Urban Forest:- Dan found and took this picture of the beautiful moth in orange with pink lines across its wings. Damn nice right? Eumelea sp.

Urban Forest:- Kwek Yan from the Plant Systematics Laboratory has just published an ebook in the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research entitled “A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species.” You can download the book by clicking the picture below. Kudos to him for his overwhelming efforts and many sleepless nights to compile this book. I am certain it will be of great help to many biologists and nature lovers for a quick reference of our species list and status in Singapore!

teamseagrass:- It's our LAST major monitoring for the year! And the Team is back out in booties on the vast vast seagrass meadows of Pulau Semakau!

For the Future of Our Forest:-

The Biology Refugia:- Dar she blows! - "U.N. Rejects Export Ban on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna," by David Jolly & John M. Broder. The New York Times, 18 Mar 2010 - link.

Bird Ecology Study Group:- Since 2007 a pair of Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier) has been coming to Lena Chow’s home to build a nest incorporating tissue paper The latest visit was in February 2010, but whether it was the same or a different pair, cannot be established (below left). But this time around Lena was prepared with her camera [...]

Urban Forest:- As I was heading back school anyway to bring back my laptop cooling fan, I decided to just go down Tuas to visit the pitcher plant haven which LK brought us to last time.

For the Future of Our Forest:-

Bird Ecology Study Group:- Dr Eric Tan a.k.a. MountainMan photographed the Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) at the Telok Brumbun, Bali Barat National Park, Bali, Indonesia on 23rd January 2010. The Bali Starling is a critically endangered species endemic to Bali. When it was discovered in the 1900s, there were about 300-900 birds, probably much more. Illegal poaching as well as [...]

teamseagrass:- We are three years old! To celebrate, a badge with three sea turtles!

ecotax at Yahoo! Groups:- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore Seminar Announcement http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/events/seminars/2010/peter.pdf *"Adventures

ecotax at Yahoo! Groups:- ?Surveying the Biodiversity of Vietnam? By Paul Sweet Collection Manager Ornithology Department American Museum of Natural History Host: Wang Luan Keng

Bird Ecology Study Group:- “I was out today to re-visit old locations in the city, with secondary jungle/scrub, that are being threatened by development. “In May 2009 I reported a Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus infortunatus) nesting colony (8-10 nests) where Glossy Swiftlets (Collocalia esculenta cyanoptila) were robbing the active nests of Baya Weaver of their nesting material “Went back to the [...]

For the Future of Our Forest:- Its been a while since I last posted anything. Managed to join the April 2008 walk after a couple of months break due to work commitment.

Urban Forest:- Rushing down from work wearing pants, shirt and leather shoes, I reached Marina South Pier for a guiding session at Pulau Semakau with the Raffles Museum. It had been almost 3 months since I last guided and it is about time to wipe off my rustiness.

Urban Forest:- A tiring day after a guiding session at Semakau yesterday, I still decide to head down to CCNR to get some pictures that I need for a publication. Luckily I managed to get HF, who was also looking for company to survey the banded leaf monkeys.

Bird Ecology Study Group:- “On my morning walk today I saw this bird (Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea) waging battle with its reflection on the window of a house. The owner of the house was watching the show and he said that this bird had been doing this for the last week or so. The bird, between battle attacks would [...]

teamseagrass:- Bangkok Post 25 Jan 10;

Urban Forest:- The ‘purple-under-a-stone’ sea cucumber as named in Ria’s wildfact sheets is identified as Afrocucumis africana! This was reported in a short note in Nature in Singapore which me, Lionel and some other friends from plant systematics lab did. You may click on the picture to download the free article. We have another sea cucumber article in review (which was actually submitted before this paper, but for reason reason delayed). Watch out for it!

Bird Ecology Study Group:- “The Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker, also known as the Brown-capped Woodpecker (Dendrocopus moluccensis), is the smallest woodpecker in Singapore. Males can be distinguished from females by its two small red streaks located on both sides of its crown above and behind the eyes. However, the small red patch may not be always visible as it is [...]

teamseagrass:- Siti is giving a talk this weekend. It's for kids! Bring your friends and family to find out more about our marine life!

For the Future of Our Forest:-

teamseagrass:- Just in time for Blog Action Day, this report on the vital role of seagrasses in fighting climate change! This is why we need to learn as much as we can about the seagrasses of Singapore. Bravo TeamSeagrass for contributing to this important task!

teamseagrass:- Here's the exciting seagrass events for 2010!

Urban Forest:- Decided to went back to the Buangkok grassland for a short walk just to relax myself during this weekend.

Bird Ecology Study Group:- “Birding in Singapore and the Challenges of the 21st Century” has just been published by Nature in Singapore, the scientific online journal of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, University of Singapore. You can download a PDF file by clicking HERE (#9). The paper details the changes that need to be urgently implemented to bring the [...]

teamseagrass:- It's our very last monitoring trip for the year, and the last one for Cyrene Reef. A very VERY small team headed out after a last-minute stress-inducing change in departure point. Straight into a gloomy sky with clouds over the Reef (marked by the orange beacon).

teamseagrass:- Back on the shores again to monitor seagrasses, this time at Tuas with the amazing volunteers from Schering Plough. Led by Helen (leftmost) and Sheryl (not in photo as she is unable to go down to the shore today).

For the Future of Our Forest:- Much overdue post on my last trip to lower peirce walk. This is the 1st time I saw the monitor lizard in lower peirce walk. Actually, I'm not 100% sure if its the clouded or the common Malayan Water Monitor. From what I know, the way to distinguish the two is by the position of their nostrils. Apparently, clouded ones lie mid-way between the eye and snout.

Nature Spies:-

teamseagrass:- Even with satellite information, it is important to get data literally on the ground. The work of TeamSeagrass helps us better understand our seagrass meadows and what is happening to them.

Urban Forest:- I decided to help out with Tropical Marine Science Institue’s (TMSI) first guided walk at Saint John’s Island yesterday, coordinated by Jun. More information can be found here. It seems like the longest time since I last guided (about three to four months), and I have to do some last minute ploughing through the notes prepared by Jun. Luckily my participants were an enthusiast bunch of students from Queensway Secondary School, and I have to spend most of my time answering their questions instead of me initiating them. Unfortunately, I did not take much photographs for the trip as I did not want to dirty my reasonably new camera. Here are some snapshots of the participants:

Urban Forest:- Just after finishing my earlier post, I suddenly realised that M had told me about this rooftop garden beside my house and that it is only opened on Sunday mornings which is when the residents came to take care of the plants. I immediately grabbed my camera and headed down to the multi-storey carpark where it was located. I guessed this garden was not publicised at all from the word “soft launch” in the picture. But they have their reasons why, I think, of which I will explain later.

SLOG:- I encountered Cantor's water snake (Cantoria violacea) again! It was about 2am on 29 May 2007. The snake was swimming along the water's edge at the mouth of Sungei Tampines.

SLOG:- A post in the Bird Ecology Study Group blog reported how a dead snake, found along the road in Choa Chu Kang, attracted food (flies) for the Pacific swallows. In this case, as in nature, the carcass was "not wasted". At least the flies and swallows came before our efficient cleaners. But still, drive carefully. Snakes such as Banded Malayan Coral Snake, Keel-bellied Whip Snake, House Wolf Snake, and King Cobra have became victims of roadkills, which I believe is one of the biggest killers...

SLOG:- 938LIVE (93.8 FM) The Living Room

SLOG:- Nadiah Hana Abd Rahman, a final year undergraduate from the National Institute of Education, is studying the diet of the dog-faced water snakes (Cerberus rynchops) for her research project. If you are the kind of people who loves to wake up in the middle of the night and catch snakes in the name of science, please email nhr8@hotmail.com.

SLOG:- We are lucky or what?

SLOG:- Singapore's first parade for endangered animals and environment, led by Dr. Jane Goodall, happened on 2 November 2007 4-7 pm at Singapore Botanics Garden. A 'snake contingent' consisting of three 'snakes' and many kids (real kids plus adults that are young at heart) was there, which I believe was led by the Nature Society of Singapore. Bravo to all of them! The parade was a fun and meaningful event, which brought many nature lovers together for a common cause.

Bird Ecology Study Group:- Long-tailed Sibia (Heterophasia picaoides wrayi) is a resident of Peninsular Malaysia’s montane forests, becoming uncommon about 1,200m and below. A generalist, it eats animal prey, especially swarming termites and fruits like figs and berries. Dato’ Dr Amar-Singh HSS was at 1,600m ASL at Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands on 27th January 2010 when he came across a [...]

teamseagrass:-

teamseagrass:- Today is our last monitoring trip at Chek Jawa for the year. And the last of the morning trips by the Team.

teamseagrass:- Yesterday, our very own H. beccarii was featured as Species of the Day, part the IUCN's Red List celebration of International Year of Biodiversity 2010.

Nature Spies:- More amazing shots by speedblade! there's aerial dogfight and catfish catch. nice shots despite raining cats and dogs recently ;p

For the Future of Our Forest:- 19th May 2007 was the 1st Plant Walk @ Hindelle Nature Park in 2007. The next walk will be held on 16 June. Typically, the walk is conducted by the students from Ngee Ann Poly who has adopted the Park. However, due to some unforseen activities at their school, they are not able to attend thus came in the CNR volunteers. :D

Bird Ecology Study Group:- A female Orange-breasted Trogon (Harpactes oreskios) was quietly perching on a branch when she was alerted by the call of a male nearby. Also nearby was a tailless male trogon. The female trogon suddenly flew to perch on a clear branch, responding with a soft call. And just as suddenly, the first male flew to her, [...]

Urban Forest:- Today is my first trip to Tanah Merah organised by KS with a ton of other of his friends. Glad to finally put a face to the awesome pictures in his Singapore Nature blog by James.

SLOG:- "What happens to the snake when I call 999?"

Urban Forest:- I find it quite cool that I can appreciate those once boring lawn plants now. Imagine, they are basically found everywhere and I can be easily satisfied basically anywhere! LOL~    St. Augustine Grass, Stenotaphrum secundatum is an exotic plant that seldom flowers but spreads vegetatively.

teamseagrass:- What are seagrasses and why are they important? Find out on this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66Y5vgswj20, produced by Seagrass-Watch HQ.