The Purple Heron

On October 28, one of my new birder friends, Chito Limchiu, posted in the WBPP page, a beautiful photo of an immature Purple Heron in flight which he photographed during a recent trip to Candaba.  The photographer in me immediately said, I want one (hehehe).  I wrote in the thread that it was one of the places I would like to bird.  Alain Pascua reacted by posting "who wants to go to Candaba on Oct 31st?".  There seemed to be no takers so I thought the trip will not push through anymore. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got a text in the evening of October 30, (while watching the movie Thor), informing me that the Candaba trip the following day was a GO.  I was told to be at the house of fellow WBPP member Rocky Sison by 5am the following morning.  Upon reaching Rocky's house, I learned that my companions will be Rey Sta. Ana, Alain Pascua, Jimmy Javier and of course Rocky Sison.  All were seasoned bird photographers who have birded in many different parts of the Philippines and even abroad, and whose photos I often admire. Needless to say, I felt like a rookie.  

We reached Candaba around 7am and immediately saw a multitude of barn swallows perched on an electric cable.  Then we saw a lot of Egrets in the rice fields.  Most looked like Cattle Egrets.  Driving on, we reached an area where the rice had already been harvested and what was left was a muddy area with shallow water.  Rocky parked the van on the side and we began taking photos of a flock of Black Winged Stilts. My companions who have all been to Candaba previously observed that there were not many birds yet.  But for someone who is used to searching for birds in trees, what I saw was plenty (to my eyes, anyway).  A couple of days before, I reviewed my life list and knew that I already had 97.  So I was really hoping that I would see at least three lifers so I could reach 100.  

The first lifer I saw at the mudflats was this bird (see photo below).  It was later identified as a Wood Sandpiper.

Wood Sandpiper, Lifer #98, great reflection too!

  A few minutes later, I saw this:

Long-toed Stint, Lifer #99

We walked around a bit and started photographing a flock of Black Winged Stilts and a mixed flock of Egrets and Herons.

  

A flock of Black Winged Stilts in flight.

A Grey Heron in flight.

A Great Egret, I think... or is it Intermediate?

Mixed among the Egrets and the Grey Heron, I found my 100th Lifer, the Purple Heron, the bird that spurred me to go to Candaba in the first place. It seems fitting that it is my 100th.  I have several photographs of it taken during that day but none as beautiful as Doc Chito's.  Posting here one of my better shots of the Purple Heron taken that day.

Purple Heron, Lifer # 100.

After seeing the Purple Heron and logging my 100th lifer, I was already happy. But lady luck and the birding gods were with me that day.  I next saw a Cinnamon Bittern, Lifer #101.

Docu shot of a Cinnamon Bittern, Lifer #101

We also saw a Yellow Bittern, Brown Shrike, Zebra Dove, Red Turtle Dove, A Common Kingfisher, and of course the usual Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Yellow Vented Bulbul.

Yellow Bittern

Brown Shrike

Zebra Dove

Red Turtle Dove

Then while driving along the trail, I saw two more lifers!

Docu shot of a Barred Rail, Lifer # 102

Common Moorhen, Lifer # 103

Before reaching the Mayor's house, we saw some Black Crowned Night Herons in the distance.  And in one of the trees near the Mayor's house, we saw an Arctic Warbler. I have photos of these but nothing worth sharing.   My companions wanted to see ducks and some of the people at the Mayor's house told us there are already some in the next pond (wherever that is). So off we went.  Along the way, Alain, told Rocky to stop beside a couple of trees by the roadside and he began craning his neck.  Suddenly he whispered loudly, "Starling!",  and began shooting.  I was beside him but could not really see what he was shooting at because we were in an awkward angle and there were lots of leaves and branches.  Plus the sunlight was harsh and strong from our right side but under the canopy, visibility was not so good (plus I have poor eyesight to begin with).  I just pointed my camera to the direction of what he was shooting at and focused on something grayish and just let our a burst.  It turns out that we were photographing the White Shouldered Starling, another lifer.

White Shouldered Starling, Lifer # 104

A little further on we saw a Little Grebe swimming in a pond.

Little Grebe

We stopped beside a farmhouse because the road forward was not passable.  Rey, Jimmy and Rocky elected to stay near the van while Alain and I walked further on, in search of the ducks. We saw about twenty (20) Wandering Whistling Ducks standing in the middle of the field.  The Purple Heron also did a distant fly-by and we also encountered a Blue Throated Bee Eater.   

The sun was getting too hot and there were not that many birds so we decided to call it a day and started the drive back.   When we got to the muddy area, we met a flock of Common Greenshank in flight.  Then I saw a little bird in the mudflats.  Another Lifer.

Little Ringed Plover, Lifer # 105.

And a few meters down the road, I saw my ninth lifer of the day, a Pied Buschat.

Pied Buschat, Lifer # 106

And as we were leaving the area, I managed to snap another photo of the Purple Heron in flight.  Not a great photo by any measure. But this gives me a perfect reason to go back to Candaba.   

Purple Heron

After eating lunch at SM (where else?), we headed back to Manila.  Though we did not see that many birds (per my companions' standards), I went home contented.  Nine lifers in half a day of birding isn't bad at all...

 

Handog ni Yolanda (Yolanda's gift): a day of endemics

I have not posted any bird photo since November 8, 2013,... a day that will live in infamy...to borrow a phrase from former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Of course we all know that FDR was referring to Pearl Harbor but the effect of super typhoon Yolanda on the Philippines, is just as catastrophic, maybe even more so.  

Coron, my beloved hometown was the sixth and last landfall of Yolanda (as recorded by PAGASA) although since Coron belongs to the Calamianes Archipelago, one can argue that the typhoon made multiple landfalls in the area - Delian Is., Coron Is., Siete Pecados, Busuanga Island, Carbon Is., Culion, Calauit, Bulalacao, etc. etc.  It does not really matter anymore except that Yolanda left a swath of destruction and devastation wherever she went.

Fortunately, (or maybe unfortunately), I was in Manila the night of the typhoon.  I arrived in Coron on the 11th of November and was shocked to see the number of fallen trees.  My first concern was Darayonan, of course but being a birder, the welfare of the birds was a close second. But any thoughts about birds or birding was quickly set aside due to the task of clearing all the debris and starting with the repairs. The following day, November 12, while supervising the repairs in our lodge, I saw a Chestnut Breasted Malkoha perch on a bare branch.  And of course, I did not have my camera with me (happens everytime with this bird). On November 13, I was part of the team sent out by our Mayor to assess the effects of Yolanda on the tourist spots.  At Twin Lagoon, we saw a Stork Billed Kingfisher, again perfectly perched on a bare branch.  And while I had a camera with me, I didn't have my birding lens. Short lens, handheld, overcast, plus a rocking banca, equals a blurry blob of aqua and orange. Haaay... 

On November 20, my friend and fellow CATE and Birdwatch Coron member, Hilbert Enriquez, invited me to go to Sitio Capayas with him to distribute relief goods.  I went with fellow Birdwatch Coron members, Judith Bulls and Jelyn Libunao.  While the goods were being distributed, I felt a tap on my shoulder.  It was birdguide Erwin Edonga.  We talked some and he told me the condition of the birding site, including finding a dead Ruddy Kingfisher.  I told him we will come back with more relief in the next few days.

November 26, after delivering relief goods to Sitio Dipulao, we proceeded to Sitio Capayas to bring food packs to Erwin and his immediate neighbors.  When we reached his area, we discovered that the usual trail to his house is blocked by fallen trees.  They had to make a new trail 20 meters down the road.  After we parked the van, and unloaded the relief goods, Jelyn's eagle eyes saw a Malkoha, again on a bare branch and of course all I had with me was a point and shoot with low battery.

Bringing goods to Erwin and his immediate neighbors

These last two photos show the remaining half of Erwin's house and his now al fresco family room.

We bade Erwin goodbye and told him we were coming back the following day to go bird and assess the status. This will be my first time to go birding since Yolanda.  

On the morning of November 27, Judith, Jelyn and I arrived at Erwin's house almost 7am.  Immediately we saw a couple of Yellow Throated Leafbirds and even before I can set up my camera, Jelyn was already excitedly saying, Lovely!  A male Lovely Sunbird was on a small calamansi tree in the middle of Erwin's yard. Then the male Palawan Flowerpecker made an appearance.  What followed was an hour and a half of standing in Erwin's yard and shooting at birds within 3 to 5 meters. I used up two 4GB memory cards in that time. Judith who left her point and shoot at the van thinking that she will not be able to photograph anything, went back to get it (the van was parked some distance).  She has since posted her images in her own FB page. 

Enjoy the following images, a gift from Yolanda:

 Palawan Flowerpecker (male). First time I was able to photograph this bird showing both its red-orange spots (breast and top of the head)

Palawan Flowerpecker (male), showing its backside

Palawan Bulbul (formerly Grey Cheeked BB), photo lifer for me.

Palawan BB, up close and personal.

Yellow Throated Leafbird, another endemic.

Profile pic of the YTLB.  This pretty bird proved to be the bully of the day as it kept chasing away all other birds from the bunch of bananas.  Even the bigger bulbuls were no match for this feisty yellow green bird.

Distance and docu shot of a Common Emerald Dove, walking underneath Erwin's motorcycle.

The star of the day, the Lovely Sunbird (male), Palawan endemic.

Here he is again, looking at me straight as if to say, don't you have enought photos already?

I even got a KIF - Kilit In Flight. Blue Headed Racquet Tail in english and also a Palawan endemic.

Then as we were about to leave, the Ashy Drongo, also an endemic, made an appearance.

Followed by the Ashy Fronted Bulbul (formerly Olive Winged BB), also a Palawan endemic.

The female Lovely Sunbird (who is not as lovely as the male), also showed up.

Not to be outdone, the Olive Backed Sunbird also appeared.

And when we had our fill and was about to leave, the male Palawan Flowerpecker gave us a bow... as if to say, till we meet again.

Overall, a very productive morning photography wise.  We also saw a Rufous Backed Kingfisher, a couple of Spot Throated Flameback Woodpeckers, a Palawan Blue Flycatcher (male) and a White Vented Shama.  On the down side, there were noticeably fewer birds and we did not see the Blue Paradise Flycatcher and Black Naped Monarch which were sure sightings in previous Capayas trips.

We went home happy to have seen most of the birds we usually see.  At the same time, hoping and praying that we will see more of them in the coming days. 

 

Lifers at the Boulevard...Day 2

After getting four lifers in one and a half hours on September 26, I was eager to go back the following morning.  But it rained, and rained, and rained... I was set to leave Coron on September 30 and I knew that it will be a long Manila trip because my father was going to be confined.  So I was getting worried that I will not be able to go back to the Boulevard area before I leave.  Fortunately, the sun shone brightly on the morning of September 29 so off I went.

Unfortunately, as I passed our Front Desk area at Darayonan, a couple of matters detained me so it was 7:30am by the time I got to the reclaimed area.  After walking about thirty meters from where I parked, came upon a pool of water, more like a big puddle actually, and immediately saw an Asian Golden Plover, probably the same bird I saw three days prior. I took a couple of shots and while doing so, I saw another bird to its left.  A Grey-tailed Tattler, another lifer!  The fifth on the list (thank you Maia Tanedo for the ID). Here is a photo of the Tattler:

Grey-tailed Tattler

Like the other birds I have seen here, this is also migratory.  It breeds in Northeast Siberia and after breeding, migrates to Southeast Asia and Australia. Then back again to Siberia for breeding.  

I also saw the Kentish Plover scurrying about.  Further on I saw a flock of Terns on the ground beside a bigger puddle of water.  

Some were standing on water... the bigger one in the middle is a Gull Billed Tern, Lifer # 6 (thanks to Adri Constantino for helping identify this bird).

While looking at the Terns through my binoculars, I saw a lone Black Winged Stilt.  I think it is still a juvenile...

I first saw this bird in September 2012 in Sabang, Puerto Princessa during the Bird Race. Here he is up close...

After a while the Stilt flew and of course, I tried to take a photo. Luckily, I was able to get a decent shot.

While waiting for the Terns to fly (I wanted some BIF shots), I started scanning the surroundings using my binoculars.  I saw a hawk or eagle lazily flying in circles in the Coron pier area.  I wanted a photo of course but the area it was flying over was probably a kilometer away by land.  When I turned around and faced the sea, I saw about twenty Terns flying around a fishing boat docked attracted by the day's fresh catch of fish.  I started photographing them. 

Terns diving for fish...

I got engrossed with the Terns that I forgot the Eagle.  I was tracking a group of Terns with my camera when suddenly something big dropped from the sky (from behind me) and swooped down into the water, grabbed something and flew away. I just pointed my camera towards it and fired a burst.  I was able to get nine shots and but only one was good.

White Bellied Sea Eagle (juvenile) with a mangrove fruit...  

Needless to say, I am so thrilled about this shot.  It is now the wall paper of my laptop and it will definitely be blown up, framed and will hang somewhere in Darayonan!  (It pays to have a mother who owns a lodge). Hahaha. 

Because I was so happy with the Eagle, I took a photo of some Eurasian Tree Sparrows perched on an upturned ice chest.  The ETS is what many Filipinos refer to as the "maya" (although the maya that used to be the Philippine National Bird is actually the Chestnut Breasted Munia). It is very common and bird photographers, except the newbies,  seldom photograph it anymore.  But I took a couple of shots anyway because their pose looked so cute.  I felt that they were posing for me and wanting to have their picture taken as well,  (in bird language of course).

ETS: Piktyuran mo rin kami!  Me: Sige na nga...

After the ETS, I saw a couple of Great Egrets in the distance. Easily identifiable because of the kink in their necks which is not present in other Egrets.  Plus of course their larger size. This is a photo-lifer for me as I do not have decent photos of this bird which I first saw in Balanga, Bataan, in November 2012 during a WBCP guided trip.

I started to head back to the van when a bird flew across my path. I started stalking it but it went into some tall grass.  While waiting for it to come out, I saw another small bird on the ground beside a big puddle of water. It turned out to be a Rufous Necked Stint (thanks to Maia Tanedo for the ID) also known as the Red Necked Stint (per wikipedia).  

After a few minutes, the other bird appeared again but unlike the Stint who really posed for me, this bird would not stay still.  Fortunately, I was able to take a couple of docu shots.  It was later identified by Adri Constantino as a Yellow Wagtail or an Eastern Yellow Wagtail. A photo lifer for me. I first saw this bird at the Irawan watershed in Puerto Princessa and also in Sabang.  

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

After getting the Wagtail, I decided to call it a day, (it was almost 9:00am and getting hot). But the Asian Golden Plover appeared near the Wagtail and i could not resist taking one last shot. 

Asian Golden Plover

All in all, in three hours of birding, in a location that is a stone's throw away from the palengke and where the tourists literally board the tour boats, I got fourteen (14) species, six (6) of which are lifers, including two (2) photo lifers and one (1) great shot of an Eagle. It just goes to show that in Coron, one can go birding almost anywhere and everywhere!   Thank you Lord for making me a Coronian!