Hood Have Thought?

Our birding trip to Baras last Saturday, July 10th, was filled with surprises. We saw some species that we have not seen there before. Considering that we've been to that place for quite a number of times already, we were so thrilled with our latest encounters. Let me relate the highlights of our trip.

It all started as we were about to have our take-out breakfast from Jollibee. Cynthia heard some melodious singing and soon she was able to locate where it was coming from. There were three Philippine Magpie Robins frolicking among the branches! One of them even flew down to the ground to go after its prey. Although we've seen this species here before, this was the first time that an individual was so cooperative to allow us to get some good shots.

 

After breakfast, we proceeded to the grassy area. It was there that we encountered the first species that we had not seen in this place before. We've seen its cousin, the Zitting Cisticola, a few times but this time we were surprised to see a Golden-headed Cisticola!

 

At the "tank" place, we witnessed a pair of Balicassiaos in a courtship mood. Again, we have seen this species at this particular place before but this time they were out in the open!

 

As we were exiting the Palo Alto East Road, we saw a flash of bright colors land on a very low branch. 

"Kingfisher!" I yelled. 

"No way!" my wife replied.

Slowly the colorful object emerged from the dark spot where it landed before.

"Hooded Pitta!" we both gasped in unbelief.

We wasted no time taking shots at the bird we never expected to see here, at the side of a street even!

 

Joyful with our unexpected blessing we moved on. At Cancun Street, a Common Emerald Dove was foraging on the ground. We've seen this bird once before but this one stayed for a long time unmindful of two happy birders taking its picture.

 

The final surprise was when we were  turning a corner, I saw this White-breasted Waterhen right beside our car nonchalantly looking for its breakfast. Another species that we've never seen here before. It was so close that I got a full frame shot!

 

As we ended our birding day, we couldn't believe the luck we had. Who would've thought that we would see, and even take pictures of, three species that we have not seen here before.

Say the word..

Since the pandemic, Baras had become a favorite birding place for us. For one thing it is not that far from our home - about 40 kilometers away. And of course because there are quite a number of birds to be seen there. Although the place we go to is a subdivision (Palo Alto), it has not been fully developed yet. The area is vast with various types of environments and there are only a few residential houses. 

The morning of Philippine Independence Day we once again visited Palo Alto. We arrived at our destination in about an hour after undergoing through the nerve-wrecking experience of driving on a narrow road that was filled with countless bicyclists and motorcycle riders.

As soon as we entered the subdivision I saw a Philippine Magpie Robin near the entrance. I parked by the roundabout to unload our gears, a Common Emerald Dove swooshed across Cynthia and perched in front of her. I quickly handed over her camera and she was able to get some shots at it.

 

We then walked towards the place where I saw the Magpie Robin earlier. Even before we got there, my wife heard its call and eventually located the bird high up a tree. To high for a good picture so all I got was a "documentary" shot.

 

As we were returning to our car, Cynthia took a photo of a bird on a bare tree. I think it's a Philippine Bulbul she told me. It was only when I was processing the images at home that I was able to confirm that it was indeed a Philippine Bulbul. That was the first time we saw that species at Baras.

 

From there we proceeded to Campeche Road where we had our take-out breakfast from Jollibee. After breakfast we moved on to Alicante Road. Along the way a bunch of Scaly-breasted Munias were feeding by the roadside.

 

As we turned the road at Palo Alto West, some Crested Mynas were on top of a electric post.

 

At Cancun Road, three Collared Kingfishers were perched quite low and in really bad light. 

 

Paddyfield Pipits were fewer than the last we were here. We were lucky to find one at the usual place along Almansor Road.

 

Not far from it were Pied Bush Chats - both male and female.

 

Strangely, the Spotted Doves were skittish. I managed to get a shot at one just before it flew off.

 

On the other hand White-throated Kingfishers were common. We've seen them in four different areas. This one was at Alicante Road. 

 

After taking shots at the Kingfisher, we heard the loud pok-pok-pok of a Coppersmith Barbet. We found it calling from a high perch. 

 

Near our car I was surprised to see a Zebra Dove so close that I got an almost full frame shot.

 

We noticed some movement at an aratiles tree. After much patience waiting for it to show up we got another surprise seeing a female Bicolored Flowerpecker!

 

Cynthia then suggested we go to Frontrera Road where we saw a Long-tailed Shrike the last time we were here. I stopped at the place where it hangs out. "It's not there", my wife sighed. "It's there!" I pointed to her our quarry roosting a bit higher than where it used to stay.

 

From there we proceeded to the steep road where the Blue Rock Thrush was seen early this year. While on the way, my wife said that we haven't seen the Blue-throated Bee-eaters the several times we've been here recently. As I was about to turn back, voila! Blue-throated Bee-eaters!

 

Another species we haven't seen lately was the Whiskered Treeswift. It used to be that we always see them on a wire along Palo Alto East near the roundabout. As we continued on back towards Cancun, guess what we saw!

 

We were so happy that the birds we were hoping to see would suddenly appear before us. Hoping our luck would continue, we both said that we also haven't seen White-breasted Woodswallows for quite a while. We were already driving along Escano Road on our way out when we saw Woodswallows flying over. We watched and then saw them land on a bare tree! Photo ops!

 

It was while taking pictures of the Woodswallows when a Striated Grassbird came and bullied the Woodswallows away.

 

And that was how our birding day ended at Palo Alto, Baras. We just said the word and the bird we mentioned would show up! It was such a blessing!

Mockingthrash - part three of the Anger Games Trilogy

We were back in the game. Emboldened by the urging of our friend, Ketring, who saw lots of them just a couple of days ago, I, Kainis Poreber, and my lifetime partner, Osintiang Lupa, were back at the Table Lands. Determined to hunt down the Thrash with the Highbrow, we went to the place of the fallen trees but it was very quiet. We decided to scour the area below for some possible Peeta sightings. Along the way we met three of our friends, Eyering, Broom, and Catch. They were also looking for the Peeta with a Hoodie. They have their own mission and we have ours so we parted ways.

It wasn't long when we caught a glimpse of a pair of Green Stone Dubs. The male was very flighty so it was only the female that I was able to shoot.

The Assy Thrash was also near the entrance to the trail.

When the time that Ketring saw the Thrashes with the Highbrow two days ago came, we returned to the place of the fallen trees. However a pair of brightly clad humans were sitting on the log and unintentionally blocked the narrow trail. It was then that the mixed flock of Fried Pan Tails, Gerry Wents, and White-eyed Lowland dwellers came. The Thrashes with the Highbrows that was supposed to join them were missing though.

When the mixed flock had gone, we went to the fruiting palm trees hoping that the Thrashes would feast there as had been their habit before. A long time passed and no Highbrow came.

With heavy hearts Osintiang Lupa and I, Kainis Poreber, left the Table Lands. As we walked out we could almost hear the mocking laughter of the Thrash with the Highbrow who managed to avoid being seen by us in the four different times that we tried and yet showed themselves to those who were not even looking for them.

That mocking laughter will haunt us forever. And the anger remains.

To those who haven't read them yet:
Part One - Anger Games
Part Two - Catching Ire


Disclaimer:
The characters and creatures portrayed in this story are all fictional. Any similarities with an actual person or animal, alive or dead, are purely coincidental.

Or not.

Nest Quick

It was a quickie birding trip at La Mesa Ecopark.  My neighbor and fellow birder, Chin Fernandez, wanted to go to this place. It will be his first time. Our friends, Jops and Maia, joined us to help introduce Chin to this birding refuge so close to the city.

Surprisingly, it wasn't a very productive outing that morning. We did catch a glimpse of the Red-bellied Pitta but the supposedly more common Hoodeds were nowhere to be seen.

To expand our coverage of the place we decided to go separate ways. It was when I was all by myself that a female Mangrove Blue Flycatcher darted across the trail and hid in the underbrush. 

A little while later a Common Emerald Dove nonchalantly fed by the edge of the trail just a few feet away from me.

The highlight of the day was when Chin and I staked out the Ashy Thrush's nest. It was fellow bird photographer Reuel Aguila who showed it to us. We were enduring the high humidity and the mosquito attacks waiting for some action when we were joined by another bird photographer, Steve Albano.

Suddenly there were some movement. The female thrush landed on the nest and the heads of a pair of nestlings popped into view!

The mommy bird then sat down and began brooding on its offsprings. That was the sign for Chin and myself to call it a day.