Fire Alert

It was another productive trip to Infanta. At first, at the area near the trees with the "De Castro" sign, we encountered an early wave. Though some species were missing (Blue-headed Fantail and Citrine Canary Flycatcher), the others were quite plentiful. Such as the Elegant Tits, Sulphur-billed Nuthatches, and Yellowish White-eyes.

Elegant Tit

Sulphur-billed Nuthatch

Yellowish White-eye

After the flock had moved on, we drove up the road and encountered our fellow birders, Alex, Cel, Bert and Roy. I asked Bert the usual "What have you got?" question. He showed me a photo of a kind of Flowerpecker that I have never seen before. "They (note the plural) were feeding at the Hagimit fruits" he said, pointing at the said tree. I quickly got my tripod and all six of us waited for the return of the uncommon bird. Then after a while, "There they are!" Bert alerted everybody. We all had an exciting time taking photos of the yet unidentified species.

Satisfied at the result of our photographic endeavors, Alex looked at his book, the Kennedy's Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. "Fire-breasted Flowerpecker!" he gleefully told us. It appeared that all of us had been to Baguio in search of and did not find this high elevation dwelling species.

Having earned another lifer, Cynthia and I drove further on hoping to find more birds. Unfortunately, all we saw was a Paddyfield Pipit.

We returned to where the group was and had another photo session with the Flowerpeckers which also included the Bicolored, Buzzing, and the Orange-bellied.

Bicolored

Buzzing 

Orange-bellied 

It was nearing noon so my wife and I said goodbye to our friends, thanking them for alerting us on the Fire-breasted Flowerpecker.

Our lunch at our usual dining place was a disappointment and we both agreed that the fire seemed to have gone out of the quality of food and service here.