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Date: June
26, 2004
Time: 12:30 - 1:30 pm
Birders: Tina Alejandro, Cele Santisteban and Mike
Lu
When the WBCP started out last year, one of the topics we
discussed in the egroup was whether we should tackle conservation
work. It was decided that the club should concenrate first
on promoting birdwatching and let the more established NGOs
tackle conservation work.
A lot of the discussion centered then around the illegal wildlife
trade and as a member of the Haribon Foundation I thought
it was best to let them do the work. I asked Haribon Foundation
to initiate a bird release program and after 7 long months
of follow-up and coordination, a small batch of doves were
scheduled to be released. The doves belong to 4 species -
zebra dove, spotted dove, emerald dove and red turtle dove.
The site chosen was Earth Haven in San Mateo, Rizal. It has
a patch of forest in the upper slopes of the hills surrounded
by residential areas and grasslands.
Among WBCP members present were Romy Santos, Tina Alejandro
and Cele Santisteban. During the orientation, I could not
resist reaching for my binoculars as I saw some movement in
the trees. I almost disturbed the group as I told Tina that
I just saw an ELEGANT TIT through my binoculars !
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Later on after lunch, I walked out to the verandah and
saw another tiny bird which turned out to be a RED-KEELED
FLOWERPECKER ! I wasted no time and asked the 2 girls
to join me while Romy had to do some interviews for
the article he is writing. It had been raining most
of the day and we took advantage of this lull to go
birding. Bird calls everywhere but no sign of any movement.
We
paused by the bridge and waited. A few minutes later,
what I thought was a butterfly came to perch on one
of the heliconias - an OLIVE-BACKED SUNBIRD, female!
Later on a YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL also came to rest beneath
a patch of bamboo followed later by a PHILIPPINE BULBUL.
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Olive-Backed Sunbird
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Indigo - Banded Kingfisher
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Suddenly
a tiny speck of bright blue came to rest by a boulder
beside the stream. It turned out to be an INDIGO-BANDED
KINGFISHER !
We
explored the environs some more but no more birds were
to be seen. As we headed back to the cars, we passed
by the stream again and came upon a trio of INDIGO-BANDED
KINGFISHERS chasing each other. It was a good way to
end an otherwise slow birding day :) |
BIRD
LIST:
1. Indigo-banded Kingfisher Alcedo cyanopecta - 3
2. Yellow-vented Bulbul Pyncnonotus goiavier - 1
3. Philippine Bulbul Hypsipetes philippinus - 2, more
heard elsewhere
4. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis - heard only
5. Elegant Tit Parus elegans - 1
6. Olive-backed Sunbird Nectarinia jugularis - 2, 1
male & 1 female
7. Red-keeled Flowerpecker Dicaeum australe - 1
8. Lowland White-eye Zosterops meyeni - 1
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