Discovery bird in MOUNT POLIS (LUZON) Montane Forest, Philippines

CHESTNUT-FACED BABBLER Mount Polis
- a Luzon montane endemic

MOUNTAIN SHRIKE Mount Polis
- an endemic of the high mountains.

7th March: MOUNT POLIS (LUZON) Montane Forest
For our second day in the Cordillera mountains of northern Luzon, we again searched through roadside flocks of Elegant Tits and others for any hidden endemics, some of the flocks containing Chestnut-faced Babblers, an endemic species to Luzon's high mountains, in addition to the very handsome and more widespread endemic, Metallic-winged Sunbird (the first of six endemic sunbirds recorded on the tour). A few of the flocks also contained lone Blue-headed Fantails, to kickstart our list of endemic Fantails for the trip. In addition to the flock birds we picked up another thrush - Brown-headed Thrush - that chose to feed on the open road shortly after dawn, much as the Island Thrushes had done the day before and were also found doing again a little further down from the Brown-headed. By searching some dead snags around the edge of the cabbage fields near the pass we came across another cool montane endemic that Polis gave us our best shot at, with superb prolonged views of Mountain (Gray-capped) Shrike. However, patience was required for the days star bird as we scanned the treetops for any large doves perched up in the morning sun, before Nicky had us running towards him as the shout went up only for the bird to elude us all by slipping back into the foliage. Finally though Mark pulled out a fantastic Flame-breasted Fruit-dove perched up high above the canopy on a protruding branch so that we could all lap it up with the aid of a scope. Aside from that much of the birds were similar to the day before, although a stop by some terraced paddies on the way down Polis produced good scope views of one of the most elusive of all the Philippine endemics - a pair of Plain Bush-Hens that was a massive relief to 'get out the way' so early in the tour, as this bird can often take some serious leg work to see.

Source :

http://www.tropicalbirding.com/tripReports/TR_Philippines2007/TR_Philippines2007.htm