Subic highlights

2 more or less dawn starts at Subic were very hard work and I thought I had prepared more this time. Alas not, one spends most of the time hearing calls all around, sometimes very near, but still seeing nothing. I got pretty frustrated and told myself "think on the positive side, you could be hearing exactly the same calls and paying for a guide at around $350 for the day". I got used to hearing Philippine Bulbul, Black naped Oriole, Bar Bellied Cuckoo Shrike, Guaiabero and probably Colasisi too but never saw the last two on the deck...ever.

In hindsight I beleive a guide would be worth it for a small group, local knowledge of the area, haunts of the endemics and without doubt the calls would be invaluable. Being a grumpy old bugger I would prefer to hand pick such a group, but unless I win the lottery and pay for my friends, like everyone else I'll have to take what I get when I come back, hopefully in 2014.

So, I managed to get to the bunker area of Hill 394 and had high hopes, even started well with a perched female Taritric Hornbill, but as before call after call without seeing most birds takes its toll on the morale. But just when you are about to lose faith, something good happens....albeit briefly, a Red Jungle Fowl ran across the road.

After much more walking and stopping I did manage to catch up with some species I've only seen once before, plus a rather brief 3-5 second view of 2 Purple Needtails, which were awesome. Below are my best snaps using my iphone thru my Swaro scope, not bad in my opinion:

Blue Naped Parrot

Whiskered Treeswift

White Throated Kingfisher