Candaba at last

On Monday, my wonderful brother-in-law, took me to Candaba. We had fun finding our way through Baliaug and making sure we found the right road North towards the marsh, but still went wrong in the last few miles, but this worked out well, after we U-turned and I picked up 2 Black Bittern flying over the road to Candaba town.

We turned off the road onto 'Rubythroat Avenue' and I picked up another 2 Black Bittern flying in more or less the same direction, so note to self that I must find where they go.

Stopping in almost the exact same spot as the place my driver got the car stuck last time I was here, I scanned around for about 20 minutes, picking up various year ticks. 2 pairs of Pied Bushchat and 4-5+ White-Browed Crake, the latter refusing to stay still long enough to catch a shot of, but provided great entertainment listing to their brilliant chuckling like call.

Countless Clamorous Reed Warbler and Striated Grassbirds were calling all around, an endless stream of Egrets and Purple Herons were going over. I was scanning the cut rice fields for more rails and suddenly spotted something motionless nearby, but when I tried to get the scope on it, I couldn't find it, I knew what it was and was surprised to find it looked so big, then I got one in flight, confirming my belief, my first Greater Painted Snipe.

We moved on to a road junction where we stopped again and I took reasonable shots of Barred Rail and had my first 2 of what would be several Pheasant-Tailed Jacana.

I picked up some ducks and still think they were Philippine Ducks in flight, another Painted Snipe went by, then Buff-banded Rails at a distance.

Onwards we went and arrived at the Mayor's enclosure, the same sight of hundreds of Purple Heron and Black-Crowned Night Heron, still an amazing sight, Pheasant-Tailed Jacana showed better here and add to that 2-3 Purple Swamphen's, which were also very nice, but the flock of ducks that flew around calling were another lifer for me....Wandering Whistling Duck.

I kept scanning through the herons and took more shots from a better view point and a Philippine Coucal flew in and landed in view for a change.

Then a rather pale Striated Grassbird gave a nice photo chance, but I still wonder if it's Tawny?

I kept glimpsing the ducks but when I came around the Southern side of the reserve, a small flock had landed in the rice paddies behind me, 2 stayed put and kept company with a Moorhen, then a Yellow Bittern, but the only shot of the latter I got was poor.

I turned back to the reserve and took some okay shots of Purple Heron and Night Heron and one totally dreadful shot of a Pond Heron, it was very orange and not knowing any better, suspect Javan, rather than Chinese.

I walked on and filmed and took shots of a Clamorous Reed Warbler, then saw Oriental Pratincole on the ground, but they were always far away.

Finally, an ever super smart Long-Tailed Shrike perched long enough for 1-2 okay shots