Hagonoy
Pumping Station, Taguig
Location: Laguna Lakeshore, Taguig
Date: January 22, 2006
Time: 6:30-8:00 am
Birders: Moises, Moira and Telor Camacho, Trinket
Canlas, Ann Lim, Mike Lu, Orly Punzalan
DENR-NCR: Rey Aguinaldo, Jonathan Pena
Trip Report by Mike Lu
Birdlist by Rey Aguinaldo and Ann Lim
Trip
Report
On
the last day of the Asian Waterbird Census, the WBCP and DENR-NCR
decided to add one more wetland count for the National Capital Region
( NCR ). We headed for the lakeshores of Laguna de Bay in Hagonoy,
Taguig. The Japanese government had erected a pumping station to
control floodwaters during the monsoon season. Club previously visited
the site during the summertime but bad roads had prevented us to
venture to this part when the rains came.
It
had not rained the past few weeks and dust from the unpaved roads
covered our vehicles in a hazy film. We split into 2 groups. Rey,
Jonathan, Orly and I took an outriggerless boat ride out to the
fisherman's resthouse on stilts while the others climbed up 2 flights
of stairs to the top of the pumping station for a better vantage
point.
Waterplants
abound and we flush out bitterns as our boat passed by. From the
house we observe Whiskered Terns flying about while Pacific Swallows
occasionally rest atop the bamboo poles. Yellow bitterns and Cinnamon
Bitterns abound. Even a Black-Bittern gave us good views before
it disappeared into the water hyacinths.
(
L-R ) Taguig boatman, Rey Aguinaldo, Orly Punzalan, Mike Lu,
and Jonathan Pena |
Waterbirds
like White-browed Crake, White-breasted Waterhens and Striated Heron
showed up every now and then. A pair of plump Common Waterhens suddenly
emerged from the edge of the waterplants unmindful of the birders.
Other birds observed include the Common Kingfisher, Striated Grassbirds,
Clamorous Reed-Warblers and the Brown Shrike.
Purple
Swamphen
|
White-browed
Crake |
After
an hour and a half of birding we went back ashore to meet up with
the other group. On the dirt path, Jonathan chanced upon a Java
Sparrow in a flock of Eurasian Tree Sparrows. Comparing our notes,
the other group added Purple Swamphen and Black-crowned Night Heron
to our list.
*The
guards at the pumping station related that wild ducks forage in
the area at night but leave before sunrise. They also noticed a
Brahminy Kite that comes regularly to perch on the powerlines near
noon.
BIRD LIST:
1. Striated Heron
- 1
2. Black-crowned Night-heron - 1
3. Cinnamon Bittern - 5
4. Yellow Bittern - 12
5. Black Bittern - 1
6. White-browed Crake - 4
7. Common Moorhen - 6
8. White-breasted Waterhen - 5
9. Purple Swamphen - 1
10. Whiskered Tern - 70+
---------------------------------------
Species not included in census:
1. Common Kingfisher- 1
2. Pacific Swallow - 26
3. Clamorous Reed-warbler - 13
4. Striated Grassbird - 4
5. Zitting Cisticola - 2
6. Brown Shrike - 2
7. Eurasian Tree Sparrow - common
8. Java Sparrow - 1
9. Chestnut Munia - 5
