PHILIPPINES - OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Day 1 ARRIVAL IN MANILA, LUZON - 9th March
This is purely an arrival day into Manila and no birding activities are planned.
Day 2 LA MESA ECO PARK, LUZON
Our plan today is to target Ashy Thrush in a local park, after which we will drive to Infanta and overnight.
Days 3 - 5 INFANTA - Mt BANAHAW
In recent times this has been a favoured area for our main target of Whiskered Pitta. We will also search for Bicol Ground Warbler, as well as Flame-breasted/Cream-breasted fruit-Dove amongst others.
Day 6 FLY TO PANNZIAN, LUZON
This morning we will fly to the far north of Luzon to Laoag and transfer Pannzian. Targets here include Cordillera Ground Warbler and Blue breasted Blue Flycatcher.
Days 7 - 8 KALBARIO PATAPAT NP - BAGGAO, LUZON
Over these couple of days we will fully explore the excellent Kalbario Patapat Natural Park. Located on Pasaleng Bay, it is easily accessible, as it is adjacent to a national highway. Its topography is generally mountainous with rugged, steep terrain. Along the coast, there are white sandy beaches, sand dunes, rock formations and good diving sites. Inland, there are extensive old growth dipterocarp forests, including both lowland and mossy montane forest, and areas of cultivation and secondary growth. Our initial targets will be the mega Critically Endangered Isabela Oriole and Sierra Madre Ground Warbler.
There's a fine selection of other sought-after species such as White-lored Oriole, Luzon Striped Babbler, Golden-crowned Babbler and Furtive Flycatcher. A fair amount of luck would be required to see other extremely rare species such as Spotted Imperial-Pigeon, Cream-bellied Fruit Dove, Luzon Bleeding-Heart or Indigo-backed Kingfisher.
Other Philippine species to be found here include Purple Needletail, Philippine Cuckoo-Dove, Scale-feathered & Rough-crested Malkoha, Rufous Coucal, Luzon Hornbill, Sooty Woodpecker, White-browed Shama, Rufous Paradise-Flycatcher, Trilling Tailorbird and Thick-billed Flowerpecker.
Day 9 BLUE WATERS
Day 10 FLY TO MANILA - TACLOBAN, SAMAR
Birding in Eastern Visayas
Full day in Blue Waters
Yellow-breasted Tailorbird which was followed by good views of a couple of White-eared Brown-Doves. We ended the afternoon with views of both the male and female Little Slaty Flycatcher. Philippine Frogmouth. Early the next morning, we were on the road to the Milan Falls towards Taft. Birding early in the morning along the road at the start of the trail proved to be excellent. An Amethyst Brown-Dove showed while Pink-bellied Imperial-Pigeon proved to still be very common throughout the area and up to twenty individuals were spotted during our stay. Large groups of Samar Hornbills and up to ten Rufous Hornbills all showed very well that morning. We made our way up the trail to the Milan Falls and encountered our first small mixed flock holding some Visayan Pygmy Babbler and Everett’s White-eye. We spent some time in the clearing watching more Samar and Rufous Hornbills as well as several Philippine Fairy-Bluebirds. We also got stunning views of a single Azure-breasted Pitta. Other goodies that were spotted along the trail include: Philippine Trogon, a small flock of Black-crowned Babbler,Visayan Blue Fantail, Philippine Leaf-Warbler, Yellow-bellied Whistler, and even the elusive Rufous-Fronted Tailorbird. Road-side birding towards Taft was excellent too. Walking along the road allowed good views of lots of birds: Philippine Serpent Eagle, Besra, Chinese Goshawk, Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, Philippine Coucal, Island Swiftlets, Philippine Needletail, Whiskered Treeswift, Philippine Trogon, and Dollarbird. Probably the best birds for that day were two Southern Sooty Woodpeckers that were seen very well. Also seen were Buff-Spotted (Greater) Flameback and White-Bellied Woodpeckers as well as the very common Yellowish Bulbul and Yellow-wattled Bulbul. Several Stripe-headed Rhabdornis and Streaked Ground Babblers were seen and heard and the Yellow-breasted Tailorbird showed itself again. We saw a lot of sunbird species particularly the Purple-throated Sunbird, Metallic-winged Sunbird, Handsome Sunbird, and Grey-throated Sunbird. Also seen were Naked-faced Spiderhunter and Olive-backed Flowerpecker, which proved to be more common here than in other sites. In the afternoon, we saw our first Slender-billed Crows. Their distinct behaviour and sound indicated that it is a different species, specifically Mindanao Crows. We spent the following morning taking many photographs and sound recordings. These are the results of two days birding along the road and the trail towards the Milan Falls.
The next two days were concentrated on the trail behind the SINP HQ. It is a nice trail that starts with secondary forest and gently climbs up towards nice primary limestone forest. The trail was very good and we saw several mixed flocks which had: Mindanao Drongo, Elegant Tit, Visayan Pygmy Babbler, Black-crowned Babbler, Brown Tit-Babbler, Philippine Leaf-Warbler, Rufous-Fronted Tailorbird several Rufous-tailed Jungle-Flycatchers, Visayan Blue Fantail, Rufous Paradise-Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch, Yellow-bellied Whistler, Olive backed Flowerpecker, and Everett’s White-eye. We also saw the occasional Naked-faced Spiderhunter and Stripe-headed Rhabdornis. The Rufous-lored Kingfisher, another Azure-breasted Pitta, and Visayan Wattled Broadbill showed very well along the trail and several Scarlet Minivets were seen in the higher canopy of the forest.
Samar has great birding potential with lots of the Visayan and Mindanao specialties seen on our trip birding in the Samar Island Natural Park. Surely more explorations of the park are needed to spot more birds as the group also heard Mindanao Bleeding-heart and Celestial Monarch during our stay. It is sure worth considering Samar on our future tours.
Days 11 - 12 SAMAR ISLAND NATURE PARK, SAMAR
Fly to Manila, Fly to Tacloban (Samar)/ SINP
Targets - Visayan Miniature Babbler, Visayan Pygmy Babbler
Day 13 - 16 MANILA - NEGROS
Fly to Manila to Bacolod
Targets - Flame-templed Babbler, White-throated Jungle Flycatcher
Birding at Gawahon Eco-ParkNegros Endemics
Drive enroute to Dumaguete
Lake Balinsasayao
This morning, we will make an early start and visit a forested park in the north of the island. This excellent area is home to a number of Negros’s most sought-after species. Perhaps top of our agenda will be the extraordinary Flame-templed Babbler with its beautiful, whistled song, which is frequent in the mixed flocks here. Also possible are two rarities, the sneaky White-throated Jungle Flycatcher and the rare southern form of Indigo-banded Kingfisher (which is already treated as a separate species by some authorities). The mixed flocks hold a number of interesting species for us including Balicassiao (the distinct white-bellied birds here may merit specific status as Visayan Drongo), Visayan Bulbul, the cheeky Visayan Fantail, smart Lemon-throated Leaf Warblers, the localized White-vented Whistler, Elegant Tits, Yellowish White-eyes and the increasingly rare Citrine Canary-Flycatcher.
After what should be a great morning to start the tour, we will make the long drive south to Dumaguete for a three-night stay.
Philippines with a Difference: Days 3-4 During these two days in the south of the island, we will explore several areas to find the remaining Negros endemics as many of them are now rare and restricted to very localized areas. We will make an early start each day in order to find our targets.
On one morning we will drive high up into the hills behind Dumaguete to search for the rare Negros Striped Babbler, which is fortunately now accessible without a painful hike. In another area we have an excellent chance of finding the stunning little Negros Scops Owl as well as Luzon Boobook, Philippine Nightjar, the local form of Spotted Wood Kingfisher, the delightful Black-belted (or Visayan) Flowerpecker and Philippine Tailorbird (now endemic to the Visayas.
In another area, we will look for a number of other goodies. Here, the flowers around a restaurant usually hold beautiful Magnificent Sunbirds and colourful Maroon-naped Sunbirds. In the nearby forest, we will seek the increasingly rare Visayan Hornbill. White-winged and Visayan Cuckooshrikes patrol the area in noisy flocks, and other rarities here that we could see include the local form of Amethyst Brown Dove (split by some authorities as Grey-breasted Brown Dove) and Visayan Rhabdornis. We would need great good fortune to encounter the now very rare and elusive Yellow-faced Flameback.
Whilst on Negros, we will also make a concerted effort to find the increasingly rare Visayan Shama. Further endemics possible during our wanderings on Negros could include Philippine Honey Buzzard, Philippine Serpent Eagle, ‘Buff-eared’ Brown Dove (the local form of the White-eared Brown Dove), the colourful Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove, Blue-crowned Racket-tail, Ameline and Grey-rumped Swiftlets, the bizarre Philippine Spine-tailed Swift (that almost looks as if it is flying backwards!), Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Brown-breated Kingfisher, Philippine Hanging Parrot (known locally as Colasissi), the bald-headed Coleto, Philippine Pied Fantail and Bicolored Flowerpecker.
More widespread species possible here (or elsewhere during the tour) include Javan Pond Heron, Little, Great, Medium and Eastern Cattle Egrets, Striated Heron, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, Barred Rail, Whiskered Tern, Spotted and Zebra Doves, Common and Collared Kingfishers, the huge White-bellied Woodpecker, White-breasted Woodswallow, the local forms of the Scarlet Minivet and Black-naped Oriole (both potential splits), Brown Shrike, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Barn Swallow, Warbling White-eye, ‘Orange-breasted’ Flowerpecker (a potential split from Orange-bellied), Asian Glossy Starling, Grey-streaked and Turquoise Flycatchers, Tree Sparrow, Chestnut Munia and Grey Wagtail.
We will stay in Dumaguete town from where we shall explore Mt Mantiquil in search of the Negros striped Babbler, Lake Balinsasayao and birding around the small town of Valencia. Negros Scops-Owl, Visayan Tarictic Hornbill, Yellow-faced Flameback, Visayan Rhabdornis, Flame-templed Babbler, White-winged Cuckoo-shrike and Maroon-naped Sunbird and plenty more
Day 17 Mt TALINIS - MANILA
Our last morning on Negros before flying to Manila
Days 18 - 19 MANILA - SAN JOSE - SIBURAN PRISON, MINDORO
Fly to San Jose on Mindoro
Mindoro Endemics
This morning we will take a flight to San Jose on the island of Mindoro and then, in order to visit one of the last remaining areas of lowland rainforest on the island, transfer to Sablayan for an overnight stay.
We will have our first chance today to explore the surviving forest, while at a nearby lake, we may well see such species as the smart Philippine Duck, Wandering Whistling Duck, Yellow and Cinnamon Bitterns, Purple and Grey Herons, White-browed Crake, White-breasted Waterhen, Common Moorhen, Striated Grassbird, Paddyfield Pipit and sometimes Grey-throated Martin (scarce elsewhere in the Philippines). We should also find the local form of Philippine Coucal, which is virtually all black, sometimes to be found alongside Lesser Coucal! In the late afternoon, we should see numbers of pigeons and parrots and other species going to roost, including the endemic Mindoro Hornbill, Philippine Green Pigeon, Mindoro Racket-tail, Blue-naped Parrot, and, with a lot of luck, Metallic (Wood) Pigeon or the ever-scarcer Spotted Imperial Pigeon.
Then, as dusk falls, Great Eared and endemic Chirruping Nightjars should emerge from their daytime hiding places. Our main quarry, however, will be Mindoro Boobook, a little-known endemic which surely has some of the strangest vocalisations of any owl. We also have our best chance here for Chocolate Boobook.
Philippines with a Difference: Day 12 Today, as we walk stealthily along the forest edge and then along a well-defined trail that heads into the forest, we will be concentrating on Mindoro endemics. We have a very good chance of seeing Mindoro Bulbul and the attractive Scarlet-collared Flowerpecker, and should also see the secretive Black-hooded (or Steere’s) Coucal. However, we would have to be exceptionally lucky to find the rare and heavily-trapped Mindoro Bleeding-heart. Other species we may see in and around the forest include Plain Bush-hen, Grey-faced Buzzard, Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeon, Asian Koel, Philippine Drongo-Cuckoo, Blue-tailed and Blue-throated Bee-eaters, Coppersmith Barbet, Balicassio (all black ones here!), the range-restricted Palawan Crow, Northern Black-and-white Triller, Black-bibbed Cicadabird and Eastern Red-rumped Swallow.
We will base ourselves in the town of Sablayan Penal Farm to explore the forest in search of Mindoro lowland endemics together with a good selection of other species that are hard to find elsewhere. These include Pink-bellied Imperial-Pigeon, Mindoro Racquet-tail, Black-hooded Coucal, Philippine Coucal (Mindoro Coucal), Mindoro Hornbill, Black-bibbed Cuckoo-Shrike, Mindoro Bulbul and Scarlet-collared Flowerpecker. At dawn we have the best chances to find Mindoro Hawk-Owl. The critically endangered Mindoro Bleeding-heart possibly still survives in the forests of Siburan.
Day 20 FLY MINDORO - LUZON - END OF TOUR - 28th March
Return flight to Manila and end of the tour.
