Nature Society (Singapore)

NOTE

Activities open to the public are specifically indicated as such. For other events, you may become a member using the membership form or register with the Nature Society representative at any official Nature Society event.

To contact us, email to
contact@nss.org.sg

Title: The Joys of Dipterocarps Part II with Shawn Lum and the Plant Group
Date: Sat 16 May 2009
Time: 9:30 am
Meet at: Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Information Counter area.
Organiser : Shawn Lum

In February we walked through the Dipterocarp Arboretum at Yishun Park to learn about this iconic group of trees. This time we will combine a garden stroll with a forest walk to meet dipterocarps in both a cultivated and natural state. Learn to recognise the different genera, spot the leaves, and with luck see some fruits.

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Title: Butterfly Walk at Alexandra Hospital Butterfly Trail
Date: Sun 17 May 2009
Time: 9:30am - 12:30pm
Meet at: Carpark in front of Alexandra Hospital cafeteria
Organiser : Gan Cheong Weei, HP: 9754-4174

Alexandra Hospital is one of the best places in Singapore to observe butterflies. Species commonly encountered here include the urbanised Lime Butterfly, the graceful Painted Jezebel, the fast-flying Common Tit, the black-and-white Common Mormon, the slow-andeasy Blue Glassy Tiger and the Autumn Leaf, a foreign export that has settled in well. If we are lucky, we may spot visitors from the forest, species like the Green Baron and Ambon Onyx.

The walk will last about three hours.

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Title: Pre-AGM Book Launches & Talk by the Bird Group
Date: Sun 23 May 2009
Time: 1:00pm to 1.45pm
Location: MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre’s Meeting Room

The Bird Group would like to invite all members to a special pre-AGM launch of its two latest publications. One of these is the “State of Singapore’s Wild Birds and Bird Habitats: Results of the Annual Bird Census 1996- 2005”, edited by Lim Kim Chuah and Lim Kim Seng. This book contains the results of the second decade of the 24-year old Annual Bird Census conducted since 1986. It gives insights into trends at the 33 sites monitored, and provides information on the 220 bird species in 43 families counted during the period.

The second book, “The Avifauna of Singapore” written by Lim Kim Seng, features colour photos from wellknown local photographer Jimmy Chew and over a hundred line drawings from bird artist and birder Yong Ding Li. This book condenses data from the Bird Group’s newsletter Singapore Avifauna, and other published and unpublished sources, to provide a complete summary of the status, distribution, breeding seasonality, migration patterns, conservation and museum collections of every wild bird known to have occurred within Singapore since records began in the 19th Century.

Copies of the two books will be available for sale after a brief talk on “Challenges in Singapore Ornithology” by Lim Kim Seng, co-editor of the first book and author of the second one. Kim Seng will provide some background to the writing of these books and preview certain upcoming trends and challenges in the local birding scene.

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Title: 55th Annual General Meeting
Date: Sun 23 May 2009
Time: 2 pm
Location: MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre located at 30 Dairy Farm Road

NSS warmly welcomes all members to our 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 2pm, held at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre located at 30 Dairy Farm Road. There will be refreshments available at the end. The Bird Group will be launching two new books just before the AGM at the same venue, see Activity above.

AGM Agenda:

Minutes of the 54th Annual General Meeting held on 24th May 2008 - Amendments & Approval.
President’s Report for NSS year 2008 – 2009.
Treasurer’s Report for 2008, including presentation and adoption of the Audited Accounts for 2008,& presentation of Society and of Subgroup & Committee Budgets for 2009.
Appointment of Auditor for the Society Accounts 2009.
Subgroup and Committee Reports for NSS year 2008 to 2009, in alphabetical order.
Election of the 2009 – 2010 Executive Committee Members.
Election of the 2009 – 2010 Finance Committee (or Finance Advisory Group) Members.
Any Other Business.

Refreshments will be available at the end of the Meeting and provide a chance for catching up with fellow Members. If the Meeting for any reason is very lengthy, refreshments will be at the interval. As stated in the Activities List, the Bird Group will be launching two new books at the same venue from 1pm to 1.45 pm.

How to Get There:
Ample parking space is available on the small road immediately outside the Centre.
Public Transport By Bus:

Take TIBS 171 from Orchard Road or SBS 170 from Newton Circus.
Alight at the bus stop after Railway Mall outside Hillview venue and opposite the Salvation Army building.
Walk in the direction of the traffic lights and cross over to Dairy Farm Road.
Walk up Dairy Farm Road and turn into the first small road on the right to reach the Adventure Centre.

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Title: Green Bird Watching Series 1
Date: Sun 29 Mar 2009
Time: 7.30am
Meet at: Segar LRT Station
Coordinator: Willie Foo

The Bird Group is contemplating holding a Green Bird Race this year. This is the first of our Green Bird Watching series in preparation for this possibility.

Meet Willie Foo at 7.30am at Segar LRT Station. We will explore part of the Bukit Panjang Park Connector that links up with Zhenghua Park. These buffer areas along the BKE provide breathing space for residents, as well as homes for the birds.

Do your part to Go Green for this trip! Take public transport, use reusable water bottles, utilise ‘Green’ batteries for your

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Title: Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research
Date: Sun 30 May 2009
Time: 9am
Meet at: Extension of Kranji Road, at the junction with Kranji Loop
Register with Dr Hsu

Do you know that Singapore has several of our own species of wild mistletoes (yes, the same one that people kiss under during Christmas) that typically grow on the branches of tall trees? Learn about mistletoes and other plants that grow on trunks and branches (ie. epiphytes and parasites), and see them flourishing wild at eye-level in the garden of a classic black-and-white bungalow near Sembawang Park. Margie Hall, NSS Honorary Secretary and professional nature guide, whose house we would be visiting, will personally give us a fun-filled introduction to these fascinating plants, with insights to their peculiar survival strategies.

Time: 8am to 10am. Please register your kids (4 to 12 years old) at gloria_seow@yahoo.com, stating their names and ages, if you are a NSS member or not and your mobile number.

A fee of $5 per child (member) or $10 per child (non-member) will be collected on the spot. Parents can sit in at no charge.

Details will be emailed to those who sign up.

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Title:The Joys of Dipterocarps Part III with Shawn Lum and the Plant Group
Date: Sat 6 Jun 2009
Time: 3.30pm
Meet at: Refreshment kiosk of MacRitchie Reservoir
Organiser : Shawn Lum

Spot wild dipterocarps! Get to know these plants better and learn how to recognise different forest types in the process. Beginners and experienced forest hands alike should revel in a pleasant afternoon of botanising.

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Title: Pandan Riverside Ramble with the Nature Ramblers led by Rehan Yusoff
Date: Sun 14 Jun 2009
Time:7:30am
Meet at: Entrance of the Ulu Pandan Park Connector, near Block 343 Clementi Road.
Organiser: Rehan Yusoff

Rehan will take us in search of a disused railway track that runs along the left bank of the Ulu Pandan River and explore its lower course. Bring your camera and binoculars. This 6km/3hr ramble will end at Jalan Buroh near Pandan Reservoir. Please wear proper attire and shoes, and bring along a hat/cap and sunglasses.

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Title: Butterfly Walk at Bukit Batok Nature Park
Date: Sun 21 Jun 2009
Time:9:30am
Meet at: Bukit Batok Nature Park main car park along Bukit Batok East Ave 2
Organiser: Simon Chan

We will be taking a leisurely stroll in this park which is mostly made up of rubber plantations reclaimed by the forest. Butterflies found here include forest species like the Tawny Palmfly as well as urban species like the Striped Albatross, Sometimes one can even find the endangered Common Birdwing.

Please bring enough water and insect repellent as the walk will take about three hours.

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Title: Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research
Date: Sun 27 Jun 2009
Time:8am
Meet at: Extension of Kranji Road, at the junction with Kranji Loop.
Organiser: Dr Hsu
Register with Dr Hsu.

Please register with Dr Hsu at hsu_chia_chi@hotmail.com, stating your name, if you are a NSS member or not, affiliations (eg. school/company), experience (if any) and contact details for this monthly mission to rescue and study the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (HSC). We have also started an on-going HSC Training & Accreditation Programme for anyone keen to be a qualified HSC R&Rer.

Meet at the extension of Kranji Road, at the junction with Kranji Loop at 8am. Take bus 925 from Kranji MRT station and alight at the Chinese temple along Kranji Loop, cross the road and look for the nameless track that starts beside Leong Soon Pte Ltd (251 Kranji Road).

We recommend that you bring a cap, shoes/booties, sun block, repellent, cutter (for

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Title: Green Bird Watching Series 2
Date: Sun 28 Jun 2009
Time:7:30am
Meet at: Bukit Gombak MRT Station.
Organiser: Wing Chong

The Bird Group is contemplating holding a Green Bird Race this year. This is the second of our Green Bird Watching series in preparation for this possibility.

Meet Wing Chong at 7.30 am at Bukit Gombak MRT Station. We will explore the Choa Chu Kang Park Connector, birding along Bukit Batok West Avenue 5, Bricklands Road and ending at Choa Chu Kang Park, next to Choa Chu Kang MRT Station or Bricklands Road at the junction of Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3. The newly-opened Bricklands Road cuts through abandoned farms and army camps. Grasslands and woodlands here attract birds like Barbets, Bulbuls, Doves, Orioles, Parakeets, Starlings and Whiteeyes.

Do your part to Go Green for this trip! Take public transport, use reusable water bottles, utilise ‘Green’ batteries for your electronic gadgets. Every effort goes a long way.

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Title: 10th Mid-Year Bird Census
Date: 11 and 12 Jul 2009
Time:7:30am - 10:30am
Register with Lim Kim Seng - ibisbill@yahoo.com before 4 Jul.

This census of Singapore’s wild bird population will be held over two days to allow birdwatchers to cover their backyards, neighbourhood parks or home patches. We would like to invite all birders, especially newcomers to the Society, to join in this census. Don’t worry about being unable to identify some birds as each site will be led by an expert. Such censuses have helped us formulate conservation proposals to government agencies by providing us hard data to substantiate our proposals. If you can help from 7.30 am to 10.30 am on Saturday and/or Sunday, please email coordinator Lim Kim Seng at ibisbill@yahoo.com before 4 July. Let us know which day(s) you are available.

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Title: 5N/6D Taman Negara (ORGANISED BY MEMBER OF NSS)
Date: 21-26 Jun 2009
Location: Taman Negara National Park
Closing Date: 10 May 2009

Activities: Forest trekking, Bird watching, Canopy Walk, Swim at Lata Berkoh Cascades and Lubok Simpon, Trenggan rapids shooting, Cave exploration, Visits to Orang Asli settlement, High Hides and Fish sanctuary.

Cost Includes: Transport, accommodation, 4 dinners, all internal boat trips and fees.

Closing Date: 10 May 2009

Accommodation: Mutiara or Rainforest resorts, comes with breakfast, twin sharing or family room.

Transport: By coach and boat

Minimum No.: 20 pax

Application: Fill out the All Purpose Form (APF) found at the back of Nature News, one form per person. Make out a cheque for the full amount to Nature Society (Singapore). Please mail APF and your cheque to: S Rajamanickam, 61 Chestnut Crescent, Singapore 679412. For enquiries, email sithuraja@hotmail.com.

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