It was an impromptu idea to explore Sungei Buloh leisurely, and 3 other GVs gamely agreed to join me on this trip. One of my key objectives for this trip was to see the Smooth Otters! Its too much for me to keep hearing stories about them, without any personal encounters. The closest I got was seeing the bobbing heads from a (far far far) distance. =(
Bearing lots of hope, I reached the visitor's centre at 7+, and was very very pleasantly surprised that its free entry before 830am!!! (very cheapskate I know, but every dollar counts, you know!). So, if you have never been there, wait no more.
Anyway, sigh, I didnt see the Smooth Otters again. BUT, we still saw lots of amazing insects, animals and reptiles! In addition, it is such a blessing to be able to enjoy nature, without the need to
At the main hide, the Ashy Tailorbird (Orthotomus ruficeps) lifted our moods with its chirps early in the morning, whilst its enjoying a good bath in the morning dew.
We saw this spider in a dark hole of a fallen log. Reminds me of Aragog, the leader of spiders that Hagrid raised in Harry Potter. Don't know what species it is, though.
I always thought that the grasshoppers at SBWR are exceptionally cooperative, clearly they know the need to remain perfectly still and pose, in order for me to take a shot of it. =)
Another spider, perching nicely on a tattered leaf.
No idea what butterfly/ moth this fuzzy caterpillar will turn into, but it certainly looked like it might cause one to itch if touched. If I can named it, I'll call it the electrocuted caterpillar.. heehee. Perhaps its appearance that made it look poisonous and bigger in size, are means of defenses to repel predators.
On our way to the less explored (and mossie infested) route 2, we saw 3 wasps (appears to be) hard at work. Only brave S dared to walk really close to them (yes, anything for a good macro shot), while the rest of us watched from a distance.
While the Sea Holly (Acanthus ebracteatus) bears resemblance to the Christmas Holly, they have no relation to each other. The leaves of Sea Holy are usually oblong with serrated sides. The ones we saw along this route has more pronounced spiny edges as compared to those we see at the mangrove boardwalk, probably because they receive more sunlight. The plant survives the mangrove habitat by secreting salt through its leaves.
The Giant Mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri), though a fish, has an amphibious behavior. It retains water in its enlarged gill chambers to keep their gills moist while on land. It can also 'breathe' through its skin but to do so, it needs to keep its skin wet by jumping into their personal swimming pool (puddles in the mudflats) occasionally. The 2 big bulging eyes works like periscopes of submarines, allowing it a 360 degree view above water. The mudskipper moves on land with the help of clutches - their pectoral fins. Amazingly, these mudskippers can also climb by using their pelvic fins (which act like suckers) to hold them against the surface. They then, use their pectoral fins to pull themselves up.
As we walked along the boardwalk, M shouted, "Mangrove snake!". I think we were really lucky to see not 1, but 3 nocturnal Dog-faced Water Snakes (Cerberus rynchops) in broad daylight. These mildly poisonous snakes all appeared to be hunting for food.
At the exit of the mangrove boardwalk, the male Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum cruentatum) was hopping back and forth on a branch, enjoying its morning snack - the fruit of Indian Cherry Tree (Muntingia calabura).
Typically, I would have counted myself lucky to see 1 snake on a trip to SBWR. That day, apart from the Dog-faced Water Snake, we also saw the Oriental Whip Snake (Ahaetulla prasine) thanks to another group of visitors. The last time I saw this snake was at MacRitchie. It was so well camouflaged that I took really long to spot it, even though my friends were repeatedly pointing it out to me (M got so frustrated with me, she even hit me my arm.. =( ).
Early that morning, H was still exclaiming that she half suspect that the nest near the main bridge is artificial and a fluke, because the owner is perpetually there. The owner perhaps took offence and decided to prove her wrong! On our way back to the visitor centre, we witness how the Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarina jugularis) made its way home. It hopped around the branches and entered its home in a flash - very much real!
The Sun Skink (Mabuya mutlifasciata) never fails to make an appearance in all my trips to SBWR. Like other cold-blooded animals, this skink was charging its battery by basking in the sun since it cannot produce its own bodyheat.
More often than not, the seeds in the pink star-shaped fruit of the Simpoh Ayer (Dillenia suffruticosa) are usually missing as the seeds are relished by many fruit-eating birds. Soon enough, I'm sure they will empty this fruit of the Simpoh Ayer tree found near the entrance of the visitor centre.
Though my objective was not fulfilled, it was still good time spent. In fact, we enjoyed the walk so much that we made a pact to visit a nature spot every 1st weekend of the month! =)
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