Bumped into RT, WLK and IK at Changi Village Ferry Terminal decided to accompany them to look at the heronry at Pasir Ris Park instead of doing a long walk to Chek Jawa together with TKL. Good decision as the Pasir Ris Boardwalk proved a delightful vantage point to look at the many jewels of the mangrove.
First up was a thick gianormous caterpillar which was busy devouring all the leaves on a small bush. RT identified it as an Atlas Moth caterpillar.
Atlas Moth Caterpillar 27Nov2010 from BeachBum on Vimeo.
Next, further along the boardwalk was a juvenile Malayan water monitor which was taking a siesta on a low branch soaking up the afternoon sun.
water monitor from BeachBum on Vimeo.
The patterns on it's skin would gradually disappear as it groww older ... probably because it would not need the camouflage as it became the top predator in the mangrove (discounting cousin crocodile of course).
Next was a pair of giant mudskippers.
mudskippers & mosquitoes from BeachBum on Vimeo.
Probably a mating couple as other similar duos were seen in isolated nearby spots too. One was very yellow whereas the other was noticeably a dark grey. It was good that the yellow mudskipper was there as it seemed to attract most of the mosquitoes which happily swarmed around it's head. The grey mudskipper seemed invisible to the mosquitoes! Perhaps it holds the key to the next greatest ingredient for mozzie repellant!
Here is a clip of another nearby yellow mudskipper...also plagued by the mozzies.
mudskipper w mozzies from BeachBum on Vimeo.
Then someone spotted a snake! This was just below the boardwalk.
dog-faced water snake @ Pasir Ris Mangroves from BeachBum on Vimeo.
It was a dog-faced water snake about a metre long and it was a bit unusual to see it foraging for food during the daytime. It usually seen after sundown where these snakes come out in droves hunting small fish in the shallows. These snakes are expert fishing snakes and are capable of injecting a small amount of venom into their prey disabling them before ingestion.
RT pointed out a fat-armed jellyfish actively swimming into the mangroves. This should be one of those kinds you would not want to touch or be touched by.
mangrove jellyfish from BeachBum on Vimeo.
Next in the water was a small school of green bromides. These had followed the tide in from the river when it spilled over the mangroves to flood the mangrove forest near the boardwalk.
Bromides @ Pasir Ris Mangroves from BeachBum on Vimeo.
There were several small groups of these fish at various spots near the boardwalk.
Check out RT's Wildshores blog for more things seen!
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2010/11/mangroves-at-pasir-ris-with-high-tide.html
