We waited and watched with bated breath as Dino muscled through the sand to get a firm hold of the flower-like creature that burrowed deep into the sediment. After a good few minutes, a long cylindrical Heteractis elongata emerged, to the glee of those present.

Singapore's coastal environment is simply amazing. Despite the immense changes in the last century which have transformed and expanded the southern coastline and southern islands, the inter-tidal and sub-tidal habitats are incredibly resilient

Nature is an endless, evolving textbook with so many lessons for us to learn. As a former teacher turned outreach officer for NParks, I am always intrigued by the new lessons that nature has for me each day, as I work and walk through Singapore's two largest nature reserves - the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

When I first stepped onto the derelict land that is now Tampines Eco Green (TEG), I thought the place was an unpolished gem of a birding site. The place reminded me of Senoko, a fabulous nature area in the north of Singapore that is no longer around - but is still fondly remembered by local nature enthusiasts. Now that TEG is open to visitors, bird-watching has never been easier in the east of urban Singapore.