It is always a good idea to start a long weekend with a quick birding day trip and Subic was calling again. The last time we had been was in hot, hot April and it was now humid, humid August!
The morning was overcast with the cloudy white skies giving off quite a glare. Large-billed Crows cawed at almost every corner, echoing the somber weather. It was the woodpeckers which were again among the first to greet us, a White-bellied Woodpecker calling and drumming up a huge tree several meters from the road.
Sooty Woodpeckers were also very active, allowing good views but not good photos.
In truth, any bird perched against the white sky was no good for photography even as they tolerated our presence. This included this Green Racket-tail, who took his time calling loudly to his mates, preening every feather in his body and even just staring off into the forest. (The photo was digiscoped with my ipad as i gave up trying to take a good photo with my camera)
After just a few minutes of walking, our shirts already clung to our backs and I could feel sweat dripping down my nape, my chest, my forehead... even if the rain only threatened to fall, we were soaked in our own juices.
We did run into several pairs of Luzon Hornbills as we drove or walked.
They were all paired up, male and female together.
Insect-wise - there were quite a few young grasshoppers hopping about.
This shield bug was protecting its eggs, which it laid in a pretty conspicuous leaf.
There were a few butterflies around, mostly skippers.
Most other butterflies had their wings quite tattered and worn.
Although a few, like this tiger, looked quite fresh.
While it was much birdier that it was in April, the birds still only allowed us brief views. Groups of Luzon Flamebacks, Bar-bellied Cuckoo Shrikes, Guaiaberos, Coletos and Philippine Bulbuls were very active. Figs and other fruiting trees seemed to have a lot to offer in terms of food (including insects attracted to the fruit also).
We passed by the now abandoned Bee-eater nests, the holes barely visible through the overgrown grass.
White-browed Shamas sang melodiously and Trilling Tailorbirds called loudly from the dark vegetation. Green Imperial Pigeons growled softly from the canopy above and a lone Yellow-breasted Fruit Dove hooted from somewhere behind the thick greenery of the trees.
After a quick lunch, we did another drive through, stopping briefly at a clump of eucalyptus trees where the bulbuls and the Coletos seemed to be having feeding frenzy.
Coleto song tinkled musically around us, such a dainty sound for a strange looking bird (I still think of it as "spam"-bird!).
Skulking in the leaves was a handsome Red-crested Malkoha. Its dark body and red features made it easy to pinpoint in the silver green of the eucalyptus leaves. Even its green beak seemed to stand out.
A dark shadow turned out to be a White-eared Brown Dove. It turned out that there were at least four of them with the Coletos and Bulbuls.
The honking of Luzon Hornbills gave them away. A male perched in full view, scratching and calling a bit before it joined the others behind the trees.
Just as it turned to fly away, rain drops began to fall. As with our last visit, we decided to call it a day. The overcast skies and the thick humid air were whispering to us: it was time to go home. We'd save afternoon birding and owling for another day in Subic.
I can imagine the humidity! Winner yung Shield Bug with eggs!!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, ganyan talaga kapag matumal ang birding... bug-ging nalang!
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