DEAD

This dead bird looked like a Waterhen and I saw it on one of those mornings on my way to work. Poor thing. It looked like it just died not long ago.

TOA PAYOH TOWN PARK - PART 2

After the pergola, I approached this rustic part of the park. You see, when we were redeveloping the park, there was a part of the park that was occupied by a temporary bus interchange before it was moved to its present permanent location across the road and there was this other part that was nostalgic to most residents who lived in this area.

The decision then was to redevelop this latter part with a more modern look to it and retain the rustic feel of the former. This is the former part that leads to a chinese-design bridge over a pond. The old and bent Callistemon viminalis trees were kept because of the beauty they give to the pond with their arching branches. The reflection of the landscape in the pond was just splendid and the small islands of plants in the pond add a different dimension to it. The landscape architect was brilliant and suggested the use of Phoenix palms in the water as a trial and they are still there in the pond today.

Amongst the marginal aquatic plants was a Waterhen that moved quietly through the thick growth. Part of the old concrete footpath along the pond edge was laid with wooden blocks salvaged from an Australian railway, at least that was what I was told. Then I was back on the red-bricked pathway that led me out of the park where I was greeted by the majestic rows of silver Bismarckia nobilis that is so iconic of this location.

KENT RIDGE PARK

I have not been to Kent Ridge Park for a while. But I was there recently.

They added a cable car cabin as a decor item near one of the carparks. The Platycerium coronarium (common name: Stag's Horn Fern) was so well-established, much like the one I posted at Ophir Road.

It appeared they have also planted out the Grammatophyllum speciosum (common name: Tiger Orchid) on the tree fork.

The view of the sea from the high vantage point was also amazing. This is probably one of the few hills in Singapore where we can get to see the sea, the houses along the coast, the ships and the wharf.

As I trekked along the footpath down to the pond, I saw this beautiful Passiflora (common name: Passion Flower) climbing on the secondary forest vegetation. I do not know the exact species but could it be P. 'Incense', which is a hybrid crossed between P. incarnata and P. cinnicata? A link on the Passion Flower is shown below for reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_flower

The silhouette of the crown of the Albizia moluccana (synonym: Falcataria moluccana, Paraserianthes falcataria, Albizia falcataria, Adenanthera falcataria; common name: Batai, Bataiwood) against the blue sky was amazing.

Then there were 2 photos of the young White-breasted Waterhen (scientific name: Amauromis phoenicurus) scurrying around from bush to bush, seeking the safety within the dense groves of marginal plants.

There were also abundant dragonflies found in the aquatic habitat environment and one particular one was parasitized by wasp as evident by the dense mass of black eggs on its lower abdomen. But such is the law of nature and order to maintain ecological balance through its intricate food chains and webs.