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
Fauna and flora
Familiarity with the most common organisms - five
species each of plants, insects, other invertebrates, crabs,
molluscs, fish and birds.
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.
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