Chasing Lifers: The Falcated One

I am the type of birder that seldom chases specific birds. When I say chase, I mean a birder that repeatedly goes back to one location to get a good shot of a particular bird or goes to different sites in pursuit of one or two species.  For instance, I know of one birder that kept going back to LMEP in order to get a good shot of the Indigo-banded Kingfisher because it was his spark bird.  As for me, the first one that comes to mind is the Narcissus Flycatcher which I "chased" in four locations in 2016.  

Another bird that I somewhat chased is the Falcated Wren Babbler, (Ptilocichla falcata), also called the Falcated Ground Babbler, it is endemic to Palawan.  Being a forest ground dweller, it is a difficult subject to photograph. It skulks in the forest floor and is very shy and skittish. Making it more difficult for me is the fact that it is only seen in mainland Palawan.   During the 3rd PPUR Bird Race in November 2017, several beautiful photos appeared and I learned that most of them were photographed with a certain Randy Tibur as guide.  Randy, is a protege of Atty. Carlo Benitez Gomez, one of Palawan's foremost bird photographers and a WBPP founding member.  So I made a mental note to go for the Falcated the next time I am in Puerto Princessa.

The First Attempt

The first chance I got was in June 2018.  I went to Puerto Princessa because CATE, our tourism association in Coron, received the Governor's Award for Tourism Development.  Though the awarding was in the evening of June 20, I took the first flight out of Manila so I could bird the whole day.  Unfortunately, I woke up late and missed my flight.  I rushed to NAIA, took the next available flight and got landed at Puerto Princessa City at almost eleven o'clock in the morning.  We got to the birding site noon.  I quickly set up my camera and we waited.  Soon Randy whispered that the bird was approaching.  I could see movement in the grass and bushes on my left, then a blur of brown briefly perched on a tree trunk, I pressed the shutter and all I got was this:

We transferred to two more spots but the results were the same.  The bird was around but it would not perch in the open.  Soon, it was time to leave.  Randy opined that next time, we should use a hide.  The following day, my flight was still after lunch so I decided to bird in the morning.  But since there site of the Babbler was quite far, I opted to go for one or hopefully two photo lifers. (To my non-birder friends, a lifer is the first time we see a particular bird.  A photo-lifer is a term coined by the Filipino bird photographers to refer to the first time we get a good photo of a particular species).  For this trip, I decided to try and get a better shot of the Palawan Flycatcher and if time permits, the Pale Spiderhunter.  I have previously seen and photographed both birds but wanted to improve on my shots. 

Randy brought me to a new site of Atty Carlo for the Palawan Flycatcher.  And the site did not disappoint.  Sharing some of the photos I was able to take in this site.  

Palawan Flycatcher

After getting enough shots of the Palawan Flycatcher, we proceeded to the Crocodile Farm for the Spiderhunter.  Randy brought me to a clump of flowers, Heliconias, if am not mistaken.  After about twenty minutes, our second target for the day arrived and gave me enough good looks.  

Pale Spiderhunter

After about an hour at the Crocodile Farm, it was time for me to go to the airport to catch my flight. 

Second Encounter

My second chance to shoot the Falcated Wren Babbler came a month and a half later.  I had a three day business trip at Puerto Princessa so again I took an early flight, (which I did not miss!).  We had to do a bit more walking this time.  But I was more prepared because I had a Madrigal hide with me. It is a photography hide designed by our friend and fellow birder Prof Bert Madrigal of UP.   This is how I look under a Madrigal hide:  

Me, while using a Madrigal hide, photo taken at Infanta, Quezon

And just like our previous attempt, the bird was skulking around the area and even made a very brief appearance in front of me.  Unfortunately, these are the only shots I managed

After some time at this site, we moved to two other sites but the results were the same.  In the last site, we had to run back to the van because the clouds suddenly turned so dark and we did not want to be caught in a downpour while inside the forest.  Along the way, we saw two birds - Great Slaty Woodpecker and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, which is a lifer.  Here are docu shots of these two.

Great Slaty Woodpecker

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, a lifer

So for the second time, we dipped on the Falcated Wren Babbler.  To make matters worse, when I got back to my hotel, I found a Leech on my lower leg.  

Third Attempt

I was beginning to give up hope of being able to photograph this bird in 2018. But a sudden business trip in late November gave me a chance.  Before leaving for Puerto Princessa, I asked my host, DOST Palawan for the schedule of meetings and presentations. After seeing the schedule, I was not sure if I was going to have time because of the number of meetings. But, I brought my gear anyway - camera, lens, tripod, folding stool and madrigal hide.  Fortunately, we managed to finish all commitments by evening of the second day and since my flight was still at three in the afternoon (of day 3), it meant I had half a day to make another attempt.  We were supposed to leave at three thirty in the morning because we were going all the way to Sabang.  I woke up at two am, got dressed, but dozed off!  And woke up at five!!!  We reached our first site after one and half hours (almost at Sabang).  But while Randy could hear the target bird, it did not show itself.  I had a couple of consolations though.

Palawan Hornbill

Asian Fairy Bluebird

We stopped at two more sites but the bird was a nowhere to be found.  On our final stop,we walked for about twenty minutes then we had to cross the river.  Finally, we got to a spot that Randy felt good about.  I set up my tripod and camera, sat on my stool and covered myself with the hide.  After approximately fifteen minutes, Randy, who was crouching somewhere behind me whispered that the bird was approaching.  And then it was there, perched in the open.  Presenting, the Falcated Wren Babbler of Palawan... 

Falcated Wren Babbler

As we say in Pilipino, sulit ang lahat ng pagod!  

This is probably my last lifer for the year.  Thank you 2018 for the many lifers you gave me.  

Talusi...

I haven't really been able to go birding since early December. So last January 21st, when I finished most of my paperwork, I made a quick decision to do a quick birding trip.  I wanted to go to the Yulo King Ranch (the area near the airport in Coron), but since it was already past four o'clock in the afternoon I was hesitant, (YKR was 23 km away, usually a 30 minute drive).  But the desire to see some raptors and the Palawan  Hornbill won out so I decided to go for it.   I said a silent prayer asking for the Palawan Hornbill.

A short note about the Hornbill before I proceed. It has been one of my target birds ever since I started this hobby.  I first saw it in July 2014 at YKR (read about it here: http://chiwitchronicles.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-palawan-hornbill.html).  I have searched for them many times since then and saw them once but unfortunately, no photos. But our driver has seen them a couple of times in the same area. My friend Ichay Bulaong also saw them recently while she was biking in the area.  

As I approached the place last Thursday, I slowed down and began scanning the trees. I saw a bit of white on a far away tree, stopped the van, and decided to take a shot, (I forgot my bins). Lo and behold, it was a Palawan Hornbill.  I immediately turned off the engine, engaged the handbrake, braced the lens on the car door, and fired away.  I was so thrilled when after a couple of minutes, another bird appeared.  Here are some of images I was able to create:

Then both birds perched close enough to fit in one frame.

Mr. and Mrs. Hornbill

After a couple of shots, one of the birds moved to another tree that was hidden from my view.  I moved the van forward.  The bird was nearer but backlit and all I got was a silhouette.  Then it went back to the first tree. I had to back up the van to see them again.   

Together again...

Then one flew away, and the other immediately followed.

They perched on a tree beside the road (on my right), but hidden. I slowly get out of the van and look for a an opening in the leaves and branches but couldn't really find any.  The light was also bad.  I did manage a few shots but not really that good.   

The birds flew away after just a short while and went to nearby forest.  From the first two times that I saw them, I noticed that they are very skittish. Others who saw them say the same thing.  Maybe they are wary of humans. 

I waited awhile hoping that they would come back but they did not so I drove on. Near the airport, I saw a Barn Swallow perched on a wire.  

Barn Swallow

Driving on, I saw a Spotted Dove perched on a pole in the distance.

Spotted Dove

As I neared the area of a small hill where the former Australian ranch manager used to live, I saw several egrets beside some horses.  

Eastern Cattle Egret. Or is it a Horse Egret?

A few meters away, a couple of birds flew across the road and one perched on a tree near enough for me to get a shot.

Ashy Drongo

The sun was starting to set on my right when I saw this Spotted Dove perched on another bare tree. Why couldn't all birds behave like this?

Spotted Dove

It was starting to get dark so I headed back to town.  My last stop was another bare tree that I knew (from previous trips), was a place where Bee Eaters spend the night.  I was hoping to reach it while the light was still good.  But the light was not good anymore. It was a pity because there were so many of them in that tree.

Blue-throated Bee Eaters (photo brightened)

When I got back to the van, a flock of smallish birds suddenly took flight from one of the trees.  I pointed my camera at them and pressed the shutter, all the while knowing that the shots will probably not come out nice due to the poor lighting.   At the time I was shooting, I thought there were just Starlings but I found out later that they were Bee Eaters! 

A flock of Bee Eaters in flight

And just like that, it was time to go.  I hurried back to town because I had a diner appointment at 6:30pm (and it was already 6:10).  

Thank you Lord for the Kalaws (Hornbills) which I learned only yesterday, are called TALUSI in Cuyonon! Another addition to my Cuyonon bird dictionary.

     

The Palawan Hornbill

When I started birding two years ago, my father told me that they used to see a lot of Kalaws (Hornbill) and Katalas (Philippine Cockatoo) in Coron when they first came (in the mid '50's).  Since then, seeing and being able to photograph these two birds in the wild within the Calamianes archipelago has been part of my birding bucket list.  

The Kalaw seemed an easier target. Reports of Kalaw sightings began trickling in last year.  Tour guides reported seeing Kalaws in the Kayangan Lake area in Coron Island but no photos.  A cousin of mine told me of a pair of Kalaws that saw in their farm in Sitio Tulawa.  Birdwatch Coron members Michell de Guia and Maween Reyes talked about seeing it somewhere in the Yulo King Ranch (YKR).  Maween even showed me a photo in her camera but somehow the photo got deleted from the memory card... (hmmm).  Michell was also able to photograph one at Sitio Quince Dias. Then Birdwatch Palawan member Cathy Estrada was able to photograph one in Culion while doing Yolanda relief efforts.  So I thought of going to Culion.  Then fellow WBPP photographer Bj Capacite, was able to photograph it in Capayas and Mabentangen last March 2014! I went to where Bj saw it but we never saw it. I knew I could probably get the Palawan Hornbill if I go to Puerto Princessa but being able to photograph it in Coron, holds special meaning.

Last July, I had to make a short trip to Coron.   Since I knew that I will not have time to bird, I left the SLR and telephoto in Manila.  I brought along a recently purchased second hand Canon SX50. On my way to the airport for my flight back to Manila, I was half dozing in our van when our driver suddenly blurts, Kalaw!  and stops the van as two black Palawan Hornbills fly across and perch on an open branch on the left side of the road.  I fumble with my bag and camera (silently cursing myself for not bringing my SLR/telephoto combo).  The SX50's slower auto-focus allowed me only three shots (Grrrr!!!).  The last one was blurred as the bird was on the act of flying away already.

Sharing the first two shots.  Hoping to see it again on the same perch in the near future.

If only its head were turned towards me a bit!

Palawan Hornbill, preparing to fly away. 

Really thankful that I was finally able to see and get a couple of photos of the Palawan Hornbill in Coron.  Painful lesson learned, never leave home without by birding camera.