Candaba Dabba Doo!

Cast of Characters:
Fred - Bob Kaufman
Wilma - Cynthia Kaufman
Barney - Gabs Buluran




Fred and Wilma, and their friend, Barney, went on a birding trip to Candaba early one Saturday morning.  The skies were gray and it even drizzled a little as they entered the wetlands. Only the Shrikes (both Brown and Long-tailed) and some Striated Grassbirds were brave enough to venture into the rainy dawn. Eventually the heavens cleared up and that was when the trio approached the pond near the entrance. And that was when they all saw the Eurasian Coot, just beginning to stir from its slumber. It was lifer number one for Fred, Wilma, and Barney. Yabba!

Barney then settled down to patiently wait for the White-breasted Waterhen and Striated Grassbird that kept popping in and out of the bushes. Wilma, meanwhile, saw some bright brown birds flying in and landing on the black muddy grounds at the other side from where Barney was preparing his gear. Wilma informed her husband about her discovery and they both moved closer to where the bright brown birds landed. Surveying the area with his binoculars, Fred was so ecstatic to discover that one of his "most wanted" bird species were there right in front of their very eyes. Lifer number two for the husband and wife team: Oriental Pratincole!  Dabba!

Satisfied that they have a photograph of the Pratincole, Fred and Wilma then joined Barney. Just as they were approaching, a flock of White-shouldered Starlings flew and alighted on the branches of a camachile tree. Barney suggested that they all get in his stonemobile and use that as a blind so as not to spook and therefore be able to get pictures of the very uncommon starlings. It was so that the tree was on the side of both Fred and Wilma. Gallant and gracious Barney waited until both had gotten their shots (he can't see the starlings from the driver's seat) until he slowly opened his door so he can take his turn. Unfortunately the Starlings all flew off just when he poked his head out. But for Fred and Wilma, they were able to garner their third lifer! 

In fairness, Fred told Barney where to find the Javan Pond Herons. Sure enough the rare waders were there where they usually hunt for food. And for Barney he got his lifer, too!  Doo!

A Golden Day, Bar None

To shake off our jet lag resulting from our recent trip to the Philippines, Cynthia and I decided to chase after the Bar-tailed Godwit at the Upper Newport Bay. We probably arrived a tad too late because the tide was already rising and as such, the rare Godwit usually flies off to the less accessible parts of the bay. Nevertheless, we still waited for about two hours for our target bird to show up, finally giving up at around 11:30 am.

From there we visited nearby San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. I was walking slowly, a bit dejected from missing the Bar-tailed Godwit (which have been seen by probably every birder in Southern California) when Cynthia yelled "Hawk! Hawk!". She was pointing at some dark object by the edge of Pond C. We have not fully unpacked from our trip and that was the reason I did not have my binoculars with me to check out what my wife was enthusiastically directing my attention at. Peering through my meager 300mm zoom lens, I finally saw a raptor grasping some black thing..barely visible from the pond's edge. I thought it was a dark morphed Red-tailed Hawk. I was still pondering over its identity when it suddenly flew off carrying a dead Coot in its talons. Cynthia and I thought that was the end of it and meandered back to the parking lot, taking shots at whatever interesting bird we find along the way. Near the entrance we saw Thang, a fellow bird photographer, busily shooting something something atop an electrical post. I hurried to where he was and discovered that the "hawk" I saw was now feasting on the dead Coot at the top of the pole. Then I realized that what we were looking at was actually a Golden Eagle enjoying its lunch! This was the first time I have seen this species this close. It stayed up there until all that was left of its meal were a few feathers and some tiny bones. I will now let the pictures tell the story of an Eagle enjoying lunch:

Lunch to go:

Yummy!

Mmmm!

A little stretch after lunch

What goes in.....

I'm outta here...

For other (more mouth-watering?) blogs and pictures, please visit: