A Good Day for Hornbills

The weather forecast predicted fair weather this long weekend but we birded in gloomy, foggy, rainy Mt. Palay-Palay this morning.

We were literally birding IN the fog!

But, despite the dreary ambiance, Jops, Jun, Mark Jason, Clemence, and I trudged forward and did our best to spot birds and enjoy the gaps in the rain. We were greeted early on by a Long-tailed Shrike and a male Pied Bushchat. We also spotted some Coletos, Philippine Cuckoo-Doves and a White-throated Kingfisher.

Birding in the rain.

When the rain got a bit stronger, we made a pit stop at the DENR station (Department of Environment and Natural Resources.) We were spotting a flock of Elegant Tits when Mark Jason told us he heard a Sooty Woodpecker calling. The rest of us joined him, listening for the telephone-like trilling of the woodpecker. After a few minutes, we spotted it crouched on a branch, opening its bill to release the ringing notes of its call. Really a great bird to see!

We moved further ahead and encountered a big flock of Tarictic Hornbills! We encountered another large flock later on during the morning, making our total Tarictic count for the morning 30!

These three male Tarictic Hornbills were part of the second flock we saw this morning.

We spent some time with the Tarictics, also enjoying a couple of very wet and hungry Coppersmith Barbets feeding on some berries, joined by some noisy Philippine Bulbuls.

We birded as long as the weather allowed, also wishing for the Mt. Palay-Palay "regulars" to show themselves, but none did. The rain was starting to fall harder and harder and we decided to head back down.

Bare tree waiting for the Philippine Falconets...

As we headed back home, we weren't that ecstatic with another rained-out birding adventure, but we had to admit it was a great day for hornbills. =)

Note: As we drove home to Manila, we passed by some rice paddies along the high way and guess what we saw? WADERS! We stopped to spot, ID, and count them and we saw some Wood Sandpipers, Little Ringed-Plovers, and Rufous-necked Stints! The waders are coming! Yay!