More Chek Jawa Recces

2nd Recce at May 20th 2007

After a wonderful trip to Sentosa on Sat, I was back to Chek Jawa for more recce on Sun. I could be there all alone, but Siyang volunteered to accompany me along there. Thanks buddy!

We also saw Ron and his gang of ubin volunteers there, they were there since 5.30am! And we reached only like close to 8am. Gosh, this is so because we were waiting for close to an hour for enough people to leave Changi point by bumboat.


Without delay, Ron promptly shares their find, a noble volute (Cymbiola nobilis). The colourful part or its foot can wrap bivalves to wait for the latter to finally open to breathe, which is also the moment the noble volute feed..haha.


WOW find from Ron. Several of these copperbanded butterflyfishes (Chelmon rostratus) were trapped in a bubu or a fish trap. They released these poor fishes and 2 are found here. My first time encountering them, so super excited lah.

They have a 'false eye" near the tail, and its real eye is much subtlely hidden by their orange band. If a predator really attack them, they can even swim backward!


An allied cowrie or ovulid snail (id courtesy of Chay Hoon) in a red sea fan (Manella sp.). Sea fans are not plants but colony of tiny animals just like corals. Of course, the cowrie is so small, only sharp-eyed Chay Hoon can spot it! (updated: Actually it was Ron who spotted it, but thks to CH again for pointing to us that day)


This time, we were at the west side of the CJ beacon, where abundant life were found, much to my pleasant surprise. In the background is SY also.


It is between the beacon and the jetty outside House no. 1 that LOTS and PLENTY of carpet anemones are actually found. They are like mines on the ground, and we had to thread cautiously to avoid stepping on these animals. Wow, they are really not all wiped out. Great! Thank God.


Across, we can see Pulau Sekudu, frog island. I will go there soon, hopefully!


Ok, here is it. These carpet anemones are really thriving well here instead of the sandbar areas of CJ. Take note, the ruler is 50cm long. Can you imagine their sizes?


If you think carpet anemones are not enough, here is a stunning array of peacock anemones. Pls ignore the compass, they are just there for scale.


Fiddler crab about to disappear when we approached it.


Ball sea cucumbers (Phyllophorus sp.) are found by quite a few in a specific area. They are not all dead! When siyang handled it, water was squirked out. Haha. If you encounter one, please dont touch it, because if you mistreat it, it will have repulsive vomiting such that their innards will be expelled out...


Great find! The biscuit sea star (Goniodiscaster scaber) were not just one that was found, but two. They were wrapped out without water, so we quickly put them into a pool so they can relax, for a great shot. They are pretty models arent they?


Siyang loves to play with these thunder crabs (Myomenippe hardwickii) by his chopsticks. Please dont try to touch them, their pincers are VERY strong. Hahaaaha. I can't imagine if your finger goes near them.


Tide was coming in, and the poor visibility does not allow me to identify this fish, perhaps a toadfish? (updated: Yea! its a toadfish, thks Chay Hoon for confirming)


Could this bivalve be a venus shell with siphon sticking out? Usually they will dig down.


That is what happens when a hermit crab does not have a shell! Naked hermit crab! It's dead. Found by Siyang interestingly. So pls do not collect shells okie?


A heron which the species i dont know. Perhaps a bird expert can help me with this? These birds love to come to the intertidal to feed and rest.

(updated: Ivan kindly shared that its a Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana), cool! thks )


Another interesting find, a brittlestar!


Ok! This final sea cucumber is really cute, the shape and segments are interesting, first time saw this.

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3rd Recce at May 21st 2007

Monday is my 3rd recce and also the second time Siyang kindly accompanied me for 2nd time. Where to find such a great friend and a wonderful nature lover who dont mind to wake up so early consecutively for some many days. Though we had difficulty trying to get CJ on time due to jetty delays and tiresome cycles, it was still an experience because at least there was company. Or else I would have dragged myself and rot there myself. Thanks once again man!



We were back to the beacon area to catch the low tide, before it gets covered up first




Just around the beacon, there are quite a number of carpet anemones, but not as many as those found nearer to house no. 1 and before the house's jetty.


Beautiful and graceful carpet anemone looking healthy.


We also have 3-5cm sized carpet anemones waiting to recover from the mass death. Greaty.


I started zooming elsewhere. Gosh, now Pulau Sajahat is also reclaimed, bet most of the shore wildthings are gone. sigh.


Here's the "Tekong Chalet". I always remember when I had my BMT, there seems to be stuffs down there during low tide. Of course we dont have the luxury to explore. We could only vividly remember the stinky mangrove while running 2.4km. The stinky smell is due to anoxic condition.


More reclamation to the north, facing Malaysia. It's so much reclamation that I think its not a strange thing they are complaining about it perhaps. Just a guess...


Siyang managed to cajole this hermit crab out. It seems to be enjoying and pretty relaxed.


Nice stuff found. A hole in the shell of a dead bivalve. It can be due to drills or moon snails.


I love this in chilli..opps! These mussels are living ok, quite localised in CJ, except below the boardwalk where there are plenty.


Siyang is game enough to pick up the fiddler crab. I asked him how he managed to do it, he says, its too fat to get into the hole to escape... funny right.


Lesser fun this time round cos was doing more prep work for the actual transect on 22/5 tues. Will blog on it tmr, I have to churn out a report now... haha.