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Location: Caylabne Bay and Mt Palay-Palay National Park
Date: September 11-12, 2004
Birders:
Mads Bajarias, Mike Lu, Carl Oliveros, Stef Saño Jr.,
Leni Sutcliffe, Peter Sutcliffe, Mark Villa
Trip report by Stef Saño Jr.
Bird list by Stef Saño Jr., & Mark Villa
11
September 2004
Weather: 75 cloud cover, 28~30 deg C, 10 knots from the South
Trip Recording began at 2:35 pm.
Our first stop was about a kilometer before Puerto Azul, on
the way to Caylabne Bay. Still in the Palay-Palay area, at
1445h we saw Barn Swallows and Striated Swallows. Everyone
became preoccupied with a bird not identifiable from Kennedy
or from Mike's copy of a Southeast Asian bird catalog. At
first we categorized it as a flycatcher type but later on
realized it resembles more of a bushchat. The bird
had the following features: white vent, streaked/ mottled
light orange breast, white tipped primaries, black face, cap,
white ear coverts, buff rump. It flicked its tail, perched
on line and branches, then went to the ground (short grass)
for 1-2 minutes.
In the vicinity we also heard a Philippine Coucal and saw
the following:
Striated Swallow (4), numerous Glossy Swiftlets, Golden-bellied
Flyeater (2), Elegant Tit, Brahminy Kites (2) and a Pygmy
Woodpecker.
Further
approaching Caylabne Bay, we saw a Whiskered Treeswift on
a phone line right side of the road.
CAYLABNE BAY RESORT
with Caylabne Bay Birding Guides-In-Training, Mervin and Marcus
| Then
we arrived at the Caylabne Bay entrance, where we saw
a White-breasted Wood-swallow flying and a Male Pied
Buschchat on the left (west) side of road, perched on
a telephone pole restraining cable, .5m from the ground.
Upon being allowed inside, we headed straight for the
"T-intersection" otherwise known as the passerine
hangout. Arriving at around 3:10 pm, we could only stop
for a few minutes as we needed to soon check in and
meet with Leni and Peter. We saw the following: |
Blue-throated Bee-eater
|
White-breasted
Wood-swallow (1) in flight, White-throated Kingfisher (1)
on the left (southwest) side among the trees, Striated Swallow
(10+), Pacific Swallow 46 and Blue-throated Bee-eater (5).
We
stopped the car at check-in, around 3:15 pm. Outside the reception
building we saw: Yellow-vented Bulbul (2) in trees up front,
Philippine Bulbul (1) also in trees, Glossy Swiftlet (6).
We also heard a Black Naped Oriole and saw several Brahminy
Kites in various orientations from the building: 2 South,
3 northeast, 1 East, and 2 West.
Brahminy Kite
|
After
checking in, we went to cottage #605 and met with Leni
and Peter; from thence we proceeded to the patio restaurant
to meet with the Bird Guides-In-Training, Mervin and
Marcus. It was 3:40 pm, about time to prepare for early
evening bird action. Before beginning the hike to the
Caylabne Bay Bridge, we saw: White-breasted Wood-Swallow
(8) in flight 25m overhead, Brahminy Kite (7) from the
west going east and another one closer to unit 605,
Yellow-Vented Bulbul (1), Eurasian Tree Sparrow (4+)
flying from a tree in the rotunda to a tree across street
by the seafront cottages.
Just before 4:00 pm we went to the Caylabne Bay Bridge,
and observed 20 species, including a Barred Rail on
the grass and, vocally, a White Eared Brown Dove, the
ubiquitous Philippine Coucal, & a Golden-bellied
Gerygone. |
From
the bridge we proceeded towards the new River Trail, constructed
in late August and a possible reason for the absence of Philippine
Ducks in the estuary. While the Anas Luzonica could not be
found from anywhere along the trail, other interesting birds
kept us company, including a Black Naped Monarch, a Striated
Heron walking on opposite riverbank, and at the end of the
trail, a small flock of Pink-necked Green Pigeons. Birders
also heard a White-Breasted
Waterhen among others.
At the end of the trail, we arrived back at the entrance road
and headed back to civilization, at the Caylabne port around
6:00 pm or so. Behind the residences was an open area by the
forest edge, where a medium-sized tree lay fallen. A Zebra
Dove landed on one of its branches, with dozens of Yellow
Vented Bulbul (100+) flitting through from north to south,
right in front of the dove. Atop a flowering coconut tree
on the bay side of the road, a gang of Stripe-headed Rhabdornis
(30+) made lots of noise, jockeying for position, presumably
to either eat or sleep. Looking overhead, a team of ten Brahminy
Kites soared westwards, while a Philippine Coucal made a few
calls at dusk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 12 September 2004
Time: 515a-730a
Weather: 25 deg C, 60%-70% cloud cover, decreased as sun came
up; no discernable wind, occasional 1-2 knot gusts
| The
group (sans Peter who chose wisely not to cut short
his sleep) departed unit 605 around 5:10 am. Upon arriving
at the Caylabne Entrance Gate, we noticed a pair of
glowing eyes blocking the gate, staring back at the
car's headlamps it took off after a second. A similar
set of eyes showed up on the road outside, and similarly
took off. Nightjar species. We were hoping Mike could
tell Nightjar species just by looking at their eyes.
On
the way to Palay-Palay, Madz spotted a large bird on
the left side of the road flying parallel to car, 15m
away, 10m above. It had a small head, perhaps too small
and pointed to be an owl's, a long tail and streamlined
wings, perhaps fitting the silhouette of large nightjar. |
Stripe-sided Rhabdornis
|
With
the car going slow and with windows open, we could hear at
least one identifiable call, that of the Spotted Wood-kingfisher.
We
arrived at the observation area on Mt. Palay-Palay and alighted
from the car, at which point Madz heard a White-browed Shama.
We saw a Philippine Bulbul among the trees and a vocal Stripe-headed
Rhabdornis flying between trees, circling 10m above our heads.
Other birds chirped and cawed to welcome us (or maybe they
were telling us to go away), including:
Coppersmith
Barbet, a pair of Philippine Coucals answering each other,
a Philippine Fairy Bluebird perched ~10m above ground; and
the deep drumming of a larger woodpecker.
The Philippine Fairy Bluebird was a treat for everyone as
it did not cease calling for a while a repeating uEEEP, enough
for everyone to get a good look through the scope.
Tarictic Hornbill
|
Looking
around some trees surrounding us, we saw an Elegant
Tit with yellow underneath, black upper with white stripes
diagnostic, perched at eye level in a tree about 12m
away. Farther away, we spotted a Coleto on a barren
branch about 15-20m above ground, 10m away. A couple
of Philippine Bulbuls joined the chorus, even as more
Coleto (5+) came out of the woodwork. A pair of Balicassiao
perched on a branch, in the same tree as the Coletos.
Then we chanced upon a barren tree where it turns out
six Philippine Falconets were hanging out, about 30m
away, 3m above eye level. Another three of them were
spotted on a nearby tree. They barely moved, and looked
more like stuffed toys than real birds. They minded
their business and didn't seem to care about anything. |
Far
away, about 200m into the forest, we spotted up to 7 Tarictic
Hornbills. Not too far below the hornbill haven was the answer
to the deep drumming from earlier: a White-bellied Woodpecker
on the lower part of a woodpecker condo about 100m away, still
drumming it up. Several minutes later it went away, and a
wily Coleto was seen crawling up and down the same woodpecker
condo.
Eventually the Tarictics, specifically 2F and 4M, moved to
a tree on nearby hill, about 20m overhead. Group members enjoyed
the good view, while elsewhere, a Philippine Bulbul kept moving
around and a pair of Red-keeled Flowerpeckers started calling
above in nearby tree, 10m high; it gave a rapid tst, tst,
tst...
| All
of a sudden, a straight-flying green parrot went from
east to west, emitting a high-pitched, metallic teeet,
teeet, teeet. It was Mr. Guaiabero wearing green plumage
with bluish smudges, no red. A couple of other calls
were heard, particularly those of a White-throated Kingfisher
and of a Pygmy woodpecker.
As
we walked back to the car, almost at eye level about
15m away, we saw a Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike in its
dark gray, and on the same tree, were a couple of Blackish
Cuckoo-shrike singing eeuw, eeuw, eeuw repeated. |
Guaiabero
|
Group
members also spotted a Fruit Dove, either a Black-chinned
or a Yellow-breasted.
On
the drive back to Caylabne Bay, a Brahminy Kite flew overhead,
and we saw about 17 Pacific Swallow perched on phone wire
on the bay side of the road. About three White-breasted Wood-swallows
also were perched there.
CAYLABNE
BAY RESORT
Between the "Security Inspection" gate and the main
Caylabne Bay entrance, we saw Black Naped Orioles, White-breasted
Wood-swallows, Glossy Swiftlets, more Brahminy Kites, more
Pacific Swallows, White-breasted Wood-swallows, Pacific Swallows,
Asian Glossy Starlings and White-Throated Kingfishers.
Then
we returned to the passerine hangout (T-intersection) where
the Pacific Swallows had doubled their numbers since yesterday.
There were more Asian Glossy Starlings and Black-Naped Orioles
there. We then started hiking upstream to find more birds
near the freshwater bodies of Caylabne Bay. We again saw Whiskered
Treeswifts, Pygmy woodpeckers, more Pacific Swallows in flight,
a pair of Yellow-vented Bulbuls. We alse heard already familiar
calls of a Gerygone/ Golden-bellied Flyeater and two Philippine
Coucals.
Looking overhead we saw a Pied Triller about 5m in a tree.
Nearby was an Arctic Warbler, with diagnostic all-dirty white
underparts. Madz then spotted a Kingfisher that later turned
out to be a female Indigo-banded Kingfisher with white ear
coverts, reddish beak, turquoise back, turquoise/ bluish broken
chest band and red feet. We followed the Kingfisher further
upstream and saw it capture and eat prey. We heard a Black
Naped Oriole along the way and were surprised by an Emerald
Dove scurrying downstream at eye level. As did the dove, so
we also started heading back downstream.
We
got back to the road, near the small lagoon, where we saw
a Common Kingfisher 1m above the water, perched on a small
dead branch. Back near the T-intersection, we saw 9+ Blue-throated
Bee-eaters, another Pygmy Swiftlet in flight and another Pied
Triller.
During
lunch, a Collared Kingfisher was looking for lunch at the
estuary, calling loudly, flying out then back into vegetation.
On the way back from lunch, group members saw two Scaly-breated
Munia and four Guaiaberos.
We checked out right after lunch, leaving Caylabne Bay by
12:40 pm. Along the way, near the transmission tower where
a flyeater-like bird was seen yesterday, we saw a Long-tailed
Shrike, a couple of Zebra Doves, a whole bunch of Asian Glossy
Starling (20+) in trees along the bay side of the road. The
last surveyed birds we saw were a pair of White-collared Kingfisher
in a tree on highway.
-------------------- PALAY-PALAY BIRD COUNT 2004 SEPTEMBER
11-12 (35 species) --------------------
1. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 4
2. Philippine Falconet Microhierax erythrogenys 9
3. Fruit Dove sp 1
4. Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 2
5. Guaiabero Bolbopsittacus lunulatus 1
6. Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis (2) vocal
7. Nightjar sp - most likely Great-eared Nightjar based on
the size
8. Glossy Swiftlet Aerodramus esculenta 12+
9. Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata 1
10. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 1
11. Spotted Wood Kingfisher Actenoides lindsayi (2)
12. Tarictic Hornbill Penelopides panini 10+
13. Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala (1) vocal
14. Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculatus
15. White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis 1
16. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 27
17. Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica 12
18. Striated Swallow Hirundo striolata 4
19. Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike Coracina striata 1+
20. Blackish Cuckoo-shrike Coracina coerulescens 4+
21. Philippine Bulbul Ixos philippinus 2+
22. Balicassiao Dicrurus balicassius
23. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 1
24. Philippine Fairy-bluebird Irena cyanogaster 1
25. Elegant Tit Pardaliparus elegans 1
26. Stripe-sided Rhabdornis Rhabdornis mysticalis 1
27. White-browed Shama Copsychus luzoniensis (1) vocal
28. Bushchat sp - 1, probably immature Pied Bushchat
29. Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea 2
30. Grey backed TailorbirdOrthotomus derbianus - (2)
31. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 13
32. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach 1
33. Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis 20+
34. Coleto Sarcops calvus 6
35. Red-keeled Flowerpecker Dicaeum haematostictum 2
--------------------- CAYLABNE BAY BIRD COUNT 2004
Sept 11- 12 (41 species) ----------------------------
1. Striated Heron Butorides striatus 1
2. Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus 12+, including 2 immatures
3. Barred Rail Gallirallus torquatus 2
4. White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis olivaceus 2
5. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos - 2
6. White-eared Dove Phapitreron leucotis (3) vocal
7. Pink-necked Pigeon Treron vernans 4+, including a pair
(1 Male, 1 Female)
8. Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 1
9. Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica 1
10. Guaiabero Bolbopsittacus lunulatus 4
11. Philippine Coucal Centropus viridis (5) vocal
12. Nightjar sp. - 3, probably Philippine Nightjar
13. Glossy Swiftlet Aerodramus esculenta 6
14. Pygmy Swiftlet Aerodramus troglodytes 1
15. Whiskered Treeswift Hemiprocne comata 3+
16. Indigo-banded Kingfisher Alcedo cyanopecta 1
17. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis 1
18. White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 2
19. Collared Kingfisher Todirhamphus chloris 3
20. Spotted Kingfisher Actenoides lindsayi (1) vocal
21. Blue-throated Bee-eater Merops viridis 9+
22. Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephala 6
23. Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos kizuki 2
24. Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica - 120+
25. Striated Swallow Hirundo striolata 10+
26. Yellow-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus goiavier 110+
27. Philippine Bulbul Ixos philippinus 6 + 1 vocal
28. Pied Triller Lalage nigra 1
29. Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis 6 + (1) vocal
30. Stripe-sided Rhabdornis Rhabdornis mysticalis 35+
31. Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata 1
32. Golden-bellied Gerygone Gerygone sulphurea 5
33. Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis 1
34. Philippine Tailorbird Orthotomus castaneiceps 1
35. Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea 1 + (1) vocal
36. White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorynchus 16+
37. Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach 1
38. Asian Glossy Starling Aplonis panayensis 5+, including
1 immature
39. Olive-backed Sunbird Cinnyris jugularis 1
40. Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus 4+
41. Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata 2 |
