We Came, We Saw, We're Happy

We went to the Avilon Zoo for a single purpose: to photograph two endemic kingfishers. (Note: Although this was a zoo, both species seen here were uncaged, free-flying, wild birds.)

While Mhark, the local guide, were looking for the Spotted Wood Kingfisher to show Dev, our guest from Shanghai, Peter and I just decided to stay at the restaurant area by the pond. After a while Peter pointed to the spot at the far end of the pond. "There it is!" he said. He was referring to the Indigo-banded Kingfisher, the other target bird we came here for. It didn't take long before it flew closer to us. 

After we had our fill, Mhark came and told us that they found "Spotty". In return we told him that "Super Boy" was there by the pond. So we went to where the Spotted Wood Kingfisher was and took a lot of shots at it. 

Meanwhile, Mhark took Dev to the pond area so he could get photos of the Indigo-banded Kingfisher. About noon and we all got our target birds and were happy that we did. Next on the agenda was lunch.

It's Where Avilon

The Avilon Zoo in Rodriguez, Rizal had been hosting some uncommon migrants lately. Last October a pair of Chestnut-cheeked Starlings stayed there for some time. Late January of this year, local guide Mhark Gee posted a photo of a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, taken at the zoo premises. That of course triggered an onrush of bird photographers to Avilon. My wife and I, along with our friend, Peter, were part of a group that went on Saturday, Feb. 3rd.

Majority of us arrived a little before 8 am. After more than an hour of waiting, the hoped for cuckoo was still a no-show. Then the local Besra came flying in and teasingly flew from tree to tree. Cynthia was quicker with her camera and got a shot of the raptor.

Time slowly passed and still our target bird was nowhere in sight. As if to relieve the building tension among us, a Common Kingfisher visited the nearby pond and hunted for food, giving us photographers some FIM (food in mouth) shots.

Not long afterwards, its endemic cousin - the Indigo-banded Kingfisher - obligingly posed for us as well.

Then Mhark told us that another cuckoo, the Rusty-breasted one, was at the trees near the parking area. Now this was one very cooperative (and I'd say somewhat narcissistic) bird, as it gave us different poses like a model.

At noon we decided to join our fellow birders who were already having lunch at the restaurant area. That was when Mhark shouted, "It's here!" What followed was a frenzied shooting by 16 excited bird photographers of the awesome looking cuckoo. For about an hour, this beautiful migrant made all of us go cuckoo. It was the three of us (me, my wife and our friend, Peter) who gave up as we were already feeling the pangs of hunger. We were all happy that we got our first lifer of the year.

Because of the two chestnut migrants (the cheeked starlings last year and the winged cuckoo this year) the Avilon Zoo had become one of the interesting local birding destinations. Hopefully more will come even those without "chestnut" in their name.

Mood Indigo

Birders and Bird photographers go to Villa Escudero for one reason. It's not because Villa Escudero is of the finest resorts in the Philippines. Or because of the sumptuous buffet that they serve by the waterfalls while the cool waters of the river flow over your feet. It is not because of the ride on a cart pulled by a carabao (water buffalo) while the local folks serenade you with Filipino ditties. Nor watching the show depicting the culture of the Philippines. Not that these are not valid reasons to go there. As a matter of fact many tourists visit Villa Escudero to enjoy all of these. But birders and bird photographers? For them the main attraction of this resort is...

...the Indigo Banded Kingfisher! Villa Escudero is the place where this uncommon endemic can be seen without fail.

Wanting to become members of the Indigo Banded Kingfisher (IBK) club - an unofficial group of bird photographers who have the image of this tiny bird in their files - my wife, myself and fellow Philippine Bird Photographer (PBP) Gabs Buluran travelled the 90 km or so to go to Villa Escudero. We have made prior arrangements with the owner, Mela Balcazar (who is also an avid birder), to let us into the resort if we arrived earlier than their official opening time of 8 am. A little after 7 am and we were already driving inside the resort and already excited as we saw birds along the way. As soon as we parked and assembled our gears, we wasted no time chasing after the various birds by the roadside. Cynthia was going after the Purple-throated Sunbirds, Gabs was shooting at a Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker. While I was still fumbling with my gear!

Soon the three of us were taking photographs of a bunch of Striated Grassbirds as they paid tribute to the rising of the sun through their melodious songs. Eventually our excitement subsided a bit and we all went to the place where the Indigo-banded Kingfisher had been seen. Regularly. We asked the staff who were doing their early morning chores where the kingfisher hangs out and they all pointed to the area in front of the rest rooms (which was facing the river - for those of you who are curious). So we waited and waited. For almost an hour we waited and .... nothing! Feeling a little bit (okay, a lot) downhearted, we went back to the roadside where we saw a lot of birds earlier. Only to discover that the avian activity had died down. Considerably. We stood there in silence, our moods shifting from bright to downright gloomy.

Then I heard one of the staff members calling me. He announced that the kingfisher was already there - in front of the rest rooms. As if our feet were on fire we quickly followed our newfound friend - which was not easy as we have to descend a zigzagging path, although concrete, was quite steep and narrow. And I still enduring bravely the pain on my left knee.

And there in all its glory was our reward! Despite the difficult lighting conditions we still tried our best to capture in digital image the uncommon endemic, Alcedo cyanopecta - the Indigo Banded Kingfisher.








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