Highlights from The Philippines

This birding adventure through the Philippines was a whirlwind of early mornings, exciting discoveries, and beautiful landscapes. The journey began with an early departure from our Manila hotel for a flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. After settling in at the hotel, the group went birding, with successful sightings at Irawan and Iwahig. The following days were filled with early birding sessions and many very exciting bird finds.

A highlight was the sighting of a mature Palawan Peacock-Pheasant, which delighted the group, as did a feisty Falcated Wren-Babbler. As the days progressed, more birding sessions followed, including a trip to Jake’s Place in Infanta, where several endemic species were spotted, including the stunning Philippine Fairy-bluebird and Scaly-feathered Malkoha. There was also a visit to Makiling, where birding along the road and trails yielded more memorable species.

Birding at Mount Makiling’s Botanic Gardens and along La Mesa Road led to exciting finds, like the Ashy Thrush. A trip to Subic followed, where birding on Nabasan Road was fruitful, with sightings of the Philippine Falconet. In between the birding, there were birthday celebrations, many excellent meals, and good camaraderie.

The group then flew to Bohol for more birding at Rajah Sikatuna National Park, which offered incredible species like the Philippine Trogon and Azure-breasted Pitta. The visit to the Chocolate Hills provided a stunning break before returning to the park for more birding in the afternoon. 

Next, we headed to the southern island of Mindanao, and to the Mount Kitanglad reserve where we spent a day in search of the Philippine Eagle. Though sightings of the eagle were brief, the thrill of encountering such a majestic bird was a significant moment in the trip. Later exploring some higher altitudes,  we had more excellent birding with species like the Turquoise Flycatcher and the endemic White-cheeked Bullfinch and Red-headed Tailorbird. The birding sessions continued with a visit to Two Lakes, which yielded sightings of the Visayan Hornbill and White-bellied Woodpecker. Next, we headed to Bislig, where a sighting of Short-crested Monarch was a big thrill!

The trip ended with a final push to see Lina’s Sunbird and Dark-eared Brown-Dove on another mountain top, capping off an extraordinary birding journey.