Rockjumper Birding Tours - Netfugl.dk

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and additional sightings were Wandering Whistling-Duck, Philippine Duck, a Great-billed
Heron struggling against the wind, Black Bittern, Purple Heron, White-browed Crake,
Watercock, Clamorous Reed-Warbler and a fine Philippine Nightjar calling from the top of a
pole in the swamp.
Sunday June 5 th : Mindanao. PICOP lowland jungle at Bislig.
Birding in the forest today had difficulties competing with yesterday, since we had already seen
most of the birds.
However, the start was great. We had breakfast at 3 am., left at 3.30 and went to a stretch of forest
road that Tim knew was good for owling. A brilliant Philippine Frogmouth was taped in, and
admired in the torchlight. Same procedure with a Chocolate Hawk-Owl immediately after (a split
from Asian Brown Hawk-Owl). A displaying Great Eared-Nightjar in the first morning light
marked the end of the night, and the beginning of a new, enjoyable birding day.
It became a very hot and quiet day. Birding was a little slow. Along Road 4.2 we saw the best bird
of the day, a fine male of the endemic Little Slaty Flycatcher on its territory.
The strange-looking starling Coleto
Short-crested Monarch, male. In Picop. One the fine, endemic
birds of the Philippines
Another surprise was a calling Mindanao Bleeding-heart close by road, but we never managed to
see the bird. The day also gave good views of Pompadour Green-Pigeon on the nest, feeding
young, Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeons, Blue-naped Parrots, Black-faced Coucal, Steere’s Pitta
heard, Yellow-wattled Bulbul, Black-headed Tailorbird, Blue Fantail, two Short-crested
Monarchs, Brown Tit-Babbler, Metallic-winged Sunbird, Handsome Sunbird, an aberrant local
subspecies of Pygmy Flowerpecker, Everett’s White-eye, Philippine Oriole, Coleto – and a
group of Long-tailed Macaques.
Monday June 6 th : Mindanao. PICOP lowland jungle at Bislig. Afternoon drive to Davao.
This last morning in Bislig was extremely fortunate. We got out at 4 am. and birded in the forest
from 5 am until 10:15 am. We started at a forest clearing, watching Violet Cuckoo and a number of
pigeons, including Emerald Dove, Amethyst Brown-Dove, White-eared Brown-Dove, Pompadour
Green-Pigeon and Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeon. Mindanao Tarictic Hornbills were
showing in a large tree.
We then started to stroll down the forest road. Suddenly we could hear the distant call of a Celestial
Monarch from the forest, a loud, ringing three-note whistle, repeated constantly - and followed the
sound. After 20 to 30 minutes searching and climbing through limestome rocks in the jungle, we
eventually found a birdwave. And the Celestial was in there somewhere, since we could hear it