Holy Week "Dad-time with my boys" (and Birding!) in Coron (part 2)

After our Sunday outing, I scheduled a birding trip to Capayas the following day.  Upon hearing it, Luis immediately said he will go with me. He borrowed his Ate Ella's SLR and my old 70-300 lens and was thinking of trying to get bird photos.  Leon, on the other hand, at first said no, but after hearing that we will bird in a forested area, said he will come with us. (I first brought him birding at the recalimed area and was so disappointed when we did not see much.  He never wanted to go birding again). Needless to say, I was excited. Dina, a college friend who now has a vacation house in Coron, texted asking if I have any scheduled birding trips because she and her husband, Trevor, would like to join.  

Monday came and I was up at 5:45am. But my two young birding buddies didn't want to get up and sleepily told me, to go without them. Needless to say, I was deflated.  Then I got a text from Dina that she could not go due to some busted water pipe at their house.  So in the end, it was me with Trevor, a first time birder and an Aussie.  

I picked up Trevor and off we went to Capayas.  When we got to Erwin's house, we immediately saw a bunch of Blue Paradise Flycatchers flying around and making noise at the mango tree. 

A couple of male Blue Paradise Flycatchers about to square off against each other

And one by one the usual suspects started to show up. Trevor and i started clicking away.

White-vented Shama

Yellow-throated Leafbird

Ashy-fronted Bulbul

After some time, we decided to go to nearby Capayas Creek Bird Preserve with the hope that we will meet the resident Kingfishers so that Trevor can see them.  Along the way, we saw a Black-naped Monarch, Palawan Bulbul, and a Black-naped Oriole. But the Kingfishers were a no show.  Even the Palawan Blue Flycatcher and the Palawan Flowerpecker did not make any appearance. I was hoping to see the Philippine Cuckoo Dove but I guess it is one of those days.

We made our way back to Erwin's house and heard a Black Hooded Pitta along the way.  The Blue Paradise Flycatchers were still there.

Another photo of a male Blue Paradise Flycatcher

A female Blue Paradise Flycatcher (notice the difference in colors)

Then a pair of Scaly Breasted Munias made an appearance. 

Scaly Breasted Munia

The Ashy Fronted Bulbul kept coming back and came really close.

Then, it was time to go.   But after I had packed by camera, Erwin suddenly exclaimed, "Malkoha, darwa!"  (meaning two Malkohas).  He ran to the back of his house with me in tow.  I saw a glimpse of one through a hole in the leaves and fired a couple of shots.  I could see the bird skulking in one of the branches.  And then suddenly they both transferred to another tree.

Chestnut Breasted Malkoha

Not really an open shot but I like it nevertheless. First time I was able to get a pair in one photo. Wish my two boys saw it.

  

Holy Week "Dad-time" with my boys (and Birding!) in Coron (part 1)

Lorna, my wife, agreed to let our two boys Luis and Leon go with me to Coron for the Holy Week.  Since the price of plane tickets were so expensive, we decided to take the 2Go ferry.  My three kids grew up taking the Superferry to and from Coron so the two boys were excited to be taking the ship once again.  We boarded the M/V St. Augustine of Hippo at the Manila North Harbor at 3pm on April 11.  The ship cast off a little after five in the afternoon.  Soon, both Luis (he borrowed his Ate Ella's DSLR), and I were on deck, taking pictures of Manila Bay.    I was looking for Terns so I can at least add one bird to my BY2014 list.  I was not disappointed as I saw several Terns fly by.

Terns

After a while it was too dark to photograph the birds. I was hoping that we would reach the vicinity of Corregidor before it got dark but it was not meant to be.  The sun was a big red ball in the sky, so even if i had the telephoto lens attached, I clicked a few photos.

The famous Manila Bay Sunset

We docked at Coron Pier the following morning, April 12 at around 730am and was at Darayonan by 8.  The boys spent Saturday basically lounging around our room and playing video games.  Palm Sunday, after mass, we went out island hopping.  Coron bay offers different sights..

Yachts of the rich (and famous?) anchored near the Jolo cove...

Young boys fishing near Baquid Island...

A house complete with a view deck and deck chairs built along the shoreline of Uson Island (I wonder how he got his ECC... just asking)

Of course I had to take some photos of the boys for their Mama and Ate Ella back home (even if the boys don't like, haha)

Another photography buff in the family?  (Ella, he might not return your camera anymore)

Selfies ain't our thing (we're men..)

We first went to the Ruyukan area near sitio Malbato and kayaked at a mangrove area.  

Heading to the Mangroves...

While Kayaking through the Mangrove maze, we heard a bird call and we slowly paddled to it until we saw a beautiful Green Imperial Pigeon up close (closer than I ever saw it on land). Perched on on of the mangrove branches, it was not bothered by the approaching Kayaks. Unfortunately, we did not have a camera (even a point and shoot) with us.  We left the SLR's at the banca and the waterproof point and shoot in Manila... (note to self, a bridge camera with a waterproof pouch, would be perfect for a situation like this).  We also saw a Black Naped Oriole, an Ashy Drongo and a Pied Fantail among the mangroves.  We 

Returning from the Mangroves after about an hour

We then proceeded to Smith's Point Beach for a late lunch and some beach activities.

Boys will be boys...

About to enter college and still throwing sand balls with his little brother...

Guapo...

Guapo din...

And of course while the boys were throwing sand balls at each other, I was busy scanning the skies for some birds.  

A White-breasted Wood Swallow high up in one of the crags of Coron Island.

An underbelly shot of the White-breasted Wood Swallow

I also saw an Ashy Fronted Bulbul and a black bird that I was not able to identify although I suspect it was an Asian Glossy Starling.

Sometime in the afternoon, we saw the ship we took the day before steam into the bay from the south.  The ship was on its voyage from Puerto Princessa to Coron.  

We called it a day at around 5pm, tired but happy with our time together.

I was looking for a King but found Cleopatra instead

I was finally able to visit the Kingfisher Park Tambayan on April 1st.   With fellow Birdwatch Coron members Maween Reyes and Anthony Araojo (also our in-house guide at My Blue Backpack), we left Coron town at around 6am and headed to Sitio Malbato.  Several decades ago, my mother, Letty, when she was still single, worked as book keeper at the office of the farm/hacienda in Malbato.  She relates that my father, Ching, would pick her up (in his army surplus Willy's Jeep), in the afternoons and they would walk near the river before heading back to town.  Of course, they would always be accompanied by my Uncle Boy, (Mama's younger brother), as chaperone.  Mama says that Uncle Boy would discreetly walk behind or ahead of them.  But I digress... 

We picked up KP birdguide Boyet Factuar at the waiting shed near the Stone Chapel and reached the KP mangrove area around 7am.  

The KP Tambayan area, picnic ground and jump off point to the various eco-tourism activities offered by KP (Mangrove Kayaking, Sea  Kayaking, Firefly Watching, Fishing, and soon Birding, hopefully) 

After a quick breakfast of pan de sal and 3-in-1 coffee, we were ready to go kayaking in the mangrove area. Maween did not want to ride the kayak so she stayed at the Tambayan.   Upon the advice of Tunggs Reyes, owner of KP, I took a sibid instead of a kayak, (a sibid is a small motorless banca with outriggers).  So I paired with a guide called Jimjim, and Anthony paired with Boyet and they took a two-man kayak.  Incidentally, my boatman was Jimjim who was married to Rhenrhen and my nickname is Chin-chin. I read somewhere that only Filipinos do this - name their kids twice with the same name. 

While rowing to the moth of the river, we saw a Black Crowned Night Heron fly by.  Upon entering the canopy of mangroves, I noticed that it was quiet.  Not many birds chirping.  We rowed and drifted slowly and suddenly, a Stork Billed Kingfisher, my target for the day, came flying from nowhere and perched on a mangrove branch directly in front of us.  I aimed my camera but before I could press the shutter, it flew away.  We wait for about half an hour for it to come back but it was a no show.   We pressed on and came to a narrow point in the river where another small banca was partially blocking the way. The kayak was able to pass through easily but we could not, so we waited a bit for the boatman of the other boat to move his sibid out of the way.  I saw Anthony make a hand signal to me but I did not understand.  When we finally reached them, he said they saw three wild ducks ahead and motioned us to go forward.  As we rounded another bend, a blue kingfisher flew across our bow.  I could not be sure if it was a Common or a Blue Eared KF.  After yet another bend, we finally saw the ducks swimming in the water.  I started firing (my camera of course).  After a few minutes, they flew away.  At that time, I was not sure what kind of ducks they were.  I assumed they were Wandering Whistling Ducks. 

We continued paddling until we exited into the sea again.  However, where the sea was so calm an hour before, it was now rough and we were farther from the shore.  Jimjim was able to bring me (and my camera) to the shore safely but I had several scary moments. 

When we got to the shore, I immediately reviewed my shots and saw that the duck had an "eyebrow".  By chance we brought the Kennedy Guide, so we immediately flipped through it.  The image on my camera looked like a Philippine Duck but the book said it was not found in Palawan.  So when I got back to Darayonan, I immediately posted the photo on FB and asked for identification. Within minutes WBPP President, Rey Sta. Ana identified it as Anas luzonica, the Philippine Duck.

Philippine Duck, with its distinctive "Cleopatra" eyebrow, endemic to the Philippines and a favorite hunting target of some politicians from the north.  Probably the first photograph of this species taken in the Calamianes archipelago.

I thank siblings Manny and Tunggs Reyes for allowing me access to Kingfisher Park.  This is where I was first able to photograph the Kilit (Blue Headed Racquet Tail), and the Pikoy (Blue Naped Parrot) last June 2013.  Now the Philippine Duck.  Hopefully, I will also get to photograph the Palawan Hornbill here.  

  

Paz Island revisited...

The last time I was in Paz Island was on May 27 and 29 last year when our company, Darayonan Lodge celebrated its 15th anniversary with a picnic (in two batches) to this island.  During those two days, I did some quick birding and was able to capture in a photo two birds that I had previously seen but never photographed decently - The Black Naped Oriole and the Pink Necked Green Pigeon.

The day after the Miss Universe visit, I was on the way to Paz Island to accompany a tour group led by a friend and his officemates.  I brought along my tripod and my telephoto lens.  When we got to the island, we were only the second banca to arrive so we had the place virtually to ourselves.  It was such a glorious sunny day, and the clouds, the sea, the sand were so beautiful, I could not resist taking photos. 

I was so busy entertaining the guests that I was not able to sneak out and do some birding.  But sometime in the afternoon, two Barn Swallows perched on a nearby driftwood so I did not go home with zero results (like in Banuang Daan).  And while this is not a lifer, it is an addition to my BY2014 list.

Barn Swallow

My first bird photo in about half a month and probably only my fifth bird for BY2014 for the month of March... I wonder what is the latest tally...  

The day I cancelled a birding trip...

Ever since I arrived in Coron on March 24, I have been swamped with work for Darayonan, CATE and Birdwatch Coron, and even social obligations.  In the past week, I have changed our menu, created a welcome kit for our guest rooms, attended a workshop, presented in the same workshop (to Green Leaders), did a presentation to trike drivers, attended a wake, went with a toured group, met with relatives for the Pe Clan reunion and attended a public consultation of the Municipal Council.

A week earlier, I received an email from  Manny Reyes, owner of Kingfisher Park, that they opened the KP Tambayan.  This was meant to be a picnic place of sorts where guests can go Kayaking or ride a "Sibid" (a local motorless banca) and explore the KP mangrove area.  At night, guests may go firefly watching.  Since KP is also a birding destination, I asked permission from the owners if I can look over their new facilities and do some birding on Saturday, March 29th.  

At around noon of Friday, I was informed by Chippy, a friend and our town's Municipal Tourism Officer that I will be part of the team that will meet the reigning Miss Universe, Venezuala's Gabriela Isler, who will be visiting Coron for a day. I was included in the team because of my being CATE President (or so I thought).  Later, Chippy said, I was also back-up to the LGU's official photographer.  Ms. Isler's was scheduled to arrive at 6:30am Saturday, travel to Coron municipal hall by land, meet our municipal officials then travel by banca to Bgy. Banuang Daan to witness the Yolanda rehabilitation efforts being done by Cordaid (the NGO that invited the Miss U).  In short I had to give up my birding.  But I was also excited that I was going to see Banuang Daan, one of the oldest settlements in Coron. Literally, Banuang Daan means a town or village near the road or in this case probably a transportation channel since it sits near the entrance of Coron bay.  In fact it is considered the first town of Coron.  My late grandmother used to say that when our forefathers from Iloilo first arrived in the Calamianes, they first settled in Banuang Daan in Coron Island.  Later on they moved to neighboring Busuanga Island because it was safer from the pirates that periodically raided the coastal villages.  Perhaps this explains why a branch of our family owns a large tract of land in the Tagum/Maquinit area because that is the area almost accross the sea from Banuang Daan. 

I was also hoping to shoot some birds in Banuang Daan so I brought along the telephoto. Alas, there were no birds to be seen except a couple of noisy crows, called Uwak or Gakgak in Cuyonon. Not even an Eagle or two circling the skies.  But I took a lot of photos of the guest of honor. Majority of the photos I took have been uploaded to my facebook page and can be viewed by clicking or copying this link: 

https://www.facebook.com/chinfernandez0819/media_set?set=a.10152270615089407.1073741842.746494406&type=3

Sharing here the many faces of the Miss U (I did not upload these to my FB account).

My favorite photo of the day... because of the candidness of the kids...

As we were leaving the island, I saw some bigger kids, probably aged between 10-13, playing at their rickety pier seemingly without any concern to the big event happening in their barrio.  How simple and carefree their lives are (at this point in time anyway).  One hope that they will grow up to be fine leaders of their people and community.

I dipped on the birds but as my birder friends joked, this is also a rare lifer...