Victoria's Secret

Sometime in October, (or was it November?), while chatting online with fellow birders, Homer Pialda said he wanted to shoot ducks and asked where can we do so since Candaba was not what it used to be. As we discussed the different options, Canarem Lake in Victoria, Tarlac came up.  But none of us knew anything much about it. All we know is that some birders like Edwina Tayag Bandong, have visited the place a couple of years back.  But the craze brought about by the Spoonbill, the Avocet, etc., at Navotas, the presence of the Raptors, Cuckoo Dove, the Spiderhunter, and the Colasisi's at Palo Alto, plus the Rubythroat and the Labuyo at Bangkong Kahoy, put Canarem Lake in the back burner.  

The group led by USec Alain Pascua went to Palo Alto in December and came back from Canarem with great photos of the Rubythroat, a Little Grebe and a few other photos.   But what really got my attention was the video posted by Edwina on January 20.  (you could access the video here:  https://www.facebook.com/edwina.bandong/videos/10215117232804561).  Because of this video, Ed Santos, Homer Pialda and I began planning our Canarem Sortie.  With the help of Djop Tabaranza, we met (online, of course), Dax Simbol of the Tarlac Provicial Tourism Office, and Nald and Nanette Rigor of LGU Victoria.  Nald is with the Mayor's Office while Nanette is with the Tourism Office. 

As we discussed the details of the trip, our group began to grow - Edwina, WBPP President Win Paler, WBPP VP Steve Albano, Maia Tanedo, Jonet Carpio, Joel Dayao, WBPP Chair Atty Ramon Quisumbing, and Bogs Guevarra were added to the group.  Our menu, which started with silog meals (or drive thru) for breakfast, and Kambing (kaldereta, papaitan and kinilaw), and lechon manok for lunch, was also growing.  Bahn Mi for breakfast (or merienda) plus Puto Lason, were added to the list courtesy of Edwina.  This was immediately followed by a breakfast of Champorado (with tuyo), and Arroz Caldo, to be prepared by Bing (Edwina) as ordered by Wins.  With these changes and the growing size of the group, I changed to name of our group chat to Canarem Picnic!

The final group for the January 29 sortie consisted of:  Ed Santos, Homer Pialda, Steve Albano, Ramon Quisumbing, Joel Dayao, Edwina Tayag Bandong, Bogs Guevarra and myself as birders.  We arrived at the lake before sunrise and was greeted with this spectacular view.

Sunrise at Canarem

After greetings and selfies, we feasted on hot steaming bowls of Champorado and Arroz Caldo.  And after filling our bellies, we boarded two pick-ups and headed for the birding site.  Our first sighting were these Black-headed Stilts - hundreds, maybe more.

Black-winged Stilts

While shooting the Stilts, a group of five Philippine Ducks did a distant fly-by.

Philippine Ducks

We began walking.  The others were ahead of us - Ed, Steve, Dax, and I brought up the rear.  We stopped at another vantage point to shoot the Stilts. 

Black-winged Stilts

We had reached a sort of end of a section of the trail and Dax casually mentioned if we wanted to try for the Siberian Rubythroat. Of course we did!!!  So we set up our tripods and within a few minutes, Mr. Siberian was there.

Siberian Rubythroat

We did not stay there very long because the others were not with us and we wanted them to have the same opportunity.  We walked on, and we came upon two White-browed Crakes in the pond to our right.  They were too far for any FFD captures.  So let me present an in-habitat shot 😀

White-browed Crake, in-habitat

Walking further on, we saw the group shooting some flying ducks.  But they never really came close.  

Wandering Whistling Ducks

Birds we saw included a Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Common Moorhen, Purple Heron (juvy), Common Kingfisher, Long-tailed Shrike, Brown Shrike, Striated Grassbird, Yellow-vented Bulbul, and a couple of Blue-tailed Bee Eaters. By 10am, Steve was looking for the Bahn Mi, so we walked back.  The group sort of converged at the Rubythroat site which also afforded views of the Stilts.

Black-winged Stilts

Siberian Rubythroat, male

After the Rubythroat gave its performance, the Stilts entertained us by flying around and landing, and flying again.  Ed Santos put it best when he described their action as "poetry in motion".  Watching these beautiful birds simultaneously take off, fly, then suddenly change direction as one (in mid-flight) and then gently glide and land, was mesmerizing.  

Black-winged Stilts in flight - poetry in motion.

The show put on by the Stilts delayed our Bahn-mi snack.  It was already past 11am when we began feasting on the delicious bahn mi sandwiches by Edwina. washed down by either cold water or soft drinks.  A funny incident happened while Ed was drinking a bottle of sprite. Steve and I spotted an incoming bird and we both blurted, üy, uy, then Steve, said "harrier, harrier", and Ed whose camera was facing the wrong way did a quick about face, and spilling his sprite and drenching his right sleeve in the process.  Only to find out that it was a Heron.  (The scene was so funny that I am still giggling as I write this). 

Another half an hour or so passed before we walked to the pick ups and went back to the main parking area to take our lunch.  In the long kubo, we found our pre-ordered food individually packed and labelled with the amount we need to pay written on each tag. (How organized! -  noted my tour operator mind).  Again, we feasted on Kambing (Kaldereta, Papaitan, Kilawin), and Lechon Manok with a generous serving of steamed.  There was also sabaw ng sinampalukan for those who wanted (inuwi pa ng iba 😀).  Then after the meal, Edwina opened a box of her special silvanas!  Imagine having silvanas for dessert in the middle of a fishpond/lake!  Afterwards, she also gave each one of us one box each to take home! 

After lunch, a friendly Common Kingfisher perched on a nearby bamboo pole and we took photos.  I am not really happy with the shots I got so I will not post them here.  But Ramon and Ed got pretty good shots after we left.  (I rode with Homer and we left soon after lunch).

My take on Canarem Lake as a birding destination:  It reminds me of Candaba.  It has potential because of the number of birds recorded.  I understand that in previous trips, the ducks were nearer. For me the biggest plus for the area is the involvement of the Provincial and Municipal Governments.  It makes the trips organized and makes it easier for birders to go there.  It also prevents any potential issues/problems with fees that are not standardized.  Speaking of fees, to make any tourism site sustainable, it has to earn and pay for itself.  Victoria LGU cannot keep on subsidizing the birding sorties (the fact that the LGU and Provincial Govt personnel are not paid when they guide birders is a form of subsidy).  Granted that it is part of their promotional efforts at this time, it is not something they can do indefinitely. However, for birders (and other tourists), to be willing to pay a reasonable entrance fee (or environmental fee), the site must be worth it - in terms of species seen and photographed.  It is my hope and wish that this will happen in the near future.  And I believe that with the efforts of the Provincial and Local Governments, this will come to pass.  And Lake Canarem will not be a secret anymore. 

In closing, I would like to thank our hosts Dax, Nald, Nanette, and their team for the very warm welcome;  Edwina for the Bahn Mi and Silvannas; WBPP President Win Paler for the breakfast; Djop Tabaranza for introducing us to Team Tarlac and giving pointers; and to all my fellow WBPP birders for your trademark wisecracks and jokes that make every birding sortie a fun and memorable occasion!