Morning Walk at Sungei Buloh

I reached Sungai Buloh around 8.15am this morning as it is before 8.30am, I got to enter the Wetland Reserve free s early bird bonus!
Saw this rather familiar insect near the entrance. A macro shot of this fly looks photogenic!
This insect may looks like fly however is not. Is the Mangrove Cicada (Purana tigrina). Cicada famous of making loud sounds and the sound level can even reach 100 db!Another closer look at the mangrove cicada.

Could this be a big-jawed spiders that stretches its front legs forward and close together?
This is the Mangrove St Andrew's spider (Argiope mangal) can be easily recognise by two zig-zag bands.This is another beautiful Red Tent Spider (Cyrtophora unicolor) like to hide under suspended leaf to avoid their predator.Another not so red tent spider.I have no idea what spider is this.This poor silverside fish killed by the structure that suppose to protect her.Of course Sungai Buloh is the best place in Singapore for those who into birding... photo above showing Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) still busy feeding when the tide is coming in.

Where is the monsoon?

I thought I could save some electricity by not turning on the air-con at night. The mini me keep nagging at me for switching off the air-con and at last I give in...

What happen to the monsoon? Traditionally, last quarter of the year is always a wet season with cold wind blowing from north. December is just around the corner and I have yet to enjoy my winter cold weather in Singapore.

I don't have the rain fall data but I strongly believe that compare to same time previous years, it definitely lower for 2008. Since bike is my mode of transportation for the past donkey years, I remember I will need to put on raincoat during this time of the year and once it rains, it usually took few days before you able to say hello to sunny day again.

Well, I'm still asking the same question. Is the monsoon really here already???

Jorunna funebris Fever at Semakau

I have a very fruitful walk at Semakau last week ends. Other than 2 interesting sea stars, there were lots of Polka Dot (Jorunna funebris) nudibranch as well.

Polka dot nudibranch feeds on blue sponges and can be seen cleearly from its translucent body.

Another New Star Found on Semakau

We found another yet to identified sea star in Semakau!
This new sea star looks very similar to Knobbly (Protoreaster nodosus) but without the distinctive red or orange colour. Could this be another Pentaceraster sp. sea star?

New Star at Semakau!?

If someone were to show me the photo below and ask what star is it and my answer probably will be Cushion Star (Culcita novaeguineae).
If you also guess as Cushion Star....the answer is No!
This is the whole photo of the new star that I saw this evening at Semakau. The skin texture looks like cushion star however, the arms are too long to be a cushion star.
The underside do looks like a cushion star too.

Just look at the knob on the back...cushion star will not have such knobs! If you know the id of this sea star, please let me know. I'm so curious to find out the id. :-)

Pay To Watch Sun Set?

Is watching sun set one of your itinerary when you travel oversea? Several places that I have visited is using watching sun set as one of their main attraction and you usually need to pay extra to go.

We are very fortunate and get to watch sun set almost everyday in Singapore. So, where are the good places for sun set watching? Since we are staying on a island, we may watch sun set from almost half of the singapore coastal area from East Coast all the way to West Coast.

Here are some of the photo that I have taken during sun set.
This was taken recently on Semakau during one of the low tide.
Marina Barrage with the busy city skyline on the back.The above are also taken on Semakau

And the above photos are taken on Labrador park.

Well, there are nice sun set by the sea in Singapore too!

Another Low Tide @ Semakau

I was back at Semakau to gether with volunteers from HSBC, NTU & NUS to explore the inter-tidal area.


Since I'm the first person to go through the forest that leading to the tidal area, I make a quick stop to take this shot. The mushroom was blooming on a falling tree branch. The big squadron of 'kamikaze' (mosquitoes) surrounded me force me to give up and proceed straight to the coast.





The tide was still high when me & HW arrived at the sea grass lagoon. Waiting for us near the sea grass lagoon is this oscillated sea cucumber (Stichopus ocellatus).
We've been seeing noble volute laying eggs for the last one year and there is no exception this time. The volute is still laying eggs and at the same area too!

One of the advantage of evening/night walk is able to meet with nocturnal animals such as cowry and octopus.As usual, there are lots of flatworm at the sea grass lagoon as well as the reef area.HW found this very beautiful nudibranch (Discodoris boholensis) that one part of the body got bitten off.The under side as beautiful as the top!

There are lots more interesting animals that we came across on the not so low tide evening. Another fantastic outing for me at this southern island of Singapore.

Marina Barrage is Opened!

Marina Barrage is opened!
Beautiful Singapore skyline from the Marina Barrage.
Lots of activities during the opening of Marina Barrage & the Clean & Green Singapore.
Guest of honour, Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong
With the completion of Marina Barrage, it provides water supply, flood control and a new lifestyle attraction.
With the closing of the gate, it marks the completion of another fresh water reservoir in the city of Singapore!This photo was taken back at 2005 when the Marina Barrage was still under construction (at the back of the photo).