Rockjumper Birding Tours - Netfugl.dk

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We returned to our hotel, after a great day.
Steere’s Pitta, Bohol
Visayan Wattled Broadbill, Bohol
Sunday May 29 th : Bohol. Morning in Rajah Sikatuna N.P., Bohol. Afternoon ferry ride to Cebu
We repeated yesterdays hiking success, and picked a different trail in the fine Rajah Sikatuna N.P.
This time, Shack flushed the huge rarity Mindanao Bleeding-heart from the trail. But unfortunately
he was the only one to see it. A pair of Yellow-breasted Tailorbirds showed well, and otherwise
the bird list was largely a repetition from yesterday. On the drive to Tagbilaran we saw our first
Oriental Magpie Robin on the trip – apparently a scarce bird in the Philippines. At 13.30 pm we
took a ferry to the island of Cebu, and arrived at the capital Cebu City. We checked in at the fine
hotel Monte Bello.
Monday May 30 th : Cebu. Full day birding in Central Cebu National Park at the village of
Tabunan, Cebu. Evening departure on a passenger ship to Mindanao.
Cebu was the last of the Visayan Islands, visited during our trip. Cebu is a tourist destination, a
divers paradise, and it has a very large, modern city, Cebu City. There is hardly any forest left on
the island- only a narrow strip of degraded forest along a mountain side in the central part, at the
village of Tabunan, now a protected area named Central Cebu National Park. Cebu holds no less
than two endemic birds – the Black Shama, and the Cebu Flowerpecker. The latter is considered
one of the most endangered bird species of the world. Only a tiny population is left, and all of it
within a few hectares of this forest lot. Moreover, the very rare Streak-breasted Bulbul is one of
Cebu’s other few bird attractions, a Philippine endemic, found only in the four, small islands of
Romblon, Tablas, Cebu and Siquijor.
Breakfast at 3.30 am! No mercy from Tim. We left the hotel at 4.10 am, bound for the forest at
Tabunan. Black Shama turned out to be easy. Quickly, 4-5 birds were found in the dense bamboo
thickets along the outer edge of the forest.
The place to watch out for the Cebu Flowerpecker was a viewpoint on top of a sharp limestone cliff
in the forest. We climbed the rock, and sat there waiting for almost nine hours! All we saw was a
number of Red-striped Flowerpeckers, but after 6 hours a male Cebu Flowerpecker male suddenly
appeared swiftly in a tree close by. David Shackleford managed to see the diagnostic orange -red
back well – the rest of us only managed to see the bird, before it was gone – not to be seen again!
The large Streak-breasted Bulbul appeared after some time in the forest, and we had good looks
of several birds, sitting and flying.