STRIPE-HEADED (-SIDED) RHABDORNIS
- the commonest species from the Philippines's sole endemic family,
the Philippine Creepers or Rhabdornises.
BLUE-NAPED PARROT Subic Bay
- a near-endemic that also ranges onto some small outlying islands off Borneo, and also to the small northern Indonesian island of Talaud.
8th March: Subic Bay (LUZON) Lowland Forest
Having begun the tour in the high Cordillera Mountains of northern Luzon we headed south, heading for the distinctly more humid lowland forests around the naval magazine at Subic Bay, on the Bataan Peninsula. However before reaching Subic we made a designated stop for another Luzon specialty - Indigo-banded Kingfisher, a pair of which were found perched out in the open on some riverside rocks along a rushing mountain stream, just as we hoped. While a small group of endemic Pygmy Swiftlets that circled above were the first encountered on the tour. Formerly a bustling US naval base, this area has long since lost many of the naval personnel formerly residing there, leaving behind a near-deserted, stretch of superb, endemic-rich lowland forest. Arriving in the late afternoon from Polis we did not expect to find much, but quickly stumbled upon some of the key endemics of the area, that included a handsome pair of Sooty Woodpeckers, that showed for us on all of our 3 visits to Subic, in addition to several sightings of the other of the pair of endemic woodpeckers in the Philippines with Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker in the same general area. Best of all though was getting superb, 'on the deck' views of a Green Racquet-tail (complete with a fine pair of racquets), a key Subic species that is confined to these rare patches of lowland forest on Luzon. A brief walk down a deserted road there saw us enjoying great views of a colony of the exquisitely marked Blue-throated Bee-eaters and some of the other more widespread endemic species that would feature heavily on the tour, like our first individual from the Philippines's sole endemic family - the Philippine Creepers - with a pair of Stripe-headed (-sided) Rhabdornises, Coletos, Guiaberos; and our first of several sightings of the formidable Philippine Hawk-Eagle. We also got great perched views of Colasisi or Philippine Hanging-parrot, playfully hanging upside down while feeding on a scarlet treetop blossom. Although no one was complaining about some of the supporting cast of non-endemic species, like the showy pair of Whiskered Treeswifts, that were using the low roadside wires to hawk insects at the close of the day.
9th March: Subic Bay (LUZON) Lowland Forest
Dawn found us on the US naval base at Subic, searching for more of Luzon's specialist lowland species. Endemics came thick and fast with White-eared (Brown) Doves, and a superb Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, surely one of the most attractive of all the doves in the Philippines and indeed of all the endemics, with its sulphury washed breast and striking blood red face patch. Searching the dead snags around the parking lot pulled in several examples of the Philippines's smallest raptor, with 2 or 3 tiny Philippine Falconets found hawking insects from their high vantage points. Other notable raptors included a fine adult Rufous-bellied Eagle that passed low overhead and good prolonged of an adult Philippine Hawk-Eagle perched right beside the van, and the first of many migrant Chinese Goshawks (Sparrowhawks) recorded on the tour. On the passerine front we soon found one of our main targets - Blackish Cuckoo-shrike, a vocal lowland endemic confined to the island of Luzon, that is not especially common at Subic, although easy to find largely due to the fact they hang about in very noisy parties that helpfully draw attention to themselves with their bold, far-carrying calls. One of the other lowland targets, Rufous Coucal, proved typically shy though passing by only briefly on this occasion. White-browed Shamas were heard giving their melodic, fluty calls all around, although seeing one of them proved a little more challenging: the first few point blank refused to cooperate, before finally one came straight in and perched within a few feet from us. A beautiful songster and endemic, that was much appreciated by all. Some of the more strange looking endemics in the Philippines are the two Malkohas that are confined to Luzon, we had already had a taste of one of these, with the seriously bizarre Scale-feathered Malkoha seen at Polis early on the tour. The second of these two Luzon specialties - Red-crested Malkoha, was recorded first here at Subic and later at Makiling. Malkohas are always a popular family in southeast Asia, although this one with its distinctive red crest that begins just above the eyes, giving the impression of some seriously overgrown bright scarlet eyelashes, is hard to top. Blue-naped Parrots were also in evidence, a near-endemic that also just reaches the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo, although the Philippines remains the best chance at catching up with this handsome parrot. Other notable additions included Balicassiao, the Philippines's sole endemic drongo, a Philippine Tailorbird found skulking in a dense thicket of bamboo (that was to be the first of five different species of endemic tailorbird on the tour), and a fine male Black-and-White Triller. One of the families that is always a big draw card in Asia is the hornbills and indeed the Philippines has its own set of interesting and unique hornbills. Subic brought us our first of five different endemic species recorded on the tour, with first some Luzon (Tarictic) Hornbills around the car park, and later the undisputed 'showstopper' of the morning was the large honking group of Rufous Hornbills, that provided our only tour sighting of this impressive hornbill, that for me is the very best of all the Asian hornbills.
Source:
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/tripReports/TR_Philippines2007/TR_Philippines2007.htm
Having begun the tour in the high Cordillera Mountains of northern Luzon we headed south, heading for the distinctly more humid lowland forests around the naval magazine at Subic Bay, on the Bataan Peninsula. However before reaching Subic we made a designated stop for another Luzon specialty - Indigo-banded Kingfisher, a pair of which were found perched out in the open on some riverside rocks along a rushing mountain stream, just as we hoped. While a small group of endemic Pygmy Swiftlets that circled above were the first encountered on the tour. Formerly a bustling US naval base, this area has long since lost many of the naval personnel formerly residing there, leaving behind a near-deserted, stretch of superb, endemic-rich lowland forest. Arriving in the late afternoon from Polis we did not expect to find much, but quickly stumbled upon some of the key endemics of the area, that included a handsome pair of Sooty Woodpeckers, that showed for us on all of our 3 visits to Subic, in addition to several sightings of the other of the pair of endemic woodpeckers in the Philippines with Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker in the same general area. Best of all though was getting superb, 'on the deck' views of a Green Racquet-tail (complete with a fine pair of racquets), a key Subic species that is confined to these rare patches of lowland forest on Luzon. A brief walk down a deserted road there saw us enjoying great views of a colony of the exquisitely marked Blue-throated Bee-eaters and some of the other more widespread endemic species that would feature heavily on the tour, like our first individual from the Philippines's sole endemic family - the Philippine Creepers - with a pair of Stripe-headed (-sided) Rhabdornises, Coletos, Guiaberos; and our first of several sightings of the formidable Philippine Hawk-Eagle. We also got great perched views of Colasisi or Philippine Hanging-parrot, playfully hanging upside down while feeding on a scarlet treetop blossom. Although no one was complaining about some of the supporting cast of non-endemic species, like the showy pair of Whiskered Treeswifts, that were using the low roadside wires to hawk insects at the close of the day.
9th March: Subic Bay (LUZON) Lowland Forest
Dawn found us on the US naval base at Subic, searching for more of Luzon's specialist lowland species. Endemics came thick and fast with White-eared (Brown) Doves, and a superb Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, surely one of the most attractive of all the doves in the Philippines and indeed of all the endemics, with its sulphury washed breast and striking blood red face patch. Searching the dead snags around the parking lot pulled in several examples of the Philippines's smallest raptor, with 2 or 3 tiny Philippine Falconets found hawking insects from their high vantage points. Other notable raptors included a fine adult Rufous-bellied Eagle that passed low overhead and good prolonged of an adult Philippine Hawk-Eagle perched right beside the van, and the first of many migrant Chinese Goshawks (Sparrowhawks) recorded on the tour. On the passerine front we soon found one of our main targets - Blackish Cuckoo-shrike, a vocal lowland endemic confined to the island of Luzon, that is not especially common at Subic, although easy to find largely due to the fact they hang about in very noisy parties that helpfully draw attention to themselves with their bold, far-carrying calls. One of the other lowland targets, Rufous Coucal, proved typically shy though passing by only briefly on this occasion. White-browed Shamas were heard giving their melodic, fluty calls all around, although seeing one of them proved a little more challenging: the first few point blank refused to cooperate, before finally one came straight in and perched within a few feet from us. A beautiful songster and endemic, that was much appreciated by all. Some of the more strange looking endemics in the Philippines are the two Malkohas that are confined to Luzon, we had already had a taste of one of these, with the seriously bizarre Scale-feathered Malkoha seen at Polis early on the tour. The second of these two Luzon specialties - Red-crested Malkoha, was recorded first here at Subic and later at Makiling. Malkohas are always a popular family in southeast Asia, although this one with its distinctive red crest that begins just above the eyes, giving the impression of some seriously overgrown bright scarlet eyelashes, is hard to top. Blue-naped Parrots were also in evidence, a near-endemic that also just reaches the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo, although the Philippines remains the best chance at catching up with this handsome parrot. Other notable additions included Balicassiao, the Philippines's sole endemic drongo, a Philippine Tailorbird found skulking in a dense thicket of bamboo (that was to be the first of five different species of endemic tailorbird on the tour), and a fine male Black-and-White Triller. One of the families that is always a big draw card in Asia is the hornbills and indeed the Philippines has its own set of interesting and unique hornbills. Subic brought us our first of five different endemic species recorded on the tour, with first some Luzon (Tarictic) Hornbills around the car park, and later the undisputed 'showstopper' of the morning was the large honking group of Rufous Hornbills, that provided our only tour sighting of this impressive hornbill, that for me is the very best of all the Asian hornbills.
Source:
http://www.tropicalbirding.com/tripReports/TR_Philippines2007/TR_Philippines2007.htm
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