Mystical Adobo and the Fruit Doves... plus a a friendly Nuthatch...

Though I am okay birding with anybody at WBPP, more often than not my birding companions in Manila and its surrounding areas is the group that started the legend of the adobo. Last April 13, I had the opportunity to bird with this group again.   Having previously posted about the (seeming) mystical properties of Ed Santos' adobo,  I will not anymore describe its connection to a successful sortie. Our main targets for the day were the Cream-bellied Fruit, Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove, Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, and the Luzon Bleeding Heart, which was photographed in the area a few days before. 

At 4:30am, I met with Conrad Olayres, my Thailand roommate, at a fastfood restaurant along Marcos Highway.  Several minutes later, we were joined by fellow birders Win Paler (aka Wins Tornado), Ed Santos, and Steve Albano.  After steaming bowls of mami, we set off for Infanta.  We arrived a little after seven and found Prof Ferdie Llanes, another WBPP birder already on the site. It turned out that he was there the day before and the thick fog made him wary of driving in the dark along the zigzag mountain roads, thus he decided to sleep over.

After setting up our gears, Conrad explored the area and found a fruiting ficus tree on a steep slope. It was at this point that disaster struck as Ed's gear uncoupled from his tripod and fell on the concrete pavement.  Prompting Steve to run over and help Ed.

While Wins and I were pondering on the effort and risk of going down the slope, a Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, glided on a branch almost directly above Steve. So what else can we do but shoot.

Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker

Wins, aided by Edgar, (his driver/spotter), opted to go down the steep slope so he will be nearer the fruiting tree.  However, none of the others seemed willing to follow.  Besides, I was feeling a little hungry so I went back to my car to get something to munch on.  After eating a handful of nuts, our local guide came running saying that there was a Cream-bellied Fruit Dove perched in the open.  The site was where Ferdie was and it required going down a rather steep and slippery slope (it rained hence the ground was wet).  But the prospect of photographing one of my targets was too much to resist so onward I braved going down the slope. I cannot recall how many minutes it took me to go down about 15-20 meters (all the while saying a silent prayer that I don't slip).  When I reached the spot, Steve was already firing away while Ferdie was calling instructions to the bird on how to pose. (He was joking of course).  After a quick hello and handshake to Ferdie (whom I was meeting in person for the first time), I looked over where the bird is.  It took me a couple of seconds to see it as the foliage was quite thick.  As soon as I saw it, I fired a burst, while silently praying that my aim is steady (I was still breathing hard from the climb down).  We were shooting handheld because we left our tripods up top.  There was no space to set it anyway.   After a couple of minutes Steve, gave up his vantage point so that Conrad and I can shoot a bit nearer.  However, by the time it was my turn, the bird changed position then flew away before I could shoot.  Still, I was very happy to see and be given an opportunity to photograph this bird in the open. 

Presenting one of my better shots.

Cream-bellied Fruit Dove 

After the dove left, I immediately went back up.  I have this irrational fear of slipping down a mountain slope.  A couple of Philippine Fairy Blue Birds appeared but I had no clear shot.  It turned out only Steve was able to get one.  It soon started to drizzle so we sought cover in a small shack.  While huddling around the shack, three more WBPP birders arrived - Expedito Reyes, and Pastors Tony Lim and Dave Trinidad. After a round of warm handshakes, high fives and hugs, we set up our tripods facing the ravine and waited for birds. But there was not much activity.  Soon Edgar's sharp eyes spotted a small bird on the bushes below.  I believe it is a Grey-backed Tailorbird.  

Distant docu shot of a Grey-backed Tailorbird

I also spotted this lizard on one of the trees. I am not sure what it is but I believe it is a Skink, presumably the Eutropis multicarinata. Would welcome any correction if I am mistaken. 

Skink, presumably the Eutropis Multicarinata

After about fifteen minutes of not much bird activity, we transferred to another location a couple of kilometers down the road.  As soon as we got there, we saw these white-eyes.  

Mountain White-eye

Yellowish White-eye

After about half an hour with no birds, except the white-eyes, we decided to break for an early lunch.  And as soon as we had started unpacking the Adobo and the cold softdrinks, birds started to arrive in a nearby fruiting tree.  The first to show up were several Sulphur-billed Nuthatches.  Often seen but not always easy to photograph because they are constantly moving.  But the Nuthatches put on a show that day and gave all of us close captures.  Sharing some of them...

Sulphur-billed Nuthatch

In between the appearances of the Nuthatch, an Elegant Tit, also made a brief appearance.

Elegant Tit

Then a male Philippine Hanging Parrot, a.k.a. Colasisi, perched on the far side of the fruiting tree. It was visible to some of us but I could only see it through a small gap.  Thus, this was all that I could manage.   

Philippine Hanging Parrot, a.k.a. Colasisi

After the brief appearance of the Colasisi, we decided to continue our interrupted lunch.  While we were eating, the female Colasisi also made a brief appearance but none of us were able to get it.  Sometime after lunch, Conrad and our local guide did some exploring and shortly after we were called because they spotted a Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove.  The problem was, it was concealed inside a thick foliage and can only be seen through a small hole in the leaves.  If one moves a couple of inches, the bird gets covered by leaves and twigs.  And since there was the breeze, the leaves and twigs were also swaying!  It was a real challenge to shoot. Still we took turns aiming our cameras in the gap and helping our fellow birders see the bird.  I fired as many as I could because I knew that majority would either be covered or blurred.   Here are the better shots:

Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove.  I particularly like these last two shots because they show the purple ad yellow patches on its breast/belly.

After getting our fill of the dove, we went back to the fruiting tree hoping to get another chance at the Colasisi.  But it only came back once and stayed only a couple of seconds.  While waiting, we were entertained by this lizard which I believe is the Philippine Flying Lizard.  Again, would welcome any correction if I am wrong. 

Philippine Flying Lizard

The Elegant Tit made another appearance. This time coming nearer and staying longer.

Elegant Tit

Our second to the last bird for the day was this Pacific Swallow perched on a loose wire near one of the houses.  Its mate was building a nest in a nearby corner of the wall/roof.  

Pacific Swallow

Just as we were about to pack up, three small birds perched high up.  I was hoping that they would go lower but they didn't.  When they flew off, we decided to call it a day. 

Docu shot of an Olive-backed Flowerpecker

All in all, it was a good day of birding.  We did not see as many as we would have liked (birders are always greedy for more...), but the camaraderie (and the good-natured ribbing) that is ever present in a WBPP sortie (not to mention the sumptuous adobo, ice cold drinks, and fresh fruits), is priceless. 

Till the next sortie...