Kingfisher In, Kingfisher Out

Saturday morning we decided to go birding in Baras. As we entered Palo Alto, it was foggy and the road was wet. 

 

Doesn't augur well, I thought to myself. I opened my car window and looked at the electric wire at the other side of the street. "White-throated Kingfisher!"(or Brown-breasted Kingfisher - depending on which list you follow) I told my wife and started taking photos of it. 

 

After having our take-out breakfast from Jollibee, Cynthia heard some singing. "Philippine Magpie Robin!" she said pointing to the very active black-and-white bird.

 

From there we moved on and got the expected Pied Bush Chat pair.

Male

Female

 

At the East Road we encountered a Spotted Dove.

 

We were surprised to see two species that are usually staying on the grassy areas perched on a tree limb. The male Pied Bush Chat was so close my wife could not get a full body photo, with her shorter lens at that.

 

The other species was a Paddyfield Pipit drying itself in the morning sun.

 

The Cattle Egrets were few this time and I managed to get a shot of an individual.

 

On the way to Cancun, we got the Collared Kingfisher.

 

At Cancun, we were amazed at how friendly the Barred Rails were!

 

Not only the Rails but the Scaly-breasted Munias as well.

 

Near the water tank we were so sad to see a White-eared Brown Dove in a cage. Apparently it was a trap to lure other birds into that cage.

Inasmuch as the migration season has already began, we wondered if the Grey Wagtails are already here. We finally saw one at Jerez!

 

We also got a close up shot of a Little Egret.

 

At the waterway, a Common Sandpiper finally showed up - again it was quite far.

 

Of course, we had to take an obligatory shot at the White-breasted Woodswallow.

 

Around 10 am, we decided to call it a day. And as we were about to leave, guess what bird, we saw? - The White-throated Kingfisher, of course! The species we saw coming in, and the species we saw going out.

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!

Minus Mynas

Spending Saturday mornings birding at U.P. Diliman had become sort of a routine for us. With the ongoing quarantine, that is the only place where we seniors are allowed to go to.

As we headed to our first stop, I saw a pair of Crested Mynas on the ground. I parked the car, took out our gear (which was still packed in their respective bags) only to find out that the black birds had flown away. From there we proceeded to our regular first stop - the bare tree along the road. There some Black-naped Orioles were calling to each other.

A pair of Philippine Pygmy Woodpeckers were busily looking for food.

Other than those two species, there were no other birds at the tree. Across from it though was a Collared Kingfisher perched on an electric wire.

From there we went to the MSI grounds. There we were greeted by a family of Philippine Magpie-Robins frolicking on the trees.

Then a Pied Triller showed up with food in mouth even.

A female Olive-backed Sunbird surprisingly was on a branch and not on the flowering shrubs.

At the Astrodome, we couldn't believe that the Long-tailed Shrike and the Zebra Dove were not at their usual hangouts. Thankfully, the Scaly-breasted Munias were there, although a bit farther than usual.

A Brown Shrike was way up on top of a tree basking in the morning sun.

As we were about to get in our car, I saw the Long-tailed Shrike.

We were already driving off when a Zebra Dove flew from the ground and perched on a fence. At last we got its photo taken while we were inside our car.

It was another fruitful birding day at U.P. Diliman. We got most of the birds we expected to photograph, minus the Mynas.