Rockjumper Birding Tours - Netfugl.dk

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Friday May 20 th : North Luzon, Camp 1, trekking back to Baliwag, then flight to Puerto Princesa
in Palawan from Tuguegarao, via Manila.
A fine birding morning at Camp 1 from 5 to 6.40 am. A pair of Sooty Woodpeckers showed well
in a fork of a big tree. Bar-bellied and Blackish Cuckoo-shrikes, Rufous Hornbill, Black-andwhite
Triller, Luzon Striped Babbler, and White-lored Orioles.
The walk back to Baliwag through open grassland country was much easier this time. First of all, it
was a cool morning, and the sun was still low on the sky. It made a huge difference. We all saw a
flock of Green-faced Parrotfinches well. Other birds along the route were Whiskered Tree-Swift,
Blue-tailed and Blue-throated Bee-eaters, Pied Bush Chats, Long-tailed Shrikes and a Rufousbellied
Eagle at Baliwag.
From Baliwag we drove to the airport of Tuguegarao, and caught a plane via Manila to the paradise
island of Palawan in the southwest part of the archipelago, which was our next destination on our
incredible journey.
The island of Palawan is situated not far from the Bornean coast. Palawan is a long, narrow island,
thinly populated and almost completely covered by forest. It has beautiful landscapes, and is
characterised by a central mountain range of limestone cliffs. Although this island is comparatively
small, it is truly blessed with birds, holding no fewer than 16 endemic bird species! The most
famous is Palawan Peacock-Pheasant – one of the most beautiful pheasants in the world, and the
flagship species of Palawan. Apart from the endemic birds, Palawan holds a number of widespread
South-East Asian bird species, that can be seen only on this island in the Philippines.
We landed in the island capital Puerto Princesa at 16.40 pm. During landing, Erling spotted an
unidentified Frigatebird over the sea from the plane, either Greater or Lesser Frigatbird.
Palawan was hot, humid and very lush and green. Our local guide Arnel Mallari welcomed us in the
airport, and took us straight to our comfortable hotel in town. After a short break, we made a brief,
late afternoon visit to the coast at a mangrove area. A White-vented Shama was sitting on a
telephone wire – our first Palawan endemic. At the beach there were Stork-billed and Whitecollared
Kingfishers, Great Crested Tern, and the waders Greater Sandplover, Gray-tailed
Tattler and Whimbrel. A Hooded Pitta was calling from the mangrove vegetation, along with
Pied Fantails.
Saturday May 21 st : Palawan, birding along drive from Puerto Princesa to Sabang, and in Sabang
We left Puerto Princesa at ten to six in the morning, and drove towards Sabang straight across the
narrow island to the coast on the north side. During our drive to Sabang we passed through good
primary and secondary forest, and made a number of rewarding stops. Good views of no less than
eight Palawan endemics Palawan Flowerpecker, Lovely Sunbird, Yellow-throated Leafbird, the
lovely Palawan Tit, Sulphur-bellied Bulbul, 5 Palawan Hornbills, the magnificent Blue
Paradise-Flycatcher and a pair of Palawan Blue-Flycatchers. A pair of Oriental Hobby plus a
third chased each other in display over the forest road.
Lovely Sunbird – endemic to Palawan
The endemic Palawan Tit