s Bittern. The best sighting to date is of two Cotton Pygmy Geese observed by Lim Kim Seng on 29 January 2010. This rare and critically endangered goose has not been seen in Singapore for many years. As one of only two wild duck species in Singapore, it may be sadly headed for local extinction. The challenge is to make the Kranji Marsh attractive to them so that they will continue to make regular appearances. We also await the return of the Lesser Whistling Duck.

e) Bird Survey at Kranji Reservoir Bund Three birdlife surveys were carried out in February

and March 2010, with the creation of an inventory of bird species and their numbers at the PUB Intake Bund and marshland fringe along the Intake Channel. This provides ecological information relevant to the issue of opening up the Bund on a free-and-easy basis to visitors, hikers, cyclists etc. We recorded 39 species with a total of 204 birds during these sessions. Some of these birds include the Little Tern (endangered), Grey Heron (vulnerable), Purple Heron (endangered), Yellow-billed Egret, Yellow Bittern and Yellow Wagtail. At least 17 Grey Herons were using the Bund proper for resting and fish foraging. A report based on these surveys, as well as information from recent observations, is being formulated and will be submitted to the relevant authorities by June 2010.

Sungei Pandan Habitat CreationThis tree/shrub planting project under the South-west Community Development Council’s (SW-CDC) ‘One Million Tree Planting Programme’ is in collaboration with NParks and PUB. It was launched on 8 January 2010 by its Mayor Dr Amy Khor. The site is along the 300 m eastern stretch of Sungei Pandan, between AYE and West Coast Road. Its objectives are: a) to create a countryside woodland with a back mangrove feature to attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife; and b) to fill a gap in the series of woodland patches along Sungei Pandan and its tributary Sungei Ulu Pandan, all the way to Ghim Moh. The project will be carried out in three phases. The first phase (a 100 m stretch) has already been implemented, with100 plants of 11 tree species and 10 shrub species planted.

Ongoing Terrestrial ProjectsLorong Halus Conservation Proposal

This proposal is in the process of being formulated.

The area covers the capped Lorong Halus Landfill, located at the eastern estuary of Sungei Serangoon. This is a well-known breeding site of the Little Grebe, a rare and critically endangered bird. Recently, Smooth Otters were sighted here. When ready, the proposal will be submitted to the relevant authorities.Expanding the Sustainable Singapore Report

We intend to expand upon our original feedback document for Sustainable Singapore, which has been submitted to the relevant Inter-Minister ia l Committee, URA and NParks. The expanded document will include an appendix that will contain all relevant feedback and reports submitted to the various authorities in previous years.

Horseshoe Crab Research & Rescue Activities a) Site Visits Five site visits were conducted at approximately

two monthly intervals. A total of 600 horseshoe crabs (HSC) were rescued, with numbers ranging from 440 in June 2009 to only six in March 2010. Some of these rescued crabs had been collected for consumption, bait and even a barbecue. Volunteers were present to explain to those responsible that these crabs should not be collected or eaten as they were dwindling in numbers. Rescued crabs were then released back to the sea. For the HSC research project, 998 crabs were collected by us for measurements and subsequently released, with numbers ranging from 60 in June 2009 to 443 in Jan 2010. The number of crabs collected depended entirely on how many volunteers were present. Schools that had participated were: Xingnan Primary School, Bukit View Secondary School, Nanyang Junior College, Catholic Junior College and Raffles Institute.

b) HSC Papers & Dissertations i) One HSC paper on population structure and

breeding patterns was published in ‘Aquatic Biology’ in Dec 2009. The work revealed that the mangrove horseshoe crabs at Kranji have a period of low reproductive activity at certain times of the year, instead of having an even year-round breeding pattern as previously assumed.

ii) A second paper on HSC density and abundance has been submitted. It is being edited to include the recent island-wide survey. This will be resubmitted to the journal ‘Endangered Species Research’. Our research revealed that the northwest stretch of coastline may be the last area left on mainland Singapore with a substantial population of mangrove horseshoe crabs.

iii) One of our regular volunteers, Mark Goh of Nanyang Junior College, has made a study of the epibionts on horseshoe crabs, to determine their age and moulting frequency. This is done as an

16


independent graduate research project.

c) Future Research Projectsi) Our next research project will attempt to

determine if these horseshoe crabs remain within the locality of the Johore Straits or travel out to the open sea. There is a need for electronic tracking devices which are expensive.

ii) We would encourage under graduate or graduate students to study the chemicals and other contaminants found in the Johore Straits. This will determine if there are any threats to the horseshoe crab population.

d) Training & Accreditation Programme (TAP) The HSC Training and Accreditation Programme

needs to be revived. Although there are still many regular volunteers attending the site visits, there are also new people participating each week. As such, we will be making a greater effort to encourage these newbies to take up this programme.

International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) Mandai Mudflats Cleanup in 2009 On 5 September 2009, NSS participated in

the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore by sprucing up the Mandai Mudflats. The effort was fronted by Tan Hang Chong, leading a total of 75 volunteers (including children) from NSS and partners such as Nanyang Junior College, Environmental Resources Management, The Art of Living and members of the public. Between 4.45 pm to 6.15 pm, they gathered, categorised and recorded some 33 trash bags. There was also assorted rubbish too large to bag. The collected litter weighed a staggering 600.5 kg.

After labouring in the hot sun, our volunteers washed up at the facilities kindly provided by Umoe Schat-Harding. They then enjoyed a sing-along led by our Vice President Leong Kwok Peng. The evening concluded with a makan kechil sponsored by the Marine Conservation Group, using non-disposable utensils in line with the spirit of environmental conservation.

This is Singapore’s 19th participation in the annual event. We hope that ICCS will impress upon our volunteers the stark reality and global proportion of humanity's irresponsibility towards the environment. It highlights the urgency of the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. In short, the 3Rs form the basic tenet of environmental conservation, to help stem the pollution of our water bodies and waterways.

ICCS 2010 This year’s ICCS takes place on 25 September

2010. NSS will once again be in charged of cleaning up the Mandai Mudflats during the evening’s low tide. We plan to invite the factories located along the mudflats, to involve their employees in the cleanup of their backyard mangrove habitat. We hope that NSS members will step forward to again support the stewardship of this stretch of mangroves. Together with the Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research volunteers, we want to highlight the plight of numerous inter-tidal creatures, especially the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab, which are often trapped in abandoned and discarded nets.

Acknowledgements The Conservation Committee would like to

thank the following persons and organisations for contributing assistance, information and ideas in these projects:

Kran j i Reser vo i r Adopt ion & Land -Conservation

Alan Owyong, Angie Ng, Anuj Jain, Azmi Mohamed, Celine Low, Cheong Loong Fah, Doreen Ang, Freda Rickword, Gan Cheong Weei, Gerard Francis, G Sreedharan, Ho Hua Chew, Ian Rickword, Jimmy Chew, Joe Lim, Kenneth Kee, Leong Kwok Peng, Leslie Fung, Lim Kim Seng, Pang Ah Huay, Tan Hang Chong, Simon Chan, Steven Chong, Tan Hung Ban, Tsang Kwok Choong, Wong Chung Cheong, Yeo Suay Hwee and Yuan Fook Weng. We also thank these sub-groups for helping out: Bird Group, Butterfly Interest Group, Education Group, Plant Group and Vertebrate Study Group. Last but not least, many thanks to Bloomberg, River Valley High School and the Green Circle Eco Farm for assisting in the pond maintenance work.

Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Unmo-Schat Harding for allowing us the use

of their wash-up facilities; all NSS volunteers; students of Xingnan Primary School, Bukit View Secondary School, Nanyang Junior College, Catholic Junior College and Raffles Institute.

International Coastal Cleanup Singapore Tan Hang Chong, Leong Kwok Peng, Phua

Lee Meng, Cheryl Lao-Phua, Moira Khaw, Alessandra Nardin, Alan, Vanitha, Elizabeth Anne Devan and Trina Chua. We are also grateful to our partners Mark Goh of Nanyang Junior

17


College, Anna Geevarughese of Environmental Resources Management and Rajaratnam of The Art of Living.

The Bird Ecology Study Group and the Vertebrate Study Group reports were not made in the AGM, but only for ‘Nature News’.

Bird Ecology Study Group By Dr Wee Yeow Chin, R Subaraj & Richard Hale The Bird Ecology Study Group, through its website at http://besgroup.talfrynature.com/, continues to influence nature enthusiasts in general, and birdwatchers in particular, to study birds and not just look at them. To date, we have over 1,700 posts covering nearly 50 topic categories. Google any aspect of bird behaviour and chances are you will be directed to one or more of these postings. Contributors come mainly from Singapore, although we are getting more and more from Malaysia and a sprinkling of writers from other countries. Bird photographers top the list of contributors, followed by a few camera-toting birdwatchers.

We are happy to note that many are actively interacting with the website, from students and undergraduates working on their science projects, to nature lovers who surf the net whenever they need information on specific birds. Indeed, the website is a major database on bird behaviour as far as local and regional species are concerned. In fact, it has become an international phenomenon with daily visitor numbers reaching more than 2,000.

Since we went online in 2005, we have attracted over 1.5 million browsers from 155 countries. Most hits come from Singapore, with the United States as a close second. Visitor numbers from Malaysia, India, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are fast catching up. Our site continues to be one of the most popular bird blogs in the world.

Together with NaturePixels.org, we held a photographic exhibition at Sentosa in November and December 2009. Organised by Nature Niche and Sentosa Nature Discovery, this exhibition showcased many aspects of bird behaviour. In conjunction, we held two public talks entitled “Why do birds do what they do?”

Listed below is the list of scientific publications by the BESG for the year under review:

1. Banwell, H. M. & J. C. W. Lim, 2009. Observations on a successful nesting of a pair of Oriental pied hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris, Shaw & Nodd, 1790) at Changi Village, Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2: 275-281.

2. Teo, Allan & Y. C. Wee, 209. Observations at a nest of Malayan Whistling Thrush Myophonus robinsoni in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. BirdingASIA 11: 95-97.

3. Lim, A. T. H., L. K. Wang & Y. C. Wee, 2009. The Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis and its gular sac. BirdingASIA 11: 98-101.

4. Lim, J. C. W., 2009. First two days in the life of a little tern, Sterna albifrons (Aves: Sternidae). Nature in Singapore 2: 307-310.

5. Wee , Y. C . , 2009. Observat ions on the behaviour of the yel low-vented bulbul , Pycnonotus goiavier (Scopoli) in two instances of failed nesting. Nature in Singapore 2: 347-352.

6. Wee, Y. C., K. C. Tsang & R. Subaraj, 2010. Birding in Singapore and the challenges of the 21st century. Nature in Singapore 3: 53-58.

We would like to thank Jacqueline Lau who cont inues to host BESG’s weblog, and a l l contributors who have generously allowed us to feature their images and observations.

Vertebrate Study Group By Celine Low, SecretaryVertebrate SurveysSome members of the VSG helped out as NParks volunteers at the Central Nature Reserves survey conducted by NParks. This survey was carried out over the last two years and has just ended. VSG also conducted four surveys at Sentosa for the Sentosa Development Corporation as part of its Biodiversity Survey of Flora and Fauna.

‘Save the Pangolin’ Fundraising DinnerVSG was involved in the ‘Save the Pangolin’ Fundraising Dinner organised by Cicada Tree Eco-Place. The funds raised were slightly above $41,000, which has been transferred to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network affiliated to WWF and IUCN. This money will be used to post a special staff officer in Kuala Lumpur to do dedicated research on pangolin populations and trade surveys throughout Southeast Asia. The information gathered will serve as a basis for advice on the illegal pangolin trade, to enforcement agencies and international bodies worldwide.

18


Donations needed for Horseshoe Crab Electronic Tracking Equipment

By Lesley Cartwright-Taylor

By Alan OwYong, Bird Group Chairperson

Birdwatching with Kenneth Kee at the Shanghai World Expo

As most NSS members would know, we have been doing research on the horseshoe crabs at Kranji,

as well as rescuing them from fishing nets for some time now. One aspect of this research is to establish the horseshoe crab population density at Kranji. We have done this over several months and obtained very consistent numbers suggesting that these crabs probably do not migrate away from the site at different seasons. However, we do not know if we are counting the same crabs each time, or if these crabs move away from the mudflats at times to deeper waters in the Straits of Johor or even to the open sea.

We would like to study the movement patterns of the horseshoe crabs, to determine if they stay close to the same site all the time or if they wander afar. Are they really our own horseshoe crabs, true Singaporeans, or are we sharing them with Malaysia or even as far afield as Indonesia? We have tried marking and recapture exercises with very poor recapture rates. As such, we feel that something more sophisticated is needed.

Electronic tracking seems to be the answer. The plan is to attach acoustic transmitters to a few adult crabs and deploy acoustic receivers in the sea at intervals along the Straits of Johor, between the Causeway and the Second Link. With this, we should be able to monitor their movement over time to determine if these crabs are homely creatures or explorers

of the open sea. This information is important in determining how we can conserve these appealing animals. Creatures that stay home need very different conservation measures from those that travel the high seas.

The dilemma is that these electronic tagging methods are not cheap. We are not looking at animals like turtles or dolphins that travel for thousands of miles in the open ocean with a need for really expensive satellite tracking systems. Nevertheless, the little tracking devices we need do incorporate sophisticated technology. If you know of a company or nature lovers who are interested to donate funds to buy some of these equipment, we would love to hear from you. Each transmitter to be attached to a horseshoe crab costs about $440. We need about 10 to 12 of these. Each receiver that is used to pick up signals from the crabs costs about $1,900. We need about five or six of these, on top of some other incidentals.

It would be ideal if we could put our sponsors’ company logos on these transmitters and receivers. However, from under the sea, it would not help promote anything. As NSS is a registered charity, all cash and cheque donations to this cause would be double tax exempt. If you would like to be a donor, please contact Justin at the NSS office at Tel: 6741-2036 or write to me at [email protected].

Longtime birder Kenneth Kee with Dr Shawn Lum, NSS President.

If you are going to Shanghai for the World Expo, do

d ro p b y t h e S i n g a p o re Pavil ion to check out the short documentary featuring

nine Singaporeans who have made a difference in our country. One of them is NSS Bird Group member Kenneth Kee, a longtime birdwatcher and nature guide.

Th is shor t f i lm features Kenneth shar ing h is birdwatching passion, by visiting some of Singapore’s nature and urban areas to look for interesting birds like the Stork-billed Kingfisher, migrating waders at Sungei

Buloh and nesting Oriental Pied Hornbills in Changi. The message to the world is that Singapore can also be a nature and eco tourism destination, being a great place for tropical birdwatching. This clip also stresses the important role of birds in our ecosystem.

This project goes a long way in meeting the interests and challenges of birdwatching in Singapore. Over the last 20 years, Kenneth has passionately promoted birdwatching and contributed to its study and conservation. The Singapore Tourism Board could not have chosen a better birding ambassador than Kenneth, to help put Singapore on the birding world map.

19


Book ReviewThe Natural Heritage of Singapore (3rd Edition) Authors: Hugh T W Tan, L M Chou, Darren C J Yeo and Peter K L Ng Publisher: Prentice Hall (Pearson Education) 2010, 336 pages Available at all leading local bookshops Reviewed by Yong Ding Li

Rarely does a book appear to fill a major gap in knowledge whilst being highly accessible to a broad

audience at the same time. Most books are either overloaded with scientific jargon or barely scratch the surface. Thankfully, the timely revision of this important title does not fall into these categories. On the contrary, it fills a crucial gap in the understanding of our natural heritage, which is especially important in ever-changing Singapore where a constant tug-of-war exists between development and nature conservation. This compendium of our natural environment is a culmination of the work of four of Singapore’s leading biologists, well-known experts in the region’s botany, marine and freshwater fauna. The book condenses the findings from a large number of technical papers that are generally inaccessible to most. Written in a highly readable format, it provides an insight to Singapore’s major natural habitats and their attendant organisms, as well as related conservation issues. The f irst eight chapters offer a comprehensive overview of key habitat types in Singapore, starting with primary forest and ending with managed habitats that now comprise a huge portion of the country. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction followed by a detailed description of vegetation types. Notable or keystone animal species are mentioned. It then wraps up with a section subtitled ‘The Future’ that addresses conservation issues pertinent to the habitat discussed. For example, the 30 odd pages dedicated to the topic of “primary forest” have segments dealing with primary forest types, key plant species, forest structure and forest succession. It goes on to describe forest organisms such as Giant Forest Ants, various crustaceans, Banded Langur and other wildlife. Unfortunately, in their haste to provide breadth of coverage, and partly due to expertise bias, the authors have given a rather anaemic treatment to many aspects of Singapore’s animal life. Despite their important ecological roles, birds are clearly inadequately dealt with. While avian life forms are the most prominent examples of our resident vertebrates, only a miniscule section deals wholly with birds. Even so, this mentions only birds found on reclaimed land. The role of Singapore as an important migratory stopover for shorebirds, raptors and palearctic passerines is largely overlooked. There is also no mention of the diversity and ecology of birds that still persist in our remaining forests. Other than the unequal treatment of birds, the book also does not do justice to Singapore’s rich butterfly, beetle, reptilian, amphibian, freshwater and marine fish

communities. Reptiles, p a r t i c u l a r l y s n a ke s , which reach some of the highest diversities here, could have at least been af forded a page or two. The coverage of Singapore's highly-threatened freshwater fish fauna is fairly limited too, with just a brief mention of Harlequin Rasbora and the little Warty Catfish (erroneously called an invertebrate here!) Likewise, there is only a generic mention of fish diversity in the subtidal habitat. Interestingly, many mammals are given good coverage. I suspect that the Bambi syndrome may have manifested itself here! The final few chapters on conservation issues are no doubt the most important part of the book. They highlight many of the key problems faced by conservationists in Singapore. As far as alien species are concerned, the authors have done a good job in pointing out the main culprits involved and the measures in place to control these invasive populations. Reasonable exposure is given to sticky conservation issues such as legal frameworks, habitat loss and land reclaimation. What is lamentable though is the scant mention of the conservation movement in Singapore, including the significant role played by various environmental NGOs in generating the much-needed awareness of nature and its conservation. As such, readers run the risk of missing the real picture of the active conservation scene in Singapore. In terms of layout, more diagrams could have been employed to depict concepts like forest structure. Such diagrams can potentially replace long and heavy chunks of descriptive text. The photographs chosen sufficiently represent biodiversity, but some appear overly dark and gloomy, perhaps having been kept in storage for too long. With the advent of digital photography, I am sure that this can be easily rectified in future editions. There is also a scarcity of maps used. Again, instead of having wordy descriptions of habitat type distribution, maps could have been used to better put things in perspective. Any major works dealing with a country's natural history and conservation are ambitious ventures and are bound to have missing pieces here and there in an attempt to cover as much as the pages allow. Although “The Natural Heritage of Singapore” is not without its flaws, it presents a comprehensive coverage of biodiversity and conservation in our tiny island state. Not only would students and nature lovers benefit from this volume, even scientists and policy makers would find this book highly relevant to their work.

20


The Bird Group conducted its 25th Annual Bird Census (ABC) on 21 March 2010 in

rather fair and warm conditions. This event saw the involvement of 60 birders counting at 26 sites, an improvement from 40 observers at 23 sites in 2009 (Lim 2009). The totals in species types and numbers this year were a great improvement, with 8,665 birds from 161 species recorded, compared to last year’s tally of 7,135 birds from 144 species (Lim 2009).

Of the 26 sites counted, Neo Tiew Lane 2 had the best bird diversity with 57 species, followed by Ubin Central with 56 species, and Halus as well as Poyan, both with 53 species. The least diverse sites were Telok Blangah Hill Park with 23 species, Mount Faber with 27 species and Tuas with 28 species.

The most bird populous site was, as expected, Sungei Mandai. It had 1,335 birds, a significant recovery from the disastrous showing in 2009 of just 665 birds. However, this figure is still some way below the 1,896 birds counted in 2008. In second place was Neo Tiew Lane 2 with 696 birds, an increase from 590 birds recorded last year. Third place went to Sungei Buloh Route 1 with 648 birds. These top three sites are coincidentally in the northwest sector of Singapore, highlighting the importance of this sector for bird conservation. The least bird populous sites were Telok Blangah Hill Park with 100 birds, a drop from the 180 birds of last year, followed by Sime Road with 104 birds and Nee Soon with 133 birds.

Pulau Ubin and Sungei Buloh are two mega biodiversity protected areas allocated two sites each in ABC 2010. Pulau Ubin had a better overall diversity this round with 70 species counted, compared to Sungei Buloh’s 58 bird types. However, in terms of numbers, Sungei Buloh was just ahead with 915 birds compared to Ubin’s 825 birds.

Due to a lack of observers and other unforeseen circumstances, Bukit Batok Nature Park, Kranji Dam, Pasir Ris Park, Sentosa and Simpang Grassland were not covered in this year’s census. A former site, Punggol Grassland, has been lost to housing development. We hope that the pool of site leaders can increase in the years ahead, with the involvement of more people from the birding community. Looking on the bright side, we had two new sites in this year’s census: Lower Peirce Reservoir and Tuas.

What then was Singapore’s most numerous bird? This was none other than our ubiquitous sturnid, the White-vented Myna. This species retained its pole position for the fourth successive year with a score of 1,001 birds. Its total is again below that of the two previous years. In second place was the Asian Glossy Starling with 884 birds, with numbers almost doubling that of the 481 birds counted in 2009. Coming in third to fifth positions were the Pacific Golden Plover (711), Whimbrel (387) and Pink-necked Green Pigeon (386) respectively. Except for the green pigeon, all top birds in terms of population size scored more counts this time compared to 2009 (Lim 2009).

The remaining top ten most numerous birds were the Yellow-vented Bulbul in sixth place with 385 birds, up slightly from 382 birds in 2009; Lesser Sand Plover (258); Barn Swallow (219); Little Egret (211) and Black-naped Oriole (199). After being missing from the top ten positions in 2009, waders have made a comeback with three species featuring strongly this time round, taking third, fourth and seventh places. The top 21 most populous birds in 2010 are listed in Table 1, together with comparative numbers and rankings from 2009.

21


Table 1: Most Populous Birds in Singapore No. Species ABC

2010ABC 2009

1 WHITE-VENTED MYNA 1001 1161 (1)2 ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING 884 481 (2)3 PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER* 711 136 (13)4 WHIMBREL* 387 106 (19)5 P I N K - N E C K E D G R E E N

PIGEON386 389 (3)

6 YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL 385 382 (4)7 LESSER SAND PLOVER* 258 48 (37)8 BARN SWALLOW* 219 82 (22)9 LITTLE EGRET* 211 150 (9)10 BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE 199 190 (5)11 SPOTTED DOVE 191 188 (7)12 COMMON PIGEON 179 143 (10)13 COMMON IORA 159 120 (17)14 COLLARED KINGFISHER 146 131 (14)15 PACIFIC SWALLOW 141 190 (6)16 GREY HERON 132 98 (21)17 LONG-TAILED PARAKEET 130 72 (25)18 HOUSE CROW 130 141 (11)19 COMMON REDSHANK* 124 80 (24)20 COMMON GREENSHANK* 117 137 (12)21 OLIVE-BACKED SUNBIRD 117 124 (15)

Note: Species marked with an asterisk indicate migrants.

We recorded 42 migrant species this year, forming 26% of the 161 species total. Of the remaining birds, 118 species were resident while one bird was a non-breeding visitor.

Of the 56 nationally threatened species, 24 of these, accounting for 43%, were recorded. The most numerous nationally threatened species was the Grey Heron with a count of 132 birds, up from 98 birds in 2009, causing its rise to 16th position. The only globally threatened species encountered in this year’s census was the Straw-headed Bulbul, with 48 birds recorded, down from 55 birds in 2009, putting it in 38th position. This bulbul was also the second most numerous nationally threatened species recorded this year. The third most numerous nationally threatened species was the Oriental Magpie Robin at 49th place, with a count of 36 birds, which is an improvement from 31 birds in 2009.

The best birds of the day were undoubtedly two Himalayan Vultures seen at Sungei Buloh Route 2. Other exciting birds observed during ABC 2010 were a Ruddy Kingfisher at Lower

Peirce Reservoir; Blue-rumped Parrot (Bukit Timah); Broad-billed Sandpiper (Mandai); Javan Pond Heron (Halus and Mandai); Black Bittern (Sungei Buloh); Mangrove Pitta (Pulau Ubin); Mugimaki Flycatcher (Malcolm Park) and Eastern Crowned Warbler (Nee Soon).

We would like to thank the following people who led or assisted in ABC 2010: Ali Jaafar, Doreen Ang, Howard Banwell, Mike Bush, Cai Yixiong, Richard Carden, Chan Kim Cheng, MY Chan, Alfred Chia, Avian Chia, Serene Chng, Geoffrey Davison, Horst Flotow, Willie Foo, Foong Hin Cheong, Gerard Francis, Leslie Fung, Gavin Goodyear, James Heng, Ho Hua Chew, Kenneth Kee, Sue Knight, Dennis Kwan, Maurice Kwan, Danny Lau, Lee Ee Ling, Jimmy Lee, Lee Lay Tin, Lim Kim Chuah, Lim Kim Seng, Jeanne Miller, Mithilesh, Ng Chay Tuan, Randal Ong, Alan Owyong, Phang Seng Khai, Mick Price, Nessie Qiu, Rehan Yusoff, Freda Rickwood, Ian Rickwood, Jane Rogers, Julian Sek, Gloria Seow, Martti Siponen, John Spencer, Liana Knight Spencer, R Subaraj, Sutari Supari, Tan Kok Hui, Tan Soon Im, Kaori Tanaka, Allan Teo, KP Teh, Toh Yuet Hsin, Wee Sau Cheng, Wing Chong, Yang Pah Liang, Cecilia Yip and Yong Yik Shih.

Figure 1: Bird numbers and species at the Annual Bird Census from 1990-2010

ReferencesLim, K C & Lim, K S (2009). State of Singapore’s Wild Birds and Bird Habitats: Results of the Annual Bird Census: 1996-2005. Nature Society (Singapore) Bird Group, Singapore.Lim, K S (2008). Report on the 23rd Annual Bird Census. Singapore Avifauna 22:3.Lim, K S (2009). Report on the 24th Annual Bird census. Singapore Avifauna 23:3.

22


A h u m m i n g b u t t e r f l y

g a r d e n i n t h e middle of Changi

Airport’s swankiest terminal is a classic out-of-the-box tribute to our tropical natural heritage. As the world’s first butterfly garden in an airport, transit passengers stumbling upon this little oasis would be delighted to find hundreds of painted wings whizzing about in seeming bliss. And so were we, on our visit on 9 May 2010.

Twenty NSS kids and their parents, accompanied by butterfly experts Simon Chan and Steven Chong, toured the garden for its superb butterflies and landscaping. After stringent security checks involving multiple finger and thumb print scans that held up the group for almost an hour, we were finally in parad i se . K ids ran around ooh-ing and aah-ing at one colourful butterfly after another, snapping photos, and even jostling to pick up the delicate beauties for closer examination. There were supposed to be 50 species of 1,000 free-flying butterflies native to Singapore and Malaysia present. However, according to Simon, the number and variety of butterflies here have inexplicably taken a dip since the garden’s opening on 28 August 2008.

These farm-bred butterflies feed off the nectar from planted flowers, with their diet supplemented by cut fruits, and even sugared water artfully displayed as a butterfly-shaped flower tray. When we got hot and sweaty in the open-air garden, butterflies landed on us to feed on our profuse perspiration! One of the little girls in our group invented a clever way to entice butterflies onto her open palms – she dipped her fingers in sugared water as bait! The kids were

particularly attracted to the huge and friendly Clipper and the prettily-patterned Tree Nymph.

In its lifecycle, a butterfly transforms in four stages. It starts off as an egg, becoming a caterpillar, then a pupa and finally emerging as an adult butterfly. We got to see rows and rows of pupae hanging from a transparent cupboard. These pupae take about a week to transform into their final adult form. We were lucky to witness several adults ‘eclosing’ or emerging from their pupae case. These newly-birthed butterflies had soft and

folded wings that gradually expanded with body fluids pumped into their wing ve ins . When dr ied and a l l plumped up, butterflies test their wings by opening and closing them several times before undertaking their maiden flight.

The second storey of the garden held an astonishing variety of pitcher plants. Kids were concerned that the

hungry mouths of these carnivorous plants would ‘eat’ the butterflies they so loved. However, an educational signboard explained that butterflies typically steer clear of pitchers, which accounted for their near absence on this floor.

A l l i n a l l , w e enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, leaving the garden enriched and enchanted by the sheer mag i c of having so many bu t t e r f l y f a i r i e s living within a tiny space.

NSS Kids’ Enchanted Butterfly Exploration at Changi T3

By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson Photos by Lena Chow

NSS Green Hub @ Ubin: A Green Venue for the Greater Community

By Tan Hang ChongThe NSS Green Hub @ Ubin is a multi-modal venue. It will serve as a: 1. Showcase for appropriate sustainable technology (eg. clean energy / rainwater harvesting / organic gardening / waste recycling / green architecture / eco home products)2. Focal Point for Nature and Environmental Outreach3. Hub for green groups in Singapore to showcase their work and host their activities4. Centre for Community Involvement (serving as a community centre for Pulau Ubin residents)If you are interested to volunteer and contribute towards the Green Hub, or use it for your green group events, please contact myself at [email protected].

23


AnnouncementsNSS Facebook PageNSS can be found on Facebook under ‘Nature Society (Singapore)’. Do sign up to be a member now! This is an excellent way to keep abreast of the various happenings in the Society as well as in the general nature community.

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!

NSS Welcomes Tax-Exempt DonationsI f 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!

Go Paperless: Opt-out from Receiving Nature News by Snail MailMembers who are happy to 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, and who wish to opt-out from receiving hard copies by snail mail to save trees, please inform Joe at [email protected]. Please state if you prefer Option A or B.

New Members: Do Join Us in Our Subgroup ActivitiesNew members are welcome to join any of our listed activities. Most events do not require prior registration. Simply turn up at the appointed time and place, and you’ll be off to learn more about Singapore’s exciting nature offerings.

Contributions for Nature NewsPlease send in your contributions for the Sep/Oct 2010 issue by 5 August 2010. 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.

NSS DIRECTORY

PatronPROF TOMMY KOH

PresidentDR SHAWN LUM – Office: 6790-3835

Vice PresidentMR LEONG KWOK PENG – Mobile: 9766-7047

Honorary Treasurer MR SOO CHOON KIAT

Honorary Assistant TreasurerMR ONG ENG HIN

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 MembersDR ROBERT CASTEELS, MS CHING CHABO, MR S RAJAMANICKAM

Immediate Past PresidentDR GEH MIN

Honorary Legal AdviserMR VINAYAGAN DHARMARAJAH

Advisory Council MembersMR 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 Coordinator MR WILLIE FOO – Mobile: 9675-1089

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Conservation CommitteeActing Chairperson MR LEONG KWOK PENG

Vice Chairperson DR HO HUA CHEW

Education GroupChairperson MS GLORIA SEOW

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP CHAIRPERSONS

Bird Ecology Study GroupChairperson MR SUBARAJ RAJATHURAI

Bird GroupChairperson MR ALAN OWYONG

Secretary MR WILLIE FOO

Butterfly Interest GroupChairperson MR GAN CHEONG WEEIVice Chairperson MR SIMON CHAN

Marine Conservation GroupChairperson MR EDZRA ISKANDAR

Plant GroupChairperson MS CHUA LENG SIM (ANGIE NG)

The Nature RamblersChairperson MR BENJAMIN HO

Vertebrate Study GroupChairperson MR TONY O’DEMPSEY – Mobile: 9692-0250

Secretary MS CELINE LOW

Nature News Editorial CommitteeMS GLORIA SEOW – [email protected]

MR TIMOTHY PWEE – Mobile: 9791-8300MR GOH SI GUIM – Mobile: 9758-9125

SecretariatMR JUSTIN WONG, Executive Officer

MR JOSEPH LIM, Accounts & Membership Officer MR ANUJ JAIN, Butterfly Trail Project Officer

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

Tel: 6741-2036 Fax: 6741-0871 Email: [email protected]

24


MEMBERSHIP TYPE AND ANNUAL RATE:

STUDENT ( ) $18 (full-time students between 18 & 35 years old) AFFILIATE ( ) $200 CORPORATE ( ) $4000

( ) GIRO FORM REQUEST : Please send me a GIRO form for payment of my membership subscription.

JUNIOR ( ) $18 (between 12 & 18 years old)ORDINARY ( ) $40 FAMILY ( ) $75

To further support your Society in its work do include a donation if you can!All donations are double tax-exempt.I would like to add a donation of:

( ) $10 ( ) $20 ( ) $30 ( ) $50 ( ) $80 ( ) $100 $ (amount of your choice)

To further support your Society in its work do include a donation if you can!All donations are double tax-exempt.I would like to add a donation of:

( ) $10 ( ) $20 ( ) $30 ( ) $50 ( ) $80 ( ) $100 $ (amount of your choice)

NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2010 NEWSLETTER OF THE NATURE … · 2D/1N Plant Trip to Gunung Arong Aug 28 to...

Documents

Transcript of NATURE NEWS JUL-AUG 2010 NEWSLETTER OF THE NATURE … · 2D/1N Plant Trip to Gunung Arong Aug 28 to...