Checking Out the Hardin

On my way to work I managed to squeeze in a half-hour of birding in Hardin ng Rosas in UP Diliman. It was part of my first ever birding experience where I marveled at my first Common Moorhens and Common Kingfishers. I also made new friends that day =)

As I pulled into a parking slot, I was happy to see the wire fence stripped of vegetation, allowing me to view the field and small body of water on the other side. An odd group of birds was busy foraging in the grass and I was happy to see a Common Moorhen among that group. It was feeding alongside Crested Mynas, Rock Dove, and Eurasian Tree Sparrows. A small flock of Chestnut Munias also flew back and forth across the field.

I scanned the fringes of the grasslands hoping to see a rail or crake, but found none. There were also quite a lot of people busy tending the small rice field and the only birds to be unperturbed by them or the creepy-faced scarecrow were the mayas, who flew in huge flocks around the area.

Creepy anime-faced scarecrow

I was hoping to see some Java Sparrows. The last time I visited the Hardin, I saw a big flock of them perched on a small tree in the middle of the field. While I scanned and waited, I amused myself with the busy butterflies fluttering around and feeding in the bush in front of me.

No Java Sparrows.

I walked to the end of the compound and sought the shade of a big acacia tree. There were more Eurasian Tree Sparrows, Philippine Pygmy Woodpeckers, and Golden-bellied Gerygones in the canopy. I also heard a Collared Kingfisher calling unseen. To my surprise, the Java Sparrows were there in the acacia tree! =)

I was happy to see them still in Hardin =)

The day was getting hotter by the minute (and it was only past 9AM!) The birds were also beginning to feel the heat.

  

Refreshing bath in the shade!

I spent a few minutes waiting near the small “stream” by the wall, hoping for a heron or bittern, but found none. Oh well, it was time to go to work anyway.

What a wonder cropping can do! ;)
I cropped out the murky water and soap suds =P

I began and ended May with some Quezon City birding, plus a bit more in between, but nothing more than that. Hopefully this June, I’ll be able to go out birding more. As a farewell song, a handsome Olive-backed Sunbird sang in front of me as I backed up the car and drove away =)

A Break from the Rain

The monsoon rains have been unrelenting. For days, Manila and many neighboring provinces suffered torrential rains and heavy flooding. Many people remain in evacuation centers and many areas are still submerged in floodwater. The PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration) issued weather forecasts predicting improved weather conditions starting Thursday. At first, I was skeptical, I woke up to a very gloomy morning and experienced a heavy downpour around 10AM.

However, towards noon, the sun started shining through the dense Habagat clouds. When Jops picked me up in the afternoon, he suggested we drop by the UP Diliman campus and take advantage of this pocket of good weather for some birding.

The UP Oval was awash with sunlight. Joggers and bikers had already started their rounds,
also taking advantage of the pocket of sun.

We parked and started our afternoon walk in the Beta Epsilon walkway. Classes were suspended for the day and the usually busy path was empty. 

Entering the Beta Ep. walkway from the parking lot.

It was nice and quiet in the area. We could hear bird song and the flow of water from the small creek running through the path. We could hear the resident Pied Fantails calling from the bamboo beside the water. There were some movements in the trees, a couple of Golden-bellied Flyeaters were flitting from branch to branch before flying off to another tree. Collared Kingfishers called from the area close to the library.

The small creek running across the path.

The Beta Way, dappled in sunlight, was a great sight after all that rain.

We reached the other end of the walkway and decided to check out the lagoon. Up in the acacia trees lining the road, we could hear Philippine Pygmy Woodpeckers trilling away above us. A Colasisi came speeding above us, just passing through, its call fading as it flew farther away.

The lagoon area was being "renovated" and the work was still unfinished. They are building what looked to me as canals and the main lagoon has been planted with some lotus. The sound of flowing water drowned out the noise of cars and jeeps passing by. It was a comfort to know the sound of rushing water wasn't coming from an overflowing creek =P

Water flowing through the constructed canal. The lagoon in the
background already had lotus in it.

 As we made our way around the lagoon, we saw a couple of Zebra Doves, some Pied Trillers, and a big flock of very clean-looking Lowland White-eyes. The White-eyes flew noisily close to us before disappearing in the canopy above. We checked out the Vargas Museum but all we saw were Eurasian Tree Sparrows and more Zebra Doves.

Before heading to Katipunan, we decided to take a peek at Hardin ng Rosas. It has been a while since we last birded in the place. The area has been cleared, leaving much space exposed.

We were immediately greeted by a Common Moorhen, swimming in the pond and a White-breasted Waterhen would walk in and out from the lilies. We could see lots of swiftlets flying over a field in the distance and a Long-tailed Shrike posed proudly atop a bamboo pole. A small flock of munias flew past us. It was already getting dark so we packed up and drove away. It was nice revisiting UP for an afternoon of birding during the short break from the rain. But...

...towards 9PM, heavy downpour again. I really, really hope the weather clears up this weekend!