Our living shores never cease to surprise. This super low tide period, lots of exciting encounters during the flurry of shore by various groups. From rare clams to special stars, delightful dollars and other curious critters.Among the special finds was this Giant clam. It was seen on Pulau Jong, an island in the middle of our shipping lanes, next to our landfill, major bunkering facilities and petrochemical plants! Mei Lin aka the "Giant Clam Girl" who was on this field trip pronounced it to be Tridacna maxima, of which only one other specimen has so far been seen, on Raffles Lighthouse!
Read all about the clam on her brand new Psychedelic Nature blog and how this clam is sadly "functionally extinct" in Singapore. The intrepid team hazarded the landing on the aptly named "No Problem". The trip was a contrast of molluscs from tiny slugs to the giant clam; lush vegetation and other special finds.Special stars were also seen on various shores!
At Pulau Semakau, this sea star encountered seemed to be something new.
And another star that might be Pentaceraster mammilatus. This star was first discovered on Cyrene Reef and is a first record for Singapore. Semakau also seemed to have a surfeit of slugs this time around.
While at Cyrene Reef, there was the usual over abundance of Knobbly sea stars, including one WITHOUT knobs, the sand bar was teeming with Common sea stars and there was the first sighting of a biscuit sea star there. Besides amazing crabs, there were also batfish, 'Nemos' including a really tiny one, and lots more. Samuel's first trip to Cyrene inspired him to start his Aesthetic Voyager blog.More special sea star sightings were made at mainland shores such as Pasir Ris.
Where several sea stars with more than five arms were seen.
And at Changi where a small baby Knobbly sea star was seen.
A new shore was also explored revealing special sand dollars and other surprises.There was also a rather sad check up on the massive coastal developments and other impacts near Labrador Nature Reserve. Students also recently presented about their project on the impact of the cofferdam on Labrador shore.
Sentosa's shores was also recced for an upcoming walk by the Naked Hermit Crabs where a very obliging baby stingray gave some good video clips.
The Blue Water Volunteers also did a Kusu Island Reefwalk but have yet to blog about it.
Other events during the period includes the first Workshop for Nature Guides by the Leafmonkey Workshop.
A sporting group of nature guides had lots of fun creating and learning about echinoderms. Come for the next workshop which will be about cnidarians.More web updates
- Our nudis IDed on the Colourful Clouds blog: a bright orange one and a tiny one.
- Latest announcements on coastal developments, on the wild shores of singapore blog: at Pulau Tekong and Sentosa.
- Recent updates on Wildfacts of our rarer echinoderms.
- 6 & 7 Dec (Sat & Sun): Adventures in the Mud talk, and walk and specimen examination by the Toddycats at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
- 6 & 7 Dec (Sat & Sun): Amazing Mangrove Adventure and other activities at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve's anniversary celebrations
- 5 Dec (Fri): Workshop for Nature Guides - Cnidarians by the Leafmonkey Workshop
- 30 Nov (Sun): Dive Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers
- 30 Nov (Sun): Free Chek Jawa boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs
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