Bird watching and getting in and out of Freedom Island : Las Pinas- Paranaque

If like me you chose to stay in the MOA area, then getting there is real simple, it's probably no more than 4 miles and an outbound taxi journey 'off meter', cost me p200, The return leg, which has to be via Paranaque town, only cost p125 and is rather less straight forward. So if you are in MOA and taxi it there, it should cost about p100 +/- p20, so don't pay more, or go off meter, I was offered p500 each way at my resort, which I knew was way to high and declined.

Just ask a taxi driver to go towards the CAVITEX, but DO NOT GO THROUGH THE TOLL, or you have passed it, come off immediately right just before and head up the gravel track to the security gate, but make sure you do not turn back on yourself, with the carriageway you just came in on, on your right.

Leaving is trickier, because all the traffic is coming from your left towards the CAVITEX toll gate there is no way of flagging down a taxi back to MOA, The only way, other then getting real lucky with a taxi coming from the weighbridge or nearby offices, is leave on foot up the track parallel to the carriageway, you then have two choices, take the first footbridge over the dual carriageway, it's huge you can't miss it, or you can walk all the whole approximately 1km track to the entrance to the fish market, I did this and got a bicycle ride back to Paranaque town as I was already tired from the 1km walk.

I advise taking the bridge, it's a lot nearer and where you cross puts you on the West side of Paranaque itself so all you have to do is walk more or less East until you hit a bigger road. If you are there on a low tide, there will be plenty to look at on the mud on your left. Once you go over the bridge be prepared for wandering through all of Paranaque's street market, an eye opener to the uninitiated, but fun and interesting for me, to see a different culture in it's everyday life.

Anyway, it's not easy to navigate the allies and side roads, but keep going East'ish with the market streets on your left and you'll find a big enough road to flag a taxi back to MOA. Trust me you'll get lots of smiles and "hey Joe's" if you're white and I never feel threatened walking along with all my birding kit draped over me.

So back to arrival to bird, drive up to the gate and if you arrive at 04:55, you'll be met by some sleepy looking guards who may, or may not ask you for you permit to bird watch. I was allowed in, but told I would need it for future visits. My new friend there says it is rather random whether you get asked. If in doubt, do inquire with the wild bird club of the Philippines and I'm sure they can advise.

Looking East just after the gate:

Pond 2

A couple of record shots of two species on pool 2, Jerdon's Little-ringed Plover and White-browed Crake.

It took me 45 minutes to see 1 Black-naped Monarch, not a lifer, but hearing it's rather beautiful song for the first time, I hope it is now embedded in my memory. A short clip on Xeno doesn't capture all of it, as it much more trilling in full song, rather canary like. http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Hypothymis-azurea?query=ssp:%22azurea%22

I made my way a little further into the island this time, finding a short section of bamboo boardwalk, it doesn't go anywhere and was worse for wear, so I jumped off and stood in the mangroves for 20 minutes just listening and contemplating the rubbish.

This was my fourth of fifth trip here and I am certain there were a lot less birds than 2014. Less Night Heron, 1 Rufous, 1-2 Striated Heron, less than 15-20 Clamorous Reed Warbler, 1 Philippine Duck in flight, no Stilts, no Trillers, 1 Barred Rail, no Grassbirds, 1 Collared Kingfisher, 3-4 Philippine Tailorbird, , 2 Sunbird, 5+ Golden Bellied Flyeater.

As it was high tide the just a few egrets were on the sea facing side, distant waders among the rubbish were either Greenshank, or Tattler.

A group of Barn and Pacific Swallow were perched on the wires by the entrance to the island as I left

Chestnut Munia & Tree Sparrow always common, where is the latter not common?

Sitting at my desk back home in the UK, I wonder the fate of Freedom Island? Will it become a much needed high quality international airport? Will it become more degraded as the population continues to explode and vanish under the endless flow of plastic bags and other rubbish washed down the river, or pushed back in by the tide?

Or will it remain protected and be developed as a nature reserve, improving the viewing screens, maybe even a tower?

Only time will tell?

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

Last day in Belar

Taking the advice of our local driver, I took a walk around the base of the hills with two local young chaps as guides. Again birds were few and far between, as we climbed up a steep a big stony and winding riverbed, with little on show, the guys did call imitations to try and get something going, nothing but then a small flew bird flew down and perched, I could see it was a sunbird, scoped it and quickly concluded it was my first Flaming Sunbird. We set off for lower ground, glimpsing Philippine Coucal en route in the jeep.

We then set off on foot thru a mixture of coconut plantations, rice fields and river beds, all the while Purple Throated Sunbirds were omnipresent. The boys pointed out Reddish Cuckoo Dove, Red Turtle Dove, and later a lone Spotted Dove.

We crossed a river twice and I picked up a lone Common Sandpiper, White Breasted Crake, 2 Cinnamon Bittern in flight, Large Billed Crow, then 2-3 Striated Grassbird feeding around a Water Buffalo.

As we progressed, 2 other bird calls taunted me, but I was not to see what they were, then as we crossed into paddy fields, 4-5 small brown jobs were fluttering around the rough grass, scoping confirmed Paddyfield Pipits, a form of Richard's.

Crossing the rice paddies.

Then a Philippine Coucal flew across and landed, 95% obscured, so produced this fine shot.

It was time to call it a day and with the temperature rising to near 34 degress, I was in need of some refreshment.

We left for Manila a few hours later and like the journey North I was keeping my eyes peeled most of the way home too, picking up White-throated Kingfisher, Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater.

I forgot to post my shots of Yellow Wagtails, Cattle and Intermediate Egret in the rice paddies outside Baler on the first morning, so here they are.

A few gems

On the 9th I went out for my first trip out to La Mesa Eco Park, where I got White-eared Brown Dove, Zebra Dove, Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Black-naped Oriole, White Collared Kingfisher, Pygmy & Glossy Swiftlet, Pacific Swallow, Lowland White-eye, Tree Sparrow, Pied Fantail, Olive Backed Sunbird, Oriental Magpie Robin, Golden Bellied Flyeater, Philippine Tailorbird, a heavily moulting Brown Shrike and as per May 2014 was one of just a few, compared to the huge wintering numbers one sees.

A few setting the scenes of the habitat shots

As I was leaving I heard a short rasping high pitched call and a small kingfisher shot past me, I know it was Indigo Banded Kingfisher, but hardly a tickable one.

Back at La Mesa 10th at 04:53 and I marched quickly up to the back paths, to see Hooded Pitta on one of the trails in the half light, way too dark to catch a picture, but lovely to watch it for 2-3 minutes. This was the call from yesterday and no sign of any Red Bellied anyway.

A few minutes later I had a Slaty-legged Rail cross the path exactly where I saw it 2 years ago, the view was about 2 whole seconds more. I have since learned that locals call that place Slaty-legged ditch.

Shortly after that I picked up my first Ashy Ground Thrush of the trip, joined by a second, I just love this species, I guess in a similar way I love brown birds, this bird does black and grey with style and beauty, like nothing else I've seen so far.

The only shot I got of Black-naped Oriole was against bright light early on, so I'll have to wait to get a better shot.

As the sun rose further I was enjoying the dappled light and lovely shades of green....

At least 2, probably 3 Hooded Pitta kept calling and not long after this, I met Jops for the first time and we walked and birded for another hour or so, hearing Guaiabero and then seeing the pair of Ashy Ground Thrush one more time.....thanks for the help on info for Baler Jops.

Baler

So off to Baler and I just love being in the countryside.

A family trip to Dimatubo (Mother) Falls, provided Red Keeled Flowerpecker, Purple Throated Sunbird and best of all Stripe Headed Rhabdornis.

The next morning I went back for 05:15 and headed up with a guide at almost fast marching pace.

It was here the lifers appeared, the first I mis ID'd as Blue Rock Thrush, due to unclear pictures in the guide, was in fact a pair of nest building Luzon Water Redstart.

Half way back downstream we stopped to drink fresh water from the stream and it was here the next super fine lifer came up stream and landed, it was an Indigo Banded Kingfisher, it was kind enough to perch nearby for several minutes. I can only say wow, amazing beautiful birds.

Also here 2-3 Orange Bellied Flowerpecker, which I have only seen once before and never as well as this, but they never sat still long enough to photograph. I stopped again at one of the food stalls and had breakfast, the vendors helped look while I was eating and found me 3 Grey Faced Buzzard overhead for a few moments.

The only Butterfly shot was about the dullest I've seen, but still beautiful

The family took a trip up to the Pagasa Weather station in the afternoon, which allowed me to check out where I'd be going over the next few days. A lone House Swift  and a few Pacific Swallow were all to be seen. Along the rocky shores on the way back numerous Eastern Reef Heron's were flying around the roaming tourists.

Next morning out on the hill at Pagasa Weather station and it looked full of potential, but I was surprised how little bird song there was and struggled to see much.

It wasn't all bad, a few birds started to show, my second ever Tarictic Hornbill, Glossy Swiftlet, Philippine Bulbul, Red Keeled Flowerpecker, Asian Magpie Robin and I got a good flight view of Rufous Cuckoo Dove, which I think is a lifer.

Back to admiring the scenery and flowers.

After the skies opened up I stopped for breakfast at a very nearby new venue Aura Marina Sands, after which I walked back to meet my driver and got glimpses of Guaiabero.

I'll post more tomorrow on my last day in Baler and the journey back.