Birding Between Rains

It drizzled as we passed by Antipolo on our way to go birding in Baras. Thankfully as we reached our destination the rain stopped. Upon reaching the rotunda, we saw Rufous-crowned Bee-eaters and Whiskered Treeswifts perched on eletric wires. It had been a while since we saw both species so Cynthia and quickly took out our cameras and took shots at them. We did get passable photos considering the lighting wasn't so good with the skies still being dark and cloudy.

From there we went to where the huge water tank is and surprisingly there were no birds! We then proceeded to the hilly area hoping to see the regular resident Long-tailed Shrike. Along the way Cynthia spotted a Barred Rail and was lucky to get some shots at it.

Further down the road we got another regular - the Paddyfield Pipit.

In one of the side roads we were able to finally get a picture of the skittish Spotted Dove.

As expected the Long-tailed Shrike was at its usual domain.

Perched on the wires were a bunch of White-breasted Woodswallows.

Along Nebres Road, we got the Pied Bush Chat.

Perched on the road was a Zebra Dove that looked like it was trying to warm up.

At the creek we were surprised that the Green Sandpiper was there because we thought it was a migrant and it wasn't the time for migratory birds to arrive yet.

Near Jeres we got really good shots at the Brown-breasted Kingfisher.

We then went to the falls area to look for the Indigo-banded Kingfishers (three individuals had been seen there) but we didn't see even one. It was strange that we didn't see a lot of birds this time. Perhaps it was due to the gloomy weather. It did rain while we were driving back home.

Baras Less

After several weeks of intermittent raining, the skies finally cleared up Saturday, September 30th. Cynthia and I both agreed to use this opportunity to go birding in Baras - a place we haven't visited since April. We arrived at the subdivision a little after 7 am and as we approached the rotunda, we saw a Whiskered Treeswift perched on the electric wire. It had been a while since we saw this species so I quickly parked on the side, took out my camera and took photos of this lovely bird.

From there we went to Jeres Street to have our take-out breakfast from Jollibees. As we entered the area we were greeted by several Grey Wagtails. It was another awesome photographic opportunity.

As soon as I parked our car, I caught a glimpse of a Rough-crested Malkoha. But before I was able to get my camera it flew off and never showed up again. While I looking for it at the leafy treetop, I saw a White-eared Brown Dove. Again before I could lift the camera to my eyes, it flew off. After breakfast we drove to the open space and there we encountered the expected Paddyfield Pipit.

At the aratiles tree near the waterway, which was still not fruiting, a Red-keeled Flowerpecker was busy hunting for food. It was so active that I only got a documentary shot.

The waterway,surprisingly, did not have the usual Common Sandpiper or Little Ringed Plover. Moving on we got the starbird of the day - the plentiful Pied Bush Chat.

On a bare tree we spotted a Spotted Dove.

White-breasted Swallows were flying above and sometimes would perch on an electric wire.

Then there was a small flock of Eastern Cattle Egrets. They were a bit skittish (just like most of the birds we saw) but patience enabled us to get a few shots.

The place where the water tank is was completely devoid of birds! Leaving that place we got the migrant Brown Shrike perched where else but on an electric wire.

We went to the "hill" and again we never saw any bird except the Pied Bush Chats. The Blue Rock Thrush apparently was a no-show this year. The always present Long-tailed Shrike was there but it was at quite a distance and the moment we saw it it pursued a prey that was out of our view and never showed up again. A little after 9 am we decided to call it a day. On the way out as we passed across Alfaro Street, we chanced upon a Brown-breasted Kingfisher. We've seen other individuals earlier but as had been the mood of the day, they were skittish and would fly off before we could take a picture. Thankfully this one stayed long enough.

Before going out we dropped by Jeres Street again. And guess what? No birds! As we were mulling about this, I noticed some movement on the sidewalk. I looked and saw an immature Black-crowned Night Heron crawling (!!) into the vegetation. Curious as to why it was crawling, I came closer and noticed that there was a plastic string tied to its foot. I called Cynthia and pointed the bird to her. She must have read my mind as she asked me to pick the up the Heron and loosen the string. I did and released the poor bird. The foot must have been injured because it was still unable to walk. Again it crept slowly into the vegetation and we just let it be and hoped that it would survive.

As we were about to exit, I saw a Barred Rail by the roadside. I told my wife to take pictures of it as it was on her side.

As we suffered the horrendous traffic going home we wondered why there only a few birds now at Baras. And quite a number of those that we saw were overly skittish. Were they being hunted or trapped (like the Heron)? I certainly hope not.

Singapore Once More

After twelve years we're back in Singapore. Just as before we were amazed at the ambiance and clean surroundings of this small Asian country. More so now that everything is high-tech: at McDonalds you order using a huge screen, at our hotel restaurant you look at the menu by scanning a QR code - because there isn't any written one. We had a red-eye flight from Manila and a 2-hour delay made it even worse for this two elderlies. We checked in at our hotel at around 3 am and practically passed out as soon as we settled in our room. We woke up a little after 7 am and decided to have breakfast at the nearby McDonalds. After a hearty meal, we got our first bird - the Spotted Dove which is very common here in Singapore - just outside the hotel.

The most common species here is the Javan Myna. Our first (and not so good) shot was one perched on the mall entrance.

We then flagged a taxi to take us to the Singapore Botanic Garden. We were suprised at the number of people there. Then we realized that it was a holiday and it appears that a great majority of Singaporeans visit this nature park on such occasions. Thankfully there were still birds. A Pink-necked Fruit Dove was even that close as it negotiated a thorny palm tree.

Going through the narrow path and trying to avoid the hikers, we encountered our only lifer for the trip - an Olive-winged Bulbul!

As we approached the pond, we got a male Olive-backed Sunbird.

Perched on a tree across the pond was a Grey-headed Fish Eagle. Too bad it was quite far and in a dark area.

Then also from a distance came a Black-naped Oriole.

Red Junglefowls are common here in the park.

This time we got better shots at the ubiquitous Javan Mynas.

A small bird was flitting among the branches. Reviewing the photos later at the hotel I'd like to think that it was a Yellow-browed Warbler just because the migrant Arctic Warblers are probably gone since the migration season is over. If that's the case then it would be another lifer for us.

At 11:30 we decided to call it a day and headed to the mall to have lunch. We both were exhausted that we just rested for the rest of the day. The following morning we took a taxi to Bukit Timah. However when we got there we were daunted by the challenging trails. Since it rained early that morning, the steep trails were muddy and slippery and dark. Since we did not have hiking shoes on, Cynthia and I both agreed to skip this place and go back to the Botanic Gardens. It's no longer a holiday so we hoped there would be less people there. Indeed there only a few hikers when we got there. The first species that greted us was a Zebra Dove.

From really, really far away was a White-throated Kingfisher!

Good thing that its cousin, the Collared Kingfisher, was friendlier.

By the pond, this time we got a Pacific Swallow.

Feeding nearby was a pair of Brown-throated Sunbirds.

A White-breasted Waterhen was also busy feeding near the pond.

A Malaysian Pied Fantail also gave us good looks.

And our last bird of the trip was a very cooperative Oriental Magpie Robin.

It was almost noon and time to have lunch at the mall again. After lunch we headed back to our hotel room for some shut-eye to prepare us for our early morning flight back home.

Target Acquired

Thankfully LA Mesa Ecopark (LMEP) is now open to seniors over 65 years old. That was good news to us because recently a Common Kingfisher had been seen (and photographed) there. Not that it would be a lifer for us but it had been quite a while since we've seen one.

Saturday morning we purposed to go to LMEP to see the kingfisher of course! But first we birded along the way, beginning at the Greenmeadows Avenue. Our first stop was by the small waterway where a Little Egret is almost always a sure sighting. We were not disappointed.

 

Just above us a Philippine Pied Fantail was frolicking.

 

From there we proceeded to the parking area of the Christ the King Parish church. The first bird we saw was a Brown Shrike.

 

Surprisingly an immature Black-naped Oriole was singing out loud on top of a bare tree.

 

Another bare tree has a Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker basking in the rising sun.

 

Of course we had to take the obligatory shot of the resident Zebra Dove.

 

Another surprise was a Spotted Dove.

 

Our next stop was at Rodic's in U.P. Diliman for our breakfast. After our morning repast we went to the Astronomy area and got the Long-tailed Shrike.

 

We made another round and this time it was the Crested Mynas that posed for us.

 

We also got a good enough shot of the migrant Arctic Warbler.

 

Then off to LMEP we went. The guards were so nice and very helpful in getting us through the entrance protocols. By the pond where the Common Kingfisher had been seen, we met fellow bird photographers Nelson and Benjie. They had gotten a shot of the kingfisher early in the morning and they were both waiting for it to show up again. Almost an hour passed and the kingfisher was still a no show. Cynthia and I were both considering to give up when I saw a bluish bird fly by and landed on a bare branch on the pond. We hurried to where we could get a better look at it and after some waiting it perched out in the open. We were surprised that there were actually two of them - an adult and an immature!

Immature

 

 

Adult

 

We were so happy that we finally got what we came here for. Target Acquired!