Nature Walk Series - Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Nature Walk Series

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

14 March 2010

Highlight:

Until the last moment at the bus stop, I was still not able to decide where I should go for this trip --- Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) or Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. The first bus that arrived, number 925, has helped me with the decision.

It was a rather early trip for me this time round --- at least by an hour earlier compared to my last round here in January. This had given me sufficient time to take the Kranji Nature Trail for the first time after my round in SBWR.

Although I did not see the crocodile this time round, I had quite a good view of the 3 playful Smooth Otters (Lutrogale perspicillata) at the pond before I exited SBWR. Also, I did get a few decent shots this time round, though from a distance.

While I was examining the young figs from the drooping branches from a huge Ficus heteropleura (Sandy-leafed Fig) tree along the boardwalk from the carpark, I saw this yellow name tag on it with a botanical name on it. I had seen Ficus microcarpa (Malayan Banyan) many times and this tree here is unlikely to be one judging from the features of the leaves and fruits. The ripen figs from this tree are orange-yellow in colour while that of Malayan Banyan are deep purple. In fact, this particular tree was fruiting back in January 2008.

There was a pack of wild dogs, at least 7 of them, seen roaming at the open low-tide mangrove ground. They should have been around the area for quite some time judging from the barking noise that I had heard from my previous trips.

The Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) is the largest moth in the world and it was great to be able to see in on home ground. This moth appears to be coming back to this same Gnetum gnemon tree, located just by the side of the mangrove boardwalk. I had seen it several times on this tree.

New plants added to my website from this trip:

Tabernaemontana pachysiphon (Giant Pinwheel Flower)

This plant was seen at a distance from the boardwalk leading from the carpark to the SBWR entrance. I had been observing it for a while. Today, it branches happened to be extended to just beside the boardwalk to which mean that I could easily have access to the flowers and have its pictures captured.

The smaller version of the pinwheel flower is the Tabernaemontana divaricata (Pinwheel Jasmine).

Dracaena aubryana (Lance Dracaena)

This sighting of this plant was an unexpected find. It was found at the base of a tree not too far in from the track and the plant was flowering. Since this was not a native plant, I wondered how it ended up here and for how long had it been around.

Terminalia calamansanai (Philippine Almond)

The numerous winged seed of this plant on the ground had led me to the tree. As this tall tree was far off the track, I was not able to go any closer to examine its features. Nevertheless, there were many young plants around that allow me to take some pictures of the leaves. However, the leaves from the matured tree may look slightly different from that of the young plant.

Xylocarpus granatum (Cannonball Mangrove)

The picture here did not look like a cannonball fruit, more like an exploded one, though the common name of this plant is called Cannonball Mangrove. The cannonballs were rather high up the tall trees and I had to be satisfied with whatever I can find on the ground. I had seen this tree in the past, though not in Singapore, but had never able to take any decent pictures. Finally, I got these series of pictures and it will be perfected some days down the road.

Lumnitzera racemosa (Teruntum Bunga Puteh)

I had read about this mangrove plant for a while now and finally was able to get some pictures. Along a small stretch of the track, there were several plants growing by the side of the track. Some were flowering and one of them even had some fruits on it.

Photo Gallery:

Below are selected photos from this trip arranged according to the sequence that they were taken. There is a text link under the photo that will direct you to more photos of the same species if they are available in my website.