Membership

WBCP President Anna Gonzales with members and
delegates at the 7th Philippine Bird Festival in Dumaguete City.

The year 2011 saw a hefty increase in the membership of the WBCP, highlighted by the Club regaining our toehold in Mindanao and a growing share of international subscriptions. To date, the WBCP involves 284 members, of whom 62 are new subscribers and 13 are associate members. This number does not include our regular sustainers, who make regular financial and material contributions to the WBCP and the Honey Lu Fund for Conservation and Exploration but opt not to be entered into Club’s membership roll.

Over the past 5 years, the number of WBCP-affiliated birdwatchers has grown by 80 percent. This rate is indicative of the reach of our public activities as well as an interest in the hobby. Hopefully, we will be able to maintain our growth within this manageable rate, and need to project the creation of WBCP locals to allow regional members to participate in promoting the hobby and expanding the Club.

Membership remains concentrated in Metro Manila. Meanwhile, the Club’s geographical reach now spans the length of the archipelago and covers most of the important bird habitats, as follows: North Luzon: Ilocos Norte (2), La Union (2), Benguet (1) and Isabela (1); Central Luzon: Nueva Ecija (2), Pampanga (1), Bataan (3) and Zambales (2); South Luzon: Cavite (6), Laguna (7), Rizal (6), Quezon (3) and Camarines Sur (1); Oriental Mindoro (1); Palawan (4); Visayas: Cebu (2), Negros Oriental (3), Negros Occidental (3), Iloilo (3), Leyte (1), Bohol (2); and Mindanao: Agusan del Sur (1),Davao del Sur (1), Davao (1).

Thirty-three members are based outside the Philippines, namely: United States (10), United Kingdom (7), Hong Kong (2), Malaysia (2), Indonesia (2), Singapore (4), Australia (1), Japan (1), Switzerland (1), Belgium (1), Canada (1) and Thailand (1). For the second year in a row, Americans take the lead over the British members. Figures as follows: American (18), British (13), Singaporean (4), Dutch (2), German (2), Australian (2), and one each from the following nationalities, Danish, Belgian, Czech, French, Spanish, Norwegian, and Jewish.

Birdwatching Trips

2011 was a busy year for the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP), with members making numerous forays around Metro Manila and further afield. The WBCP outdid itself this year by  organizing 40 guided bird walks for the public, 30 Club trips, 13 site visits for the Spring and Fall Raptorwatch, and joined surveys in 7 sites during the Asian Waterbird Census.

Guided trips – 40

Jops Josef (in green) manning the scope a the La Mesa Ecopark

The Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) in the southern coast and the La Mesa Eco Park (with the conservation foundation Bantay Kalikasan) and University of the Philippines – Diliman campus in Quezon City were the focus of WBCP public bird walks in Metro Manila. Other visits were also organized in Ateneo de Manila University campus and the Ninoy Aquino Park, both in Quezon City.  Outside the metropolis, WBCP-guided public trips covered areas of the Balanga Wetland Park in Bataan, Mount Palay-Palay National Park in Cavite, and Maharlika Village in Antipolo City near the Tungtong River in Rizal province.

Majority of these activities were organized in tandem with science and communications arts curriculum, involving Ecology classes from St. Scholastica’s College, multi-media seniors from the College of St. Benilde, journalism students from the University of the Philippines and the UP Haring Ibon organization, the graduating class of the Philippine Science High School, the Ateneo Environment Management Coalition and the Museum Volunteers of the Philippines.

Mrs Cynthia Villar birdwatching at the Las Pinas-Paranaque
Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area

The notable guests who joined WBCP bird walks in the LPPCHEA during the year are Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Villar Foundation; and Tourism Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin. Mrs. Villar, a former congresswoman for Las Piñas, has joined the WBCP in opposing the extensive Manila Bay reclamation project which will threaten the mangroves and mudflats of the LPPCHEA. Undersecretary Jasmin, is an advocate of the protected habitat, and personally conducted a tour for members of print and broadcast media to bring public attention to the potential of the Manila Bay coastline as an area for nature-oriented recreation.

The WBCP also extended its hospitality and assistance to visiting international birdwatchers: Chen Pei-jen (Taiwan), Dubi Shapiro (Israel), EM Ganin (US) and Noel Ilocto (Australia).

Club Trips – 30

Club trip to San Roque Dam (L-R) Leni Sutcliffe,
Leni de la Rosa, Ixi Mapua, Mark Wallbank

There were 27 trips organized for Club members in 2011, including several visits to the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area and the La Mesa Ecopark.   Day trips were also organized to a variety of habitats: Mount Makiling in Laguna; Mount Palay-Palay in Cavite; Newtown subdivision and the Ipo and Angat watersheds in Bulacan; and the Balanga Wetland Park in Bataan. Club members also undertook visits to Olango Island in Cebu  in the Visayas, and Bislig in Surigao del Sur in Mindanao. Scouting trips were also made by Club members to Woodridge Subdivision in Marikina, Metro Manila: Corregidor Island in Manila Bay; and Villa Salvador in Bohol Island in the Visayas.
  

Group photo at Corregidor Island

Increasingly our trips have been undertaken in cooperation with local government units, non-government organizations or private organizations. The list of trips and sponsors includes: Sual power plant and San Roque dam in Pangasinan, with Team Energy Foundation and Marubeni Corporation, respectively; the Masinloc power plant in Zambales run by AES; Tagaytay Highlands and Ananya Farms in Cavite courtesy of their managements;  San Simon wetlands in Pampanga with the municipal government; Calatagan in Batangas with Conserve and Protect Ocean; Wawa Dam in Rizal with Gaia Exploration Club; Lubang Island with Conservation International; and Tesoro del Monte in Quezon upon the invitation of Patis Tesoro.

The World Bank also commissioned the WBCP to undertake a rapid bird survey of mangrove regeneration sites in Batuan in Masbate island; Caramoan in Camarines Sur and Gubat in Sorsogon.

Asian Waterbird Census – 7

AWC at the Balanga wetlands (L-R) Jane Domingo, Karen Ochavo, Trinket Canlas, Rene Calado, Linda Gocon, Andrew Curtis, Lenny Worthington, Maan Guzman and Yana Osano

Tallying the count at Candaba Marsh (L-R) Mel Tan, Kitty Arce, DENR personnel and Mike Lu

If it is an indicator of a deeper commitment to scientific endeavor and conservation, more Club members have taken an interest in the annual Asian Waterbird Census, with 7 wetland sites surveyed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources with WBCP assistance.

Members in Northerneast Luzon surveyed Paoay Lake in Ilocos Norte. The Club also participated in surveys in Central Luzon, visiting Candaba Marsh and Sasmuan in Pampanga province as well as the Balanga mangroves and mudflats in Bataan. In Metro Manila, bird counts were undertaken in both the Coastal Lagoons and Navotas mudflats, while in South Luzon, members joined Team Energy Foundation in surveying the coastline of Pagbilao Bay in Quezon province.

In 2011, the Sasmuan-Macabebe wetlands in Pampanga had the largest congregation of waterbirds with an estimated 32,880 outstripping the Balanga wetlands which sheltered 13,984 individual birds.

Raptor Migration Survey - 13

Going over the raptor count figures (L-R) Jude sanchez, Arne Jensen and Alex Tiongco

The Pag-Asa weather station in Tanay where the Club conducts the annual raptor migration counts

Seven trips were conducted for the spring migration count at the Pag-Asa weather station in Tanay, Rizal. The total number of birds counted was 3832 birds. Majority of raptor species spotted during this period were Chinese Goshawks, followed by Grey-faced Buzzards. The most number of raptors passing counted in one day was 1850.

The six trips organized for the autumn migration count were not as productive because of the unusually heavy rainfall in the country.

Club in the News

The WBCP received very good exposure in the tri-media due to the various activities and issues the Club has undertaken.

GMA News feature on birdwatching

Birdwatching

On the Club’s birdwatching activities and advocacy the Philippine Daily Inquirer featured City slickers take to birdwatching in Metro Manila by Jessica Santiago on 5/26/11 and Expat News came up with Birdwatchers advocate Philippine bird species awareness on 6/5.  WBCP President Anna Gonzales wrote an article Imperilled Beauty for the Oct-Dec issue of Travel Time Magazine. ANC Channel’s Green Living also featured birdwatching on November 18.

Guided birdwatching trips at the La Mesa Ecopark were featured a number of times on GMA 7. On March 27 on Balitanghali and 24 Oras and on March 28 on Unang Hirit and Unang Balita: Grupo ng bird enthusiast, nagtipon- tipon para magbirdwatching.  On October 16 it was also featured on GMA News: WBCP nagsagawa ng libreng birdwatching trip.

A number of radio programs interviewed Club members on birdwatching as well.  On January 30, Arnel Telesforo was a guest on DWDD 1134 AM Tatak Pilipinas AFP Radio with Nicky and Johnjo Tuason.  Anna Gonzales was the main resource speaker on  DZUP 1602 AM Kuwentuhang Pets atbp hosted Krysta Rara about wildlife in the city on May 12 and again on September 1 with on the illegal wildlife trade. Anna Gonzales was also a guest on 6/27 DZRJ 810 Animal Chronicles interviewed by Anna Cabrera on

June 27 and on Radio Sunshine’s Biyahe at Gimik on September 9.

Highlighting Sites

The Netherlands Ambassador Robert Brinks
birdwatching in Tubbataha Reef

A few articles were written about specific birdwatching sites: On June 2, the Philippine Star came up with A bird sanctuary in the city by Ibsky Romero about birdwatching at the Ateneo de Manila University campus led by instructor/birder Trinket Canlas,  Dutch Ambassador and birder Robert Brinks wrote This Paradise called Tubbataha published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on May 23 accompanied by a photograph on the front page, Taal Lake was next to be featured on ABS CBN’s Patrol ng Pilipino news program with the segment Ibong Malaya by Dominic Almelor interviewing birder Ipat Luna on May 24, and ABS CBN’s TV Patrol aired the segment Discovery of bird sanctuary in Manila Zoo with Noli de Castro interviewing Mike Lu on July 26.

Asian Waterbird Census

The annual Asian Waterbird Census in Balanga was featured on QTV’s news program Balitanghali on January 16 and on NBN’s news 13,984 migratory birds counted for one day in Balanga on January 17.

The notable drop in the birds counted in Candaba generated the following news,
Aggressive developments in wetlands drive away migratory birds by Dino Balabo on the Philippine Star on January 23, 8725 migratory birds surface in Candaba on Balita on January 24, and Birds vanishing in the Philippines by Cecil Morella for Agence France Press on January 25.

Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat & Ecotourism Area

Full page article by Dennis Liuag
on the Philippine Daily Inquirer

On May 22, Anna Gonzales was the resource speaker on DWBL 1242 Radyo Kalikasan with Donna Reyes.  The Agence France Press came up with an article on May 24,
Project perils Metro bird sanctuary which spurred local media to investigate the matter. Some of these articles are as follows: May 29 on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Floods feared from reclamation project in Las Pinas Paranaque lagoon by Miko Morelos,
June 8 on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Channel, bridge to save bird sanctuary by Jocelyn Uy, June 8 on Yahoo ! News, Metro Manila’s wetlands primed for ecotourism by Izah Morales, June 18 on TV 5’s Aksyon news program interview with Mike Lu,  Mangrove on Coastal Road pahingahan ng libu-libong ibon and on September 30 TV 5’s Kalibre with host Dong Puno interviewing Anna Gonzales.

On June 7, Department of Tourism Undersecretary Atty. Victoria Jasmin conducted a birdwatching trip for members of the media and the activity was covered by the news programs of GMA 7 and RPN 9.  On July 8, Kara David of Channel 11’s News on the Go filed the report Migratory Birds in danger of losing Metro Manila home to aircraft with a follow-up on GMA News by JM Tuason on the same day, In Manila, birds and planes on collision course.

The Talk of the Town section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 17 devoted a whole page to WBCP founder Ned Liuag’s article Birds of Coastal Lagoon. Ned also wrote another article, Last mangroves of Manila under threat in the December issue of

Coastal Clean-Up

The coastal clean-up initiated by the Wild Bird Club at the Las Pinas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LLPCHEA) were featured by IBC 13 news on June 5 and the Coastal 9/11 Clean-Up were featured on Aksyon TV 5 with Daan-daang volunteers nakiisa sa cleanup sa Freedom Island on September 12 and on GMA’s Balitanghali’s  Coastal Clean-up isinagawa sa Las Pinas-Paranaque ecotourism area also on September12.

7th Philippine Bird Festival

Former DENR Secretary Angel Alcala responding
to a query at the bird festival presscon with
Mike Lu and Anna Gonzales

The bird festival proper on September 23-24 received ample media coverage as well, Carine Asutilla of ABS CBN News Central Visayas filed the report 7th Philippine bird festival held in Dumaguete on September 23 and Juancho Rodriguez of the Negros Chronicle wrote Birdwatchers worldwide grace 7th PH bird festival on September 25.

A couple of weeks later, Jarius Bondoc interviewed Mike Lu regarding the outcome of the bird festival on his radio program Sapul on DWIZ 882AM on October 1.

International News

The Club’s attendance during the annual Raptorwatch in Malaysia were written about in two news articles.  On March 21, A place to call home by Chitra S.Nathan of The Star mentioned Alex Tiongco volunteering for Malaysian Nature Society’s annual raptor count. While Low Mei May of the New Straits Times interviewed Mike Lu about the Asian Bird Fair in the article Travel: A birdy affair that came out on March 23.

Other News

The Club co-sponsored a photo exhibit of migratory birds in Olango Island.  The exhibit was featured on July 9 on the Philippine Star with an article: “Migratory birds” exhibit in SM City Cebu and on August 1, Wild Birds photo exhibit set at mall on the Visayas Daily Star by Rene Genove.

QTV’s The Beat interviewed Jon Villasper on the peso bill design controversy on January 24 (see annual report 2010 for full details). Agence France Press came out with an article, Philippines sells, eats biodiversity riches on September 21.