New Year Day on Sea Shore

Happy New Year! Today is the first day of 2014. I was expecting a good low tide today on our Northern shore but end up the water didn't really go down. So, I can only explore around the shore area & the inter-tidal area remained submerge when we left the shore. Nevertheless, it was a nice outing and a good opportunity to catch up with old friends.

 The fan shell or fan clams used to be very common here. But I only saw one today. Perhaps most of them is still covered under water?

 The hermit crab happily come out from his host shell to wish us Happy New Year! :)

 The dog whelk busy looking for food using the long siphon to pin point the food source.

 Saw this really tiny stone crab moult. Crabs moult to grow bigger & also to replace their lost limbs.

 Another moult of flower crab.

One of the "must see" creature on this shore will be this sea cucumber that with bright colour - Sea apple sea cucumber. Nice?

 As the name says it all - Ball sea cucumber.

 As usual, there are a number of Pink sea cucumber on the shore.

 Slightly bigger than the Pink sea cucumber - Orange sea cucumber.

One of the very common sea star here is the Biscuit sea star. No bad to be able to see two of them on a not so low tide day.

 There are several Peacock anemones on the shore including this one the looks like glass transparent.

Despite the clean up, the rubbish on this shore is just too many! This rubbish is most likely brought in by the current. From cups, empty cans to shoe! sigh...

Sungei Simpang Kiri

Is been a while since I last visited Sungei Simpang Kiri. Situated just next to Sembawang Park and can be reached by Sembawang Park Connector Network (PCN) all the way from Gambas Avenue/Admiralty.

 I arrived around 4pm initially plan to wait for the tide to go down and saw my first bird - a Little egret.

 I didn't know Little egret doing tip-toe too!

 There are a few Common Sandpiper near the water edge.

 Joining the feeding was this Common Green Shank.

This Grey Heron still in breeding plumage. Where could it came from? Probably just feeding here & the nest (heronry) could be a distance away.

Before I could reach the shore, the sky started to pour heavily. I will have to come back again some time to explore the river mouth...

Special Gifts From Overseas

Is been a wonderful year of travel for me in 2013. With close to another 200 new species of animals seen this year, I'm all set and looking for another year of great travel in 2014.

With the year 2013 coming to an end soon, I received some really great gifts that provide me with more inspirations of where to go & what to see in 2014!

I received 2 books on birds of Taiwan & a very special calendar self-printed using photos from my friends first travel to Borneo. She was amazed by the beauty & the abundance of wild life there. I been there twice  & its just doesn't seem to have enough time no matter how long I've planned to stay there. You can read about my friend's - Euphtw first travel experience to Borneo on her blog at 蔚藍手札. Haha... is time for me to re-visit Borneo in 2014?

 I just love this very colourful book on birds of Taiwan -  台灣鳥四季

I have been to Taiwan and seen some of the birds as drawn. The drawing just amplify the main characteristic of the birds & made spotting and recognising the birds so easy. Isn't the drawing cute?

This book just give me all the information that I needed to get started on my new planning of birding in Taiwan.

All the birding hot spot in Taiwan with a brief description on what to expect. A very useful information indeed.

What a privilege to receive this "Not for sale" personal calendar. Let's have another good birding/traveling year in 2014.

Another calendar that I received is all the way from "Middle Earth". My colleague brought this back for me from New Zealand. I have really never do a proper birding in NZ. Another potential place to visit for 2014!