Rockjumper Birding Tours - Netfugl.dk

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25 When back in the village at 8 am., we started an eleven hours long and strenuous drive through Mindanao to Bislig on the east coast, via the island capital Davao in the south. Best birds during the day along the drive was nine Javan Pond-Herons in breeding plumage in a rice paddy, Yellow Bittern, Guaiabero, White-throated and White-collared Kingfishers, Red-striped and Orangebellied Flowerpeckers and Spangled Drongo. We reached the start of the lowland jungle of PICOP, Bislig just before dark, and got the first taste of this fine birding area in a forest clearing: Impressive Pink-bellied Imperial-Pigeons, Philippine Needletail, Purple Needletail, the stately Mindanao endemic Writhed Hornbill flying to night roost, Dollarbirds and a Philippine Nightjar sitting on the road. We checked in at a small, pleasant hotel in Bislig. Flame of the forest tree on our way to Bislig, Mindanao Javan Pond Heron in breeding plumage, Mindanao Saturday June 4 th : Mindanao. PICOP lowland jungle at Bislig. The vast lowland jungle area at Bislig on the east coast of Mindanao is usually called PICOP, named after the large logging concession company that formerly exploited the forest. PICOP has since left the area, and the forest is now under state “control”. However, thousands of settlers illegally moved into the area. Virtually every day, new huts are popping up and the surrounding forest is cleared, burned off, and crops planted, to support the poor settler families. These settlers are mostly Christian Philippinos, refugees from the rebellious, Muslim, western parts of Mindanao. Fortunately, there is still much good forest left in the PICOP area, but it is probably one of the places in the Philippines where forest degradation takes place in the fastest and most devastating way, and with the most severe consequences to lowland rainforest wildlife. It is really shocking to see the ongoing destruction, bearing in mind that this is the last, proper piece of lowland jungle left in the Philippines, and very important to the survival of a number of bird and mammal species. The worst part of it is, that all settlement in the area is strictly forbidden, but the authorities do nothing to prevent it! This is an example of the complex religious, political and social problems in a poor Third World country, that are difficult to deal with; the environment versus the “refugee and poverty” situation.
26 Deforestation in PICOP One of the many logging trucks in PICOP We were accommodated in Bislig, and went around to different parts of the large forest area in a jeepney for the next three days. We were rewarded by an incredible luck, and managed to get virtually every single bird species of the area we had hoped for. The first morning was the start of one of the best birding days during the whole trip. I have said this before in this dairy, but this time it is even more true! We started at 3.30 am in darkness, and returned to the hotel after dark. We drove along Road 1, Road 4A and 4, and ended by late afternoon and sunset at the condemned Bislig Airport, that has a neighboring, large marsh area. <strong>Birding</strong> highlights of the day in the jungle included many of the great birds of the Philippines, including several Mindanao endemics. Remarkable birds during the day were Barred Honey- Buzzard in display, the elusive, endemic Plain Bush Hen standing in the open at a small pond, Violet Cuckoo, Chocolate Hawk-Owl seen, Mindanao Hawk-Owl seen, great views of Philippine Trogons, three stunning Silvery Kingfishers at a stake-out pond, Rufous,Writhed and Mindanao Tarictic Hornbills, Black-bibbed Cuckoo-shrike, Yellowish Bulbul, Philippine Leafbird, Black-headed Tailorbird, a magnificent male Short-crested Monarch, Rufous Paradise-Flycatcher, Pygmy Babbler, Rusty-crowned Babbler and our only Naked-faced Spiderhunter of the trip. Silvery Kingfisher Plain Bush Hen At Bislig airport a huge, approaching storm system (with thunder, rain and strong winds) threatened, but never hit us. Hunting Australasian Grass-Owl was finally spotted, well done Tim,
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 and 22: 20 We returned to our hotel, after
Page 23 and 24: 22 Getting ready for the hike to Mt
Page 25: 24 White-cheeked Bullfinch on Mt. K
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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