jan-feb 2011 · guidebook in malay 10 beginners’ waders workshop 11 3rd raptor watch 2010 12...

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NATURE NEWS JAN-FEB 2011Jan-Feb 2011

TRIPS ABROAD LED BY NSS MEMBERS

MICA (P) 073/07/2010

At-Sunrice says Goodbye to Fort Canning Park Jan 15Birdwatching at Bukit Brown Jan 16 Two-Part Talk on “How do plants get their names?” Jan 18 & 20Talk on the Great Himalayan Bird Count Jan 21 Ramble along the Old Jurong Line Jan 22Asian Waterfowl Census Jan 23 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Jan 30 NSS Kids’ Fun in the Forest Feb 19 Birdwatching at Semakau Feb 19Butterfly Walk at Orchard Feb 19Birdwatching at Dairy Farm Feb 20Conservation Chat Feb 23 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Feb 26

Activities & Trips 2

NEA-MediaCorp Semakau Run Raises Funds for NSS 4

Thoughts from the NSS President 5

27th Singapore Green Bird Race 6

Keep the Railway Land as a Green Corridor 7

Tracking of Local Horseshoe Crab Movements 8

Fun with Nature Sketching and Origami 9

Kranji Marshes Adoption Update 10

Launch of Fraser ’s Hi l l B ird Guidebook in Malay 10

Beginners’ Waders Workshop 11

3rd Raptor Watch 2010 12

Cancún Climate Talks End with Optimism Renewed 13

May Fireflies Light His Way Ivan Polunin, 1920-2010 14

Announcements 14

NSS Directory 15

All Purpose Form 16

4D/4N Taman Negara with Raja 13 to 17 Mar

The Green Corridor Pg 7

Tracking

of Local

Horseshoe

Crab

Movements

Pg 8

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NATURE NEWS JAN-FEB 2011

Saturday 15

At-Sunrice says Goodbye to Fort Canning Park After 10 years of operations in Fort Canning Park, At-Sunrice Global Chef Academy is moving to a new campus. In memory of all its good times at Fort Canning, it would like to invite the public to spend a morning in the park. Activities include a nature and spice walk by NSS and a dog walk by SPCA. Light refreshments will be served. Look out for details via NSS e-groups and mailing lists. Time: 9 am to 12 noon.

Sunday 16

Birdwatching at Bukit Brown Meet Wing Chong at 7.30 am at the junction of Sime Road and Kheam Hock Road. This is near the entrance to the historic Bukit Brown Chinese Cemetery. We will take a casual walk around this unique and quiet corner of Singapore. The place is partially open with some huge trees. Expect to see a mix of parkland, open-country and forest birds such as babblers, bulbuls, doves, flowerpeckers, parakeets, sunbirds and woodpeckers.

Tuesday 18 & Thursday 20

Two-Part Talk on “How do plants get their names?”How do plants get their scientific names? How do orchid hybrids and other man-made horticultural varieties of ornamental plants get their registered cultivar names? Come for this two-part workshop conducted by Dr Benito C Tan to learn more about the governing rules and requirements that give a natural plant species its valid scientific name, and a man-made hybrid plant its cultivar name. Actual cases of controversial nomenclature of related plant species as well as the process of correct name choosing will be introduced and explained. Both workshops will be held at The Sunflower from 8 pm to 10 pm. Class size: 10 pax only. Fees: $20 for members and $50 for non-members. Please register with [email protected].

Friday 21

Talk on the Great Himalayan Bird CountImagine Himalayan Griffons and Cinereous Vultures soaring over pine-covered mountains and lush valleys. Imagine trekking through all this beauty. Anuj Jain will share stories from his visit to the Garhwal region of India’s Himalayas to count birds in October 2010.

This adobe of the gods boasts picturesque landscapes and quaint villages, allowing one to learn of its age old traditions and partake in some excellent birdwatching. Talk at 8 pm at The Sunflower.

Saturday 22 Ramble along the Old Jurong LineKicking off our 2011 rambling programme is a discovery trek along the old Jurong line of the Malayan railway. Benjamin Ho will lead us on a journey following this disused railway track, taking us through many small scale vegetable plots, a former rail tunnel, grasslands, old cast iron bridges, amongst other interesting sights. Expect also to see a good variety of flora and fauna. Bring along your binoculars, a cap and lots of sunblock. The trip is expected to last 3 hours and is unsuitable for children below 12 years old. Meet at the bus stop outside Teban Gardens Food Centre at 7.45 am. We will conclude the ramble at Sunset Way along Clementi Road.

Sunday 23

Asian Waterfowl CensusThe annual Asian Waterfowl Census seeks to obtain information on water bird populations at various sites around Singapore. The data collected will be used as a basis for the evaluation of sites, monitoring of bird populations, and determining the conditions of wetlands in Singapore. This census also aims to encourage a greater interest in water birds and wetlands, thereby promoting their conservation. We need your help in carrying out various site surveys. Join us from 8 am to 11 am. Please note that low tide is 0.9 m at 8 am. To register or get information on sites and leaders, please contact Lim Kim Keang at 97391142 or Lee Ee Ling at 96935870.

Sunday 30

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Meet Lee Ee Ling at 7.45 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 ferry us to our destination. We begin with a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the Kranji Marshes where we will continue our walk along the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by URA as a Nature Park. It is currently adopted by NSS under the PUB’s ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights

Activities January

SSSunday 23

Sunday 30

Tuesday 18 & Thursday 2o

SSSaturday 22

Saturday 15

Sunday 16

Friday 21

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Saturday 19 NSS Kids’ Fun in the Forest Is the forest a dark and mysterious place to you? Get acquainted with its plants and animals in a two-hour nature walk along the Lornie Trail of MacRitchie Reservoir, led by veteran nature guide Goh Si Guim. Time: 8 am to 10 am. Please register your children (4 to 12 years old) with Gloria at [email protected], stating their names and ages, if they are NSS members or not, if you need us to loan you a pair of binoculars or not, and let us have your mobile number. A fee of $5 per child (member) or $10 per child (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Parents / caregivers are encouraged to join in at no charge. Details will be emailed to those who sign up.Saturday 19

Birdwatching at Semakau Meet Lim Kim Keang at 7.30 am at the West Coast Pier near the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. This is a good time to visit Semakau for resident birds and migrant surprises. Resident attractions include the Great-billed Heron, Pacific Reef Egret, Malaysian Plover and Osprey. Sightings of uncommon migrants such as the Black-capped Kingfisher, Peregrine Falcon and Eastern Marsh Harrier are possible. Free parking at Carpark 2 off West Coast Highway. Return to the mainland by 2 pm. Non-refundable fee of $28 per person for boat and administration. Send your cheque to the NSS office by 11 February 2011 with the completed All Purpose Form (last page of Nature News). Booking priority for members on a first come first served basis. Number of persons per trip: 11, 22 or 33. To register, email Kim Keang at [email protected]. Under NEA regulations, children below 12 years old are not allowed to come. Resident/PR identity card or passport is mandatory for boarding. Saturday 19

Butterfly Walk at Orchard We will take a leisurely stroll along the newly-created Butterfly Trail at Orchard to witness the sight of butterflies living in an urban environment.

Our walk will start at Stamford Green, through SMU, Istana Park and end at the open space at Penang Road. Walk duration is around 2.5 hours. We hope to see butterflies like the Plain Tiger, Leopard, Tawny Coster, Autumn Leaf and more. Do bring enough water along. Meet Simon (HP: 97485465) at 9.30 am at the open space in front of the National Museum of Singapore (93 Stamford Road). Stamford Green butterfly garden is accessible by the outdoor escalator next to the museum.

Sunday 20

Birdwatching at Dairy Farm Meet Lim Kim Chuah at 7.30 am at the Dairy Farm Nature Park Carpark B (opposite Petir Road). We intend to bird around the Wallace’s Education Centre to look for beautiful forest gems such as the Blue-winged Leafbird, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Crimson Sunbird and Banded Woodpecker. Migrants should still be around such as the Arctic Warbler, Forest Wagtail and with luck, some thrushes. We will then make our way towards the Singapore Quarry where we hope to find the Little Grebe, kingfishers and soaring raptors.

Wednesday 23

Conservation Chat Meet the Conservation Committee in an informal gathering of members concerned about nature conservation in Singapore. Issues that we will be discussing include: 1) An update on NSS' proposal to retain the KTM railway land as a Green Corridor; and 2) Any other issues that may crop up. This chat will be held from 7.30 pm at The Sunflower.

Saturday 26

Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Meet Dr Ho Hua Chew at 7.45 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 ferry us to our destination. We begin with a pleasant stroll along a countryside road to the Kranji Marshes where we will continue our walk along the PUB Bund. The marsh is designated by

here include the Red-wattled Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish

Eagle and more. Booking required by 21 January 2011 (max: 20 pax) at email: [email protected].

Saturday 19

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Sunday 20

Activities February

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Saturday 26

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NEA-MediaCorp Semakau Run Raises Funds for NSS

By Goh Si Guim

URA as a Nature Park. It is currently 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, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more. Booking required by 18 February 2011 (max: 20 pax) at email: [email protected].

This year’s Semakau R u n , j o i n t l y organised b y t h e Nat iona l

Environment Agency (NEA) and MediaCorp, was held on 2 October 2010. It raised a total of $370,000 from 36 donors. The run’s seven beneficiaries include four environmental NGOs, namely NSS, Singapore Environment Council (SEC), Restroom Association Singapore (RAS) and Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA); two social service charit ies namely Rainbow Centre-Yishun Park School and HCA Hospice Care; as well as a one-off donation to the Amalgamated Union of Public Daily Rated Workers (AUPDRW).

NEA first organised its Semakau Corporate Environmental Outreach (CEO) Run in 2007 as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative. NSS first benefited from this annual event in 2008, receiving $60,000. This year’s event would

contribute a further $55,000 to the Society.

The run took place at NEA’s Semakau Landfill which has been in operation since 1999, receiving incineration ash and non-incinerable waste from the mainland. It is a first-of-its-kind offshore landfill where sustainable waste management has co-existed alongside a biodiversity-rich ecosystem. Its 7 km perimeter bund was used for three categories of events, namely the competitive 5 km and 2.5 km runs and a 1.5 km fun walk.

This event sets out to strengthen NEA’s partnerships with the business communities in working towards the common goal of long-term sustainable development for Singapore. The funds raised for the various environmental NGOs are meant to enable them to develop and improve environmental protection and community outreach programmes. The monies channeled to the social service charities are meant to enable them to carry out community outreach programmes and social services that benefit the less fortunate. The funds given to AUPDRW will be used to support the education, training and welfare programmes of workers and their family members.

4D/4N Taman Negara with Raja

Come explore Taman Negara with Raja. Activities include forest trekking, cave exploration, shooting the rapids, swimming at the cascades, night walk and an Orang Asli village visit. Price includes accommodation in chalets with two to a room, coach transport and four dinners. Apply on the All Purpose Form (last page of Nature News)

enclosing your cheque made out to “Nature Society (S ingapore)” , and mai l these to S Rajamanickam at 61 Chestnut Crescent, Singapore 679412. For further enquiries, email [email protected].

Dates: 13 to 17 March 2011Cost: $475 per paxClosing Date: 10 Feb 2011

TRIPS ABROAD LED BY NSS MEMBERS

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The International Year of Biodiversity culminated in the COP-10 meetings in Japan in October 2010. Interestingly, success or failure hinged largely on the passage of an Access and Benefits Sharing (ABS) agreement. This would ensure that countries from which profitable genetic resources originated get a fair portion of any benefits that might accrue from them. Consider how much our own region has gained, and continues to prosper, from genet ic resources that came from other lands. Think of rubber (South America), oil palm (West Africa), coffee (Africa), or cocoa (South America).

Why do economic benefits t ake cen t re s t age a t an international conservation meeting? Concern over the passage of the ABS protocol underscored the fact that conservation has never been about flora and fauna alone. Biodiversity conservation has a complex and critical socio-economic dimension that makes it impossible to segregate bucks from biodiversity.

Many policy makers, corporate leaders and academics repeatedly emphasise the primacy of putting a monetary value on Nature. They argue that economic incentives are a compelling force for conservation. A cost-benefit analysis of any proposed conservation action or policy is a prerequisite for decision making. At the risk of oversimplifying things, we could call this the “money talks” approach to conservation.

Conservation strategies thus become exercises in pragmatism. This includes paying countries not to cut down forests, valuating natural habitats in a carbon trading market, emphasising the dollar value equivalent of ecosystems services and so on. I appreciate the importance of these real-world approaches to conservation. However, I feel that these strategies work best if we do not forget to appeal to an ethos that values Nature’s intrinsic right to exist. To acknowledge that we derive a priceless benefit from Nature, be it cultural, aesthetic, spiritual,

or contemplative. Call this the “values” approach to conservation.

I feel that if we as a conservation group neglect the values side of conservation, and address only the

more practical and arguably more e f fec t i ve “money talks” approach, it would be a mistake. Not only would we have forgotten our roots (the pleasure that we derive from Nature watch ing) , we would have begun to judge fellow citizens rather cynica l ly. “Money ta lks” conser vat ion i s t s wou ld essentially be saying that others are incapable of appreciating Nature for its intrinsic properties, unable to see beyond the material value of Nature . Nature enthusiasts may be special people, but I do not think that we are all that special. Granted, there are some

who may never understand what motivates us to look at birds, butterflies, bats, barnacles or bauhinias. However, I would like to think that people are better than that; that anyone can enjoy and feel moved to protect the wonders of Nature, just as they might a work of art, a historic building, an ancient artefact, or a sacred site.

Perhaps people just need to be given a chance to see and feel the majesty of the natural world. We are lucky enough to have had someone take us to a nature area and open our eyes to the joys of a forest, mudflat or coral reef, to experience what our ancestors have known for tens of thousands of years. My hope is that in 2011, more people will share in the same kind of good fortune, that we will get better and better at spreading this kind of wealth with each passing year.

“Money Talks” versus “Values” Conservation

Best wishes,

Dr Shawn Lum [email protected]

Thoughts from the NSS President…

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27th Singapore Green Bird Race

By Yong Ding Li and Kenneth Kee

Bird Race Arbitrators

Eleven enthusiastic teams participated in the 27th Singapore Green Bird Race held at Pulau Ubin on 24

October 2010. The geographic scope of this year’s race was narrowed down to Pulau Ubin to allow ease of travel by green means, as well as generate crucial information on the bird life of Singapore’s last rural frontier. There were two categories of participants: Novice (who raced from 8 am to 4 pm) and Advanced (8 am to 5 pm). As with the previous year, all teams had to forego the luxury of private cars and taxis, and even buses as there were none on Ubin! Instead, participants could only move around on rented bicycles or simply walk.

Bird Race Results

Rankings Team Names No. of Species Seen

Novice 1 Harbour Hornbills 532 Fledglings 443 Kingfishers 444 Rajawali 355 Dodo 25Advanced 1 Strix Juniors 742 Little Terns 673 ST Eagles 604 Lewin 545 Malay Pot-bellied Laughing-thrush 496 Woodpeckers 49

The winning team in the Advanced Category went to Strix Juniors (Subaraj, Serin, Sean and Rifqi). They traversed the forests and mangroves of Ubin on bicycle to record 74 species, a respectable number considering the narrower habitat range and geographic scope. Coming in second was the Little Terns (Lim Kim Keang, Alfred Chia and Tan Ju Lin). They also won the century shield by nailing their 50th species at 11.14 am. The winning team in the Novice Category was the Harbour Hornbills (Jeremy and Amanda Lewis). This duo spotted 53 species, a good total which included interesting records like the Great-billed Heron and Grey Plover. They will be instantly promoted to the Advanced Category for future bird races. The “Bird of the Day” prize went to ST eagles (Alan OwYong, Leonard, Mui Hoong and Yue Yun) for spotting the White-rumped Munia. This locally endangered species is hardly spotted in Singapore’s forests anymore and is one of the least

frequently encountered of Singapore’s threatened birds. The race total numbered 108 species, making up nearly 30% of Singapore’s bird list and 60% of Pulau Ubin’s list. Of these, 72 (67%) were residents, 35 (32.1%) were migrants and one (0.9%) was a non-breeding visitor. Notably, participating teams saw 16 nationally threatened species, three nationally near-threatened species, two globally near-threatened species (Long-tailed Parakeet and Grey-headed Fish Eagle) and one globally threatened species (Straw-headed Bulbul – one of Ubin’s flagship birds). The race confirmed that a number of nationally-threatened birds continue to persist in Ubin’s secondary forests, plantations and mangroves. This highlights the island’s importance for bird conservation. Such birds include Singapore’s largest resident land bird the Great-billed Heron, two well-known songbirds, the Straw-headed Bulbul and White-rumped Sharma as well as the rare White-rumped Munia. Most importantly, the race yielded a new record for the island, namely the Grey-headed Fish Eagle. An adult and juvenile pair sighted means that these rare eagles might have bred on Ubin. Another significant record was the Thick-billed Green Pigeon which is a familiar forest bird on the mainland. It could have wandered across the sea in search of fruits from the mainland or even from neighbouring Johor. An inspection of the combined lists of all 11 teams yielded a number of interesting species that were either uncommon, rare, threatened or was a first record for Ubin. In no particular order, these include the Red Junglefowl, Fork-tailed Swift, Spotted Wood Owl, Thick-billed Green Pigeon, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Grey Plover, Red-wattled Lapwing, Lesser Crested Tern, Black-naped Tern, Chinese Goshawk, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Great-billed Heron, Red-rumped Swallow, Straw-headed Bulbul, Ashy Bulbul, Copper-throated Sunbird and White-rumped Munia.We would like to congratulate all participants. We also thank Swarovski Optik and its agent Precision Optik Asia for their continued support and generous sponsorship. Thanks too to Pulau Ubin Seafood Restaurant for allowing us the use of their premises and for cooking up a tasty dinner. We are particularly indebted to Guest-of-Honour and bird book author Dr Geoffrey Davidson for gracing the occasion, as well as organiser Chung Cheong for meticulously coordinating our first race on Pulau Ubin.

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A line may represent connection or division. When the KTM Railway line was constructed

over a century ago to link the heart of tiny Singapore to the vast continent of Eurasia, it certainly symbolised connectivity and progress. Over the years, it has acquired a rich patina of history, romance and discovery, serving as a vital transport link to and from the Peninsular.In recent decades, the railway line has come to be viewed as a politically divisive and thorny barrier to efficient land use planning. Simultaneously however, it still serves its function of connecting people and places. Because it is one of the rare places on the island left untouched by development, this railway corridor has evolved its own intricate network of micro-ecosystems. Here, the magical hand of t ime , assisted by the exuberance of tropical nature and the ingenuity of man, have created a kaleidoscopic patchwork of landscapes that can be gl impsed from a train but savoured fully only on foot.Overgrown orchards, makeshift vegetable patches, pockets of rare ferns and orchids, forests, marshlands and open grasslands with their respective wildlife, improvised footpaths and bridges, miniature architectural gems and dioramas of the past, are all strung out like a treasure trail for nature lovers, photographers, hikers and a growing band of Singaporeans hungry for an authentic encounter with nostalgia.Now that political differences over the railway have

been successfully resolved, it is not surprising for interest to be focused on the fate of the line itself. A growing wave of public concern, reminiscent of that showed over the fate of the first National Library and Chek Jawa, is rapidly gaining momentum in both the mainstream and online media.

The most unimaginative “solution” would be for policy makers, planners and developers to parcel out the land as real estate, dismantle the line, erase it from public memory and relegate it to textbook history. That would be a costly mistake. Much of Singapore’s natural and man-made heritage has been jettisoned as excess baggage in our rush to transform ourselves from a third to a first world country. A more inclusive and considered approach would have recognised their value as ballast in nation-building and sustainable development. While attempts are now being made to restore some of our heritage sites at great expense (such as the ecolink between Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Central Catchment), many

have been irretrievably lost.T h e G r e e n C o r r i d o r P roposa l fo r t he KTM Ra i lway shou ld no t be v iewed as a barr ier to development. After all, the railway has been a symbol of progress in the past and should continue to be so. Rather, we feel that by exploring more creative, sensitive and inclusive ways to utilise the railway and its

land, we would be enhancing rather than reducing its value. In a country searching desperately for genuine icons, it would be a tragedy to destroy this potent symbol of connectivity and progress. To learn more, download the Green Corridor Proposal from the NSS website:h t t p : / / w w w . n s s . o r g . s g / d o c /TheGreenCorridor101103.pdf.

Keep the Railway Land as a Green Corridor

By Dr Geh Min, Immediate Past President

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T r a c k i n g o f L o c a l Horseshoe Crab Movements

By J Vanitha

We h a v e f i n a l l y

begun the tracking of the movements of local mangrove horseshoe crabs, using electronic tagging equipment from Sonotronics

funded by generous donations to NSS. This is done to understand the crabs’ traveling habits, homing instincts and maybe even locate their spawning sites. We made one excursion to test dummy transmitters and receivers in our study area, the Straits of Johor. Another trip was with an AVA aquaculture officer to reconnoiter the study area and meet some of the fish farmers there. Specifically, our area of interest is the seven kilometer stretch of sea between the MOE Adventure Centre in Sarimbun and the Mandai Mudflats i n Kran j i . We know that there are many horseshoe crabs there, possibly benefiting from the food from the area’s fish farms.

On our third trip on 15 November 2010, the team (Lesley, Ter Yang, Harn Hua and myself) set off together with Mr Yeo, a former structural engineer and now one of the study

area’s floating fish farm owners. With the onset of a heavy downpour, we snuck into Mr Yeo’s fish farm for shelter and to prepare the submersible acoustic receivers (SUR), as well as ropes, buoys and weights to hold down the SURs in the sea to a depth of two meters. Mr Yeo's expertise in handling ropes came in handy as he showed us how to fasten each SUR with a buoy and

weight. After t h e r a i n subsided, he took us in his s p e e d b o a t to attach the various SURs to identified f i s h f a r m s a l o n g t h e S t r a i t s o f Johor. These activated receivers were spaced at about one kilometer apart. This gives good coverage for the reception of signals from transmitters attached to horseshoe crabs.

Visiting these floating fish farms was an interesting experience in itself. Most of them rear the fishes that are sold in our wet markets, namely garoupa, sea bass and tilapia. We also saw how mussels are cultivated. Several egrets, herons and other shore birds were observed hanging around for an easy meal.

On 20 November 2010, we met again at our regular site in Kranji to fix transmitters onto eight adult horseshoe crabs (four males and four females). Of these, two males and two females were released back at the site of capture at the Mandai Mudflats. The remaining four crabs were released at Lim Chu Kang jetty about five kilometers away, to

see if they had homing instincts to find their way back to Kranji.

Our receivers will be picking up the signals from the crabs’ transmitters. They can store the date and time of the detected signal as well as the identity of the crab. Periodically, we will be downloading the collected data to find out where these signals are coming from. We look forward to mapping the crabs’ movements. Results will be published at a later date.

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The Education G r o u p ,

t o g e t h e r w i t h Cicada Tree Eco Place, orchestrated a joint nature sketching cum origami workshop for kids and their caregivers. This took place at the Bukit Batok Nature Park on 3 October 2010. Nature artist and birding maestro Uncle Ding Li not only conducted the drawing session, but also complemented it with a fascinating commentary on Singapore’s ecology.

We started off with a stroll along a leafy path where we had delightful encounters with a small flock of White-c r e s t e d L a u g h i n g T h r u s h e s . T h e s e charismatic introduced birds were foraging at e y e l e v e l , occasionally h o p p i n g a l o n g t h e

forest floor or landing in low bushes. Everyone enjoyed good views even without binoculars. We also saw a lone Laced Woodpecker high up in the trees and heard the sparkling song of the globally-threatened Straw-headed Bulbul.

Auntie Vilma laid out a huge groundsheet facing the jagged granite outcrop of the pond area. This pretty setting suited the creation of dainty art pieces. Auntie Yue Yun, Auntie Lena and Uncle Timothy handed out recycled paper and sharpened pencils as drawing material. The kids were asked to recall the appearance of the White-crested Laughing Thrush. Uncle Ding then broke down the bird’s body structure into basic geometrical forms such as ovals (body), circles (head), triangles (beak) and rectangles (tail). Using these basic shapes, the children also drew their own birdies. Uncle Ding went on to erase off unnecessary lines to obtain a simple drawing of a perched bird. Just to prove that nature sketching could be done in a jiffy so as to capture the fresh memory of a recently-encountered bird, Uncle Ding went on to draw a life-like laughing thrush in under three minutes!

Following this, Auntie Gloria handed out several articles related to nature sketching published in ‘Suara Enggang’, the birding bulletin of the Malaysian Nature Society. These articles explained the usefulness of nature sketching as a tool for observers to quickly note the key features of newly-encountered wildlife. Arrows with description can be added, denoting diagnostic features such as colour and even behaviour. These observations can be penned in a notebook carried along during field

trips. Even those with long lenses could do with a pocketbook to record sightings and sketch those creatures that had evaded camera capture. Such field sketches, along with additional information such as date, time, place and weather condition, are frequently used as evidence to support rare sightings, thereby growing the body of scientific knowledge.

Uncle Ding led the kids further in a step-b y - s t e p s k e t c h o f the White-b e l l i e d Woodpecker a n d a butterfly. He e x p l a i n e d

that the White-bel l ied Woodpecker is feared to be extinct in Singapore w i th the l a s t s i gh t ing occurring many moons ago. The children finished of f their masterpieces by colouring them with magic pen. To round up the session, Auntie Yue Yun taught us how to fold a bird with movable body parts starting from a square piece of recycled magazine. Uncle Tim even ‘magnified’ the origami steps by demonstrating on a bigger sheet of paper. Soon enough, our paper birds were flapping merrily, much to the delight of the young ones.

F u n w i t h N a t u r e Sketching and Origami

By Gloria Seow, Education Group ChairpersonPhotos by Timothy Pwee & Lena Chow

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New Plants to Attract Insects & Butterflies

In September 2010, 50 plants of three species

were planted at the small bund between the two ponds at the Kranji Marshes. These were Premna serratifolia, Flacourtia inermis and Murraya koenigii (curry leaves.) We hope to attract insects and butterflies to the pond area with these new plants. Melastoma malabathricum (Straits Rhododendron) will be planted at a later date. We will also embark on monitoring the area’s butterfly and dragonfly species soon.

Kranji Pond Maintenance

On 29 October 2010, 18 volunteers from Bloomberg lent their hands in clearing the overgrown aquatic vegetation at the Kranji ponds. This is the second time that they have helped keep parts of the marshy pond open, so as to allow a variety of niches for birds and other wildlife. Prior to arriving at the ponds, they strolled along Neo Tiew Lane 2 with Hang Chong pointing out the plants, butterflies and birdlife that lined the way for all to appreciate.

On 20 November 2010, seven NSS volunteers were a t t he Kran j i Marshes to weed out unwanted plants. Work started at 8.30 am and f inished at about 12 noon . Th i s invo lved c l e a r i n g the weeds that had crowded at the base of the newly-established plants.

Acknowledgement

The Conservation Committee would like to thank Josephine, Sylvia and all Bloomberg volunteers for helping out in pond maintenance. We would also like to thank the following NSS volunteers for their assistance in weeding: Wang Xinlin, Ian and Freda Rickword, Chia Jin Yun, Cuifen Rui, J K Quek and Eva Connellan. Our gratitude too to Gan Cheong Weei (Butterfly Interest Group), Angie Ng (Plant Group), Cheong Loong Fah and Tan Hang Chong for their support and recommendations on what to plant.

A new guidebook to Fraser’s Hill’s famous birdlife has been written in the Malay language

for the first time, entitled “Khazanah Burung Bukit Fraser: Panduan Bergambar”. Mike Chong, who is a Malaysian naturalist and MNS member, teamed up with prominent NSS member Sutari Supari to pen this authoritative volume published by Tinta Publishers.

With practically all guidebooks to Malaysian’s avifauna written in English, main author Mike saw the need for a Malay version to introduce the hobby of birdwatching and the richness of the Peninsular’s birdlife to the Malay community. This 234-page guide features over 300 colour photographs of 93 bird species, including a chapter on birdwatching and a useful trilingual index. It comes in a semi coffee-table format

(6” x 8.75”) and retails at RM65 in major book stores throughout Malaysia including MPH and Kinokuniya.

M a ny M a l ay s i a n birdwatchers and photographers also made s i gn i f i cant contributions, improving the book’s overall quality and value. The volume was launched by Y B Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif, the State Executive Councillor for Pahang Tourism, Arts, Heritage, Women, Family and Community Development, on 19 June 2010 at the 23rd International Bird Race in Fraser’s Hill to much local media coverage.

Kranj i Marshes Adoption Update (September to December 2010)

By Dr Ho Hua Chew, Conservation Committee Vice Chairperson

Launch o f Fraser ’ s H i l l B i rd Guidebook in Malay

By Gloria Seow

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The first-ever Beginners’ Waders Workshop was held on 27 November 2010 at Sungei Buloh

Wetland Reserve (SBWR) conducted by myself. We had 27 participants including four staff from SBWR. This response was beyond our expectations. What was most heartening was the attendance of four boys ranging from three to 11 years old, accompanied by their father.

The first part focused on the introduction of waders or shorebirds, touching on their migration patterns, flyway, navigation, topography, behaviour, feeding techniques and identification features. Tips on the best time to do wader watching, as well as the importance of checking the tide tables were shared.

The second part focused on nine of the most common waders found in SBWR. Slides, photos and videos were shown to illustrate the characteristics of individual waders and how to differentiate them from similar species. This was followed by a well-deserved break where freshly brewed coffee and tea were served together with delicious curry puffs and samosas.

After this, participants proceeded to the main hide where they were put to the test at the outdoor field session. Despite a sudden downpour, most were able to identify the Pacific Golden Plover, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel. Surprisingly, the Mongolian Plover was nowhere to be found. However we had a bonus bird in the form of a pair of Great Knots which came close to the main hide for all to admire.

This workshop would not have been possible without the generous support of Sharon Chan,

who kindly allowed us the use of Sungei Buloh’s facilities. Thanks also to Alan OwYong and Alfred Chia for helping out in the field session.

“We put (our knowledge) to the test today by going back to Sungei Buloh and found it a lot easier than before to identify the difference between the Marsh Sandpiper and the Greenshank, and to spot the Curlew Sandpiper and the Great Knot.”

– Ian & Freda Rickword “I picked up some very useful pointers. There was a connection between the organisers and participants. The information in the handbook was useful and well thought out. In particular, Kenneth's on-the-spot quizzes were wonderful. Even the mosquitoes stayed away.”

– Doreen Ang

“The slides were excellent as it is most difficult to get clear views of distinctive features to enable identification. The videos showed us the bird behaviour described in the notes. It would be hard to imagine bird behaviour without video.”

– Jeanne Ong

“The fact that my boys sat through the workshop showed that it was a good programme for beginners. The practical outdoor session was useful. My boys have since gone to the library to borrow a book on Migratory Birds by NParks. They have definitely broadened their bird knowledge further by flipping to the pages on sandpipers, plovers, turnstones and more.”

– Ken Ng, father of the 4 boys who came

“The lecture session was difficult probably because I could not fully understand it. Only when we went to the main hide did my spirits begin to lift. Through the scopes provided, I was amazed that all those birds that had looked alike before were actually a variety of species! I especially liked the Common Sandpiper with its bobbing head and tail.”

– Caleb Ng, 11 years old

“I enjoyed the Waders Workshop as I learnt how to identify birds by looking at the colour of their legs, birds such as the Redshank and the Greenshank. I also learnt that the Great Egret has a yellow bill while the Little Egret has a black bill. It was fun!”

– Samuel Ng, 7 years old

Beginners’ Waders

WorkshopBy Kenneth Kee

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This year’s raptor watch held on 7 November 2010 had a large turnout of 55 counters compared to

last year’s 47 raptor watchers. Unfortunately, most raptors did not show. There was a heavy squall the night before and the skies were mainly overcast for most of the day. Visibility was good with light winds and temperatures at low 30s (degree Celsius). Many of the raptors were seen perched with their wings spread out to dry. This may have accounted for the low count this year.

Nevertheless, we ended up with a creditable total of 253 raptors seen between 9 am and 4 pm at 7 sites. Of these, 167 were migrants (winter visitor / passage migrant), 85 were residents and one was a non-breeding visitor. There were only six migrant species seen, with the Oriental Honey Buzzard leading the count at 74 birds (33 birds at the Japanese Gardens alone). This was followed by 28 Black Bazas, 20 Japanese Sparrowhawks, eight Eastern Marsh Harriers (all recorded at Tanah Merah), 7 Chinese Goshawks and 2 Grey-faced Buzzards (Kent Ridge). A lone Osprey was spotted at Seletar West. We had 25 unidentified raptors including a possible Booted Eagle and an Aquila Eagle, as well as three Accipiters. The peak timings for raptor observation were between 10 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 3 pm. Observed direction of raptor flight was mostly south to south-east.

Four resident species were counted with the Brahminy Kite coming in tops at 50 birds. It gathered a high count of 17 birds at the Japanese Gardens followed by 11 birds at Tuas. The White-bellied Sea-eagle came in second place with 19 birds counted, followed by the Black-winged Kite (nine birds at Poyan and Tuas only) and the Changeable Hawk-eagle (seven birds).

John Spencer and his team had the highest count of 73 raptors at the Japanese Gardens, followed by Horst Flotow’s team at Kent Ridge Park with a total of 61 birds. The rest of the sites all had low counts ranging from 14 raptors recorded in Poyan to 29 birds at both Tuas and Tanah Merah. We were expecting large flocks at the last two sites after Pete Jones’s report of 180 Black Bazas earlier in the week. But Tuas yielded only six Oriental Honey Buzzards

while Tanah Merah had eight Marsh Harriers a n d t wo J a p a n e s e Sparrowhawks.

The day ended on a relaxed note with a sumptuous buffet dinner at Kim Chuah’s place. Alan Owyong gave a slide talk on the 6th International Raptor Conference and raptor trip to Mongolia, which he, Ding Li and Yue Yun attended. Kim Chuah tortured everyone with a raptor quiz with Gim Cheong winning a book prize for correctly identifying 39 out of the 51 raptors shown.

Many thanks to all who spent their Sunday getting sunburnt and sore eyes from recording raptors: John Spencer, Soe Tint, Pat Chan, Yuko Tokita, Cuifen Pui, Wing Chong, Lam Hon Pui, J K Quek, B Q Seow, Horst and Estella Flotow, Jeremy and Amanda Lewis, Mick Price, Danny Lau, Con Foley, Jimmy Lee, Tan Kok Hui, Alan OwYong, Terry and Jane Heppell, Lee Ee Ling, Pauline Lee, Jeanie Yeo, Yang Pah Liang, Ali Jaafar, Robert Casteels, Goh Yue Yun, Sunny Yeo, KC and Amy Tsang, Kenneth Kee, Yong Ding Li, Nandini and Aditya Bajekal, Tan Hang Chong, Aron Sebastian and friend, Tan Ju Lin, Arturo Baluyot, Lim Kim Chuah, Gerard Francis, Erik Mobrand and friend, Joey Chew, Chian Chye Hock, Tan Gim Cheong, Lioe Kim Swee, Linda Oei, Stanley Phang, Felix Wong, Doreen Ang, Alfred Chia and Lim Kim Keang. It was all worthwhile, with our results greatly contributing to the migratory study of raptors in Asia. Our report will be sent to ARRCN’s Asian Raptor Migration Survey.

3rd Raptor Watch 2010 By Alan OwYong and Kenneth Kee

13


The climate change negotiations (COP-16) have concluded with the Cancún Agreement. After two

weeks of intense discussion, countries have reached a compromise, and set the world’s efforts back on track for COP-17 next year in Durban, where there is renewed optimism that a globally binding agreement on long term actions to address climate change could be made. The last few hours in Cancún displayed a spirit of constructive compromise, with nearly all parties remarking that although the Cancún Agreement is not perfect, it contains elements they like. It seems that the text has something for all. So what makes this package emerging from Cancún balanced? In BirdLife’s view there were three main advances.

Firstly, a deal to protect tropical forests was kicked off. The scope and goal of a new mechanism (REDD+), which will deliver financial incentives to developing countries to conserve and restore their forests, was agreed. “This is a significant step forward, to both reduce emissions and conserve tropical forests,” remarked John Lanchbery, Principle Climate Change Advisor at the RSPB, and co-chair of the Climate Action Network REDD Group. “Safeguards are included in the agreement to ensure that the biodiversity benefits of forests are fully recognised, and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities are protected.”

However, how these safeguards will be applied and respected, as well as many financial and methodological issues surrounding REDD, will need to be worked out in the coming months.

Secondly, advances were made to assist adaptation to climate change. The agreement affirms that adaptation must be addressed with the same priority as mitigation. A Cancún Adaptation Framework was established to enhance action in adaptation, including through international cooperation, which recognises the needs and contributions of nature. An Adaptation Committee with functions was also agreed. “Overall this a good outcome for adaptation. It has finally received the

attention it deserves within the climate change talks, with advances on several important components, although much detail needs to be worked out, and links with finance still need to be strengthened,” said Robert Munroe, Climate Change Officer at BirdLife International.

Thirdly, an important step was taken to start to address the finance required, with the establishment of the Green Climate Fund, which will support developing country actions on climate change mitigation and adaptation. But fundamentally, finance is still needed, and those funds pledged a year ago in Copenhagen must be realised.

Disappointingly little progress was made on setting legally binding emission reduction targets to curb global warming, and keep temperature rises to below 2 degrees. Procedural efforts were made to inscribe the pledges made in Copenhagen, although adequate, and it remains urgent that these are addressed next year. Countries must close the gigatonne gap between the emission reduction pledges on the table, and what the science demands. Overall the talks were undoubtedly aided by the strong leadership of Mexico, with parties applauding the transparent and inclusive way in which the negotiations were conducted, dispelling the discontent of Copenhagen last year.

Cancún Climate Talks End with Optimism Renewed

By Melanie Heath, Senior Advisor on Climate Change for BirdLife International

After two weeks of intense discussion at the Cancun Climate Talks which took place from 29 November to 10 December 2010, countries have reached a compromise. What were the main advances from a BirdLife perspective? We reproduce below a post that first appeared on 13 December 2010 at BirdLife International’s Community webpage at http://www.birdlife.org/community/.

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News of Dr Ivan Polunin's passing came to us via an architecture professor's Facebook posting

on the morning of 21 December 2010. By afternoon, groups in Singapore as diverse as nature, heritage and Taoism carried sad notice of his departure. The far-ranging ripples left by his demise demonstrate the extent of his interests, and the impact he has had in many varied fields.

As part of a cadre of young optimists who came to Singapore after World War II, Dr Polunin built his career in public health. He studied village health and diseases across the region, and trained a generation of young doctors. Along the way, he developed other interests including studying plants, animals, music and film. Plunging wholeheartedly into anything he did, he crawled through mangrove mud to photograph mudskippers; spent his entire pay packet on 16-mm film stock (very expensive in those days); and dedicated a whole floor of his home to collecting Southeast Asian ceramics. Never one to do things by halves, he became an expert in fireflies. He even assisted the BBC in filming these bright night lights and published his photos in the National Geographic.

His recordings of local music have made their way into the august archives of the Smithsonian; while his 16-mm film footage provides rare colour documentation of Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s.

Many old time NSS members would remember his open house days back in the 1990s. We would visit his garden with its stream flowing down the hillside and the Midnight Horror (Oroxylum indicum) in full bloom. I for one will miss those visits, as well as the languid afternoons spent listening to his stories.

"I was terribly sad to hear about Ivan. He was a former neighbour of mine and has been a wise old friend since the 1980s. I enjoyed his wonderful 88 year old birthday party. Yes, he actually had 88 candles on the cake! Bee Choo and I helped light them all...that is how I want to remember him," reminisced Morten Strange, editor of Nature Watch.

Announcements

May Fireflies Light His Way Ivan Polunin, 1920-2010

By Timothy Pwee

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Announcementsnature knowledge as we are all here to learn from each other. Just let your trip leader(s) know if you are new and he/they will gladly guide you. Some subgroups have email forums, their own websites or blogs, where there is frequent sharing of up-to-date sightings and postings. Check these out on the NSS website which collates the various subgroup links. Subgroups do not have clear boundaries as to who is or is not a subgroup member. Each arose when individuals with similar interests got together to propose to Exco to form a new subgroup. Subgroups have their own committees with chairpersons who represent them on the NSS Council.

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Contributions for Nature NewsPlease send in your contributions for the Mar/Apr 2011 issue by 1 February 2011. 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

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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

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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 HALEBirdlife International Coordinator

MR LIM KIM SENG

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