It started and ended in Subic. A White-throated Kingfisher and a
Large-billed Crow welcomed us as we drive past Subic International
Airport along SBMA Road going to Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club in Morong, Bataan. Then, Whiskered Tree-Swifts roosted on power cables were our last twitching the next day.
I had 9 lifers in 2 days (May 12 and 13); not to mention the most impressive and eye-catching bird displays and behavior in the wild. Here they are:
- Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike
- Pink-necked Green-Pigeon
- Blue-throated Bee-eater
- Mangrove Blue Flycatcher
- Blue-naped Parrot
- Greater Flameback
- Green Imperial-Pigeon
- Red Junglefowl
- Whiskered Tree-Swift
Subic is the place to be. Need I say more?
A guided trip for the staff and guests of Anvaya Cove was the itinerary for two days. Along with Jops, Maia and Sir Jun of WBCP, we walked the participants through the bike trail and introduced them our unnoticed winged friends! The bird list for that afternoon birding stroll includes a couple of Black-naped Orioles, Large-billed Crows, White-breasted Wood-Swallow, Lowland White-eyes, Blue-throated Bee-eaters, White-collared Kingfishers among many others. Among the attendees stand out a boy named Steven (or Stephen, that I'm not sure), a curious kid who keenly asked questions during the entire walk. He ingenuously
asked why the Oriole is named as such, and kidded it sounded like Oreo. He was
the most energetic and active that time. Hahaha, so cute!
We had the ample time to see more birds outside our cabin the following morning. There we sighted a pair of Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes (and yes, they’re my lifers!), Black-naped Orioles, Glossy Starling, Stripe-headed Rhabdornis etc. I think they also heard a Great-eared Nightjar, poor me I woke up late. After having buffet breakfast at the main pavilion of the Beach and Nature Club, we entered the Nature trail and start our business there. The sighting of the White-throated Kingfisher made the participants excited because of its striking polychromatic plumage. Our birdlist for that morning was striking because of some unexpected calls and sightings such as the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch (which was seen only by Jops ), Red-crested Malkoha, Hooded Pitta, the shy Common Koel which didn’t show up and produced only vivid songs, and the ever cutest Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker. The morning tour lasted for about 3.5 hrs, which includes the trek and river crossing! Tiring as it may seem, that session was more than a guided trip or a pastime but it has produced more environmentally-aware, bird-loving and active individuals! :D
Our reward: Mediterranean buffet for lunch!
After that guilt-ridden meal, we headed back home.
Wait, that’s not the way this adventure ended.
We had a wonderful, awesome, fantastic, amazing, great, excellent *insert all extravagant adjectives here* birding sidetrip in Subic. The reason? Aside from the 5 additional lifers I got, we encountered spectacular bird sightings and behaviour there! Indeed, Subic is the place to be for birdwatchers. It still has some of its primary forests, though developments and construction occurred, birds have totally thrived to survive and get along with these man-made structures.
We ran across perennial bird species (and certainly new to me and my lifers) such as Blue-naped Parrot, Green Imperial-Pigeon, Greater Flameback, Colasisi, Balicassiao, Coleto, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Tarictic Hornbill and Philippine Coucal. One instance is when we were abruptly thrown forward inside the van because Maia saw a Tarictic Hornbill just in time it perched on a suspended branch making it sway, more like a kid enjoying a swing! How really cool it was! So we went outside the van to check it out, and drooled to that epic scene like first-time birdwatchers!
Birds were nonchalantly flying around the montane forest. You’ll be surprised if you could not hear a single call or see a winged silhouette past above you. As we drove by the roadside, a Coleto crashed into a post, either threatened by us or protecting hatchlings in that hole. Another lifer for me is the Red Junglefowl, though it was a female, I can actually consider it as a lifer since the female species is harder to find by chance according to the experienced birders I was with. And, thanks to them, I finally got to see Whiskered Tree-Swifts (which I wasn’t able to glimpse even a shadow in Mt. Palay-Palay) along the SBMA road on our way home.
Before we finally headed back home, Sir Jun asked the driver (whose name is Kuya Tikyo if I’m not mistaken) if we could make a detour. What he wanted us to get a look were the nests of Blue-throated Bee-eaters. And guess what? They’re located on a sloping ground just beside a residential house! The nests were like drainage holes and were guarded by bee-eaters flying overhead as they clutch bees into their beaks. That was really awesome! What's more striking was our sighting of a Tarictic Hornbill on a cable wire! Imagine them perching on wires in Metro Manila, that's wild!
I ended this great birding adventure watching the Big Year the entire trip going back to Manila.
Look who's remarkably inspired here? *wink*
We had the ample time to see more birds outside our cabin the following morning. There we sighted a pair of Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes (and yes, they’re my lifers!), Black-naped Orioles, Glossy Starling, Stripe-headed Rhabdornis etc. I think they also heard a Great-eared Nightjar, poor me I woke up late. After having buffet breakfast at the main pavilion of the Beach and Nature Club, we entered the Nature trail and start our business there. The sighting of the White-throated Kingfisher made the participants excited because of its striking polychromatic plumage. Our birdlist for that morning was striking because of some unexpected calls and sightings such as the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch (which was seen only by Jops ), Red-crested Malkoha, Hooded Pitta, the shy Common Koel which didn’t show up and produced only vivid songs, and the ever cutest Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker. The morning tour lasted for about 3.5 hrs, which includes the trek and river crossing! Tiring as it may seem, that session was more than a guided trip or a pastime but it has produced more environmentally-aware, bird-loving and active individuals! :D
Our reward: Mediterranean buffet for lunch!
After that guilt-ridden meal, we headed back home.
 |
| a souvenir photo with the Anvaya staff. look at their orange jelly belts! aren't they cool? :D (photo courtesy of Sir Jun Osano) |
 |
| Anvaya beach on the background. (photo courtesy of Sir Jun Osano) |
Wait, that’s not the way this adventure ended.
We had a wonderful, awesome, fantastic, amazing, great, excellent *insert all extravagant adjectives here* birding sidetrip in Subic. The reason? Aside from the 5 additional lifers I got, we encountered spectacular bird sightings and behaviour there! Indeed, Subic is the place to be for birdwatchers. It still has some of its primary forests, though developments and construction occurred, birds have totally thrived to survive and get along with these man-made structures.
We ran across perennial bird species (and certainly new to me and my lifers) such as Blue-naped Parrot, Green Imperial-Pigeon, Greater Flameback, Colasisi, Balicassiao, Coleto, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Tarictic Hornbill and Philippine Coucal. One instance is when we were abruptly thrown forward inside the van because Maia saw a Tarictic Hornbill just in time it perched on a suspended branch making it sway, more like a kid enjoying a swing! How really cool it was! So we went outside the van to check it out, and drooled to that epic scene like first-time birdwatchers!
Birds were nonchalantly flying around the montane forest. You’ll be surprised if you could not hear a single call or see a winged silhouette past above you. As we drove by the roadside, a Coleto crashed into a post, either threatened by us or protecting hatchlings in that hole. Another lifer for me is the Red Junglefowl, though it was a female, I can actually consider it as a lifer since the female species is harder to find by chance according to the experienced birders I was with. And, thanks to them, I finally got to see Whiskered Tree-Swifts (which I wasn’t able to glimpse even a shadow in Mt. Palay-Palay) along the SBMA road on our way home.
Before we finally headed back home, Sir Jun asked the driver (whose name is Kuya Tikyo if I’m not mistaken) if we could make a detour. What he wanted us to get a look were the nests of Blue-throated Bee-eaters. And guess what? They’re located on a sloping ground just beside a residential house! The nests were like drainage holes and were guarded by bee-eaters flying overhead as they clutch bees into their beaks. That was really awesome! What's more striking was our sighting of a Tarictic Hornbill on a cable wire! Imagine them perching on wires in Metro Manila, that's wild!
I ended this great birding adventure watching the Big Year the entire trip going back to Manila.
Look who's remarkably inspired here? *wink*
Ang gorgeous ng lifers mo ah! =) Congrats! Hahaha, naalala ko yung sumubsob tayo dahil sa Tarictic! Winner!!!
ReplyDeletethanks! i couldn't have seen them without your help! haha. next time ulit :D
DeleteOh yes! Next time talaga! See you Sunday! =)
Deletesa August yun diba? green racquet-tail!!! :D see you din!
Delete