The Coast of Living

The LPPCHEA (Las Pinas Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area) is one of the few birding areas in MetroManila. There, the presence of shorebirds despite the trashy coastline, is just incredible. 

It was a beautiful sunny morning when we got there Thursday. Right off the bat we got really good photos of the Striated Heron - a species we haven't seen for quite some time. This was so obliging that I got close enough shots.

Not too far from where it was, a Common Kingfisher was being bullied by its bigger cousin, the Collared Kingfisher. My photo, therefore, was taken from a distance.

As we walked along the debris-filled coast, we saw some Black-winged Stilts, a species we didn't see the last time we were here in October last year.

Another species we didn't see last year but quite plentiful now is the Common Greenshank. As a matter of fact they were the most in numbers this time.

Surprisingly, the Common Redshanks were very few.

Of course, Whiskered Terns were always there hunting for fish. It was our favorite BIF (bird in flight) subject.

The egrets were not as many as last time. We only saw the Little Egrets.

It was when we were about to leave that the Common Sandpiper finally showed up.

And, naturally I had to do the obligatory shot of the ubiquitous Brown Shrike.

At the small pond near the entrance to Freedom Island, we saw a commotion. It turned out to be a Yellow Bittern having a territorial dispute with the Striated Heron.

A short drive by the shore gave us open views of the Collared Kingfisher.

At around 10 am we called it a day. Despite the short birding we did, we were glad to have seen a good number of birds living at, and seemingly enjoying, the coast - trash notwithstanding.