An appointment with the King (of Birds!!)

It has been a long time since the last blog, and I could go on about how busy I am, but at this stage if you read me regularly then you will know how swamped with work I am. So instead I will jump straight in to the amazing trip that Paul and I went on in the beginning of June.

Due to Paul having some more time off, we decided to use the free flights we had (because of our cancelled flight to Cebu in January) to go off and try for the Philippine Eagle at Mt. Kitanglad, in Mindanao. We had a chance in January of this amazing bird but were unlucky with the weather and missed it. This time however, it was not to be missed. There were a few other birds that we wanted to see but the eagle was the star.

After a plane, car, motorbike and then a long hike with horses, we got to camp and our home for the next 4 nights. We were both excited but nervous. It was the beginning of June and no one ever travelled up to see the eagle this late in the season. The last tour group to come through was at the beginning of May and the weather had started to turn, from the drier, to the wetter months. The accommodation is basic, but I loved it. Up the mountain and within throwing distance of the forest, we stayed in what I could best describe as a large barn. No electricity and no running water. It was brilliant. The night we arrived, I picked up a number of lifers by just being at camp. Behind the camp, in a large bamboo bush was a Little Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula westermanni) which was to be a regular bird seen at this particular spot throughout the few days that I was staying there.  At night, you could set your watch, to the time when Bukidnon Woodcocks (Scolopax sp.) started to fly over, making a raspy, rapid sound, like a speeded up sound of a horse. These were also regular, like clockwork, in the morning too. Then, just before bed, on the first night, we heard a call and went rummaging through the forest with our guide. After some torch searching we found another species I was excited to find, a Philippine Frogmouth (Batrachostomus septimus) just sat on a branch looking down on us with its ‘large smiling beak’. I got some great views before it flew off. But nothing was compared to the King of birds…

Day 1

We had three days planned up the mountain at the ‘viewing platform’, which was a number of bamboo tied together to provide a place to sit and some plastic over the top for shade. It was located just over an hours hike away from camp, on top of a grassy hill overlooking a valley, with a ridge, and the side of the mountain which was lush green with vegetation. We could see about a kilometre of the side of this mountain. On the first day, just as we got there, we heard a tree fall in the forest, and the sound was amazing!! It was far away but you could hear this almighty crashing sound which resonated through the valley and trees. Like a large wave crashing on a beach.

We set up the scope and waited…. and waited….. and waited some more. At times the clouds were so thick we couldn’t see that far and it took a long time before we saw the top of the mountain in front of us. I was kept entertained by the White-cheeked Bullfinches (Pyrrhula leucogenis), a great looking bird. Though not as colourful as its European counterpart, that I am more familiar with, the bright white cheeks stands out against its olive brown keel and shoulders, a bright sign you can see as it flies past, and there were many.

But, unfortunately, the weather turned and we had to abandon the day after 5 ½ hours of watching. There was no sign and we had to slog our way back in the rain, similar to January. Paul said that someone had mentioned to him that Mindanao had, oppose to the regular wet and dry season, a wet and wetter season. I could believe that.

Day 2

We got to the platform and within 20 minutes Paul had found the eagle! Perched on a tree, surveying its kingdom. The excitement buzzed in the air as each of us got a quick look through the scope before letting the next person have a look. But as soon as it had appeared, it disappeared. It must have flown off to hunt. Regardless, it was a good view of a stunning bird. We were then at a bit of a loss. We had planned all day here and we had seen it, but not for long. Should we stay or was that the best we would get?? Paul mentioned, which we all agreed with, that we should stay for perhaps another hour, just to see if he popped up again, and then travel further up the mountain. So we sat and we waited again…

We didn’t need the full hour, in half that time the bird reappeared at the closest point of the mountain. Over the ridge, and valley, there it stood, typically on a large dead tree. Our guide tried calling him in by shouting his best impression. I was lucky enough to be on the scope as he took flight. Almost 2 metres of wing shot out and the huge body seemed to command the air to lift it off of the tree as it flew directly towards us! As I watched, I could see its eyes pointing straight towards me, as the entire body followed. It landed on the ridge which was between us and the mountain. Giving perfect views through the scope! I could also see it with the naked eye, it was that close. Our guide and his son, Carlito and Danny, were getting just as excited as we were. You always know it’s something special when the guide, who has been taking out groups for years, gets excited.  But it wasn’t over. The bird took flight again and landed in a tree about 150 metres away, it was close!! We stood, open mouthed, at the closeness we were with this bird. After taking pictures and getting great views, it dived down into the valley and out of sight. We packed up and started up the mountain, with an almighty spring in our step from the brilliant views we had of this amazing bird. In text sent to other birders; stunning, beautiful and the best views ever were sent! Words could not describe how happy we were with the views. We couldn’t have asked for more, BUT the King had other ideas…

Day 3

Having now explored the mountain a bit and seen spectacular views of the eagle, we decided to try some of the lower forest, for a few possible birds that had been seen recently. We navigated our way through the thick undergrowth and through habitat full of vines, trees and shrubs. Half-way through the day, we were surrounded in forest but could see through the canopy. Then, out of nowhere, Carlito shouted

“Eagle!”

There, on the next ridge over, sat the Philippine Eagle! Again, hunting from a large dead tree and only about 200 metres away. We were in the right area for it, and was not expecting it today, but it had found us. As Paul went back along the path, to try and get a better picture, I started to fight my way through the canopy to get a better view. Out of nowhere I heard

“It’s flying! It’s flying”

So I looked up, just in time to see it glide over my head! I wasn’t directly under the bird, but I could see all of its feathers and body movements as it threw down its wings as it flew. In a split second, all that I could see, hear and think was eagle. Everything else just faded away and I was awe-struck by this magnificent, powerful bird. It then landed in a tree, just down from where I was. I looked up and there he was, staring down at me (or at least in my direction) less than 40 metres away! It bobbed its head, it rolled it around and it scanned the forest around me. Then, out of nowhere, I got an impression of what it was like to be one of the monkeys that this bird hunts. I felt, just for a moment, like I was being hunted. I could see his powerful talons and the razor sharp claws which were at the end of each toe. The HUGE bill for ripping and shredding was pointed towards me a few times and I could see his blue eyes and his iris, pointing in towards me. All this I could see without my binoculars with a slight chill, a mixture of excitement and fear ran through me. In that moment I was in no doubt, if he was hungry, I wouldn’t stand a chance!

The others had arrived around me and started taking pictures. Then, after posing for a short while, it flew off and we didn’t see it again. But what more could I have asked for?! This huge wild bird had flown over, in all its glory, and had caught me in a trance. All of us silently sat down and just had a moment of self-reflection. No one spoke for what seemed like 20 minutes. Each one of us having had great views and were amazed at our luck. Paul showed us his pictures (link at the bottom) which are brilliant. We had used up all the best words in the text the night before, so how we were going to describe the views from this day was a challenge.

 We did see other great birds throughout our time up the mountain, but honestly thinking back, the only bird that I can think of is the eagle and that moment in the forest we were staring at each other. It was a great time away but the end had come. I’m not sure if I will be able to make it back someday, and honestly I’m not sure I want to. Those views were better than any bird in captivity and this individual was wild. If I were to go back and not see it, would it taint my experience and take the edge off of what I had experienced or would it just make me appreciated the first trip more? I don’t know that but what I do know is that if my current level of work stays as it is, I’m going to be lucky if I get any time to look out of my office window for birds!!

As always Paul took some great pictures, of the eagle and other birds, which you can find here

A Quiet Morning up Makiling

This week, instead of catching up on some of the birding trips that I have still to write up, I have decided to blog about this morning’s trip. That way it is still fresh in my mind and I can use the past blogs on weeks when I don’t get out much….which is often. After a midweek meeting, which Paul also attended, we decided to try for a quick bird this weekend. Due to working commitments it could only be a short trip, so we decided to walk up Mt. Makiling again. However, due to a change in circumstance this year the mountain has not been revealing its usual gems. Here’s why…

In the last few months of last year, two students from UPLB (University of the Philippines, Los Baños), were found dead up the mountain. For security the mountain was closed off and there was no access. The mountain opened again a few months back but with an addition: a heavy duty barrier. You can no longer drive up the mountain until 8am, once a guard has arrived to let you in. Now I’m all for security and if these measures were in place to protect others, then who am I to change their way. The issue for me is that you now cannot gain the altitude needed to get to the ideal forest for the birds early enough in the morning. I have seen a number of stunning birds which I am now going to miss because I just can’t get up there fast enough. So we now park at the bottom and trek as far up as we can before it gets too hot for the birds and for us.

As usual, Paul picked me up at 5 and it wasn’t long before we were walking past the sleeping guards at the barrier. Paul still left our entrance fee on the desk, but they did not stir. We started up the road. The road has also been improved since last year and was easy underfoot, but this is a small blessing when compared to the absolute void of bird life that we could see. We heard some calls further up and slowly made our way forward. The sun was just rising, so we couldn’t see much. Then a large form moved out of the trees and away, being mobbed by a smaller shape but that’s all I got. Most probably a small bird defending itself against a larger bird of prey, but I will never know.

A large butterfly flew out in front of us, which made us both stop and search for it. I guess it was a butterfly as neither one of us got good eyes on it but from the speed it floated by, I think a bird would have stalled! At one point I turned the corner and saw two Emerald doves (Chalcophaps indica) on the road, which then flew up over our heads and then were gone. That was about it going up. We stopped at the Buko stands (the halfway point which we normally drive past) for a rest and then decided to start our descent. It was turning out to be a REALLY slow day.

There were a few more exciting birds as we descended. As we walked I saw a slight flutter and decided to have a look through my bins, and I’m glad I did. A male Spotted Wood-Kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) stood on a branch, posing for us for a long time. This is a great bird and I waited as Paul took pictures. A nice little guy, though very hard to see as its green spotted colour blends so easierly into the background. I could tell it was a male from its blue head and cheeks.

Just as we were getting to the end, Paul spotted a Balicassiao (Dicrurur balicassius) on a nest. A tiny little, mossy looking thing, balanced very delicately on the end of a branch. The female was on the nest with her head sticking out one end and the tail out of the other. It didn’t look like the type of nest I imagined it to have, but I am still learning. As we got to the car we found a tree fruiting nearby, so sat to watch that for a while. But, like the rest of the day, there was little bird activity.

Recently I have spotted a pair of Red-rumped Swallows (Hirundo daurica) circling outside our windows at home and I am convinced that they too are nesting nearby. So I asked Paul. He said they probably were and knew of where they did nest to show me. So shortly after leaving the mountain, we were scrambling down a verge to get to the under-side of a bridge on the university campus. It seems that all of the RR Swallows use the underside to nest on. We watched as these amazing birds shot through the archways and back out, chirping as they went. Their nests are similar to those of other swallow species. Paul took some pictures and I’m sure he’ll post them on his blog soon.

After that we returned to IRRI. A quiet morning on the lower slopes of the mountain which, I fear, is something that will start to become the ‘norm’ if we can’t make it to the top in time. Which is a terrible shame, as there are so many beautiful birds up there which we use to see regularly.  

You can find Pauls blog here, where he posts most of his pictures.

All or nothing, the final days birding on Quarry Road, Bislig

This blog is seventh (and final) in a number of blogs from the beginning of January when I went away, with Paul, to see a number of new birds. Sorry it has taken so long. I also experienced some technical difficulties last week, so could not post it then.

The day started the same as all the others recently, an early morning drive to the spot for owls. Similar to the rest of the week, it was raining. The damp start, really being the way of birding, at Bislig, in January. We heard a few calls, but still didn’t manage to see anything, so we jumped back into the Jeepney and drove to the parking spot for the day.

We were going to do the same route as the day before last, but this time try and navigate around the flooded section and join the path further up. By the time we had parked the rain had let up and it was actually dry!! This being our last day, we had a few species on the wish list and the clear weather helped. Before we set off down the trail mind, Paul, Zardo and myself were trying to find the calling birds on the edge of the quarry. The Rufous-lored Kingfisher (Halcyon winchelli) being one of the nosiest and most frequently heard bird, though we didn’t see this until later in the day. Whilst we were off chasing sounds, the photographers were mounting up! Again, carrying their huge scopes and equipment (but neither one of them owning a guide book or a pair of bins!), today was going to be tough on them…

We walked down to the road where we saw the hornbills two days earlier and the water was still high. After a short scramble up the banks, we were up into the forest. No path, just trying to find a way around the lake that had appeared. I was immersed in green again! Readers who have been following my blog from the beginning will have read my early thoughts and feelings on the forest. Even as I spend more time in the country, and more in the forest, these feelings have not changed. I love being in the ‘wild’. As I trek through the forest it seems different from anywhere I have ever been. Sometimes I find it hard to comprehend the size of both the trees, which must be many decades old, as well as the forest size overall. There use to be a wood, close to where I grew up, but you could see from one side to the other and could always appear either by the sports field, lake or close to houses depending on which route you took. But you could never get lost in there! The forests here travel for miles and on a number of days, like this one, we trekked all day and never left this patch of forest. It’s amazing!!

Anyway, the trek was similar to the day before. Zardo, Paul and myself took the lead and stopped every so often for the photographers to catch up. With no path through the forest, it required a lot of ducking and weaving under, or over, fallen trees and other vegetation. With bins around your neck it is a slight challenge, but carrying all their equipment was a nightmare. We came to a clearing, on the edge of a hill, and that is when we got the best views of the day, and possibly the week!!

As we came out of the tree line, we could see a bird of prey perched on a near tree. A Barred Honey-buzzard (Pernis celebensis) was sat surveying the area. Even silhouetted we could make out his crest from where we stood. As everyone was taking pictures an Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) flew into the tree on the other side of the clearing, its long neck visible and making the identification easy. They both flew off over our heads, giving us great views of their plumage. We wandered further into the clearing when “Hornbill” was shouted by a member of the group. We were still on a lookout for adult Rufous Hornbills and sure enough, as if answering a wish, two adult Rufous Hornbills (Buceros hydrocorax mindanensis) flew over to a tree close by. This gave everyone, with a camera, a chance to get snapping. But it got better.

In a display that Red Arrows would be proud of, these two adults started to fly in a large circle around us. Dotting from tree to tree and very slowly getting closer. In the space of a few minutes they had gone from being flying hornbill shaped birds, a large distance away, to flying directly over our heads. At one point I watched as they flew over, making out the stunning red and yellow of their bills, without my bins. I heard someone complain that they were so close, their camera couldn’t focus on them, a complaint I don’t hear often when it comes to taking a picture of birds!!  The only way they could have got closer was if they were to land on someone!!

I must admit that once they had flown off, the rest of the day becomes a bit of a blur!! The stunning views we had just experienced had us all breathless for the rest of the day! We made it back onto the path, the other side of the flood, and started along the route. At one point it split into two, so we took the one on the right.

These paths were much denser forest and had some birds dotting in and out. We were able to find the Yellowish Bulbul (Hypsipetes everetti) which had been a noisy bird for most of the week but incredibly difficult to see. Whilst walking someone spotted a tree with some fruits high up and after a small flutter of activity, one was spotted. It took me a while to see it myself as a couple of the photographers kept standing in front of me and blocked my view. They seemed like nice guys but if there was a picture to be taken, all manors and friendliness went out the window!!

This is also where we found the Rufous-lored Kingfisher. There were a couple of them calling from the trees, which Paul and I were able to find quickly. We tried to help the photographers as the birds flew around us, but they were just too quick. They had to settle for watching them in the trees.

We reached a path that Zardo informed us had been known to have Mindanao Bleeding-Hearts. So Paul and I took the lead and Zardo kept the others a distance behind, so we could sneak as far as we could in an attempt to see it feeding on the ground. Though we searched for a long time, we were unsuccessful. As we waited for the others to catch up, we could hear Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) all around us. One of the photographers spotted them and created a small, mad huddle to try and get a picture of it through the trees. As I had no camera, and had seen one previously, I walked down the path a little to give everyone some room. As I did I heard another call, much louder. There was another Pitta close by. Slowly I made my way along the path, not 100 metres from the scrum of cameras. I moved at a snails pace, keeping still between calls. Then, to my right, was a small hole in the bush, at head height. Sat on a branch of a tree, which was only a few inches longer that it actually was, was my own Hooded Pitta, no more than 10 feet away. I spotted it as it was calling and it spotted me. It stopped and looked at this pink thing staring back. We froze like this for want seemed like hours, but must have only been a few seconds. Then it decided I was no threat and continued to call. A small sized blue and green bird, who’s colours shine through the undergrowth, it is named for its black head, which looks a bit like a hood. I stayed perfectly still and watched as it called over and over again, not worried about my presence at all.

At this stage I was mentally screaming for Paul to come and have a look. I thought he could have got a good picture from my little friend. But not wanting to move or make a noise, it was difficult to get his attention. I slowly moved back and, once out of sight, started making my way back to the group. Paul had appeared on the path and I told him what I had found. We both moved up but by the time I saw the branch again, he had gone. We all gathered up our stuff and made it back to the split in the path, where we were going to explore the other way.

The first path (to the right) had been good but the left path was certainly much better. We had barely gone 100 metres when we noticed a large mixed-flock moving through. It was stunning. All the fantails from the previous days, flycatchers, babblers, bulbuls, whistlers, spider-hunters and so many more!! My favorites had to be a short-crested Monarch (Hypothymis helenae), which was one of the targets for the day. A small blue bird with a little crest, as the name suggests. Also a single Mindanao Wattled Broadbill (Eurylaimus steerii) which I had to crash through the vegetation to see as it seemed to be the only one there. These amazing looking birds are only found in the Southern islands of the Philippines and I had missed my chance to see them when I was in Bohol. So being able to catch one here was amazing. They have a blue eye-ring that really emphasizes their eyes. This one was just sat on the top of a tree amongst all the other species which were flicking around like crazy!!!

We started to make our way back to the jeepney once the birds had moved on. The photographers wanted to stalk out the silvery kingfisher, so we drove them to the same spot we had seen them earlier in the week. Whilst they set up their portable hides and cameras, Paul and I disappeared off to a bamboo bus-shelter (well it looked like a bus shelter, bamboo seats covered with more bamboo) and ate our lunch. We chatted for a while and then asked to go on one last jaunt. Several times we had heard an Amethyst Brown-Dove (Phapitreron amethystine) throughout the week, but never actually seeing one. Zardo took us back to the place where we had tried for the owls and we walked along the path. We saw an imperial pigeon and heard many others but there was no Amethyst to be seen. Well, we had to have one that got away….

We left and picked up the others before returning to the hotel. They had not seen the kingfisher either, or at least not well enough to take some pictures. As usual, I showered and changed then grabbed dinner and a few beers, including one for Zardo to express our thanks for the great trip. Our driver was coming back tomorrow and we were travelling back through the damaged areas, to fly home in the early evening. This last day was a real cracker and the rest of the week would probably have been similar had the rain held.

But what about birding in Mindanao?? It was great. We knew where we were going and had contact with people who had been to these places and recommended the guides, and drivers. I felt just as safe travelling around as I do when I’m away for work, on my own. But I had Paul with me, who was able to plan and organize everything, so it was much better. Though I had picked up a lot of birds, as it was my first time to Mindanao, Paul managed to pick up a few lifers too, which is great. It was a great trip, though exhausting.

Even though I said I wasn’t counting ‘ticks’ this year, as I didn’t want to become a slave to the numbers, upon returning to IRRI on the 12^th January, I had spotted and/or heard, 146 different birds. By far the most birds I have ever seen in two weeks!!

As usual, Paul took some amazing shots which you can see here.

Wettest Birding EVER – Road 42

Yet again, the alarm went off VERY early. I grabbed my gear and met Paul at the front of the hotel. Today was Road 42, a known birding route and I was excited at the prospect of getting another chance for the Philippine Eagle. The weather, on the other hand, had other ideas. It had rained all night, since it had begun back at the airfield yesterday, and showed no signs of stopping. We had also gained the three guys from Singapore, they would be joining us on our last two days birding. They loaded up an eye-watering amount of photography equipment! They all had lenses which were the length of my arm and had a diameter of, roughly, my face. They were trying to get REALLY close pictures.

By 3:30 we were all in the back of the jeepney and on our way to the owl site again, we were going to try our luck. But with the rain again, we only managed a few minutes actually in the area. We tried to listen out in the rain, but all we heard were the heavy drops falling through the canopy. If there were any owls, they were probably undercover watching a number of us human-things walk up and down, getting very wet.

We sat in the back waiting for the weather to pass, but it didn’t. As the sun was coming up, we decided we should go to the next spot and wait out for a clear moment of sky, it never really came. We parked at the spot where we were going to start on foot. Most people stayed in the vehicle but after a while I decided to pop out. It was light rain, but constant. So I spent a short time walking to where I could hear movement in the heavy canopy and tried to see some birds as they dove for cover. To some extent this worked. I got some great views of a mixed flock of Blue Fantails (Rhipidura superciliaris) and a couple of Rufous Paradise Flycatchers (Terpsiphone cinnamomea), all of them amazing, mid-sized birds, that I saw dotting through the under bush. Much more birds seen than if I had stayed within the vehicle. I went back and informed the others, Paul was straight over, which is no surprise, but the others then took a short time to get their cameras up and going….this would be a reoccurring event over the next few days. They missed the majority of the birds.

As the rain was now lighter and everyone was a little wet, it was decided that we would start the walk. It turned into two small groups; Zardo, Paul and myself in front, whilst the other three photographers (with another guide) brought up the rear. Even in the rain, we still managed a few forest species, including; Coleto (Sarcops calvus), Black-faced Coucal (Centropus melanops) and a few Woodpeckers. The most impressive spot was from Zardo. As we rounded a corner he said ‘Philippine Nightjar’, both Paul and I looked but didn’t see anything. He then pointed to a stick that was protruding from a mud-bank, no more than 3 meters away. Sat on the end was a sleeping nightjar. It was amazing and completely undisturbed by us. We stood and watched, waiting for the others to catch up. Once they did, we waited for them to set up again and try and take a picture. Just as they were ready it moved to another point, a point which Paul and I found within a minute, but again took the photographers a moment to re-position.

By now I was wet, and if at home, would have called it a day. But we were here and a little rain wasn’t going to stop us. As if the rain-god had heard our thoughts, the heavens opened again and the heaviest downpour I have ever birded in started. Everyone scrambled up a mud-bank to hide away, but I knew I wasn’t going to make it (me + wet mud + no grip on boots = Injured birder), so I took shelter under a tree. For a long time they sat and waited whilst I surveyed the path close by. At this point, every layer of clothing I had on, had a layer of water between them. I could feel the rain hitting my raincoat as if I were not wearing any clothes at all. I hid my bins to try and protect them the best I could.

After a while, Paul came down to see me. I was making him nervous as I was watching the path and potentially could see something new, so he couldn’t relax. As he was walking towards me, I thought I had seen some movement up the path, but just that of a large-ish shadow, flying into a bush, low down. Probably just a bird caught in the rain. As Paul and I spoke, the shadow returned and we both got our bins on it for a second. It was a Steere’s Pitta (Pitta steerii).

As regular readers will know, the Pitta’s in the Philippines have a place in my heart. All of them have stunning colours and are shy, ground dwelling birds. This one was sheltering under the bush, but coming out to hunt, so we got some fantastic views as it dotted in and out. This was also my third species of pitta in just over a year, which makes me a very lucky birder indeed! Paul went and told the others as I kept eyes on it walking up the path. Again, we waited as they set up and tried to get a good shot.

I have often spoken about how a birder can be tired, wet, cold, miserable and not see a bird all day until the last 30 minutes and still be over the moon, declaring it the best day ever. Just minutes before you contemplate giving up and never watching birds again, but a special bird makes its presence known and turns it all around. This is what the pitta did for me. Watching as it hopped along the ground it, didn’t matter that I was soaked through or that my hands had wrinkled, like I had been in the bath for hours, as I stood and watched there was nothing else in the world but me and this stunning bird in front of me. It’s a moment I find hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced this.

Once it had vanished for good, we continued up the path. The rain had let up a little, so it gave us a chance to chase a few of the smaller birds through the canopy which had decided that this lighter rain was their best chance for a meal. We got so far but decided to turn back, re-birding the route for those birds that have come out now the rain was lighter. As we were approaching the end, where we could see over the deep, forested valley, we heard a deep bellowing call and knew that somewhere down there were a number of Rufous Hornbills (Buceros hydrocorax), but not just that they were down there. They were getting closer.

The Rufous Hornbill was the main bird of the trip. We have come close before but never had great views of this giant, beautiful bird. There are a number of races within the Philippines, but the one that occurs in Mindanao (mindanensis) is truly the best of them all. Paul wanted a picture of this amazing bird. So we set up, on the edge of the valley and waited. We could hear them close by, and had accidentally disturbed one as we went. We could hear the one that had flew off and it was contact calling with those deeper in the valley. All we had to do was wait…and that we did.

We waited, and waited, as the calls got closer but we never saw them. Out of nowhere a juvenile seemed to appear and fly up to a naked tree. It stood there, a fair distance away, but we got a nice view. Thought the adult mindanensis is a lovely rufous, black and cream, with red and yellow facial colouring, the juvenile is brown. We had seen the target species of the day, but it was a youngster. We waited to see if any adults joined it but it eventually flew off. We made our way back to the jeepney, then back to the hotel. I was still squelching as I sat down in the vehicle.

The week was starting to catch up with me, so I just showered, ate, had a beer or two and then slept all night. It was our final chance for the owls tomorrow, before we left, and I still had everything crossed for the Philippine Eagle. As long as the rain behaved, we were going to attempt clearing up in one extreme day.

As usual, Paul took some amazing shots which you can see here.

Birding where I shouldn’t be…

This blog is third in a number of blogs from the beginning of January when I went away, with Paul, to see a number of new birds.

After a good night’s sleep the alarm woke us early again. Today we were changing locations and had to get an early morning flight. Having packed the night before and made arrangements for a packed breakfast to be ready at reception, we grabbed our stuff and made our way to the airport in good time. Everything was going smoothly until we were waiting to board…

The time for boarding to commence came and then went with no sign of the aircraft. Then, out of nowhere, the screens changed and our flight had been cancelled. A lady’s voice was then projected, over the number of frustrated moans that my fellow passengers had decided to let out upon reading the screen, to confirm that due to mechanical issues the flight had been cancelled and everyone was to go to the customer service desk to make other arrangements. Just like that the whole terminal up and left, so Paul and I ran (OK, walked faster than normal) until we eventually found the correct desk. There was a little confusion and not many people knew where to go. Fortunately Paul spotted the right desk and we were about 6^th from the front, not bad from a whole plane worth of people.

We had a driver arranged for the next leg of our journey once we had arrived, so were nervous about what arrangements could be made and if we could leave that day. We got to the desk and a very busy check-in lady helped us re-book on a flight in 2 hours times. Due to our fast pace to find the right desk we would only have to wait a few more hours! This was great news. We collected our bags and re-checked in and was back in the terminal, waiting again, within the hour. I don’t think everyone was as lucky, as when we returned to check in, the queue to re-book was still very long. We got on the plane and took our seats, we were on our way to a new location where many have told me not to go. We were off to Mindanao, the Southern Island.

From the moment I had received news that I was going to be coming to the Philippines, I got the same message from a number of people ‘The Philippines is great, just don’t go to the South Island’. Due to continuing conflict on the island it is deemed unsafe for tourists to visit. Just last year two birdwatchers were kidnapped as they were trying to find a bird, to my knowledge they still have not been found. However, as I become more integrated into the Philippines and gather more knowledge on the area I realise that there are some places not to visit on the South island but some places are safe to go. Paul has been a few times and has friends who have also been to various places around the island to bird watch. In fact the places we planned on visiting are new sites to Paul but known amongst other birders, so I deemed it safe enough to visit. I was also filled with hope, as the main group to be aware of is the MILF’s (Moro Islamic Liberation Front), they had signed a peace treaty with the Philippines Government just the month before, thus making it safer to visit, at least in theory. I don’t wish to get into the politics of the issue, as this isn’t what the blogs about and I don’t fully understand it myself, but I just wanted a bit of background to the next few days of the trip.

We arrived safe and sound in Davao City and quickly picked up our gear and met our driver, having been sent confirmation of his name and the car registration for security. We had one night planned at a resort which overlooked the city with plans to hit the local trail which Paul had found in a blog, this blog. We checked in to the ‘Eden Lodge’ which was a nice place to stay. Several buildings placed amongst pines which were everywhere. It gave me the feeling of a Filipino Centre Parcs! They had activities as well as a small deer enclosure next to the river. But we had no time for this, it was already late morning and we had birds to find. So we grabbed a quick lunch and then started our ascent up the mountain.

The blog mentions that it is a few kilometers up the road before you get to the track. What we found, however, was there was a bike station opposite the resort entrance and we were able to hire a bike, with rider, each to make it up the long, muddy road. Now I have trouble balancing whilst walking, so my skill upon a bike is minimal. I have only ever been on a bike once and that was going on a small bird tour in Nepal back in 2007, it had frightened the c**p out of me! In fact the only bit I remember of that journey was overtaking a bus, with on coming traffic, hitting a pot-hole and wobbling across the road and just when it seemed like the bike was under control again an elephant walked out in front of us, causing us to swerve across the road again into another pot-hole. Only I could almost get knocked off of a bike by an elephant on my first ride!

The road up was slippy, steep and muddy but my rider did well to keep us going in the right direction and not fall over. There were times that I felt I was slightly over-taking him, as the bike slid out, and all he managed to be able to so in English was “It’s OK, it’s OK!” even as I was almost parallel with him as we were going down a hill at one point. But we made it with no serious incidents and probably saving us an hour of walking. Paul’s rider had mentioned that we had to sign-in with the local soldiers which were based at some barracks at the bottom of the track, so he came with us to make the introductions. We stood at the gates made of bamboo and were invited in by one of the soldiers. The barracks were not huge, just 4 or 5 buildings enclosed within a space, fenced off by a lot more bamboo. We met the base commander and the rider explained that we wanted to bird the trial. So we were given an armed guard to walk the 200 metres through the camp. As I was just approaching the back gate to exit I noticed a lady drinking from a mug by a fire. I gave a wave and a “Hello” in my stereotypical English accent that somehow comes out when I speak to strangers in another country, I don’t know why. She smiled and said hello back. After we left the base and the guard had gone back in Paul said

“Did you see the woman at the back there?”

“I did” I said “She smiled and said hello, I think I have just made a friend”

Paul let out a little laugh

“Of course she smiled” he replied “That was a prostitute!” Oh…

It had taken us most of the day, but we had made it to the trial. I had a drink of water as Paul mentioned the birds we were looking for that day. The trial didn’t seem that long, in fact it was a bit of a hill and that was it. But what a hill!! I knew it was going to be good when we had just started and a number of Everett’s White-eye (Zosterops everetti) flew into a bush, next to the track and were feeding out in the open. They didn’t seem to care that Paul and I were standing next to the bush at all. Taking short breaks to pose on top of exposed branches for Paul to take a picture.

The next tree along the path also held a huge number of mixed-species of bird, including our main target for the day. The Whiskered Flowerpecker (Dicaeum proprium) is a Mindanao endemic which is very rare and difficult to spot. In fact it was this species that had led us to take the night at the Eden Resort to find this particular bird. But within the first hour of birding we had seen it flutter around this tree. Then, as Paul was taking a picture, a second appeared. A clear ‘Whisker’ visible in its plumage, an amazing bird.

But it wasn’t just those, in total we saw 7 different flowerpecker species in the same area. At one point there was a small ledge overlooking a valley, so we sat and watched as a small mixed-flock made its way through the trees on the other side.

We made the peak of the trial and continued to walk through rough, bushy habitat. This was less open than the trial but surrounded in trees so we could watch as birds flew around us. It was here we saw; Scarlett Minivets, Sulphur-billed Nuthatch, two types of Rhabdnornis, Philippine Fairy Bluebird and many others. We spent a long time just watching as birds flew through the canopy, all around us. Then, out of nowhere, I got very excited over a pale shape in the distance…

Now I am sure that many birdwatchers have been through the same experience as me. Whilst scanning the canopy of the other valley, on the other side, I noticed a strange shape, VERY white in comparison to the surrounding green of the forest, could it be a bird? There are records of the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) occurring here and I had kept my fingers crossed ever since we decided to visit Mindanao that I would be lucky enough to see one of these truly majestic, beautiful and stunning birds. This shape I was now staring at looked similar. I pointed it out to Paul and for a long time we stood there staring at it. The longer I looked the more I was convinced I could see it move, that it was moving its ‘Head’ around as it stood there. The weather had set in and it was drizzling, so I did not expect it to fly. After a while Paul declared it was a tree branch, but I was not convinced. I stared and I stared but there was no way for me to find out. Had I just spent the longest time staring at a tree branch? We had left the scope behind and it was just too far to be sure. Paul, however, mentioned that if it were the Bird King (Haring ibon – the local name) in the area, then it would be gliding over, calling in nice weather. That would be the only way to be sure. We had decided to try the ridge again in the morning, so I conceded that if it was still there the next morning it was a tree but if it wasn’t it had been the eagle. Only the morning would tell…

We turned around at this point and started back to the resort, birding as we went. The rain was getting very heavy mind, so there was little on the bird front. Soaked to the bone we arrived back at the resort within two hours, not bad. We decided that before we got showered and all, to grab a quick beer from the restaurant. Four beers later it was getting late and the staff were anxious to serve us our dinner. We went back and washed and changed, during which the staff knocked on the door to ask if we wanted the food delivered which we declined. By the time we had made it back to the restaurant it became apparent to us why they had wanted us to eat earlier…we were the only ones there. They had all been waiting for us to return. As soon as we sat down ALL the food was delivered to us, straight away. It was suppose to be a buffet, so they had cooked everything and we had a table of little dishes to eat. There was a LOT of food. After we were done we grabbed a few more beers and were talking but was asked to take them on the balcony as they wanted to lock up. So ordering a few more beers for the future, we sat outside and chatted until it was really late. The sky had cleared and we got great views of over Davao City.

Returning home we tried a bit of owling but there wasn’t a single hoot! We were on the move again the next day, but wanted to get up the ridge again, so set an early alarm again and fell asleep. I still had my fingers crossed that the eagle would make an impressive display the next morning…

As usual, Paul took some amazing shots. The ones from this particular day can be found here 

New and extinct species: Tabunan and Olango

This blog is second in a number of blogs from the beginning of January when I went away, with Paul, to see a number of new birds and new birding locations.

For the second day in a row, the alarm went off at 2:45 and we were in our car being driven to the first site by 3. This mornings wish-list comprised of a number of birds but the two I was really hoping to see was the Hawk Owl and the Cebu Flowerpecker. Both of which require a little explanation…

Last year a paper was published on the taxonomy of the Hawk Owls that can be found around the Philippines. In fact, a number of kind people posted this article on my FACEBOOK wall (Thank You). The race upon Cebu has been separated into its own new species (Ninox rumseyi).This was our main target for the day. It was the new bird that Paul wanted and I love owls!

The second target, which I was hopeful of but Paul was more ‘realistic’, was the Cebu Flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor). Amongst birders, this species has been thought to have become extinct a short time ago. However, with much work being conducted in the forest with the owl, one of the research team claim to have always seen these birds at one particular spot. The news has spread through the birding community and now there are more reports of identified individuals. I was feeling lucky and really hoped my luck could pull this bird ‘out of the bag’!

We arrived just before dawn. At one point on the mountain road we passed a basketball court (not an uncommon sight here in the Philippines) with huge speakers which were blasting out dance music. We could hear the music for a great distance before we got there and as we passed the glass literally jumped within the window. Everything in the cab vibrated and Paul and I had to wait to continue our conversation. I must be getting old because that was just too loud!

Anyway, we arrived and met two ladies that were also joining us for the day. They had stayed at the guides house during the night and claimed to have heard the owl just 20 minutes beforehand! We stood in the middle of the road with torches, scanning the trees but there was no movement. So we set off into the jungle.

Even though it was dry, apparently it had rained during the night and the path had become VERY slippy. Several times one of our group (not the guide of course) could be heard falling over or slipping down the path. It was by far the worst jungle path I have ever walked. Several times we stopped to listen out for owls, only getting a slight ‘Hoot’ every now and again. That was until we reached a clearing!!

We spaced out and could hear them near by. After some poor-to-moderate impressions of the owls we got our first fly-by. Skimming just over our heads as it came by to investigate the strange sounds. Someone got a torch on it for a split second before it vanished into the morning darkness. Whilst watching the dark, I saw it fly back over and away. Then, out of nowhere, a second flew low over us. Who ever had the torch must have seen it coming as they lit it up for the entire flight, giving us perfect views of the bird in flight, brilliant.

We continued to watch this pair of owls circle around the clearing until the sun started to rise and the owls were replaced with giant fruit bats. We then started to make our way up the mountain, deeper into the forest. It got steeper and slippier but with the sun coming up it became easier to find my footing. I still slipped a few times, but I managed to stay up right at least.

Halfway up the trail the guide stopped us and we waited. This was a spot for the Black Sharma (Copsychus cebuensis) an island endemic. The book describes the bird as shy but it was only a few minutes before one was heard calling close by and then seemed to appear out of nowhere, perched up high staring at the five people stood motionless on the trial, trying to get a picture of it. It fluttered amongst the branches for a long time before it seemed to get bored of us and move on. But we had seen it, another one of the days target birds and it was pretty easy to see, once we were in the right spot.

We continued up the trial which, nearer the top, became more like rock-climbing than mountain trekking. A few times we had to use metal poles for support as we climbed over jagged boulders. At one point there was what seemed to have been a stair-way put in, but the steps had fallen away, so using the edges as a support, we climbed up to a small viewing platform. This platform was about 6 foot square, with benches along two sides. The view was spectacular. This was where we spent the next few hours, watching birds come and go. We were positioned on the side of the canopy which overlooked a large area of forest. Behind us the trees grew higher, completely hiding us from view.

As we sat a number of birds were seen around us. The Balicassiao that occurs there has white patches, different than all the others I have seen, it reminded me of a magpie from home. The subspecies of Coppersmith also appeared in a close by tree, showing off its amazing red-face, again different than all the other coppersmiths that I have seen. We also got some great views of a Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja) with its stunning crimson head as it flickered among the trees in front of us. A beautiful bird.

But as the day went on, my feeling of luck declined. We put in a lot of time at the platform but no Cebu Flowerpecker was to be seen. Whilst sat there a breakfast delivery turned up by two young local boys. It was a little embarrassing as they managed the whole route in flip-flops, where as we had just scrabbled up in walking boots. Plus we were caked in mud where-as they seemed to just arrive, clean and not out of breath.

The others ate their breakfast as I kept a look out. Every little movement or noise and I would be on it. This was a last push, if we didn’t see it soon we would give up and head back… But it did not show. Apparently it had been a few months since the last ‘sighting’, so it could have been anywhere, if indeed it was still around. We shrugged our shoulders and started to make our way back down through the forest. For me this bird is still extinct.

As we were travelling down Paul and I talked about the rest of the day. Though we had been travelling and birding for many hours, it still wasn’t midday yet. So we decided to head back to Olango to try and clear up there. By the time we reached the bottom of the forest we paid and thanked our guide then jumped in our car which took us all the way back to the ferry port, to jump across to get back to the elevated platform out in the wetlands.

Again, we spent a few hours as the sea came in, this time with the assistance of one of the wetland guides we managed a solitary curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) which had been on our wish-list from the previous day but we also noticed a number of Red Knots (Calidris canutus) which we hadn’t expected. We left before the sea became too deep over the rocks again and went home.

It had been a long day and the jungle route was one of the most difficult I have had to scramble up ever. So I was shattered. We went back to the same bar from the night before, because it was actually quite good, and again listed the species for the day. It wasn’t such an early morning the next day, but we still had to get up and pack. We were moving out to our next exciting location…

Rice-bite: Bogey Bird…still not seen!

Just a short one today as this week has been mostly taken up by numbers, stats and graphs. Even though I know some readers might be interested in this, as they are also in the field of research, I don’t think the majority of my readers would be interested.

Instead I thought I would tell you of a quick twitch which I went on, with Paul, after work on Wednesday. Paul has spent a bit of time at the base of Mt. Makiling looking for a flycatcher this week. Though he had not seen it, he had constantly picked up a Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus), a national rarity that is stunning in itself, and also an Indigo Banded Kingfisher (Alcedo cyanopectus), or IBKF, which as you know from ‘Rice-bite: Bogey Bird‘ has developed into a target for me but even though I keep trying, I have not seen them!!

It is also strange to not have seen this species as they aren’t particularly rare!! I have seen six different species of Kingfisher this year in the Philippines, all different yet all stunning!! In fact it was watching a Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) out of the window of my room on my first day here when I had one of my ‘You’re not in the UK anymore’ moments. I see them regularly but hear them continuously as I am out in the field. But the IBKF eludes me!

Paul picked me up from work and we shot off to ‘the spot’ where he had seen them. He had seen both a male and a female there in the last few days, so I was optimistic. We parked the car and rushed down but as we were getting close, I knew we were going to be unlucky. There were people, lots of them, exactly where we wanted to be standing. They, obviously not birders, were talking, laughing and making a bit of noise.

They passed us as we got close and we stood there, hoping the IBKF had just hidden oppose to fly away from the noise. We even tried a little further up the waterway in both directions in an attempt to see any hiding. But there was no sign if them…

We stood to the side for a while looking for other birds but with a wind blowing through there was very little about. We slowly made our way back, checking the waterway again but not seeing anything. My bogey bird is still a bogey bird.

We did pick up a smaller prize mind… as we were walking back to the car, the forest wagtail was on the road in front of us, giving Paul the chance to photograph it. Though not a new bird for either of us, it is still incredibly stunning to see and very rare in the Philippines. Paul describes the whole twitch as “looking for a fiver but finding a tener*”.

Next week I am off to sunny Isabela again for a week of data collection. So the blog might be a bit late depending on when I get back, which in turn relies on good weather and results.

* I understand this might get lost in translation to other nationalities that read this blog. A fiver and a tener are £5 and £10 notes respectively.

Birding Palawan: A morning in Sabang with the Peacock-Pheasant

After an extremely busy week, I have found sometime to sit down and write about last weeks adventure in Palawan. With the first weekend of November being a long weekend (Thursday-Sunday), Niamh, Clare and myself decided to use this as an excuse to explore a little more of the Philippines and have a bit of a holiday. We used search engines to find a (very fancy) hotel and booked flights. We had a few days there just to relax…and of course, bird!

After speaking to Paul earlier in the year about his trip, we booked the majority of our break in Sabang, on the West coast of the island, after his advice. This is where the famous ‘Underground Rivers’ are located and we had plans to see these. However, there is an individual bird which occurs there which took my fancy. The Palawan Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron emphanum) is slightly larger than a chicken, ground dwelling bird which occurs in the national park there. It is dark colour but has amazing metallic blue feathers and a long tail (the males anyway, the females are brown). With white stripes on the face and a crest, the male is stunning!! I was advised that a walk through the park could give you a glimpse of these amazing birds but for the best views, an early trip to the ranger station, in the area, would be better as there is a male who frequently occurs to look for food. Paul mentioned before that this bird has been coming to the same spot for many years and no one really knows its life expectancy, so the sooner we went the better!! With it being so secretive and shy, its exact numbers in the wild are unknown. Some believe there are many undiscovered, where as some believe that this is a species that won’t be in the wild for much longer. We had to get to the ranger station and early…but that was where the problems began!!

Even before we got there we had to do a lot of organisation and planning. To get to the area you need a permit. So I contacted my hotel, which put me in contact with a tour company. I explained that we needed to get to the ranger station early and if I could apply for permits. The answer was disappointing. Not only were the underground river tours booked up but since its promotion to one of the new ‘seven wonders of the world’ the whole area is off limits unless you have a permit and they no longer allow bird-watchers into the area. You have to be on a tour and the earliest is at 8:30 (which was booked up anyway). I mentioned the walk through the forest and was informed that this was also out of bounds.

This really took the wind out of our sails!! We were travelling all this way and now there was no way to go that little bit further to see this bird! I tried negotiating with the tour guides but they weren’t helpful at all. In the end I put a pleading message upon a few Facebook groups in the Philippines asking for help. In 24 hours I received one bit of advice…a contact name. So I put everything into one in e-mail and, trying not to sound desperate, I contacted Rommel. This was a week before we were due to leave and seemed like our last chance.

Rommel kindly got back to be quickly and told me the majority of what I was told was incorrect. He could organize it all for us and take us out! So over a number of e-mails we planned a mornings birding and everything that is involved with it (including permits).

Paul and I have spoken before about the balancing act between a holiday with family or friends and a birding trip. To get the balance right is tricky, so I thought only birding one morning would be OK, as it left us time to bird a bit and relax by the pool a bit. This plan worked out well and after arriving and spending the evening drinking cocktails by the beach at the hotel, the following morning we were up early and met Rommel at the wharf. We were going for it…

Shortly after 5:30 a minibus turned up and Rommel jumped out. After introducing himself, and our driver for the morning, we found our boat and set off across the bay towards the ranger station. It was only a short trip but the views of the coast and the cliffs were stunning in the early morning glow. We were the only boats on the water and the trip was relatively smooth. We went across the bay and then into a small cove. We jumped out and waded up onto the beach. There were a few huts here which we waited at whilst Rommel showed our permits to the officials. As we were drying our feet off a Tabon Scrubfowl (Megapodius cumingii) was seen making its way down the boardwalk in the dawn light. We were under the large green canopy of the trees that only let slight rays of light through. It was amazing. The forest was waking up with the relevant noises. Rommel returned and we went around the corner to the ranger station when we were thrown in the deep end of nature…

We rounded the corner and came face to face with a troop of macaques! We have seen these before but never this close. They were everywhere, on the trees close by, the table, all around the floor and casually walking past us. They seemed indifferent to our presence, so Clare and Niamh went about taking as many pictures as they could. I was shown the spot where the Peacock-Pheasant normally comes out of the forest and told to check around the building to see if I could see it. As I rounded the corner there was something very big in the path. It wasn’t a bird but for a brief moment my mind couldn’t recognize it. Then, when I managed to step back and see it all I realized what I was staring at. In front of me was the largest (around 7ft) monitor lizard I have ever seen!! Slowly making its way up the path. Then as he went I saw a smaller second one, in the scrub, also making its way through. The only lizard I have seen here was for a brief moment when a large one ran out of a rice field. This one was just slowly making its way through and didn’t seem to mind me standing there. I called the girls over to show them my discovery.

After all that, we settled down in a slight clearing which is where the Peacock-Pheasant is regularly seen and waited. It doesn’t matter if your looking for a Firecrest in Reading (Which I spent many hours last year doing), a Hoopoe in Hampshire (a year ago yesterday) or a Palawan Peacock-Pheasant…waiting will always be required. It wasn’t bad though because as we waited Rommel kept disappearing off and finding other birds, such as; The Palawan Hornbill (Anthracoceros marchei), Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) and the Oriental Pygmy Kingfisher (Ceyx erithacus) to name but a few. Don’t get me wrong, they are all stunning birds and I had some amazing views of them, but they weren’t a Peacock-Pheasant!

Whilst looking for the kingfisher we walked a little down the jungle path. We managed to get about 400 meters along it before we came across a boardwalk that continued ahead and up a cliff. Looking at it, you can see why you cannot take the trekking path anymore. The only bit left of the boardwalk was one supportive beam and a few hand rails, but that was it. Talking to someone later in the week, he says that probably is the only bit you can’t pass on the path but it is in the process of being renovated. Hopefully future trips can include a walk back through the jungle for more Palawan endemics.

We had been there a few hours watching the macaques and lizards as well as worrying about a small kitten which was very playful and seemed to think chasing monitor lizards tails was a great game when the first noisy tour groups arrived for the underground river. The noise carried through the jungle and everything seemed to become quiet. Then I realized that both the macaques and the lizards had moved on. We were left alone in a clearing. This is when even the strongest birder has to truly believe in what they are waiting for. With the noise level at what it was and it turning into mid-morning, and not early anymore, doubts started to arise in our minds, maybe we had missed it? I had seen a silhouette of something that could have been it earlier but it was being chased away by macaques. Rommel mentioned that it didn’t like the lizards or Monkeys near by and would wait for them to leave. This was the hope I was clinging onto.

After a while it had dawned on me that we hadn’t seen Rommel in a long time and as I looked around I saw him coming towards us, making arm movements to join him. So we walked slightly into the bush and he whispered to me

“Just watch that tree base over there”

Then, as if by magic, a short, white-striped face with a crest popped out from around the corner and looked at me. It was the male Peacock-Pheasant we had been waiting for. I could have exploded with excitement!

For the next half-an-hour we all stood in the jungle watching as he (the bird not Rommel) foraged for food, called out and got closer to the ranger station. Many attempts were made to photograph it but it was still very dark under the canopy. So we just stood, or crouched, and watched as he got closer. His back and wing feathers seemingly able to find what little light there was and shine through a number of blues and greens and really dazzle us with his colours. Then, as soon as he had appeared, he disappeared after a few Macaques got a bit close. We had waited for three or so hours for 30 minutes…but it was worth it!!

We made one last circuit around the station to see if anything else was showing and then returned to the beach to go back. We walked by the entrance of the underground river and it looked interesting but that is for another time. We took pictures of the lagoon and the beach, waded back to the boat and started making our way back again. Whilst bird watching it seemed a whole armada of tourist boats had arrived and moored up. I understood why getting there so early was important.

Our boat dropped us off on the beach right outside our hotel and we grabbed a quick breakfast, then returned to the road for a spot of road-side birding. Unfortunately not seeing much else but I was still floating on the mornings activities. What a bird!!

Rommel dropped us off at lunch and we said thanks. He mentioned that to find a lot of the birds on Palawan I needed about 5 whole days of birding, something I hope to do before I finish my PhD. We spent the rest of the day by the pool and in the bar (in the pool), though this made us all incredibly sun-burnt, which we are still recovering from today, it was great fun. We spent the next couple of days relaxing there and then returning to the capital of Puerto Princesa to explore*. We returned home on Sunday night. It had been a long and exciting weekend. I fell asleep smiling, remembering that moment when the Peacock-Pheasant poked his head around the tree and I saw it for the first time. Amazing.

Burnt and exhausted…I need a holiday to recover!

*We only had a few hours but couldn’t find anything to do. The only real thing to do in the area is either a city tour (that takes most of the day) or is things outside of the city, which we didn’t have time to do.

I will try and post some nice pictures soon of the Pheasant but I have been locked out of my office (where I get the best internet) so can’t post them just yet. Watch this space…

Can Lightning Strike Twice??

After floating around on a birding high for the majority of the week, we decided to try Mt. Makiling again this weekend. Thinking of all the great birds we saw last week we wanted to see if they were going to stay around or if they have moved on elsewhere.

5am was a struggle this week. Having been up early for most of the week, then ending up going for dinner the night before (which led to a ‘few beers’ somewhere) I was really tired. So with only 4 hours of sleep in the bank, it was difficult. But the idea of seeing yet more birds up the mountain kept me going. Paul arrived shortly after I got to the meeting point and we made our way into the early light of morning.

Similar to last week, it didn’t take long before the birds made their presence known. At a similar spot to last week, movement on the road stopped us in our tracks. Ahead was a small bird making short jumps in the road. This gave it the appearance of a small kangaroo, as it bounced around in the headlights for a short time. It jumped over to the right, then down into an irrigation channel and then back up to the dirt, dug from said irrigation channel, then stood there preening. It was a juvenile red-bellied pitta (Pitta erythrogaster ). It wasn’t as colourful as the adult we saw last week but still a really nice bird. Having been here almost 10 months now and not seeing a single Pitta, I have now seen two in the space of a week!! They are just like buses!!

After the pitta flew off we continued up to the usual parking spot and left the vehicle. At this point the path was a little misty and as the early morning sun was trying to break through both the canopy and the mist, it left bright beams of light on the path. It gave the jungle an eerie sense of suspense, as you could never see too far ahead of you. Very similar to my early thoughts on the jungle being something out of Jurassic Park or Predator!

We passed by the spots we spent a lot of time last week which were full of new birds, but this week they ran quiet; the branches that the Ferruginous Flycatcher had been hunting on were empty, the spot on the path that last week was buzzing with activity gave us nothing this week. Though we heard a thrush-like call where I saw the Eyebrowed Thrush last week, no other signs of the birds existed. Such a contrast.

Before we reached the camp site near the top, we were treated to a Blue Headed Fantail (Cyanoptila cyanornelana), some Luzon Flamebacks (Chrysocolaptes lucidus) which provided brief glimpses, but mostly a low rhythmic thumping song as we traveled, and a Balicassiao (Dicrurus balicassius), not to mention a number of small flowerpeckers buzzing around the tree trunks and through some of the undergrowth. At one of the usual trees a small mixed flock seemed to be busying themselves. Mostly comprised of Elegant Tits (Parus elegans) and the Sulphur-Billled Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis isarog – though this has changed recently I believe).

We stopped again at the campsite, had a sit down and a drink of water. Hearing voices further up the track, we were probably not the first to walk up the mountain this morning, so it might explain some of the absence of bird life but not all of it. As we sat and chatted a large flock of Stripe-Headed Rhabdornis (Rhabdornis mystacalis) were fluttering around the same tree as last week. Sitting and trying to see each individual, Paul spotted a female Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina) and went to take pictures. As he did he also spotted another female and a male. Again, in the same tree as before. I managed to see a female a few times but the male eluded me.

The noisy people further up persuaded us to turn around and start heading back, no birds would be around that noise. It was even quieter as we descended, but we were still treated to a brief glimpse of a Pechora Pipit (Anthus gustavi). Half-way down I saw a tree that looked in need of watering, so excused myself briefly. When I returned to the path Paul was crouched down being a tree stump. He signed me to keep quiet and then mouthed the words Philippine Trogon (Harpactes ardens). I kept low and quiet. Sure enough, moments later a stunning male flew onto a closer tree branch and seemingly watched us on the path for a moment before disappearing off into the canopy. A stunning bird the trogon, definitely one of my favorites.

Just as we were approaching the bottom of the path, close to the car, Paul turned to me and said

“I can hear some kind of bird of prey”

I stopped and listened. Sure enough a high pitched call came through on the wind. It could be close. I started scanning the trees when Paul told me to look up. Gliding on the updraft from the mountain edge were two Oriental Honey-buzzards (Pernis ptilorhynchus), their typical long-necked silhouette gliding above us calling. At one point, one of them seemed to fly close to the other and then tumble downwards, very fast. I was hoping I was about to see some stunning breeding behavior  but they just returned to gliding at altitude. We returned to the car.

We stopped again half-way down to see if we could pick up any migrating raptors but the cloud was low and we didn’t see or hear anything else. We called it a day and returned home.

So did lightning strike twice on Mt. Makiling? Unfortunately not this time. We did see some great birds; the trogon, honey-buzzard and pitta to name a few. But the day was in the shadow of last week which was a stunning bird trip. I just guess that all the conditions were right last week and everything just felt like a short stay. But we wouldn’t have known unless we had a look…

I wanted to just drop a short note to explain that over the next few weeks I am due to be away. I leave for Isabela in the morning and am there all week. The following weekend I am on a trip away somewhere new, so I might end up posting blogs during the week after my return. If all else fails, normal service should resume on November the 11^th after what is planned to be an incredibly busy week!!

Many Migratory Visitors to Mt. Makiling

WHAT A MORNING!! I think this morning’s birding trip could have been the best trip up Mt Makiling EVER!! As we are within the autumn migration, Paul thought a quick trip up the mountain in the morning may be fruitful but we had NO idea what stunners we were going to get.

Having been there many times before, we know the route really well. There are a few corners where we have seen rarities in the past and we planned to spend a little more time there this morning but it seemed like around every corner there was something else new and exciting. The only possible way I can describe it is its like walking through your house one day and finding a celebrity sitting in each room. Someone you recognize but never actually seen in real life!

OK, maybe I oversold that last bit but you get the idea. In fact we saw the first stunner even before we got out of the car!! We were driving up the uneven road and the vehicles lights were bouncing all around the vegetation around us. As we turned one corner I saw something on the road jump up and flutter forward about a metre. I pointed it out to Paul. By now it had jumped up and flew into the undergrowth. As it flew I called out its most distinguishing feature, its red belly and knew it could only be one bird…the red bellied pitta!!

Regular readers will know that I have a longing to see a pitta!! These colourful ground birds often are seen flying away on mountain routes (road or path). In Bohol I had just missed out on another species as the guide in front scared it away. But I had seen this one!! A real non-birders bird, as in, it’s stunning to look at and even non-birders would enjoy seeing one. It has been a long time searching, but at last I saw one. We got out of the car and quickly found it again sitting in a branch in a nearby tree. The light wasn’t great (as the sun had just risen) but you could clearly make it out. What a bird.

We kept going up the road until we had to park up and continue on foot. After the pitta we had a feeling it was going to be a good day. Sure enough around one of the first corners Paul spotted a Ferruginous Flycatcher (Muscicapa ferruginea) flying out from a perch and back again, hunting, in a true flycatcher movement. With a slightly reddy/brown colour we stood and watched it hunt. Another spectacular bird.

Travelling up the trail we came across a number of flocks of mixed species. These are great for finding a number of different birds as they all fly around together. So lots of elegant tits and sulphur-billed nuthatch’s that travel up and around the mountain together. As we passed one corner we heard another call from the canopy and decided to investigate. It wasn’t long before a very rufous coloured bird came into view and, very considerately, sat on an exposed branch whilst we stood and watched. The Rufous Paradise-Flycatcher (Terpsiphone cinnamomea) is like no other and was easy to pick out of the forest background. It sat for a long time calling whilst we just stared.

The morning was really starting to become something special. Around another corner a different mixed species flock kept us busy for a long time. Pechora Pipits (Anthus gustavi) seemed to be everywhere and every new stretch of path seemed to provide us with a quick glimpse of another. A Philippine Trogon (Harpactes ardens) nosily made its way through the forest before landing in a perfect photographic position for Paul, its deep red chest advertising it from a great distance. As Paul was pointing up to take a picture, I saw movement on the ground and whispered “Don’t move, Ashy Thrush on the path” but just as we both looked down it flew off quickly. I described it to Paul and he didn’t think it was an Ashy as I had described an obvious pale eyebrow. Consulting the book later it turns out the bird was an Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscuruc), another aptly named bird.

We reached the massive bolder which blocks the path over half-way up. This spot is where we normally come across the hornbills and macaques. It is also the spot where the leeches seem to start, so from now on I was extra careful to keep an eye out for the little blood-suckers making their way up my arms, legs and neck. But even this extra vigilance couldn’t stop me noticing the birds. Shortly after the boulder a very loud, yet musical, call came from the nearby tree. I knew it was something special as Paul looked at me with a look I have come to know as ‘What on earth is that?!’ After a short search we found the bird. A good size black-bird with bits of brilliant blue highlighting its head and parts of its wings. The Philippine Fairy-Bluebird (Irena cyanogaster) has been rumored up Makiling before but Paul has never seen it…until now. A stunner that, unfortunately, didn’t stick around for long. Unlike the next bird on a nearby tree that just sat there watching us walk by, a Drongo Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris). This bird was black but through the bins I could see a number of colours shine through the black of its feathers, a bit like the gloss on top of oil. It sat there for a long time whilst Paul took some pictures and then we left it.

This was turning into an epic day. Paul kept mentioning that each bird was new up Makiling for him and how difficult some of these are to see, especially as most of them were migratory! I was truly being treated today. Then, as we reached the clearing near the top, Paul got sight of yet another beautiful bird. It took a while for me to find him as it was another flycatcher, so kept flicking around, hunting. I was scanning what looked like a dead bush and wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for….until I found it! Sat there was a bird which I can only describe as an inverted tequila sunrise!!

With an orange throat that blended down into its bright yellow belly. The Narcissus Flycatcher (Eumyias panayenis) male is one of the brightest birds I have ever seen. Along with its yellow eyebrow that seems to cut through the black of its head, it gives the slight impression of a lightning bolt as it strikes out at its prey. It took me a while to find but when I did I couldn’t take my eyes off of it!! We watched it until it disappeared into the canopy and then started to check out the rest of the life around the clearing. We spent a long time checking out a small blur that kept disappearing into some vegetation on top of a tree. It was clearly a nest but what was it?? After seeing it arrive and then disappear a good number of times it turned out to be a White-Bellied Munia. We have these on the farm, so not really a new bird but you never know until you look.

I was exhausted by this point! So much excitement for so many birds! I don’t know why but the mountain just seemed to be alive this morning! We continued up the path but as we went we were overtaken by a pair of walkers. This generally means others will scare the birds away, so we decided to head back. Checking out all the spots with birds on the way back.

It was generally a quiet decent, but at one place we heard a noise and then whilst investigating an olive-green snake appeared out of the vegetation and VERY quickly made its way up the bank and away. This is my first land-snake and the shear size (about a metre) and speed was impressive. Then, near the car, Paul spotted a Grey-Streaked Flycatcher (Muscicapa griseisticta), our fourth flycatcher of the day and one he expected more than the others. We got back in the car and started on our way home. But the mountain still had one more gem to reveal…

We were halfway down the mountain road when Paul started shouting, jumped out the car, grabbed his camera and started chasing a bird which was fluttering between the branches in front of us. In the haste all I could make out was “National Rarity”. Fluttering in front of us was a Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus). The field guide portrays this wagtail as a brown-ish bird with a chest stripe, but it is SO much more. In ‘real-life’ the wings are also black and white and absolutely gorgeous. I was afraid that if I ever saw this bird I would mis-identify it as something else but now I have seen it, I know I won’t. Paul followed it for a time, taking as many pictures as possible as proof of its occurrence. I stayed back, not wanting to scare it away before Paul could photograph it, but still having a good look through my bins!! A brown shrike appeared and scared it away, but we had had some amazing views. What a morning.

I don’t know if it had something to do with the weather, the time of year or if Paul and I were just REALLY lucky today but the number of birds we saw was unbelievable. Every new stretch of path seemed to offer us something new and different, every movement in the tree was another bird and every bird seemed to show itself well for a short period of time offering us some great views. Bird-watching isn’t always like this but it’s days like these that make me so glad that I get up at the crack of dawn and walk long distances, for hours, because you really never know what is going to be around the next corner.

Paul has published some of his pictures here on his blog. Check it out!!