Kranji Trail and SBWR (9th June 2007)

Sungei Buloh - I have been to this place numerous time, but each time - it is always something new. This time we accessed Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve via the Kranji Trail, a new walk for me as I have no notion that this trail exists.

As we entered the Kranji Trail, the pathway was still covered with dew, a renewal of day. A new beginning, creatures go about with their never ending tasks - and we started this day learning more and appreciating these beautiful creations.
As we entered the trail, our journey was welcomed by this White Bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), as it circled whether looking for food or taking advantage of the hot rising air, we will never know. But its flight is one of majestic and graceful motion.

Flowers - they are all around.

Picture 1 - Yellow Creeping Daisy (Wedelia trilobata)

Picture 2 - Unknown thing (flower, fruit ???). I simply have no clue.


Picture 3 - Rotan tikus (Flagellaria indica) growing toward the sun.


Picture 4 - Rattlebox Pea (Crotalaria sp.) When the fruit ripened and started to dry, shake the pod and it is akin to the baby rattle.

Picture 5 - Singapore Rhododendron or Straits Rhododendron (they are not true Rhododendron) (Melastoma malabathricum)

Sometimes it is good to let your "friend"walk ahead of you, well there are many spider webs that strewn the path, and with your friend"ahead, it means that the path will be cleared!

Picture 6 - Nephilia maculata - look at the beautiful web.


Picture 7 - Unknown Spider (probably a type of Lynx Spider)


Picture 8 - Another Unknown Spider

Picture 9 - Spider (Probably a Nephila)

Picture 10 - Unknown Spider

With the presence of the Arachnid, there are also a lot of insects.
Picture 11 - Leafhopper

Picture 12 - Unknown Insect (Possibly Juvenile Cricket)

Picture 13 - Shield Bug (Pycanum rubens)

Picture 14 - Unknown Wasp

Picture 15 - Juvenile Grasshopper

Picture 16 - This is a foamy nest of the Spittle Bug.

Picture 17 - Golden Back Ant

We finally reached the shore and this part face Johore (Malaysia).

In the tranquil of the morning, two herons were busied looking for their breakfast amidst the mangrove swamp. As can be seen - it was a hazy morning (not because of inadequate depth of field).

But look closely, and you will find rubbish abound in this area! Plastic, glass, wooden board - you named it, you can find it here.
Picture 18 - Onch - Shell-less slug.

Picture 19 - Fern (Stenochlaena palustris) The young leaf is edible but once the leaves become old, it becomes poisonous.

Picture 20 - A Climber (Cissia hastata)

Once we were out of the Kranji Trail, we entered the SBWR. Just outside the entrance, the water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was flourishing. The flowers are most spectacular, with a violet, blue and yellow spotted on one of its petal. BUT this plant is extremely hardy and flourished in most places. Now it is considered a pest as it clogged up most waterway and drive out the native water plants.

The Water Hyacinth is an introduced alien to our land, introduced to our soil in 1893, and eventually grown as pigs feed by the farmers. Soon this flourishing aquatic plant became a pest and covered the Kranji Reservoir in 1975. Problem was solved when these were physically removed, and pig farming stopped. (Source The Natural Heritage of Singapore 2nd Edition)

On the bridge, there is an unseen sentinel, ever watchful. The Stork Billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis) hidden a distant away, perched on its favourite tree. It is called the stork billed kingfisher as its beak looks like that of a stork (refer to picture below of a stork)

We were at the blind, when the storks started to make their descent. Suspect that they may be escapists from the Jurong Bird Park or Mandai Zoo, but there were no leg tags!

As we were watching this pair, another one swooped down from above.

It was looking for a place to land.
Spotted and coming in to land.

Legs extended.
and chow time on the mud flat.

Picture 21 - Egretta gazetta. This one was busied running about catching its meals.

Spotted this Little Heron (Butorides striatus) on the mud flat. Suddenly it made a dash when it spotted a mudskipper, which became its meal. As the bird has to swallow the fish whole, it will first align the head to be swallow first, this will ensure no damage to the bird bullet from the fish fins and scales.

The Sea Hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus tiliaceus) last one day, and in the picture below, we can see the fresh flower in yellow and the one that blooms the day before and has already turned and will soon drop. Somehow, this has to do with our lives - the shortness of lives, and that we have to make proper and full use of our time, for soon it will pass away!