The ever-changing fig

If you've taken buses from the bus stop in front of the Innovation Centre, you might have noticed this very special tree just next to the bus shelter - our Heritage Tree!

So why is it so special? Is it only because it's a Heritage Tree?

Take a look at the picture below. Can you guess what it shows? I'll give you a hint - they're not the flower petals of the fig tree. Fig trees are given a name called "无花果" which when translated into English means fruits without flowers.



Personally, I thought this is a very special tree because of how different it looks as it goes through the various stages. The pictures below show the tree with its young leaves but if you were to head down and take a look at the tree now, the leaves have turned a much darker green.

"Euphoric" Tree at Yunnan Garden

18th September 2008 marked my first formal encounter with Yunnan Garden, which was actually a prelude to what nature guiding is all about for a greenhorn like me. Previously, I have walked through Yunnan Garden once but I did not have the luxury of admiring the flora and fauna. Thus, the experience was truely an eye-opener of the diversity of organisms that the garden has to offer.

There was a particular tree that struck a deep impression on me. There was a strangler-like growth on the main trunk of the tree, though I am not very sure what it is supposed to be. I was fascinated with this artpiece of nature. What made this tree interesting was the pattern of the growth. Using some imagination, it reminded me of a happy man with outstretched hands and legs. Somehow, for some unknown reasons, whenever I look at this photo of the tree, I would feel a sense of euphoria.

Therefore, the next time you are at Yunnan Garden, do slow down your footsteps to take in the sights of nature. There might be some other masterpieces of nature along your way. Do enjoy!

Bird Watching in NTU

Do you find yourself with nothing to do while waiting at the bus stop in front of the Innovation Centre for the 179 buses? Now you will be bored no longer! Let me tell you why.

Notice the huge fig tree beside the bus stop? (You can refer to older entries to see pictures of how it looks like. http://gardenntu.blogspot.com/2008/07/heritage-tree.html) It is now the time when many birds perch on the tree for a feast of the fruits. The fruits have turned into a pretty shade of pink now!

So how do you know when the birds have arrived? It is actually very easy to tell. The birds make their presence known with the loud noises they make. If you look carefully, you would be able to spot more than the just the common mynah, crows and sparrows. I was at the bus stop waiting for my bus today at around 5pm. (About 5 buses came and went but they were all too packed for anyone else to board.) I wished I could take some pictures but I didn't have my camera with me then.

I might be wrong but I think those birds are the Asian Glossy Starlings. I was not able to get a good look because they were high up in the branches. There were many of them on just one tree! If you know anything about those birds on the trees, do drop us a message! We want to hear from you!

The next time you're at that bus stop, why not take a look around you and you might discover something interesting. It is also a very good way to pass time! There are actually many interesting birds to be seen around our campus - I have personally spotted kingfishers, pink-necked green-pigeons and woodpeckers and many others that I could not name.

Have fun bird-watching, then!


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Do you have any pictures of the birds feasting on our very own Hertitage Tree? We'll love to see them! Come share your pictures with everyone. Send it to Earthlink-ActMgr@ntu.edu.sg with a short caption.


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Edit: I direct you to this website : http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/birds/Aplonis_panayensis.htm.

On the website, it says that "They are particularly fond of figs." This further confirm my thoughts that the birds I saw were the Asian Glossy Starlings.

I've actually seen these birds in various parts of Singapore like the Singapore Botanical Gardens. They might not easy to spot as most people would just think of them as another crow or mynah due to the dark appearance of its feathers but on a closer look at its feathers, you'll be able to tell that they are not just any other mynah.

From the website, it says "In bright sunlight, their glossy plumage has an iridescent shine, changing to green, purple or black as they move about." I usually only see the green though but these are really beautiful birds.

Sea Fig Tree

• Common Name: Sea Fig
• Place to observe: beside Canteen B bus stop
• When to observe: May~June, Sep~Oct
• What to observe: young leaves and friuts
• Why observe: The sea fig bears fruits twice a year. Before bearing fruits, it sheds off all its leaves and comes out with the new ones in only a few days. As you can see from the pictures below, it bears the fruits on its branches. These fruits are first green and then pink. When looked against the sunlight, it seems like corals in the sea. I guess,that's why it gets the name sea fig.