The Serangoon stork

Mouth of Sungei Serangoon, which has since been dammed up to create the Serangoon Reservoir;
(Photo by Food Trails)

Hello from SG (@HellofrmSG), Singapore's very own rotation curation project on Twitter, has just been launched, and our very first curator is journalist and history buff Eisen Teo (@eisen).

As part of his self-introduction, Eisen shared the etymology of the name of his neighbourhood, Serangoon:





(Note: an alternative explanation is provided in the 27th March 1950 edition of The Straits Times)

First blue, now pink. What’s with all the coloured water in canals nowadays?

Just last week, STOMPers spotted blue water in canals at Jurong. Today (Mar 2), a STOMPer spotted pink water flowing down a canal at Serangoon. What's with all the pollution?

In an email to STOMP today (Mar 2), the STOMPer says:

"There was pink water in this drain at Serangoon Ave 2.

"The weird substance was flowing from Serangoon Ave 2 past Nanyang Polytechnic and Lorong Chuan."

Related posts: Water at Jurong Port canal turns blue because of pollution (26th February 2010)
Check out the blue water in this canal! (25th February 2010)

If my maps are accurate, the canals in this area should drain into the Kallang River itself, and any pollutants inside will eventually end up in the Marina Reservoir.

Thankfully nobody was hurt when this tree fell at Gambir Walk

STOMPer ana was shocked when she spotted this tree falling this afternoon (Nov 4) at Gambir Walk.

In an email to STOMP today (Nov 4), the STOMPer says:

"A huge tree along Gambir Walk suddenly fell today at 4:35pm. Nobody was hurt. No major damage resulted from the incident.

"The trunk of this old tree was not strong enough to hold its many branches. This could happen again anytime, anywhere. Next time, someone could get hurt.

"Perhaps inspections can be made to see if our trees are sturdy and pose no threat to the safety of our residents."

Eagle-like bird spotted at Serangoon North Ave 2

STOMPer John Patrick's wife and son spotted this huge eagle-like bird perched on a tree top at Serangoon North Ave 2.

In email sent to STOMP today (Oct 31), the 49-year-old civil servant wrote:

"My wife and son spotted this bird which looks like the eagles we see in Jurong Bird Park from our eighth floor flat at Serangoon North Ave 2.

"This was in the afternoon of Oct 29 and it appeared to be a very large bird."

Do check out the video posted on STOMP.

The video quality is horribly poor, but if I had to make an educated guess, I wouldn't be surprised if it was an Oriental honey buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus).


Bidadari Cemetery;
(Photo by NatureInYourBackyard)


(Photo by hiker1974)


Bukit Panjang;
(Photo by kampang)

As the name suggests, the Oriental honey buzzard actually has quite a unique diet; it specialises on raiding the nests of wasps and bees for their larvae, although it also feeds on other insects, and will take small vertebrates.


Oriental honey buzzard feeding on wasp nest, Japanese Garden;
(Photo by NatureInYourBackyard)

Compared to other raptors, the Oriental honey buzzard appears to have a long neck with a small head. Its nostrils are slits, and it has special scale-like feathers around its face, nostrils and forehead. These are adaptations to protect the bird from the stings of wasps and bees.


(Photo by NatureInYourBackyard)


(Photo by cedphotos)

This is a species that is more commonly seen in forested and wooded habitats, although it is becoming quite frequently encountered in urban areas in recent years. Even your jaded Singaporeans, more used to mynas (Acridotheres spp.), feral pigeons (Columba livia), tree sparrows (Passer montanus) and house crows (Corvus splendens), would find it very hard to miss the large raptor perched right outside their homes.


Bukit Panjang;
(Photo by kampang)

The Oriental honey buzzard is not known to breed in Singapore; instead, most sightings are believed to be of migrants from further north. There are 2 main populations; the northern population, belonging to the subspecies orientalis, breeds from Siberia east to China and Japan, and migrates to India and Southeast Asia during the winter. The bulk of sightings of Oriental honey buzzards in Singapore are of birds belonging to this population, and it is considered to be a common winter visitor and passage migrant. Birds belonging to this subspecies have little or no crest.


Khatib Bongsu;
(Photo by kampang)


(Photo by cedphotos)

The southern population consists of 5 subspecies resident in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia; the most distinctive feature that sets these subspecies apart from the northern population is the presence of a crest.


The nominate subspecies (ptilorhyncus) is endemic to Java;
(Photo by dimar_bioui05)

The subspecies torquatus is an uncommon resident breeder in Peninsular Malaysia. It is likely that the occasional records of this subspecies in Singapore are of newly fledged birds dispersing after the breeding season, in search of new territory. Such birds account for most records of Oriental honey buzzards here in the summer months.


(Photo by Laurence Poh)

The torquatus subspecies is considered to be an uncommon non-breeding visitor in Singapore; however, there is always the possibility that eventually, some of these might establish themselves and start breeding locally.


Here is a very interesting photo taken in Malaysia; the bird on the left is a male Oriental honey buzzard belonging to the resident race torquatus, while the bird on the right is a male of the same species, except that it belongs to the migratory race orientalis. You can see how different they are in terms of coloration of plumage, and by the presence of a crest in the resident form.

One very interesting fact about the Oriental honey buzzard is that it apparently mimics other raptor species. In terms of plumage, the Oriental honey buzzard is said to bear a close resemblance to several species of hawk-eagle (Nisaetus spp.) of Southeast Asia.

For example, the subspecies torquatus, resident in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, closely resembles Wallace's hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nanus).


This is an Oriental honey buzzard belonging to the race torquatus, photographed somewhere in Malaysia;
(Photo by Laurence Poh)


This is a Wallace's hawk-eagle, Kinabatangan;
(Photo by Leif Gabrielsen)

There is also a much less common morph of torquatus, known as the 'Tweeddale morph', that bears great similarity to Blyth's hawk-eagle (Nisaetus alboniger).


Here is an example of the 'Tweeddale morph' of the Oriental honey buzzard, taken at the Mandai Orchid Garden;
(Photo by Micky Lim)


And here is Blyth's hawk-eagle, Panti Forest;
(Photo by Micky Lim)

The 'Tweeddale morph' bird spotted at the Mandai Orchid Garden proved to be the source of some confusion earlier this year.

What makes the Oriental honey buzzard so interesting is that here in tropical South and Southeast Asia, all the different variations in colour and pattern of plumage seen in this species correspond to those of various species and age-classes of hawk-eagle. Besides Wallace's hawk-eagle and Blyth's hawk-eagle mentioned above, other candidates for mimicry include the changeable hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) (itself a highly variable species), Javan hawk-eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi), mountain hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis) and Philippine hawk-eagle (Nisaetus philippensis).

What is the purpose of this mimicry? It is not often known that larger raptors and owls can be significant predators of other species of raptor and owl; in what is called intraguild predation, smaller predatory species often fall prey to larger predators. However, a large raptor or owl would probably think twice about attacking a well-armed hawk-eagle, especially since it would increase the risk of injury. By mimicking the heavier, more powerful hawk-eagles, the relatively weak and defenceless Oriental honey buzzard probably gains some immunity against predation by other raptors.

The Oriental honey buzzard is just 1 of several raptor species that visit Singapore during the winter months, although it is among the most common. In spring, when it is time for these migrants to head back north to their breeding grounds, these birds may form large flocks, creating an amazing natural spectacle. Tanjung Tuan in Port Dickson is highly popular with birdwatchers each spring, as large numbers of Oriental honey buzzards and other raptors reach the Malay Peninsula, after crossing the Straits of Malacca from Sumatra.

Storm winds whip S'pore: Just look at the damage caused

Singaporeans woke up this morning in the wake of a violent storm that started late last night and lasted till the wee hours of this morning (Apr 23).

STOMPers from all over Singapore sent in pictures of the damage wrought by the huge winds.

Munish, a longtime resident of Dover Road had this to say of the storm winds:

"I stay at Block 31 Dover Road.

"Last night's wind uprooted these trees. I've been staying here over 30 yrs and this is the very first time this thing has happened."

STOMPer Astonished also reported winds strong enough to fell trees:

"Lightning and strong winds hit the trees at Hong Leong Gardens Shopping Centre, causing a tree to be uprooted.

"The tree hit the roof of the shop houses there."

He added:

"I think it should be a precaution for Nparks and area management to beware of how you plant the trees in areas near shops, buildings and houses."

Awed by the force of the winds that felled trees in Ang Mo Kio, another STOMPer wrote:

"These felled trees are the after effects of a 'mini-typhoon' at Ang Mo Kio Street 21.

"There are many more along Yio Chu Kang Road."

Elsewhere, STOMPer Cam reported damage to the blinds at her home caused by the storm:

"I can't believe the wind was that strong! We had to go cut it down in case it fell and hurt someone. The whole balcony is a big mess."

Further north in Bishan, winds tore down branches from a tree that landed on a taxi, damaging the bonnet of the vehicle.

Said the STOMPer of damage:

"On April 22 at about 11.30 pm, part of this tree broke and fell onto a taxi which had just dropped a passenger at the carpark of Bishan Street 22, at Block 229."

At St George road in the Serangoon area, branches also fell on these two cars at a carpark.

In her MMS, STOMPer Fen said:

"At about 11:00 pm last night, I heard branches cracking.

"In the morning I saw that some branches had broken off completely and landed on these two cars parked at a nearby carpark.

"Both rear windshields had shattered and the car directly under the branch had a badly dented roof.

"One of the car owners had posted a note on his windscreen requesting the other owner contact him, so they could work together to clear the branches."

Another unfortunate car owner suffered at the hands of the storm, as STOMPer Faith reports:

"This happened at the carpark of Block 140, Jalan Bukit Merah, right in front of the famous Thai temple.

"A series of strong winds swept central Singapore at about 11.10pm resulting in a huge branch landing on a Mitsubishi Lancer.

"Loud crashing noises from fallen households ornaments were heard throughout the whole block. It must have been one of the strongest winds Singapore had experienced so far.

"No car siren was heard and owner was still unaware at time of my sending this email."

According to another STOMPer, winds in Singapore were strong enough to move heavy objects:

"The wind blew soo hard hard it moved road blocks and distrupted traffic."

STOMP has contacted the NEA for more details on the storm.

UPDATE:

A spokesperson for the NEA had the following comments:

"A 'Sumatra' squall is a line of eastward moving intense thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds that usually occurs between April and September.

"An average of 2-3 'Sumatra' squalls occur in a month during this period. It normally develops overnight in Sumatra and the Straits of Malacca, and affects Singapore between midnight and 9am.

"Maximum wind gusts of up to 90 km per hour from a 'Sumatra' squall have been recorded in the past.

"The strong winds that affected Singapore last night between 11 pm (22 Apr 09) and 12:30 am (23 Apr 09) were caused by an intense fast-moving 'Sumatra' squall.

"Mean wind speeds ranging from 33 to 54 km per hour were recorded across the island. The highest recorded wind gust was 83 km per hour in the western areas.

"A wind gust is a sudden brief increase in the speed of the wind.

"Short duration showers fell over most parts of the island but were heavy in only a few areas. The highest rainfall of 7.0 mm was recorded around Sembawang.

"A wind gust of similar strength was last recorded on Jun 20 2000.

"For the rest of the month, we can expect another one or two 'Sumatra' squalls but they are unlikely to be as severe as the one last night."

Related articles:
Tropical storm behind strongest winds to hit Singapore in 9 years (24th April 2009) (mirror)
Wild wind wreaks havoc (24th April 2009) (mirror)
Gusty winds and rain wreak havoc (24th April 2009) (mirror)
Gusty winds wreak havoc (24th April 2009)
Freak storm wreaks havoc (23rd April 2009)

Related post: Tree uprooted and crashes into construction site during storm in Changi Village (23rd April 2009)


A Sumatra Squall approaching eastern Singapore on 4 July 2005
(All images in this section taken from the NEA's WEATHERWise Singapore)

From the NEA's Meteorological Service FAQs:

What are Sumatras?

Sumatras are lines of thunderstorms which usually occur between March and November each year. These squalls (lines of thunderstorms) develop at night over Sumatra or the Malacca Straits and move east towards Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia usually during the pre-dawn and early morning. They are often characterised by sudden onset of strong gusty surface winds and heavy rain lasting from 1 to 2 hours as they move across the island. Maximum gusts of up to 50 knots have been recorded during the passage of a Sumatra squall (Gusts are temporary rise in wind speed).

A satellite image showing a Sumatra Squall affecting Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia

And from WEATHERWise Singapore:

An isolated thunderstorm cell has a short lifespan, usually less than an hour. Sometimes, a number of units or cells of thunderstorms may be organized by wind pattern or by terrain into a line. A thunderstorm line, also known as a squall line (or squall) moves and behaves collectively and can have a longer lifespan.

A Sumatra Squall is such an organised thunderstorm line that develops over Sumatra Island in Indonesia or the Straits of Malacca, often overnight, and then moves eastward to affect Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. In a typical case, the squall line can bring about one to two hours of thundery showers. Often this happens in the predawn hours or morning. Some Sumatra Squalls are also accompanied by wind gusts of 40 to 80 km/h. Gusts are short-duration bursts of wind. Occasionally, such gusts are strong enough to uproot trees.

Sumatra Squalls can develop at any time of the year, but are uncommon during the Northeast Monsoon Season. Convergence of air streams at low levels (height of less than 1 km) over a large area is a pre-requisite for the development of a Sumatra Squall. Additionally, a general westerly wind above (between 2 to 4 km) blowing from Sumatra Island towards Singapore is needed to steer the squall line forward.

Radar images showing the passage of a Sumatra Squall.

As Kok Sheng mentioned, how apt that this spectacular show of nature's power should take place on Earth Day. It would do us well to remember that although we have the capability to drastically change the environment to suit our needs, to tame mighty rivers and level towering mountains, and even possess the ability to alter the climate, at the end of the day, we are just like any other species, at the complete mercy of the forces of nature.