NSS Kids’ Fun with Community Gardening

By Gloria Seow, Vice Chairperson Education Committee

Photos by Gloria Seow & Lena Chow

The Moulmein-Goldhill Community Garden brims with the earth’s goodness.

Despite the looming school exams, a group of children and their parents turned up to admire the lush and beautiful Moulmein-Goldhill Community Garden on 29 September 2018. Led by Auntie Angel Ang who lives a literal stone’s throw away, we were brought on a tour of the substantial plot of community land brimming with the earth’s goodness.

Under the loving care of 30 odd volunteer gardeners, this award-winning garden was heaving with fruit trees such as Papaya, Banana, Breadfruit, Starfruit and Kedondong. Auntie Lena Chow then pointed out the strange and barely-visible Starfruit Plume Moth. There were rows of leafy pesticide-free vegetables growing under mesh to protect them from insects and the harsh tropical sun. Vegetable saplings are purchased from local farms and take about a month to mature. Auntie Angel rattled off the various greens growing such as Cai Xin and Xiao Bai Cai, which to the untrained eye were difficult to tell apart. One of these vegetables has a funny Hokkien name ‘Pa Bor Cai’ (translated as Beat Wife Vegetable). Auntie Angel then told the story of a husband attributing the reason of a stack of vegetables shrinking substantially when cooked to his wife having a lover, and consequently beating her up.

Auntie Angel telling us about the many facets of her award-winning community garden.

We also found many other edibles growing, from Lime and Lady’s Fingers to pretty Double Blue Pea flowers. The garden also has decorative ornamental plants, lattice work and rock garden features. Auntie Angel revealed that to win competitions, she and her gardeners outdo themselves every year by growing “difficult” plants such as Dry Padi (rice). The kids were pleased to spot the Four-lined Treefrog that lives in the pond area.

The tiny Starfruit Plume Moth on the leaf of the Starfruit.

Auntie Angel’s husband Uncle Milton Ang then took over to tell us the story behind the creation of the garden and nearby Malcolm Park (where great birds like the Crested Serpent Eagle can be found). Malcolm Park and the garden itself were once forested areas. Malcolm Park is one of the reasons why the Bukit Timah area no longer experiences major floods. Singapore’s Water Agency PUB built a huge storm drain through Malcolm Park to link the Bukit Timah canal with the Thomson canal, so that excess rainfall can be shunted in either direction. The patch that is now the community garden was cleared to facilitate the removal of a hornet’s nest in the forest behind. The residents proposed a community garden in its place.

Our stroll through Malcolm Park produced the charming Oriental Pied Hornbill.

Uncle Milton also related that during the infamous Mas Selamat escape from the nearby Whitley Road Detention Centre, the police swarmed the Malcolm Park and Goldhill neighbourhoods in door-to-door searches. We then strolled through Malcolm Park itself for a spot of birdwatching. The place is a known stake-out for long-lens photographers to shoot the resident Crested Serpent Eagle. Although we did not see the eagle, we were rewarded almost immediately with a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbills that flew in and landed at close range. We scoped the Asian Glossy Starling and Pink-necked Green Pigeon, and encountered many other birds including flocks of Red-breasted Parakeets and the Black-naped Oriole. The globally-threatened Straw-headed Bulbul serenaded us with its distinctive call. We even had fun harvesting fragrant Pandan leaves with pen knives. Auntie Lena Chow identified a couple of dragonflies that hung out at the stream.

 We ended with a delectable community feast prepared by Uncle Milton and Auntie Angel.

Back at the community garden, we trooped into the airy shelter where Uncle Milton and Auntie Angel had graciously prepared for us a feast of Putu Mayam (an Indian snack) and two kinds of Goreng Pisang (deep-fried banana) which we washed down with refreshing Lemon Grass drink. We thank them for being the perfect hosts.

NSS Kids’-ESN Fun with Birds & Butterflies

By Gloria Seow, Education Committee Vice Chairperson

The Society’s Every Singaporean a Naturalist (ESN) programme has been raising a new generation of naturalists in selected schools around Singapore since its launch in mid-2018, following a 10-week pilot phase from January to March 2018. Together with their teachers, participating students regularly monitor their school compounds for birds and butterflies. NSS Kids joined up with some of them at two walks on 14 and 21 July 2018. These were conducted at Tampines Eco Green and Singapore Botanic Gardens respectively. At both walks, ESN lead Sung Mei Yee introduced the programme and shared its mini guides to 35 birds and 28 butterfly species easily seen in Singapore. 

Grey Heron and Malayan Water Monitor co-existing in the same pond at Tampines Eco Green.

The first outing at Tampines Eco Green was led by Lee Ee Ling of the Bird Group as well as Amy Tsang, Simon Chan and Lena Chow of the Butterfly and Insect Group. At the pond, we were treated to a Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) patiently waiting for its fishy breakfast to show. Just metres away, a gargantuan Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) was scavenging cooked rice left by well-meaning but misguided folks who regularly feed the pond creatures. Auntie Lena pointed out a Hoverfly (Syrphidae spp) which resembles a bee with its yellow and black stripes. Auntie Ee Ling was in her element, finding and scoping birds for close-up looks. We saw the White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus), Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata), Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius) and Pink-necked Green Pigeon (Treron vernans) before the skies opened up, forcing us to take shelter at the non-smelly eco-toilets.

The rare Club Silverline at Tampines Eco Green.

After the brief downpour, we found a tree with three Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) nests at different stages of completion. Auntie Gloria explained that the male bird weaves a pendulum nest that is inspected by various females. If courtship is successful, he will complete the nest by building a narrow downward-facing tunnel that deters predators such as snakes from entering. Uncle Simon and Auntie Amy showed us several butterflies. Our star butterfly was the striking Club Silverline (Spindasis syama terana). Next, we observed a noisy parent-and-child pair of Red-breasted Parakeets (Psittacula alexandri) feeding and found another Grey Heron strangely perched high up in a tree. Our walk ended with Auntie Lena highlighting the Petai Jawa (Leucaena leucocephala) tree, which has flat green pods with seeds that taste like Petai (Parkia speciosa) or Stink Bean.

 Hairy moth caterpillars chomping voraciously on leaves.

The second session at the Singapore Botanic Gardens was led by Yap Wee Jin and Lee Ee Ling of the Bird Group as well as Amy Tsang, Simon Chan and Lena Chow of the Butterfly and Insect Group. Auntie Gloria found a number of Yellow Vein Lancer (Pyroneura latoia latoia) butterflies sipping from clusters of Leea rubra flowers. Uncle Wee Jin then spotted a handsome Pied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula bicolor) that had landed in a distant tree. Our stroll yielded many bird species including families of Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) complete with chicks, the ubiquitous Pink-necked Green Pigeon, the ‘scary’ Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis) with its red eyes and more. The NSS Kids looked up to their older counterparts, the Secondary 3 ESN students who had come, for guidance on bird and butterfly identification using the mini guides. Auntie Amy, Uncle Simon and Auntie Lena were excellent in showing us the St Andrew’s Cross Spider, a typical cricket with antennae longer than its body, and a bush covered in hairy moth caterpillars.

 

The Hill Myna is sometimes kept as a pet as it can mimic the human voice, much like a parrot.

The trip’s highlight was two Hill Mynas (Gracula religiosa) singing a tuneful duet and perching cooperatively on lower branches to give us awesome views. Auntie Gloria shared that this bird is kept as a pet as it can mimic the human voice, much like a parrot. Our last stop was the Healing Garden which features plants grown for their medicinal properties. This garden tends to attract a higher density of butterflies. Here, kids and their parents became excited over a Four-lined Treefrog (Polypedates leucomystax) up in a shrub. We had superb looks at the Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum) as well as the Rustic (Cupha erymanthis lotis) and Cycad Blue (Chilades pandava pandava) butterflies. As we exited the garden, a colony of Stingless Bees that had made its nest inside a thick metal gate bade us farewell.

NSS Kids’ Fun with Night Creatures at Bukit Batok Nature Park

Text & Photos by Gloria Seow, Education Committee Vice Chairperson

Thanks to some publicity from The Straits Times, our night jaunt at Bukit Batok Nature Park on 23 June 2018 was nearly twice oversubscribed. To manage the numbers, we split into two groups with Auntie Gloria, Auntie Lena and Uncle Timothy leading the first group, while Uncle Hang Chong and Auntie Cuifen shepherded the second.

Our first Colugo was seen licking the tree bark occasionally.

At twilight, this patch of woods comes alive with nocturnal animals emerging to forage. Accompanied by a cricket chorus, we trooped inwards from the car park whereupon we encountered insectivorous bats hunting along the forest corridor, as well as fruit bats feasting on figs and other ripe goodies. Just outside the main toilets, Auntie Gloria spotted the first enigmatic Sunda Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus) up a tree on a fairly low branch. This caused a flurry of excitement amongst parents and kids alike as it was a lifer for many. The Colugo stayed in one spot licking the tree bark occasionally, probably feeding on lichen. Uncle Hang Chong’s group came by later and enjoyed the sighting too. Between us, we found four Colugos that night. To some, our second Colugo looked like a giant brown leaf from afar, given that it was hanging under a large branch at least five stories above us. Examining our photos later, we realised that there was in fact a baby ensconced within its mama’s patagium – the loose flap of skin connecting the four limbs and tail that aids the Colugo in ‘flying’ from tree to tree. Our third Colugo was spooked by our torches and provided some action as it scaled a bare trunk in mere seconds. The fourth Colugo was spotted by Uncle Hang Chong inside the forest about 10 m from the concrete path.

A well-camouflaged Asian Swamp Eel.

At a shallow stream near the quarry, Uncle Hang Chong found an Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus javanensis) which vanished by the time our group came by. Luckily, Auntie Gloria noticed another eel just a couple of metres away, partially hidden under a sunken leaf. This eel was less shy, providing us full views of its narrow head, tiny eyes and sinuous snake-like body. It then wedged itself between a rock and the muddy substrate, hoping that its dull coloration would serve to camouflage it. We took some photos and left it in peace.

We then threaded our way to the other side of the park, seeking out the streams there. As we stood over a small bridge, we found a number of Whitespots (Aplocheilus panchax) floating placidly. This is a small silvery fish that resembles the guppy, making it a popular aquarium pet. It can be identified by a prominent white spot at the top of its head and a dark spot on its dorsal fin. As the only killifish native to Singapore, it grows up to 6 cm long. Auntie Lena said that it is also called the ‘mosquito fish’ as it feeds on mosquito larvae. Our patience paid off as Auntie Gloria found another target species lurking in the same waters – the Common Walking Catfish (Clarias batrachus). Two of these nervous fast-moving catfishes were highly sensitive to our torches. Each time we trained our lights on it, they would duck behind something or burrow into the soft mud. When we focused our beams elsewhere, they would reveal themselves. In the semi-darkness, we could just make out their reddish-brown heads contrasting with their grey bodies. Who could mistake those ‘whiskers’ (ie. barbels) that give the fish its name?

Satisfied, we moved further upstream where Auntie Gloria again located what we sought – the Lowland Freshwater Crab (Parathelphusa maculata) – one of four freshwater crab species native to Singapore. This crab can be found in other parts of Southeast Asia whereas the other three freshwater brethren are endemic. Thankfully, our pair of crabs did not mind being in the spotlight, continuing to feed unperturbed. While observing them, a sharp-eyed participant noticed a large Common Walking Catfish that had been lying motionless near the crabs the entire time, somewhat covered in mud.

The Lowland Freshwater Crab is one of four freshwater crab species native to Singapore.

While wishing for some frogs to complete our trip list, we suddenly came across two species sitting within metres of each other on a grassy patch. Our Crab-eating Frog (Fejervarya cancrivora) appeared to have a cataract in one eye, while our Asian Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) became over-friendly, hopping up a participant’s shoe in its enthusiasm. Uncle Hang Chong’s group reported seeing a snake moult high up on the underside of the roof of an outdoor pavilion. Apparently, these pavilions are favourite spots for snakes to shed their old skin as they provide something to rub against.

What a bounty of sightings in just two hours!

An over-friendly Asian Toad.

NSS Kids’ Fun with Raptors at Kent Ridge Park

By Kate Lui, 8 years old

 Auntie Ee Ling telling us about resident and migratory raptors.

“Eagle!” I exclaimed as I spied a large bird soaring overhead. I ran over to tell our nature guide Auntie Ee Ling. Mum and I were at Kent Ridge Park on 17 March 2018 for a raptor and bird watching tour. Auntie Ee Ling in turn excitedly gathered everyone and revealed that my bird was a Brahminy Kite and not an eagle. She explained that both kites and eagles were birds of prey, also called raptors. The kite was circling low in the sky as it was still relatively cool at 9.30 am. As the morning progresses, the earth heats up causing columns of rising hot air called thermals to form. Auntie Ee Ling said that raptors hold out their broad wings to ride the thermals, which carry them higher and higher into the sky. In this way, they conserve energy by not having to constantly flap their wings. She thanked me for alerting her and I beamed with pride for spotting the first raptor of the walk.

Just moments before, we had been observing a Collared Kingfisher perched on a branch through a powerful scope. As we walked on, beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. But I was learning so many interesting facts about birds and wildlife that I did not complain at all. The second raptor we encountered was a fly-by Crested Honey Buzzard, a commonly seen migrant at the raptor hot spot of Kent Ridge Park. Ridges and hills deflect the wind upwards, providing another uplifting effect that help raptors gain a bird’s-eye view to effectively find their next hunt.

The White-crested Laughingthrush makes a sound like someone laughing.

That morning, we spotted many other birds including the Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Black-naped Oriole, Red Whiskered Bulbul, Asian Glossy Starling, and the White-crested Laughingthrush. Peering at these birds through the scope, I felt that the Asian Glossy Starling looked the scariest with menacing black feathers and a pair of blood red eyes. In contrast, the Pink-necked Green Pigeon was the most colourful with an attractive pink neck, orange breast and green-yellow body. My favourite sighting was the White-crested Laughingthrush as it makes a sound like someone laughing. Besides birds, we also found a Changeable Lizard with an orangey appearance, Plantain Squirrels and several butterfly species.

I had such a wonderful time that day. It was an enriching experience especially when I managed to locate the birds we saw in my handy “Birds of Singapore” guidebook. This nature trip was the highlight of my March holidays and I hope to go on another soon.

NSS Kids’ Fun with Nature at Sungei Buloh

By Gloria Seow, Education Committee Vice Chairperson

Photos by Gloria Seow & Timothy Pwee

Sungei Buloh has become a place to see more than just birds. In our morning jaunt on 28 January 2018 led by 15-year old Raghav Narayanswamy, many of the wetland’s denizens and stopover migrants presented themselves in quick succession.

 Raghav pointing out the traditional spread of migratory waders on the mudflats.

At the Main Bridge, the white plumage of Little and Intermediate Egrets (Egretta garzetta and Ardea intermedia) stood out even from afar. They clustered in small mixed flocks in distant mangrove trees. A solitary White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) foraged noiselessly along the water edge. Then a parent spotted what had been lying in plain sight all along – a baby Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) sunning itself on a rock. Kids were mightily roused, taking turns to gawk at the half-metre long juvenile through the scope. More significantly, this sighting likely indicates that the crocodiles of Sungei Buloh are breeding, a good sign surely.

Next up, we visited the Main Hide. Here, we enjoyed the traditional spread of migratory waders present in good numbers on the mudflats. Raghav pointed out the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) and Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). We heard the familiar calls of the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) and Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus). We even had two Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) parading up and down the nearest bund, perhaps hunting for crabs that make up part of their diet. Right on cue, Auntie Gloria spotted a couple of Tree-Climbing Crabs (Episesarma spp) clinging onto the mangrove trees next to the Main Hide.

Our sighting of a half-metre long juvenile crocodile likely indicates that these reptiles are breeding in Sungei Buloh.

All the crocodiles in Sungei Buloh are Saltwater Crocodiles, the largest species in the world.

Our attention turned to the Saltwater Crocodiles once again. One was found submerged in the brackish water about five metres from us, with only its eyes and nostrils showing. Another displayed itself in full glory – a sub-adult with powerful-looking jaws and tail – parked on an elevated bank about 25 metres from the sluice gate nearest the Main Hide. Three crocodiles all located within a 50-metre radius was indeed more than we could ask for.

 A confiding and pretty Common Emerald Dove.

We then proceeded in the direction of the wooden platform overlooking the Johor Straits. Kids were great at finding for themselves the highly-visible Golden Orb-web Spider (Nephila pilipes) and Kerengga Ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) swarming and devouring a dead beetle. Along the way, Auntie Gloria detected some motion along the water edge which turned out to be a most charming and confiding Common Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica). This bird is rather uncommon as it inhabits both mangrove and forest habitats. Typically, most birds are either found in the forest or mangrove but hardly in both. We followed this pretty ground dove as it foraged briskly amongst the aerial roots, moving parallel to our path.

At the platform, we added one of Singapore’s biggest birds – the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) – to our growing list. Distressingly, we also saw the rapid progress of the build-up of Danga Bay, a massive high-rise condominium on the Malaysian side of the Johor Straits. There were also a number of floating fish farms in this stretch of sea.

 Our star find was a Shore Pit Viper.

Then one parent reported that she had found a Shore Pit Viper (Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus) some distance away. We were chuffed to relocate the pièce de résistance of our trip – a one-metre long black beauty coiled around a mangrove trunk in a classic viper ambush position – head faced downwards ready to strike any prey that comes by. Before we said our goodbyes, Uncle Timothy and Auntie Lena showed us Sungei Buloh’s friendly Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) colony. We were pleased to count 47 individuals. Many of these bats could be seen nursing grown babies warmly wrapped within each mama’s wings.