The Philippines - Birdtour Asia
The Philippines - Birdtour Asia
The Philippines - Birdtour Asia
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After meeting up in the bustling capital city of Manila we enjoyed an excellent buffet dinner and a good night’s<br />
rest before beginning our <strong>Philippines</strong> adventure with a flight south-east across the archipelago to the island of<br />
Mindanao, the second largest of more than 7100 islands in this fascinating biogeographical melting-pot. After<br />
touchdown we were soon heading south towards Bukidnon province where we would begin our tour on the<br />
Mount Kitanglad, famed as the best site to find most of those species found only in the mountains of Mindanao.<br />
Powered by an early lunch we made our way up the mountain, relieved that the good weather made our river<br />
crossing easy and the trails perfectly dry so that by mid-afternoon we had already arrived at our secluded camp<br />
in the forest edge and a striking contrast to the noise and bustle of Manila the previous night!<br />
Philippine Frogmouth, Mount Kitanglad, Mindanao<br />
Everett’s Scops Owl and Bukidnon Woodcock, Mount Kitanglad, Mindanao<br />
<strong>The</strong> walk up had already given us our first endemics like Philippine Swiftlet, Colasisi and White-eared Brown<br />
Dove, then around the camp yet more appeared including Cinnamon Ibon, Elegant Tit, Buzzing Flowerpecker<br />
and Sulphur-billed Nuthatch alongside non-endemic but still exciting Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Mountain<br />
White-eye and Mountain Verditer. <strong>The</strong> real excitement of the day however starts as dark arrives, firstly a<br />
Philippine Nightjar calling from a nearby banana tree, then a superb display by at least three Bukidnon<br />
Woodcocks, chasing one another and calling loudly just above our heads! Our day finished in superb fashion<br />
with mind-blowingly close views of Philippine Frogmouth right next to our camp, what an amazing first day!<br />
Our second day began very early when Rob located a Giant Scops Owl next to the camp at 02.45 which stuck<br />
around for all of us to see, such an awesome bird that there were no complaints even from those trying to<br />
overcome their jetlag! Our real birding began after dawn with endemic Grey-hooded Sunbird and Olive-capped<br />
Flowerpecker the early highlights, followed closely by Rufous-headed Tailorbird, our first Mindanao Racquet-tails
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