Rockjumper Birding Tours - Netfugl.dk

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21 With sore buttocks, we climbed down again, and returned to Cebu City. Went straight to the harbour to embark the good ship of “Lady of the Rule” – a passenger ship bound for Cagayan de Oro on the island of Mindanao. Tim had arranged comfortable luxury cabins, a meal in the restaurant and we enjoyed being on board. Tuesday May 31 st : Mindanao. Mt. Kitanglad Our last goal on the trip was Mindanao, the large island to the south. No other island in the Philippines holds so many endemic bird species as Mindanao does. And this is the place where the national bird of the Philippines, the Great Philippine Eagle, should be seen. The icon of nature protection in the Philippines. And by some global twitchers considered to be the most wanted bird species on Earth! (See Don Roberson: www.the best bird in the world ) In Mindanao, we visited three localities: Mt. Kitanglad, PICOP lowland jungle at Bislig and Mt. Sinaka, in the mentioned order. We arrived at Cagayan de Oro in the Bukidnon Province of northern Mindanao in the morning at 7.15 a.m., and drove to a fine hotel at the seaside in the outskirts of town, to have a good breakfast. Then off to Mt. Kitanglad, the home of the Philippine Eagle! We reached the village of Dalwangang and turned off towards the small village of Damitan, arriving at 10.30 a.m. From here, we started a trek up the mountain. Our luggage was packed on horses. We spent three nights at Del Monte Lodge, an old wooden house used by bird groups. It had an open ground floor with a kitchen, a long dining table and a toilet. On first floor, there was a large dormitory, where we could sleep on the floor on mattresses. The lodge was situated only an hour’s trek up the mountain, and was surrounded by fields and small forest lots. Each day, we took treks further up the mountain to the different view-points, where we had a wonderful view over vast mountain rain forest and wooded gorges. However, before our trek started, we had to go through a religous ceremony in the village below, at an old man’s house, in order to be approved. The old man was the religious head of the village. Many different items were placed on an offering table, the man spoke out a long prayer and performed a trance-like song. As a final, he slit the throat of a chicken with a sharp knife, and let the blood run into a little bowl. He then dipped a feather in the blood, and smeared it into our palms, and on some coins on the table. Then the ceremony was over, the coast was clear, and the mountain gods had approved our visit to the holy mountain! Our expectations were great, since a pair of Philippine Eagles used to breed on the mountain. And in some years, it has been possible to look right down into the nest. This year, the pair was supposed to stay around with their young one, that was still being fed by its parents. Tim had seen them on all his previous four trips this year! The trek only took one hour and five minutes, including birding, and it was very easy. Nothing compared to the cross-country trek towards Hamut in Luzon! We walked mostly through fields, since the forest has been cut away in all the low lying parts. The weather was nice and cool, and dry. There was a fine view towards the mountain tops.
22 Getting ready for the hike to Mt. Kitanglad The hike has started Mt. Kitanglad hike Our camp on Mt. Kitanglad Forest of Mt. Kitanglad Flame-crowned Flowerpecker at the campsite Upon arrival to the lodge, Hoddinott spotted a fine male Flame-crowned Flowerpecker – a bird he missed on Mt. Polis. We made a short walk further up the trail, and Erling spotted a Frigatebird sp. immature, soaring over the mountain. Most surprising, and not exactly the expected biotope for this seabird! Other fine birds were five Mindanao Montane Racquettails passing by, Philippine Serpent-Eagle, Blue-breasted Quail, Plain Bush Hen heard, the gorgeous Black-and-cinnamon Fantail, Gray-hooded Sunbird, Black-masked White-eye, Cinnamon Ibon and Short-tailed Glossy-Starling. In the twilight at the lodge, a Bukidnon Woodcock started to rode. It gave a strange snoring and ringing sound, while flying low over the fields and trees around the lodge, in the misty weather. We
Page 1 and 2: Rockjumper Birding Tours Reconnaiss
Page 3 and 4: 2 Timothy, our travel group consist
Page 5 and 6: 4 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 1
Page 7 and 8: 6 Trip journal Thursday May 12 th :
Page 9 and 10: 8 them. We walked back through some
Page 11 and 12: 10 Mountain Verditer Flycatcher The
Page 13 and 14: 12 Friday May 20 th : North Luzon,
Page 15 and 16: 14 Other good birds around the N.P.
Page 17 and 18: 16 Tuesday May 24 th :Palawan, morn
Page 19 and 20: 18 Leaf-Warbler. And finally, we ma
Page 21: 20 We returned to our hotel, after
Page 25 and 26: 24 White-cheeked Bullfinch on Mt. K
Page 27 and 28: 26 Deforestation in PICOP One of th
Page 29 and 30: 28 calling eagerly. Hoddinott spott
Page 31 and 32: 30 Tuesday June 7 th : Mindanao. Mo
Page 33 and 34: 32 Annotated checklist of the Birds
Page 35 and 36: 34 Bohol 27/5 8 between Tagbilaran
Page 37 and 38: 36 26. Oriental Honey-buzzard (e) (
Page 39 and 40: 38 tree at some distance, but scope
Page 41 and 42: 40 49. Barred Rail (e) (Gallirallus
Page 43 and 44: 42 One of the great bird experience
Page 45 and 46: 44 Mindanao (ssp. amethystina) 1/6
Page 47 and 48: 46 87. Island Collared-dove (e) (St
Page 49 and 50: 48 concession area at Bislig, east
Page 51 and 52: 50 108. Asian Koel (e) (Eudynamus s
Page 53 and 54: 52 118. Mindanao Scops-Owl (E) (NT)
Page 55 and 56: 54 21/5 1 attracted by tape play of
Page 57 and 58: 56 Luzon 12/5 32 Los Banos.13/5 10
Page 59 and 60: 58 N.P., Sabang, 24/5 4 Rasa Island
Page 61 and 62: 60 166. Palawan Hornbill (E) (VU) (
Page 63 and 64: 62 176. Mindanao Wattled Broadbill
Page 65 and 66: 64 Palawan (ssp. difficilis- grey u
Page 67 and 68: 66 30/5 2 in Central Cebu National
Page 69 and 70: 68 concession area at Bislig, east
Page 71 and 72: 70 221. White-fronted Tit (E) (NT)
Page 73 and 74:
72 235. Golden-crowned Babbler (E)
Page 75 and 76:
74 248. Island Thrush (e) (Turdus p
Page 77 and 78:
76 at Last Frontier Paradise Hotel,
Page 79 and 80:
78 Zigzag Road between Narra and Pu
Page 81 and 82:
80 area, 19/5 8 walk Hamut Camp to
Page 83 and 84:
82 Mindanao 31/5 1 in harbour of Ca
Page 85 and 86:
84 and Puerto Princesa. Note: The m
Page 87 and 88:
86 321. Striped Flowerpecker (E) (D
Page 89 and 90:
88 13/5 2 Mt. Makiling. ssp. pygmae
Page 91 and 92:
90 7/6 4 passing the road in grassl
Page 93:
92 Mindanao Squirrel Mindanao 4/6 2
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