Walks for Nature Society (Singapore) by members of The Habitat Group
A Sunday morning at Sungei Buloh Nature Park
by N. Sivasothi, Alvin Wong & friends of the Habitat Group, from 1997, with NSSguides in 2002

1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001

Route in the park
Guiding the layman at the specific stations: Visitor Centre, Mangrove Boardwalk, Bridge over Sungei Buloh Besar, Main Hide & Sluice Gate, part of Route 1, Western Straits of Johor.

2001
02 SUNDAY: A Sunday morning walk at Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP) with N. Sivasothi, NSSguides & friends: 8.30am - 11.30am. Please register by sending an email to: nss@sivasothi.com

Meet us at the park at 8.30am. TIBS No. 925 from Kranji MRT will stop right outside SBNP. Catch the bus by 8am else you will be late. This trip is suitable for children. Be prepared for rain for the monsoon is on us!

During the briefing at 8.30am, you will be handed a map with a series of stations to visit. Each station is manned by a guide and by visiting all stations, you will have observed the more common  animals and plants, and learn a little about the ecology of mangroves. You will also be provided with a tricky quiz. If you keep your ears and eyes open, you will find out all the answers! All will be revealed at the end of the session at 11.30am

At the Visitor Centre we will introduce the park, the types of mangroves and the management system. At the new mangrove boardwalk, you will learn the more common species of trees and their uses and get a glimpse of zonation. Tree-climbing crabs and snails are common here.

Fish take centre stage at the bridge over Sungei Buloh Besar (e. g. Archer fish, Mullet, Halfbeak, Garfish, Green chromide), and it is a good place to figure out how mangroves are formed, with a view of Johor across the straits.  It will be the right time and tide to observe some of the migratory birds with the help of some scopes. Learn to recognise a few of the very common species with the help of some simple features, and to figure out what they are doing!

And throughout, we will keep an eye out for the park's larger denizens - the Water monitor lizards, the resident family of Smooth otters and the rare crocodiles!

2000
December 10 SUNDAY: A Sunday morning walk at Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP) with Sivasothi (email: sivasothi@email.com), Alvin Wong & friends. Meet us at Kranji MRT at 8am (or at the park at 8.30am). We will take TIBS No. 925 which stops right outside SBNP on Sundays. This trip is suitable for children. Be prepared for rain for the monsoon is on us! We'll take a stroll to observe animals and plants, and learn a little about the ecology of mangroves. Bring along your nature notebook (brand new notebooks are fine!) and pencil. You will learn how to maintain a nature notebook, and come to know five plants and animals really well - be prepared to make sketches, no matter how bad you think you are!

At the Visitor Centre we will introduce the park, the types of mangroves and the pond management system. Fish take centre stage at the bridge over Sungei Buloh Besar (e. g. Archer fish, Mullet, Halfbeak, Garfish, Green chromide). We will spin a few fishy tales and discuss how the mangrove was formed with Johor across the Straits in the background. Tree-climbing crabs and snails can be spotted at the river edges.

We will spend some time at one of the hides for it is the right time and tide to observe the different types of migratory birds with the help of some scopes. Learn to recognise a few of the very common species with the help of some simple features. During the walk along Route 1, we will identify the common plants and share our stories about their uses, while keeping an eye out for some of the park's larger denizens - the Water monitor lizards, the resident family of Smooth otters, and if we're really lucky, crocodiles!

1999
November 28 SUNDAY: A lazy Sunday afternoon walk at Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP) with N. Sivasothi (email: sivasothi@yahoo.com), Alvin Wong & friends. Meet at the SBNP Visitor Centre at 2pm - 6pm. This trip is suitable for children, but be prepared for rain - its the monsoon season! We'll take a stroll to identify and observe animals and learn about the plants.

We will begin at the bridge with the behaviour of the river fish (e. g. mudskippers, archers, mullets, halfbeaks, garfish, green chromide), spot the tree-climbing crabs, snails and resident birds. Later we'll retire to one of the hides for it is the right time and tide to observe migratory birds with the help of some scopes. During a walk along Route 1, we will identify the plants and share our stories about their uses.

Hopefully, on the way back, we will see the resident family of Long-tailed macaques and Smooth otters if we're really lucky. The trip will end by watching Water monitor lizards chase off rivals in no further than the freshwater pond right at the entrance of the Visitor Centre!

1998
27 December Sunday - Sunday afternoon nature walk at Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP) with N. Sivasothi, Alvin Wong and friends. Meet at the SBNP Visitor Centre at 3pm, rain or shine. Bus no 925 from Kranji MRT goes right to the park entrance. Suitable for beginners, and parents with kids.

We will take a slow walk around the park, starting with the hides around the ponds to look at the migratory waders which arrive in great numbers this time of the year. As the tide rises, we will head to the mangrove boardwalk and look for tree-climbing crabs, mudskippers, archer fish, monitor lizards.

You should be able to recognise at least five different species of plants, crabs/snails and birds by the end of the walk. Bring along a notebook and pen, a hat, water and a snack. Be prepared for rain!

1997
7 December SUNDAY: Relak-jack at Sungei Buloh Nature Park (SBNP) with Alvin Wong, N. Sivasothi & friends of The Habitat Group. Meet at the SBNP Visitor Centre (see Map 65-66) at 3pm. TIBS Bus No. 925 plys between Woodlands/Marsiling/Kranji MRT stations and the park entrance on Sundays.

After pleas for humane timings and more merciful treatment, we have shamefully relented. This time you can get up late and go home with dry feet! Do bring the family and friends for this lesiurely walk to the main hide, the bridge over Sungei Buloh Besar and the mangrove boardwalk.

We'll catch the waders at the height of the migratory season, provided they haven't lost their way in the haze. Plovers, redshanks and sandpipers will be packed together into the former prawn ponds by the rising tide.

The flooded forest is a picturesque sight, but some sesarmine crabs apparently feel safer out of water, and start climbing the trees. We'll try spotting the three different species. Listen out for the "plop" sound as they hurl themselves from the trees to avoid the menace of our approaching footsteps.

In the rising waters, we'll spot the cruising halfbeaks, garfish and roving archerfish. Flower crabs, instead of swimming in tomyam soup, are prowling amongst the trees and boardwalk legs for mudskippers and sesarmine crabs.