Day Trip to Quezon National Park

The official website of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines

Date: July 1, 2005
Place: Quezon National Park
Trip Report and Bird List: Mark Villa

Yellow-bellied Whistler

I have finally seen the Philippine Dwarf-Kingfisher! I thought I'd never see this bird. beautiful bird and very good views. Gave me permanent smile for the whole day (and next.. still smiling actually). I went to Quezon National Park the other day because I kept reading reviews that it's easy to go there and the chance for different birds.I went to Quezon National Park the other day because I kept reading reviews that it's easy to go there and the chance for different birds. It is quite easy to go there .Can be done as a day trip birding like I did. It's about 4 hours away from Manila. It would be much easier and would save LOTS of walking if with car. It can be good alternative to Palay-palay and I think Palay-Palay would be quite like it when the road is done. The reports were right about the road having heavy traffic and annoying. Birding is mostly by the road and with vehicles passing by a lot, it's not as enjoyable but there are some nice trails to escape the noise. The forest is quite good actually. Didn't hear chainsaws at all but there are litters from visitors.

I arrived pretty late at 8am because I left late at around 3.. bus left at 4am. (had planned to leave earlier but got caught watching Wimbledon on tv - Sharapova lost :( ). It was nice and cloudy with some sun in the morning but rained in the afternoon. The park was not as birdy and even less so, as expected, in the late morning/early afternoon. Aside from the kingfisher, some good birds include Peregrine Falcon which flew overhead, Luzon Bleeding-heart, Rufous Coucals pretty common, Sooty Woodpecker, and heard Rufous Hornbill. Funny how swiftlets were very few from inside the park, only saw glossys by the road outside the park.

Buzzing Flowerpecker

Tarictic Hornbill

And odd how I didn't hear a single pitta. I would have thought it would be pitta season. Guess not. I thought I heard a dove that might be Cream-bellied Fruit-dove but not sure and thought I heard my dipped bird Rabor's Wren-Babbler. Was gonna look for it when I heard it but it started to rain. Also dipped on Blue-breasted Flycatcher .. also reported in the park. Hehe 3 reasons to go back again quite soon.

BIRD LIST: (count - rough estimates)
1. Oriental Honeybuzzard 1 - perched for long
2. Raptor sp. 1 - did not get views, flew along
honeybuzzard
3. Peregrine Falcon 1
4. Black-chinned Fruit-Dove (1)
5. Luzon Bleeding-heart 1
6. Fruit-Dove sp. (1) - maybe cream-bellied
7. Guaiabero 1
8. Common Koel 5+
9. Scale-feathered Malkoha 1 or 2
10. Red-crested Malkoha (Rough-crested Malkoha) 10+
11. Philippine Coucal (5)
12. Rufous Coucal 10
13. Glossy Swiftlet 20+
14. Pygmy Swiftlet 4
15. Philippine Trogon 1
16. Philippine Dwarf-Kingfisher(Philippine Kingfisher) 1
17. Tarictic Hornbill (Luzon Hornbill) 5+
18. Rufous Hornbill (1)
19. Coppersmith Barbet (5)
20. Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker (Philippine Woodpecker) (1)
21. Sooty Woodpecker 3 - 2 female, 1 male
22. Greater Flameback (1)
23. Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike 1 male
24. Blackish Cuckoo-shrike 5+
25. Black-and-white Triller 1
26. Yellow-vented Bulbul 2+
27. Philippine Bulbul 10+ - f common
28. Balicassiao 10+ - common
29. Large-billed Crow 5+
30. Elegant Tit 10+
31. Stripe-headed Rhabdornis (Stripe-sided Rhabdornis) 1
32. White-browed Shama 5+
33. Grey-backed Tailorbird 10+ - common
34. Blue-headed Fantail 10
35. Yellow-bellied Whistler 5
36. Coleto 5
37. Flaming Sunbird 5
38. Red-keeled Flowerpecker (Red-striped Flowerpecker) 2+
39. Buzzing Flowerpecker 1 or 2
40. Pygmy Flowerpecker 5+

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