Halloween Birding

October 31. Halloween. The eve of All Saints' Day. This is when ghosts, ghouls and various evil spirits supposedly celebrate their allotted time before the saints take over the following day.

This was also the time when four birders decided to try their luck at the valley between Mt. Banahaw and Mt. San Cristobal. For me and my wife it was the desire to add two more lifers to our list: The Luzon Sunbird and ver rare Von Schrenck's Bittern. For our companions Ruth (who kindly did the driving) and Doc Cha, it was getting back into the thrill of watching birds once again.

Just before the resort parking area we saw the brothers Lepatan, along with the local guide Jason, photographing something. We joined them and were informed that there were both male and female Narcissus Flycatchers in the trees in front of us. Perhaps it was the halloween spirit that haunted us because we only saw glimpses of the female and none at all of the more colorful male (which I have failed to see despite several attempts for the past 5 years).

When we asked Jason about our target birds he informed us that we had to follow some protocol regarding the bittern. The space where it can be seen was quite limited and also they prefer that no more than 4 people be there at the site at any given time. Since there was already a group that was ahead of us, we were asked to wait for our turn which would depend on how satisfied the present viewers would be.

The Luzon Sunbird, on the other hand, had not been seen for about a week now. The flowers that they feed on were no longer in bloom, Jason said. But we can still give it a try he encouragingly told us.

While the Lepatans were waiting for their two more brothers to join them, Ruth, Doc Cha, Cynthia and myself were entertained by a Rusty-breasted Cuckoo atop a tree near the restaurant.

With the group now complete we all hiked to where the Sunbirds were last seen. It was also near the place where Jason would be showing the White-browed Shortwing to the Lepatans. 

While waiting for the brothers to return from the shortwing site, a Turquoise Flycatcher gave us some good view, although a bit far.

Then it was Ruth's and Doc Cha's turn to see the Shortwing. We didn't go with them because we've already photographed this species in the same spot about 3 years ago. While they were there my wife and I kept looking at the red flowers that the sunbirds supposedly feed on. No such luck however. Only a Red-keeled Flowerpecker showed up and it was so high up that we were not able to get a decent photo.

We did see other birds while we were waiting for our guide to return from the shortwing site. One of them was a Philippine Serpent Eagle flying over. 

It was also while we were in the "waiting area" that it rained off and on. In between downpours birds would reappear. That's when we saw a flock of Mountain White-eyes, and a Buzzing Flowerpecker.

Mountain White-eye

Buzzing Flowerpecker

After everyone had seen the shortwing, Jason got news from his brother Chris that the Von Schrenck's had not showed up yet. We hiked back to the restaurant and since it was almost noon we had our lunch.

After lunch we had a debate whether the bird we saw near the restaurant was the very common Brown Shrike or the rarer (and possible lifer) Mountain Shrike. We hadn't come to a definite conclusion yet so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Since news that the bittern was still a no-show, we tried for the Narcissus Flycatcher again and got the female this time.

At 2:30 pm it appeared that we would never be able to get the chance to see the bittern. With heavy hearts we all decided that it's time to go home.

It was a disappointment for me because I dipped on my two target birds for the trip.

Well, it was Halloween so all I could say was: Boo!

Drying to Meet You

A little after 1 pm we decided to leave the Indigo-banded Kingfishers of Villa Escudero alone. Tirso had an appointment at two and Peter wanted to try birding the streets of Hacienda Escudero. As soon as  Cynthia and myself boarded Peter's car it rained. No, not a trickle but a downpour. That made the three of us happy. Why? Two reasons: One - what would we have done if that happened while we were shooting the kingfishers? our precious equipment would have taken an unwelcome bathing. And who knows what havoc that calamity would have wrought. Two: this deluge of a rain will soon stop and when it does birds will certainly come out and we will be there to meet them.


Come out they did. When the rain finally dwindled to a drizzle, an impatient (and hungry) Pied Bush Chat started diving at some unfortunate insect from its perch.

The shower came to a complete stop. Birds started popping out. They were so intent in drying themselves up that we were able to get reasonably close. Like this Long-tailed Shrike.

Along the road, Paddyfield Pipits and White-browed Crakes were shaking off their wetness.

As is their habit, a Lesser Coucal was rising to meet the sun.

The sun eventually peeped through the dark clouds as a heavily laden Collared Kingfisher prepared for takeoff.

And the Philippine Coucal proudly welcomed Phoebus into its realm.

Going for the Keel

Bird photographers are, generally speaking, a persistent sort. If they failed to accomplish a mission the first time around, they will try again. As long as an opportunity to take a picture of a particular bird presents itself, they will be there. Sometimes that persistence pays off, sometimes not.


Bird photographers are, generally speaking, not easily discouraged. If they fail to photograph a target bird they will shift their focus (pun intended) on another species. Bird photography, after all, is almost always a challenge - something that bird photographers, generally speaking, crave for.


A very good example was what happened to a trio of bird photographers last Saturday. For Neon, Bong and myself, the desire to capture the image of a male Narcissus Flycatcher still burned deeply in our photographic souls. We failed in our first attempt about a week ago. Persistent folks that we are, we were back at the area next to the Main Library of the University of the Philippines in Diliman hoping that our luck would change.


It didn't.


Bird photographers are, generally speaking, quite adept at making lemon juice out of sour lemons. During our vain vigil for the vagrant flycatcher, there were occasions when we turned the proverbial lemons into lemon juice. There was the time when our better halves (who accompanied us into this birding foray) spotted a Coppersmith Barbet nearby. Lenses were aimed and shutters clicked at the colorful bird.  

Then there was the focusing challenge presented by a flock of frolicking Flyeaters.

Or compensating for the backlit image of a Long-tailed Shrike grabbing a lizard by the head.

The real adventure came later though. When we were pretty much certain that it would be no use waiting for the Narcissus, Neon suggested we go for the Flowerpeckers reportedly flying friskily close to the Post Office building. Did I mention that bird photographers, generally speaking, love challenges?


Facing the mistletoe tree, the three of us spread out and observed the comings and goings of those tiny, active, feathered creatures. "Red-keeled Flowerpeckers!" Neon informed us. It was quite a surprise to learn that these dainty birds thrive in this semi-urban landscape. It was a trying experience photography-wise, yet exhilarating as well.

All the while that we bird-photographers were having our adrenalin rushes, our faithful partners decided to sit it out and killed time by munching chestnuts and sharing spousal stories.

The adage "time flies when you're having fun" certainly rang true for us that special sunny Saturday. Soon it was almost noon and it was time to go.


We were all thankful that we decided to go for the keel. And got keeled!

Long tale sighs

It all came down to sessions of telling tales and photographing shrikes.


Early morning found Cynthia and myself at the Main Library grounds of the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Already there were Tonji and Sylvia Ramos and Tina Mallari - friends and fellow bird photographers. Soon Rey Sta. Ana and his buddy, Rocky Sison joined us. Professor Gerry de Villa showed up briefly and gave a short, albeit very informative lecture on the whys and wherefores of our target species. Then came Gabs Buluran. The catalyst, if you may, of our being there. It was Gab's photograph of a male Narcissus Flycatcher - taken at the very spot where we are now gathered - that precipitated this event. Later in the day we were joined by Maia Tanedo and Jops Josef, friends and birders as well.


For about three and a half hours we waited patiently for the black and yellow-orange bird. Those long, lingering hours were spent in recounting birding experiences punctuated here and there by sighs of frustration as our longed-for flycatcher decided to forage elsewhere. Every so often our conversations would be interrupted when a Long-tailed Shrike or a Brown Shrike or a Pied Triller would fly in and land in a closer-than-usual perch.


Sometime in the midst of this seemingly interminable wait, we were briefly entertained by a dramatic staging of a lover's quarrel by a pair of Colasisis (Philippine Hanging Parrot). Unfortunately this intriguing scenario was held high up in the canopy of a fruiting tree.

At around 9 am Gabs left for work. One hour later, Cynthia and I had to call it quits inasmuch as she has a lunch appointment with her childhood friends. 


Later that day we learned that the Narcissus did a total no-show attitude even to those who decided to remain behind.


Well then, allow me to show you a Long-tailed "Narcissus" Shrike:

And Cynthia's Brown "Narcissus" Shrike

Missing Details

Age finally caught up with me. That was made quite evident last Saturday when my wife and I  went to the Candaba wetlands. Strangely, birds were few and uncharacteristically skittish. Perhaps it was the several gunfires that we heard early in the morning that made them so. Now given that the birds were shy and preferred to stay at some distance from us made photography a little difficult. And in most situations I had no recourse but to handhold my big lens. This was where the age factor crept in. At first I can pretty much focus on the small feathered subjects perched way yonder. But as the day progressed my stamina conversely regressed. So much so that the result of my photographic endeavors became increasingly, maddeningly blurry. The sharp details that mark an outstanding photograph started to disappear in a most heartbreaking fashion.


Oh how I miss my tripod/gimbal head!


Such was the case when Cynthia and I saw our only lifer of the day, a Pheasant-tailed Jacana. Even in its non-breeding plumage it was still a beauty to behold. My photograph unfortunately cannot do justice to its exquisiteness.

On the other hand, here are a couple of intensely graphic presentations of missing "de-tails", albeit in a more literal manner. 

Eve's Dropping

New year's eve afternoon. I was facing a dilemma. Shall I spend a couple of hours birding or taking a nap? The latter seemed the more logical, sane thing to do. Especially knowing that later that night I would be carousing in the celebration of the coming year with family, food and fireworks. Which of course will end at way past midnight. I mean really, waay past midnight!


But birding on the last day of the year was much too tempting to resist. Especially knowing that my birding buddy, Gabs, was also on his way to the campus of the University of the Philippines to do the exact same thing. Nap be darned! A-birding I will go.


Gabs was already ensconced inside his car behind a camouflage netting and shooting at something when I arrived. "Collared Kingfisher!" was his whispered reply when I asked him what was the object of his rapt attention. He silently handed me another camouflaged netting and pointed at the two kingfishers several feet away. I crept back into the driver's seat of my SUV , draped the netting over my lens, and peered through my camera. Blurred image! Oh wait, the netting was covering the front of my lens. I fixed the netting and peered again, the two kingfishers were now just one. The other one apparently flew as I was returning to my vehicle. I focused on the remaining kingfisher. Click. click. I looked at what I have gotten so far. Ho hum images. I should have taken that nap I thought to myself. As if reading what was on my mind, the kingfisher itself gave a huge yawn. Aha! Got that!

Minutes passed. The bird was still there barely moving. Then, whoosh! it flew to a nearby bush, grabbed something and returned to its original perch. I peered once again through my camera. A praying mantis was in its beak! But wait...the praying mantis got something in its mandibles! A tiny butterfly! Talk about a predator becoming a prey!

Everything was sort of anti-climactic after that. Gabs and I went to look for the now ubiquitous male Blue Rock Thrush and found it quite easily. Except that it was perching on an unphotogenic lamp post.

To wrap up our bird photography efforts for the year, we both settled for gratuitous shots of the Brown Shrike.

It was almost 5 pm when I got back home. Too late for even a short nap. Coffee never tasted this good. Three cups in a row? Even better!

7 U.P. and an Olive

In a span of one week, I visited the University of the Philippines (U.P.) campus in Diliman, Quezon City, twice! First, on a Thursday with my fellow bird photographer, Dennis Alfaro, and then on Saturday with my wife, Cynthia. On both days, the skies were as gray as can be. There were even times when it drizzled which had us scampering to the nearest shade. On a weather condition such as that, what birds could be seen? Not much, it turned out. On those two days, I only managed to photograph a total of seven species at the U.P. campus. Plus an Olive-backed Sunbird that my wife and I saw at the Ninoy Aquino Wildlife Park which we also visited last Saturday.

Mesdames et messieurs, la galerie:

Pied Triller (Lalage nigra)

Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica)

Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)

Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopus maculatus)

Lowland White-eye (Zosterops meyeni)

Golden-bellied Flyeater (Gerygone sulphurea)

Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis)







For other (more plentiful?) birding blogs and photographs, please visit:

U.P. Swing

Our birding activities went into a slight upswing as we met up with fellow birder photographer, Ely Teehankee, at the campus grounds of the University of the Philippines. It was about 6 am and as dawn brightened up the skies, a flock of birds congregated on a fruiting "bignay" tree. They were mostly comprised of the ubiquitous Eurasian Tree Sparrows and Yellow-vented Bulbuls.

"Lowland White-eyes!" Ely whispered as he pointed to the constantly moving tiny green and white birds. I just chalked up my first lifer for the day.


After a while, avian activity died down. Ely, Cynthia and I explored the other birding areas in the campus without much success, except for a forlorn-looking Brown Shrike.


When we returned to our original meeting place, Ralf Nabong was already there. He hasn't seen much either although birdsongs filled the morning air. It was when another member of the PBP (Philippine Bird Photographers) group, Doc Mando, showed up that things started to get interesting. Pretty soon he was directing our attention at about four Ashy Minivets (our target bird..and another lifer!) flitting high up in the tree tops.


Soon a pair of Black-naped Orioles began calling loudly to one another.


My wife and I wanted to stay longer but family commitments necessitated that we cut our birding foray short. We were happy, though, that we have added a couple of species to our lifelist.