Location: UPLB Botanic Gardens
Date: January 24, 2004
Time: 6:30 am - 10:00 am
Weather: Partly cloudy, no wind, a bit cold (~25)
Birders: JC Gonzalez, Carl Oliveros, Buge Machica

I went birding this morning with JC Gonzalez and a friend of mine in UP Los Banos. We spent most of our time in the botanic gardens because my friend's foot was sprained in the first few hundred meters of the makiling trail. Still, I think we did well. I saw 4 life birds this morning and listed 30 or so species so the botanic gardens isn't a bad site at all. 90% of the birds below were seen in the botanic gardens. Knowing your bird calls is important, especially in a forest site. Good thing JC was around.

If you haven't seen malkohas before, go to the botanic gardens at 6:30 or 7:00, before the gardens officially open at 8 a.m. (and the noisy crowd scares away the birds). I've been there 3 times already at around the same time and found Red-Crested Malkohas the first time, a Scale-Feathered Malkoha the second time, and this morning both species. They are very beautiful birds! If one of the staff has started cleaning up, they may let you in if you tell them you'll pay the P10 entrance fee later when you exit. You should see malkohas on the trees behind the main fountain/pond near the entrance. You also want to explore the many trails that go around the botanic gardens and not just stay on the main road.

I was on my way home this afternoon at around 5 p.m. when I realized I had time for a quick peek of the Tambo mudflats. Good thing I had a look because I saw another life bird, my first quail!

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Birdlist
1. Little Heron - 1 (along stream)
2. White-eard Brown Dove - (2)
3. Yellow-breasted Fruit-dove - (1)
4. Unidentified ground dove - (2)
5. Colasisi - (3), 2
6. Scale-feathered Malkoha - 1
7. Red-crested Malkoha - 2
8. Glossy Swiftlet - 5
9. Pygmy Swiftlet - 2
10. Indigo-banded Kingfisher - 1
11. White-throated Kingfisher - 1
12. Tarictic Hornbill - 3: 1-male, 1-female, 1-sex not identified
13. Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker - 2: 1 male, 1 female
14. Coppersmith Barbet - (1)
15. Barn Swallow - 1
16. Yellow-vented Bulbul - 2
17. Yellow-wattled Bulbul - (1)
18. Philippine Bulbul - (3), 1
19. Balicassiao - at least 9 (sandamakmak, accdg. to jc)
20. Stripe-headed Rhabdornis - 2
21. White-browed Shama - 1? (not confirmed)
22. Grey-streaked Flycatcher - 2
23. Grey Wagtail - 4
24. Pechora Pipit - 1 (walking on the forest floor)
25. Brown Shrike - 3
26. Plain-throated Sunbird - 1 male
27. Olive-backed Sunbird - 2 males
28. Purple-throated Sunbird - 2 males
29. Lovely Sunbird - 1 male
30. Orange-bellied Flowerpecker - (2)
31. Pygmy Flowerpecker - 1