Amazing Race...er...Birding (Bulacan leg)...the Jacana expedition

The last leg of our nine-day bird tour ended in a place that was not in the original itinerary, in Camella Homes, Bgy. Matungao, Bulakan, Bulacan.  The original itinerary called for leaving Subic early and proceeding to Candaba Wetlands before heading back to Manila.  But a few days earlier, Jonathan Carpio, another birdnut, started posting photos of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas taken in Bulakan.  Ever since I saw photos of this bird in facebook last year, I have wanted to see it and photograph it.  It turned out that our guests, Rafael and Marta also wanted to see it.  So after making arrangements with Jonathan, we agreed to change the itinerary.  I will meet Anthony and the group at the Jacana site.

I was with fellow bird photogs Christopher Ferrer and Albert Tamayo.  We arrived at Camella Homes in Bgy. Matungao around 7:45 am.  We found several other birdnuts already at the site, waiting in hides, namely, Atty. Ramon Quisumbing, Ely Teehankee, Alain Pascua, Arnel Ceriola, prof. Reuel Aguila and prof Mando Somintac.  The place was a "palaisdaan" (fishpen), and it was HOT!  The sun was scorching.  

There were a few birds - Black-winged Stilt, a little Egret, and a Striated Grassbird.  A few minutes after we arrived, I had my first lifer of the day, Clamorous Reed Warbler.  Unfortunately, all my photos of this bird were not sharp.  

A photo of a Striated Grass Bird (left) and a Clamorous Reed Warbler

Docu shot of a Clamorous Reed Warbler, Lifer #206

The group from Subic arrived a little after nine in the morning.  (Considering the time they left and the fact that they still had to look for the place, Kris must have been in "mad-driver" mode). While waiting for our target birds, a Cinammon Bittern also sprung from the grass and flew several meters.  This was followed later by a Black Bittern, lifer #207.

Docu shot of a Black Bittern, Lifer #207

Just a couple minutes after the Black Bittern appeared, our target bird, flew across the water. Sharing my photos of this beautiful bird...Pheasant-tailed Jacana, lifer #208

And that was how we ended My Blue Backpack's first bird tour outside of Coron, with this beautiful bird soaring in the sky. A fitting end, if I may say so...