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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
May-Jun 2012
MICA (P) 181/07/2011 ISSN: 2010-4308
Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research May 1258th Annual General
Meeting May 19Butterfly Walk at the Green Corridor May 19Festival
of Biodiversity May 26 & 27 Birdwatching along the Railway
Corridor (Part 1) Jun 2 NSS Kids’ Fun at Tampines Eco-Green Jun
3Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Jun 9Birdwatching at Pulau
Ubin Jun 10 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Jun 17 Green Corridor
Ramble Jun 23 Butterfly Walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park Jun
24Birdwatching at Lorong Halus Jul 1 Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes
Jul 7 13th Mid-Year Bird Census Jul 7 & 8Talk on Asian Raptors
at the 7th ARRCN Symposium Jul 28
Activities 2Birdlife International 14th Asia Partnership Meeting
5
Birds of Singapore App for iPhone and iPad 6
58th Annual General Meeting – 2nd Notice & Agenda 7
Two New Mammal Records for Bukit Brown 7
NSS Celebrates World Water Day 8
My F i r s t Horseshoe Crab Survey 9
Report on the 27th Annual Bird Census 10
Parrot Count 2012 12NSS Kids' Fun at the Butterfly Trail @
Orchard 13
Small Grants for Bird Conservation Research 2012 14
Announcements 14
NSS Directory 15
All Purpose Form 16
2N/1D Annual Camp at St John’s Island Jun 9 to 10 5N/4D Taman
Negara Adventure Jun 8 to 12 Genting Highlands Bird Race Jun 16 to
17 Fraser’s Hill Bird Race Jun 23 to 24
Birds of Singapore
App for iPhone and iPad
Pg 6
LOCAL & OVERSEAS TRIPS LED BY NSS MEMBERS
NSS Kids’ Guide
58th AGM on 19 May 2012
- Join Us! Pg 7
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Saturday 2
Birdwatching along the Railway Corridor (Part 1) Meet Dr Ho Hua
Chew at 7.45 am at the Bukit Timah Railway Station. We will sample
the birdlife of Clementi Forest that abuts the railway at this
stretch, which is now open to the public. Several endangered and
interesting bird species have been spotted here, making the area
valuable for conserving our forest-associated species. These birds
include the Asian Drongo Cuckoo, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Changeable
Hawk Eagle, Red-legged Crake, Straw-headed Bulbul and Malayan Night
Heron. Parking is available at the basement car park (Macdonalds)
or roadside of King Albert Park. For
members only.
Sunday 3
NSS Kids’ Fun at Tampines Eco-GreenFor this school holidays,
traipse across the open green grasslands and poke around the ponds
of Tampines Eco-Green. It is filled with birds, butterflies and
dragonflies. Learn how its habitats have a place in the great web
of life. We may spot the Asian Golden Weaver, a beautiful escapee
caged bird that is nesting in the park’s Acacia trees. What's wrong
with these foreign plants and animals? Why are we worried about
them? Listen to their stories and find out. Time: 8.30 am to 11
Saturday 12Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Please register
with Goh Ter Yang [email protected] or at the NSS website, 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 am. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the
first bus stop as the bus turns from Kranji Road into 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. Open to the public.Saturday
19
58th Annual General Meeting NSS warmly welcomes all members to
our AGM at 3 pm, held at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre on
Dairy Farm Road. Refreshment will be provided both before and after
the meeting. Please refer to the notice on Page 7 for details. For
members only.Saturday 19
Butterfly Walk at the Green Corridor Meet Anuj Jain (HP:
81391564) outside McDonalds at the intersection of Bukit Timah Road
and King Albert Park. This walk passes through the former Bukit
Timah Railway Station and ends at Old Holland Road. Anuj will lead
us on a journey following the old railway track, taking us through
areas with plenty of Pansy, Emigrant and Bush Brown butterflies.
Expect to see a good mix of forest and open field species. This is
also Common
Birdwing habitat. Bring along your binoculars, a cap and lots of
sunblock. Time: 9:30 am to 12 pm. For members only.Weekend 26 &
27 Festival of BiodiversityNSS is participating in the Festival of
Biodiversity organised by NParks in collaboration with the
Biodiversity Roundtable. This is a platform for the nature
community to showcase its efforts and to allow like-minded people
to meet each other. President Tony Tan will be the Guest of Honour
at the opening ceremony. The festival takes place at the Singapore
Botanic Gardens, Botany Centre from 9 am to 6 pm. Open to the
public. Some of its highlights include:
Official launch of the Bird and Butterfly iPhone • Apps on 26
May at 4.30 pm Mini Symposium Part I on “Conserving Our •
Biodiversity”Mini Symposium Part II on “Ecosystems • Services and
Biodiversity Conservation” o Happening on 27 May from 9 am to 12
noon
at the Botany Centre Function Hall. o Organised by BirdLife
International and NSS,
in conjunction with NParks.o Foreign and local experts will
present the
methodology and application of BirdLife’s work on ecosystem
services including work at important bird areas in Nepal;
Singapore’s perspective of ecosystem services and the role of urban
ecosystems; as well as natural capital and the economics of
ecosystems and biodiversity.
Winning photos in the “City in a Garden • Photography
Competition: BiodiverCity theme”Exhibitions by organisations
including NSS and • various marine groupsGuided walks, talks, as
well as art and craft • workshops
Visit http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/ for
the latest updates. Open to the public.
Activities May
Activities June
Saturday 12
Saturday 2Sunday 3
Saturday 19
Weekend 26 & 27
Saturday 19
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
am. Please register your children (4 to 12 years old) with
Gloria Seow 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. Open
to the public.
Saturday 9
Horseshoe Crab Rescue & ResearchPlease register with Goh Ter
Yang [email protected] or at the NSS website, 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 8 am. Take bus
925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the first bus stop as the
bus turns from Kranji Road into 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. Open to the public.
Sunday 10
Birdwatching at Pulau Ubin Meet Willie Foo at Changi Jetty at
7.30 am. We will take a bumboat to Pulau Ubin, an island that never
fails to surprise. We will explore the rural areas of Ubin to look
for island specialties such as the Red Junglefowl, Oriental Pied
Hornbill and the globally-endangered Straw-headed Bulbul. NSS Kids
who are attending the walk with their parents will have a dedicated
kids guide. For members only.
Sunday 17
Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes Meet Lee Ee Ling
([email protected]) at 7.45 am at Kranji Dam Carpark B near the
tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir, off Kranji Way. Reachable by Bus
925 from Kranji MRT Station. From the meeting point, 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 and is currently adopted by NSS under PUB’s
ABC Waters Programme. Birding highlights include the Red-wattled
Lapwing, Purple Swamphen, Rusty-breasted Cuckoo, White-browed
Crake, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle and more.
Please register by 8 June on our website. A registration form will
then be emailed to you. Max: 20 pax. Open to the public but
children below 12 years of age are not allowed for safety
reasons.
Saturday 23
Green Corridor RambleBegin the morning with The Nature Ramblers
by exploring the iconic cast iron rail bridge located along Upper
Bukit Timah Road. We hope to see interesting flora and fauna as we
ramble along the Green Corridor. Come prepared with adequate sun
protection and water. Meet Benjamin Ho at 7.30 am at the Rail
Mall’s Coffee Bean outlet. The trip will take around three hours
and will end at Kranji MRT Station. For members only.
Sunday 24
Butterfly Walk at Upper Seletar Reservoir Park Meet Simon Chan
at 9:30 am for an unforgettable walk. Rare species like the Plane,
Aberrant Oakble, Dark Blue Jungle Glory have been spotted here
before. In fact an extinct species now, the Red Base Jezebel was
last seen here in the 1990s. Please remember to bring along your
NSS Butterfly Field Guide and enough water to last for three hours.
For members only.
Sunday 24Sunday 10
Saturday 23
Sunday 17
Saturday 9
NSS Kids’ Guide
Activities JulySunday 1
Birdwatching at Lorong Halus This walk is being held in
conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week.Meet Wong
Chung Cheong ([email protected]) at 7.30 am besides Popeye
Restaurant at Tebing Lane off Punggol East. You can take the MRT to
Punggol station and transfer to the LRT. Alight at Riviera LRT
station and walk towards
the meeting point. This walk will start at Punggol Promenade.
For years, Little Grebes have made their home at Lorong Halus, an
old rubbish dump site. Grassland species like the Yellow-bellied
Prinia, Baya Weaver, Long-tailed Shrike, munias and more thrive
here. In 2011, PUB completed works to create the Lorong Halus
Wetland to help purify water that flows through the dump site. Join
us for an enjoyable morning of sights and sounds
Sunday 1
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
presented by these birds. Please register by 22 June on our
website. Max: 30 pax. Open to the public.
Saturday 7
Birdwatching at Kranji Marshes This walk is being held in
conjunction with Singapore International Water Week.Meet Gerard
([email protected]) at 7.45am at Kranji Dam Carpark B near
the tidal gates of Kranji Reservoir, off Kranji Way. Reachable by
Bus 925 from Kranji MRT Station. From the meeting point, 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 and is currently adopted by NSS under 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. Please register by 29 June on our website. A registration
form will then be emailed to you. Max: 20 pax. Open to the public
but children below 12 years of age are not allowed for safety
reasons.
Weekend 7 & 8
13th Mid-Year Bird CensusThis is the time of the year when our
resident birds are completing their breeding cycle and some of our
early migrants are just arriving. The census is designed to monitor
these two groups of
birds. Happily, we are now into our second decade of the census.
Unlike other counts which conclude in just one day, this census
extends over two days to allow birdwatchers to cover their
backyards, neighbourhood parks and home patches. Change is the only
constant in Singapore. Its effects on our rapidly-diminishing bird
habitats are causes for concern. Such censuses provide hard data to
substantiate our conservation proposals. We would like to invite
all birdwatchers, especially newcomers, to join in. There is no
need to worry about being unable to identify birds as there are
experts at each site. Time: 7.30 am to 10.30 am. Please let us know
your availability on Saturday, Sunday or both days. Kindly email
Wing Chong ([email protected]) to register before 25 June. Open
to the public.
Saturday 28
Talk on Asian Raptors at the 7th ARRCN Symposium The 7th Asian
Raptor Research & Conservation Network (ARRCN) symposium was
held in South Korea earlier this year. Raptor researchers across
Asia came together to share their latest research on Asian raptors.
Delegates were treated to a display of traditional Korean falconry.
The symposium culminated in a field trip to see the Cinereous
Vultures that winter in Korea, a recent phenomenon. Join Tan Gim
Cheong as he shares his insights and experiences at this biennial
event. Venue: NSS Office (The Sunflower), 4 pm. Open to the
public.
5 N / 4 D T a m a n N e g a r a A d v e n t u r e
Join Raja as he takes us on an adrenaline-filled tour of
Malaysia’s premier eco-destination Taman Negara. Please apply on
the All Purpose Form, one per person. Enclose your cheque for the
full amount made out to Nature Society
(Singapore). Kindly mail the cheque and form to S Rajamanickam
at 61 Chestnut Crescent, Singapore 679412. For enquiries, email
[email protected]. Open to the public.
Day 1 Board night coach at 10 pm.Day 2 Arrive at Tembeling Jetty
and leave for
Taman Negara by boat. Check-in at Rain Forest Resort. Enjoy a
swim, night walk and video show.
Day 3 Climb Bukit Teresek, go on a Canopy Walk and explore Bat
Cave.
Day 4 Swim at Lata Berkoh Cascade, take a boat ride to Trenggan
for rapids shooting, and enjoy a forest walk to High Hide.
Day 5 Check-out and take boat ride to Tembeling. Coach ride
back, arriving in Singapore at 7pm.
Dates: 8 to 12 June 2012 Cost: $420 per pax including two way
coach transport, accommodation in chalets with two to a room and
three dinners.
Minimum: 20 pax for coach charterClosing Date: 15 May 2012
Saturday 28
Saturday 7
Weekend 7 & 8
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Accommodation Genting – Awana Highlands Resort at RM250 nett for
• twin double beds (3/4 pax) with breakfast.Fraser’s Hill – Shahzan
Inn at RM55 per pax (triple • sharing) with breakfastFraser’s Hill
– Pine Resort 3-bedroom apartment at • RM238 nett for up to 6 pax
with breakfast
Transportation & Itinerary Genting Highlands – Participants
will have to make their • own travel arrangements. FHDC will
provide a van to transport racers from Awana Resort to the start of
the race location and back.Fraser’s Hill – FHDC will arrange a free
bus (to be • confirmed) to take racers to and from Singapore to
Fraser’s Hill. At Fraser’s Hill, they will arrange with the locals
to rent out their private cars to racers at nominal rates. The Bird
Group would like to organise a group to support the Fraser’s Hill
Race. We will have a few experienced birders to guide those who
wish to experience montane birding at one of Malaysia’s premier
birding sites. Bus leaves Singapore on 21 June (Thursday night).
We will have a birding session on Friday to familiarise ourselves
with the trails and hot spots. We return to Singapore on Sunday
afternoon after the closing ceremony, arriving at around
midnight.
For more information please visit www.pkbf.org.my and
www.awana.com.my Please confirm your participation on the website.
Those who wish to go to Gentings Highlands or both races should
contact Lee Ee Ling [email protected] by 2 June 2012. Our travel
arrangements will depend on the number of birders taking part.
This annual fun camp is jointly organised by Singapore
Adventurers' Club (SAC) and NSS. It is your chance to meet up with
old friends and make new ones. SAC’s top outdoor cooks will provide
a sumptuous BBQ dinner on Saturday, as well as brunch on Sunday.
NSS will conduct educational nature and tidal walks around St
John’s and Lazarus’ islands. There will also be slide shows and a
sing along session. Please bring enough food for meals not
provided, enough drinking water, insect repellent to ward off
mosquitoes and sand flies, sunblock, hat, booties, swimwear and
rainwear. Crockery is provided, but the camp’s operator will charge
for any loss or damage. You can also come with your own tent,
frisbee, beach ball, musical instrument or bicycle. Steel dorm beds
are available for those without tents. Please catch the ferry to St
John’s Island yourself. Ferries depart from Marina South Pier. To
get there, take the MRT to Marina Bay Station, coming out at Exit
A. Then take Bus 402 to the pier.
Ferry departure times on 9 June from Marina South Pier:
9 am, 12 am, and 3 pm. T h e r i d e t a k e s about 30 minutes.
F e r r y d e p a r t u r e times on 10 June from St John’s Island:
9:50 am, 11:50 am, 1:50 pm, 3:50 pm and 5:50 pm. The ride takes
about 45 minutes.
To register, kindly complete the All Purpose Form. On the form,
please indicate your choice of dorm bed, if you are bringing your
own tent, your ferry departure times, as well as your choice of
halal or vegetarian food, if applicable. Send the completed form to
the NSS office together with a cheque make payable to "Nature
Society (Singapore)". Open to the public.
Date: 9 to 10 June 2012 Closing Date: 2 June 2012
Cost: $35 per adult for NSS members and their families $45 per
adult for non-members $30 per child below age 12
(members and non-members) Cost excludes ferry fares of $15
per
adult and $12 per child
Two Malaysian Bird Races @ Fraser’s Hill & Genting
Highlands
Annual Camp at St John’s Island
Genting Highlands Bird Race: 16 to 17 June 2012
Fraser’s Hill Bird Race: 23 to 24 June 2012 In celebration of
the 25th Fraser’s Hill Bird Race, the Fraser’s Hill Development
Corporation (FHDC) will expand this year’s race to also include one
in Genting
Highlands. You can choose to join one or both races. Both will
have Advanced and Novice
categories. Entry fees are RM100 for one race and RM150 for
both
races.
Birdlife International 14th Asia Partnership MeetingBy Agnes Sng
and Margie Hall
As local partner of BirdLife International, NSS will be hosting
its 14th Asia Partnership Meeting in Singapore from 26 May to 1
June 2012. Delegates will come from Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong
Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The Partnership Meeting will comprise a number of main and side
events before the Plenary Session on 31 May and 1 June. An Asia
Council Meeting will take place on Sunday afternoon, 27 May. A
two-day Regional Training Workshop on Ecosystem Services and
Biodiversity Conservation will run on 28 and
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Between 2007 to 2011, the Bird Group Records Committee added 11
species to the 2007 Birds of Singapore Checklist, bringing the
total to 375 species. Given the increase, the Bird Group felt that
it was time to publish an updated guide to promote local
birdwatching. With the advent of smart phones, we decided to
produce an electronic guide instead of a handbook. The obvious
advantage is its portability and ease of use. Bird guide apps are
common in the US, UK and Europe. But for Asia, the “Birds of
Singapore” app for iPhone and iPad is a first for the region. We
hope that it will spawn other Asian bird guide apps.
This app has taken one full year to develop. It will be
officially launched on 26 May 2012 at NParks’ Biodiversity
Festival. The app was soft launched to the birding community on 9
April 2012. To download the free application, search for ‘NSS’ in
the Apple store.
The app contains 554 “best of the crop” photos contr ibuted by
25 loca l and overseas b ird photographers. These images feature
all 375 bird species in Singapore. Many of these species have
photos showing both sexes, and even juvenile plumages. For raptors,
flight shots displaying the undersides are included. All
photographs were selected for their distinctive features to help in
identification. The best part of an app is its ability to have
sound recordings. This has allowed us to include about 100 calls of
selected species to complete the package.
Search functions are easy to use with four gallery views. The
default view has thumbnails of family indexes in taxa order.
Thumbnails of all species in taxa order can be viewed side by side
(gallery) or in descending order (list). Finally there is a
checklist view that supports alphabetical searches. Filters can be
used to narrow down your search, focusing on groups like
“shorebirds and raptors” or “residents and visitors”. There is also
a search function for birds found in different habitat types such
as forests or grasslands. The app also reveals species’ status in
terms of rarity. All in, these search functions will enable you to
find and identify birds with ease. A bonus feature is the listing
software. It lets you record all your sightings. Aside from
tracking your life list, you can even customise lists for surveys,
as
well as lists by days or locations.
As this is our first attempt in creating a bird guide app, there
may be functions that we had overlooked, as well as omissions or
mistakes. We hope that you will bear with us and do your part by
suggesting improvements for future editions, and for the Android
version which we intend to launch later this year.
This app is made possible with the support of NSS as well as
with contributions from many members and friends. In particular, we
thank Lim Kim Seng for penning the descriptions for all 375
species; Jimmy Chew, Lee Tiah Khee, Jonathan Cheah, Con Foley and
Chong Boon Leong for supplying the majority of bird photos; Sutari
Supari's “Bird Songs of Singapore (2003)” for giving us 80 calls,
with Yong Ding Li’s tapings making up the rest. Kudos to Alfred
Chia, Lim Kim Keang, Tan Kok Hui and Alan Owyong for their time
spent editing the photos. We deeply appreciate Gan Cheong Weei,
Chairperson of the Butterfly Interest Group (BIG), for defining the
app’s structure and working with our developers to produce its many
excellent features. BIG will officially launch its Butterfly Guide
app at the same time. Finally, we are grateful to the Infocomm
Development Authority of Singapore for its grant and to Carl Ze i s
s P t e L td for sponsoring t h e a p p ’ s development.
We hope tha t t h i s a p p w i l l help you better a p p r e c
i a t e the wonder fu l world of birds in Singapore. We also hope
that i t w i l l i n sp i re nature lovers of all ages, especially
t h e y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n t o p i c k u p b i r d w a
t c h i n g . Happy Birding!
Birds of Singapore App for iPhone and iPadBy Alan Owyong, Bird
Group Chairperson
29 May. This will be addressed by experts from BirdLife’s head
office in Cambridge UK, the University of Cambridge, as well as
Bird Conservation Nepal, with case studies from Nepal and Cambodia.
Some of these experts, together with various local speakers, will
participate in a Public Symposium on 27 May at NParks’ Festival of
Biodiversity (see Activities page).Mid-week, delegates will get to
visit some of Singapore's important biodiversity areas. NSS and
NParks will jointly host trips to Kranji Marshes, Sungei Buloh
Wetland Reserve and the Mandai Mudflats. To add to the activities,
BirdLife will officially
open its Singapore Office on the evening of 29 May. It is
located at Tanglin International Centre in Kay Siang Road, joining
the offices of other international conservation organisations
already in the area.Delegates will be staying at the YWCA Fort
Canning Lodge, a suitably green niche in our bustling city.
Meetings will take place at the conference rooms of Tanglin
International Centre. The Meeting will be supported by BirdLife
Asia staff and our NSS Secretariat, Exco and Council Members.
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
By Margie Hall, Honorary Secretary
By Margie Hall, Honorary Secretary
58th Annual General Meeting – 2nd Notice & Agenda
Two New Mammal Records for Bukit Brown
Nature Society (Singapore) warmly welcomes all members to our
58th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 19 May 2012, Saturday at 3 pm.
It will be held at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre located at
30 Dairy Farm Road. Agenda
Minutes of the 5711 th Annual General Meeting held on 21 May
2011 – Amendments & ApprovalPresident’s Report: To receive the
President’s 21 Report on behalf of NSS Executive Committee for NSS
Year 2011-2012Treasurer’s Report: To receive the Treasurer’s 31
Report, including presentation and adoption of the Audited Accounts
for Financial Year 1 January to 31 December 2011Election of the
2012-2013 Executive Committee 41 Members Election of the 2012-2013
Finance Advisory 51 Group MembersAppointment of an Auditor or
Auditors for 61 Financial Year 1 January to 31 December 2012Special
Interest Group and Committee Reports 71 for 2011-2012, in
alphabetical order Any Other Business81
Minutes of 57th Annual General Meeting Please remember to bring
along your own copy of the minutes of the last AGM from Nature News
July/August 2011. Do read them in advance. If you cannot find them,
kindly email Agnes Sng (agnes@
nss.org.sg) at the NSS Office for a copy. Quorum, Refreshment
& Transport Matters
Refreshment will be available shortly before 1 3 pm. Should
there not be a quorum at 3 pm, refreshment and networking can be
enjoyed until 3.30 pm. The quorum for the AGM is now 60 members
excluding the outgoing Executive Committee members. At 3.30 pm, we
can start the meeting with any number of members present. Please
come early if you can, allowing for extra travel time due to
ongoing construction works along Upper Bukit Timah Road. If you
cannot arrive by 3 pm, please come before 3.30 pm. Refreshment will
also be available at the end of the Meeting.Ample parking space is
available on the small 1 road immediately outside the Centre.Public
transport to the MOE Dairy Farm 1 Adventure Centre: Take TIBS 171
from Orchard Road or SBS 170 from Newton MRT station. Alight at the
bus stop after Rail Mall, outside Hillview Avenue and opposite the
Salvation Army building. Walk in the direction of the traffic
lights and cross over to Dairy Farm Road. Walk up Dairy Farm Road
and turn into the first small road on the right to reach the
Adventure Centre. Alternatively, you can cut across the car park at
the corner. There is a small path signposted for Singapore Quarry
which also leads to the Adventure Centre.
A pair of colugos (Cynocephalus variegates) was spotted in the
Bukit Brown vicinity on 30 March 2012 by David Green who snapped
this image. To add to this, a Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus),
also known as the Large Fruit Bat, was observed in flight by a
group of birders led by Wing Chong on 10 March 2012. The bat had an
approximate wingspan of 1 m. When fully grown, it can reach a
wingspan of between 1.5 m to 2 m, making it amongst the largest
bats in the world. These two new mammal records demonstrate the
importance of Bukit Brown as an extended habitat for forest
species.
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Th e United N a t i o n s h a d designated 2 2 M a r c h 2 0 1 2
a s W o r l d W a t e r D a y . I n conjunction w i t h Singapore’s
N a t i o n a l
Water Agency PUB, NSS organised a series of three events to
commemorate this meaningful day.
On 22 March itself, the Veggie Thursday team held a dinner at El
Toro Spanish restaurant located just next to the Butterfly Trail @
Orchard. Veggie Thursday is a campaign that NSS is endorsing. It
encourages people to eat less meat, by choosing vegetarian options
for at least one day a week. World Water Day’s water conservation
message complements this campaign. This is because meat
production
r e q u i r e s f a r more water than crop cultivation. So, by
reducing o u r m e a t c o n s u m p t i o n , w e c a n h e l p
conserve water.
T h e d i n n e r f e a t u r e d l i v e p e r f o r m a n c e
s b y B a n d a Morena , L inda
& Gin as well as an a cappella rendition by The Accidental
Singers. Guests helped themselves to a sumptuous buffet spread of
vegetarian Spanish cuisine. They also posed gamely with
PUB mascot Water Wally. There were talks and games to highlight
the link between eating less meat and water conservation.
On the morning of 24 March, NSS helped co-organise a carnival at
Lorong Halus Wetland called Wow Wow Wet @ Lorong Halus. With a team
of 10 enthusiastic volunteers including NSS President Dr Shawn Lum,
we fronted five games booths. We designed the games to showcase the
biodiversity found at Lorong Halus Wetland, the mangroves a long
Sunge i Serangoon and corresponding m a n g r o v e p r o d u c t s
, a s w e l l a s t h e w a t e r f o o t p r i n t i n v a r i o u
s f o o d i t e m s . I n a d d i t i o n , we a l so h ad a b o o
t h featuring NSS’ publications over the years.
The third event saw us conducting birdwatching trips to the
Kranji Marshes on 5 and 24 March. These sessions illustrated how
water quality i m p a c t s w i l d l i f e s u r v i v a l . The
Kran j i Marshes are d e s i g n a t e d as a Nature Park and is c
u r r e n t l y adopted by NSS unde r PUB ’s ABC W a t e r s
Programme.
N S S C e l e b r a t e s World Water DayBy Goh Ter Yang,
Outreach Officer
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9
NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Horseshoe C r a b ? This was an u n k n o w n creature to m e u
n t i l I d e c i d e d t o
take up the challenge of collecting its distribution data. This
took place on17 March 2012 at the NSS Islandwide Horseshoe Crab
Population & Density Survey. A bunch of volunteers led by Lisa
Lim met at the junction of Yishun Avenue 1 and Seletar West Link,
where there is a dam built across the mouth of the Seletar River to
create the Lower Seletar Reservoir. Apart from myself and Lisa, our
team comprised school teacher Madam Koh, as well as Simon and Jamie
with their 10-year old daughter Eliza. W e w e r e b lessed with
great weather as we changed into our trusty b o o t i e s . A t
11.40 am, we carefully made our way down s o m e s t e p s to the l
itter-covered mudflats. Barely a few seconds passed before we
spotted our first horseshoe crab, a dead one though. Just standing
in one spot, we could already count a few crabs within a two metre
radius. We got right down to work, combing every inch and recording
the size of the crabs we found. As
instructed by Lisa, we took measurements across each crab ’s
carapace. We had been divided into two teams to cover more ground.
Madam Koh and I were making our way across the mudflats when she
suddenly sank right into
the mud and became trapped. By the time Lisa came over, the mud
had already risen to her thighs. Slowly but steadily, Madam Koh had
to inch her way out on all four limbs, a truly muddy experience for
her. I learnt quite a bit about the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab that we
surveyed. Found throughout Southeast Asia, they are mainly
scavengers, but also feed on shellfish. Horseshoe crabs look quite
deadly with their long spiny tail, but the telson (tail) is not
used as a weapon as commonly believed. Instead, it serves to help
the crab right itself should it overturn. I also learnt how to tell
the male and female crabs apart. Males have bulbous fore legs while
those of the females are f l a t t e n e d . We located a total of
41 crabs, but sadly, a l l e x cep t one were dead. W e a l s o
interviewed some local f ishermen. T h i s w a s a highlight for
me, especial ly when I found out what these fisher folk do to the
crabs they accidentally catch in their nets. I was glad to know
that they mostly throw them back into the sea. However, some
confessed to eating the crabs “once in a blue moon”. We gently
urged them not to consume these creatures so as to save the
species. Aside from the mouth of the Seletar River, volunteers also
surveyed 8 other sites, namely Sarimbun, Lim Chu Kang, Mandai
Mudflats, Pasir Ris Park, Changi Beach, East Coast Park, West Coast
Park and Kranji Reservoir P a r k . I n a l l , t h e survey was a
n e y e -o p e n i n g and fruitful o n e f o r me.
My First Horseshoe Crab Survey
By Magdalene Cheong, Photos by Lisa Lim
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10
NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
By Lim Kim Seng
Report on the 27th Annual Bird Census
The Bird Group conducted its 27th Annual Bird Census (ABC) on 11
March 2012 in generally dry weather. Participation dropped from a
high of 76 birders in 2011 to 59 this year. The number of sites
covered has decreased as well, from 30 to 26 (Lim, in press). We
recorded 7,567 birds from 146 species. This is lower than the 9,073
birds from 156 species counted in 2011.
It is also below the average ABC diversity (150 species) and
abundance (8,844 birds) over the 22-year period between 1991 and
2012.Four sites were dropped this year due to a lack of observers:
Admiralty Park, Eng Neo Avenue, Lower Peirce Reservoir and Lower
Seletar Reservoir. Of the 26 sites counted, Ubin West held the
greatest bird diversity with 58 species, followed by Ubin Central
(55 species) and Serangoon (54 species). The least diverse sites
were Mount Faber (26 species), Sime Track (28 species), as well as
Kent Ridge Park and Sembawang Park (both with 29 species).
The top three populous sites were almost the same as last
year’s. In first place was the nationally important Sungei Mandai.
It had 1,083 birds, down from 1,393 birds in 2011. In second
position was the Botanic Gardens with 488 birds. Dropping to third
spot was Sungei Buloh Route 1 with 466 birds, down from 521 birds.
The least populous sites were Telok Blangah Hill Park (126 birds)
followed by Sime Track (128 birds) and Bukit Batok Nature Park (129
birds).
The White-vented Myna proved its dominance once again with a
total count of 1,003 birds, down from 1,243 birds in 2011. In
second spot was the Asian Glossy Starling with 554 birds, down from
1,004 birds. Third place went to the Pacific Golden Plover with 443
birds, up from 387 birds. This was followed by the Pink-necked
Green Pigeon (404 birds, down from 556 birds) and the Yellow-vented
Bulbul (403 birds, down from 489). The remaining birds in the top
ten spots went to the Whimbrel (249 birds), Black-
naped Oriole (238 birds), Grey Heron (195 birds), Spotted Dove
(177 birds) and Common Redshank (170 birds). The top ten species in
2012 accounted for 51% of the total count, while the top 20 species
comprised 67% of the total. In contrast, 11 species were
represented by single digit counts. The top 20 positions this year
were occupied by 16 residents and four
migrants as can be seen in Table 2.
O f t h e 1 4 6 s p e c i e s c o u n t e d , m i g r a n t s
comprised 25% (37 species). The remaining 108 species were
residents, and one species was a non-breeding visitor. Only nine
waders were recorded. This is perhaps symptomatic of the general
decline of both diversity and abundance of migratory water birds
over the last three decades. Ten raptors were counted, the most
abundant being the Brahminy Kite at 29 birds.
Of the 56 nat iona l ly - threatened b irds in Singapore, 22
species or 39% were recorded. The most abundant was the Grey Heron
with a count of 193 birds, a substantial increase of 60 birds,
taking 8th position overall. The only globally-threatened species
encountered was again the Straw-headed Bulbul with 65 birds (down
from 69 birds), coming in at 28th position. It was also the second
most numerous nationally-threatened species this year. Our third
most numerous nationally-threatened species was the Oriental Magpie
Robin at 41st place with 45 birds, an increase from 38 birds. This
was followed by the Lesser Whistling Duck (33 birds, all from the
Botanic Gardens) and Red Junglefowl (24 birds). Other Red Data Bird
highlights included a Glossy Swiftlet at Bukit Batok Nature Park
and a Mangrove Pitta at Ubin West.
As it often happens during a nation-wide census, some fantastic
rarities were seen. They included two Jerdon’s Bazas at Lorong
Halus, Javan Pond Heron at Sungei Mandai and Chinese Flycatcher at
Nee Soon. Other interesting birds spotted:
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Table 2: Top 20 Most Abundant Birds in ABC 2012NO. SPECIES
ABC2012 COUNT ABC2011 COUNT1 WHITE-VENTED MYNA 1003 1243 (1)2 ASIAN
GLOSSY STARLING 554 1004 (2)3 PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER* 443 387 (5)4
PINK-NECKED GREEN PIGEON 404 556 (3)5 YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL 403 489
(4)6 WHIMBREL* 249 373 (6)7 BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE 238 277 (8)8 GREY
HERON 195 133 (16)9 SPOTTED DOVE 177 172 (9)10 COMMON REDSHANK* 170
129 (18)11 COMMON IORA 161 151 (13)12 COLLARED KINGFISHER 147 164
(10)13 LITTLE EGRET* 138 149 (14)14 OLIVE-BACKED SUNBIRD 125 131
(17)15 PACIFIC SWALLOW 118 159 (11)16 COMMON PIGEON 117 158 (12)17
STRIPED TIT-BABBLER 112 108 (20)18 LONG-TAILED PARAKEET 99 95
(23)19 WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN 93 91 (24)20 COMMON TAILORBIRD 91 99
(21)
Parrot Count 2012
The first annual parrot count in Singapore was initiated by the
Bird Group on 15 January 2011. It was done in collaboration with
the International Ornithological Union (IOU) parrot study group. It
served to document parrot diversity in urban areas for both
introduced and native species. The first count took place at 11
sites, detecting over 500 individuals. A substantial proportion of
these recorded parrots comprised the non-native Red-breasted
Parakeet. An uncommon species 10 years ago, this parakeet has grown
in population size to become the most common psittacine in
Singapore.
It outnumbers the formerly-numerous resident Long-tailed
Parakeet at many urban and suburban sites. The first survey picked
up two resident parrots – the Long-tailed Parakeet and the
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot. The latter has also shown a marked
increase in abundance over the last decade. On 25 February 2012, 34
counters surveyed for parrots at 15 suburban and woodland sites
across Singapore from 5 pm to 7.15 pm. Overall, the weather was
cloudy to partially cloudy with no rain. Nine species were
recorded. This included the
By Yong Ding Li and Alan Owyong
the Red-legged Crake at Sembawang Park, Dark-sided Flycatcher at
Nee Soon and Eastern Crowned Warbler at Bishan Park.I would like to
thank all birders who led or assisted in ABC 2012: Ali Jaafar, Ann
Ang, John Ang, Samantha Ang, Azmi Mohamed, Alvan Buckley, Chan Kim
Cheng, MY Chan, Pat Chan, Angela Cheng, Alfred Chia, Chiam Chye
Hock, Serene Chng, Andrew Chow, Geoffrey Davison, Fang Sher Chyet,
Horst Flotow, Sue Flotow, Con Foley, Foong Hin Cheong, Margie Hall,
Jane Heppell, Terry Heppell, Ho Hua Chew, Ho Yong Tze, Kenneth Kee,
Susan Knight, Nessie Khoo, Maurice Kwan, Danny Lau, Lee Ee Ling,
Jimmy Lee, Pauline Lee, David Li, Lim Kai Qi, Lim, Kim Keang, Lim
Kim Seng, Low Wai Hoe, Ng Chay
Tuan, Randal Ong, Alan Owyong, Rehan Yusoff, Phang Seng Kai, See
Swee Leng, John Spencer, Mick Price, Tai Ping Ling, Tan Ju Lin, Tan
Kok Hui, Tan Soon Im, KP Teh, Wee Sau Cheng, Wing Chong, Wong Chung
Cheong, Yan Kie Jun, Yang Pah Liang, Margaret Yeo, Yong Yik Shih
and Yoon Hui Lian.
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 (in press). Report on the 26th Annual Bird Census. Singapore
Avifauna .
*indicates migrants; numbers in brackets indicate 2011
rankings.
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
native Long-tailed Parakeet and the Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot.
Of the seven non-native parrots observed, the Red-breasted Parakeet
was again the most abundant with 329 individuals. It accounted for
64.5% of the total . The Yellow-crested Cockatoo and Rose-ringed
Parakeet appeared to be relatively rare, with singles of both
species detected. A lone African Grey Parrot observed at Malcolm
Park was probably a recent escapee.
Discussion Compared to last year’s count, overall abundance
appeared to have declined marginally despite more sites being
covered. Some roosts with high counts last year showed much lower
numbers this year, with even no parrots observed. Clearly, parrots
can shift their roosts although the reasons for them doing so
remain unclear. Future surveys should help establish if roosts are
ephemeral or long term, as well as provide insights to the
environmental factors affecting the choice and abandonment of
roosts.The top three r o o s t s i t e s , especia l ly for n o
n - n a t i v e parrots were t h e B u o n a Vista MRT area, Changi
Vil lage and the Pars i Cemetery area i n Choa Chu Kang. All three
sites had many Red-breasted P a r a k e e t s . Changi held the
highest number
of Tanimbar Corellas. Notably the Brickland Road area, which
yielded high counts of Long-tailed
Parakeets last year had only 20 odd individuals this year. On
the other hand, even though the Springleaf site had less than 20
individuals during the evening census, upon resurveying the site
the next morning, 150 odd individuals were recorded. With the
increase in non-native parrots such as the Red-breasted Parakeet
and Tanimbar Corella, it is of special conservation interest to
monitor the changes to the abundance of the native and globally
near-threatened Long-tailed Parakeet. Although the Long-tailed
Parakeet remains the second most common psittacine here, it is
possible that competition with the Red-breasted Parakeet for
suitable nest holes has resulted in its decline. Notably, despite
more sites being covered this year, the Long-tailed Parakeet has
experienced a drop in numbers from 183 to 128 individuals.
Correspondingly, the Red-breasted Parakeet’s count has grown in
population.In any case, the parrot count data has proven useful in
providing comparisons of their relative abundance in Singapore. It
may also help gauge how native parrots are fairing against
non-native ones in a suburban setting. Further surveys should
target more sites to increase the comparative rigour of the data.
This will provide important information for urban conservation. We
thank the following for volunteering their time to survey parrots:
Ali Jaafar, Chiam Chye Hock, Chong Kwek Yan, Doreen Ang, Fance
Chua, Freda Rickword, Gordon Xiong, Jane Rogers, John Ang, Jimmy
Lee, John Yeo, Kenneth Kee, Lee Ee Ling, Lena Chow, Lim Kim Chuah,
Lim Kim Keang, Lim Kai Qi, Lioe Kim Swee, Nessie Khoo, Ng Kim Tee,
Ng Wen Qing, Ong Ruici, Pauline Lee, Peng Ah Huay, Rehan Yusoff,
Seow Ser Gian, Wen Yan, Wing Chong, Willy Foo, Wong Soh Leng, Xu
Banglun, Yang Pah Liang and Zhou Ming Fang.
Table 1: Parrot Abundance Across Count Sites
Site Red-
breasted Parakeet
Long-tailed
Parakeet
Rose-ringed
Parakeet
Blue-crowned Hanging-
Parrot
Tanimbar Corella
Yellow-crested
Cockatoo
Red Lory
Rainbow Lorikeet Total
Buona Vista MRT 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 120Parsi Cemetary 50 10 0 0 0
0 0 3 63King Albert Park 36 15 0 1 0 0 0 0 52Gymkhana Area 0 39 0 0
2 0 0 0 41Malcolm Park 0 13 0 3 6 1 0 0 23Hindhede Park 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0One-North woods 11 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 21Botanic Gardens 0 3 0 0 0 0
0 0 3Braddell View 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 6Springleaf Canal 0 15 0 0 0 0 0
0 15Pasir Ris Park 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4Brickland Road 1 21 0 0 0 0 2 0
24Jalan Pelikat/Kovan 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3Changi Village area 98 0 0 0
7 0 0 0 105Pasir Ris Heights 30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30Species Totals 329
128 1 10 16 1 2 23 510
Table 2 : Ranked Abundance & Relative Proportion of Parrots
Species Latin Name Abundance Proportion
Red-breasted Parakeet
Psittacula alexandri
329 64.51
Long-tailed Parakeet
Psittacula longicauda
128 25.10
Rainbow Lorikeet
Trichoglossus haematodus
23 4.51
Tanimbar Corella
Cacatua goffiniana
16 3.14
Blue-crowned Hanging-Parrot
Loriculus galgulus
10 1.96
Red Lory Eos rubra 2 0.39Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
1 0.20
Yellow-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua sulphurea
1 0.20
Total 510
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NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
Bu t t e r f l y h o s t a n d nectar plants h a v e b e e n
planted along and adjacent t o O rc h a r d
Road to form a four kilometre stretch known as the Butterfly
Trail @ Orchard (BTO). The ongoing BTO project is spearheaded by
the Butterfly Interest Group (BIG). We had the privilege of
traipsing along the trail on 12 February 2012, led by BIG
Chairperson Gan Cheong Wei, with co-guides Simon Chan and Anuj
Jain.Starting at the National Museum of Singapore, we rode the
outdoor escalator up to Stamford Green, which itself marks the
beginning of the hilly Fort Canning Park area. Here, we encountered
the Plain Tiger, Painted Jezebel and Lemon Emigrant in energetic
flight. These butterflies were going from plant to plant, poking
their
proboscis into the many flowers that b l o o m e d f r e e l y
everywhere. As they paused for a sweet drink, kids and their parent
s snapped aw ay w i t h t h e i r digital cameras.We t h e n t o o
k a re l ax ing s t ro l l down the s lopes t o w a r d D h o b y
Ghaut Green. This lovely manicured garden, complete w i th t re l l
i se s , i s located just outside the MRT s ta t ion
of the same name. Here, we found our first colourful
caterpillar, that of the Autumn Leaf butterfly. It turned out that
these caterpillars were numerous around the garden, appearing in
their various instars. Uncle Anuj explained that this was because
the Autumn Leaf’s host plant, the Pseuderanthemum reticulatum was
planted in abundance in the area. We even detected the Autumn Leaf
’s pupa in quiet repose beneath a leaf.Surprisingly, some of the
kids present were already little experts in their own right.
Their experience stem from observing and rearing butterflies in
their grandma’s garden. One of these kids even shared tips on how
to spot caterpillars. The first clue: holey, half-eaten leaves.
Then, look for caterpillar droppings that typically appear as
clusters of tiny black balls. Finally, turn the leaves over and you
will likely see the chomping culprits. As Lena Chow attests, the
best way to interest kids in butterflies is to rear caterpillars at
home, and watch their fascinating transformation into the adult
form. She has already distributed a few dozen caterpillars of the
Lime Butterfly and the Common Mormon to several kids and even to a
teacher for his science lessons. As a result, one of these
recipients, 10-year old Tan Teong Seng, has since been inspired to
learn all about butterflies, and has developed a knack for spotting
and identifying them.We ambled through the Istana Park to reach the
Penang Road Open Space. This is another garden that is the size of
nearly two basketball courts, located across the street from
Orchard Central. BIG had t he A r i s t o l o c h i a acuminata
planted here, the host plant for the Common B i r d w i n g . T h e
ultimate dream is to see the large and easily-recognisable Birdwing
(a black-and-yellow beauty w i th a s tunn ing 14-cm wingspan)
fluttering through O rc h a r d R o a d . O v e r h e r e , w e
spotted the caterpillars of the Plain Tiger that feed off the
leaves of the Crown Flower. Anuj also showed us the Cycad, an
ancient plant that hails from the age of the dinosaurs, host to the
Cycad Blue.
In all, the BIG has recorded 60 butterfly species along the BTO,
up from a paltry 20 plus species before the plantings. Butterfly
watching is attractive to late risers as walks typically start at
9.30 am. This is because the butterflies themselves need ample
sunshine and heat before they come out to feed. After two hours of
butterflying, we became familiar with references to butts, cats and
pups, short for butterflies, caterpillars and pupas. We left
feeling a greater affinity for these delicate painted wings and a
burning interest to learn more about them.
N S S K i d s ' F u n a t t h e Butterfly Trail @ Orchard
By Gloria Seow, Education Group Chairperson Photos by Timothy
Pwee
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14
NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
10% Member Discount for CITYGREEN MagazineMembers can now enjoy
10% off the purchase of CITYGREEN, a publication by NParks’ Centre
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CITYGREEN features multi-disciplinary knowledge that gives insights
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NSS Welcomes Ta x - E xe m p t 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.
The small grant scheme for bird conservation was initiated in
2010 to draw greater scientific interest to local bird ecology and
conservation. These two areas have not received a lot of attention
from biologists in Singapore. Grants of up to $2,000 per project
are awarded annually to the best research proposals, as evaluated
by the Bird Group’s research committee. The planned study should
lead to knowledge that can better inform bird conservation in
Singapore.
For this year, we are glad to announce that the grant has been
awarded to Ng Wen Qing. She is a final year student from the
National University of Singapore. Her proposed study is on the
ecological interactions between fruit-eating birds and figs in
urban Singapore. She aims to compare bird diversity across figs
(fruiting and non-fruiting) and non-fig trees over more than 80
sites in urban Singapore. Although her study is still in progress,
it has yielded a number of interesting preliminary findings. It has
shed some light on how fig
trees can influence bird diversities at a landscape level.
For instance, it has revealed that on average, three additional
bird species visit fruiting figs compared to non-fruiting figs.
These visitors include predictable fruit-eating birds like the
Lineated Barbet and Purple-backed Starling, as well as predators
like the Japanese Sparrowhawk. Details of her study will be
published in Nature News later this year. If you wish to contribute
bird sightings and observations at urban fruiting figs, please
email Wen Qing at [email protected].
Application for the grant is now closed. Applications for 2013
open from 1 October 2012 to 1 February 2013. Interested parties are
invited to submit a summary of the proposed study before proceeding
with applications. Grant details and the application form are
available on the NSS website. Alternatively, you can email Yong
Ding Li at [email protected] for more information.
By Yong Ding LiSmall Grants for Bird Conservation Research
2012
Exciting Plant Walk @ Bukit Batok Nature Park
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15
NATURE NEWS MAY-JUN 2012
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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)
Nature new May & June 260412
