Nature Society Visits
A Detailed Study

At the Resort's invitation, members of the Nature Society Singapore (NSS), visited our golf courses early this year (2000) to conduct an ecological assessment of the wildlife that can be found here. Comprising volunteers Mr Clive Briffet, an Associate Professor (Environmental Conservation) with National University of Singapore, and Mr Lim Kim Keang, Chairman (Bird Group), and NSS's Executive Officer Mr Andrew Tay, the group ventured on some little known nature hotspots in the Resort and made some interesting discovery.

They were surprised to find breeding colonies of herons, bee eaters and a few other species of birds within the course boundaries. The number of bird species recorded in total was 48 including 12 confirmed residents and nine migrant bird species. They are:

Migrant Bird Species

	ENGLISH NAME	SCIENTIFIC NAME
	BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER	Merops philippinus
	COMMON SANDPIPER	Tringa hypoleucus
	LITTLE EGRET	Egretta garzetta
	CHINESE POND-HERON	Ardeola bacchus
	BROWN SHRIKE	Lanius cristatus
	ASIAN BROWN FLYCATCHER	Muscicapa dauurica
	BARN SWALLOW	Hirundo rustica
	ORIENTAL REED-WARBLER	Acrocephalus orientalis
	ARCTIC WARBLER	Phylloscopus borealis

 Resident Birds with Breeding Evidence

	ENGLISH NAME	SCIENTIFIC NAME
	COLLARED KINGFISHER	Todirhamphus chloris
	WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN	Amaurornis phoenicurus
	GREY HERON	Ardea cinerea
	PURPLE HERON	Ardea purpurea
	STRIATED HERON	Butorides striatus
	HOUSE CROW	Corvus splendens
	BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE	Oriolus chinensis
	ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING	Aplonis panayensis
	YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL	Pycnonotus goiavier
	COMMON TAILORBIRD	Orthotomus sutorius
	OLIVE-BACKED SUNBIRD	Nectarinia jugularis
	EURASIAN TREE SPARROW	Passer montanus

The group also discovered 16 species of butterflies. Most of these are relatively common in Singapore but six species are defined as non-breeding visitors. Some butterflies surprisingly migrate long distances and have clearly been attracted to particular food plants located around the course.