A Thrush-y Girls Day Out

With our +1s on their respective tours, Trinket and I made plans for a short trip within the week to La Mesa Ecopark. Just a quick birding fix before we headed to work on a Thursday.

It was girls birding day out!

Trinket and I arrived in the park within minutes of each other. Trinket was able to spot a cuckoo near the park entrance, in the same area Joni and I saw it weeks before, but it hid before I got to the spot. We made a leisurely walk towards the trail, stopping to spot something here and there. The park was almost empty since it was a weekday, and we enjoyed the quiet and isolation as we entered the mini-forest.

The first bird we saw in the trail was a busy Pechora Pipit, hurriedly scurrying around the ground. We laughed about the first time we saw it in the park and we dismissed it as a tiny Ashy Thrush =P We headed towards the area where Jops and I saw the White's Thrush last Sunday. I wasn't able to get good views the last time, and it was actually my main reason for coming back.

We didn't have to wait long before the bird made an appearance! The White's Thrush, formerly known as the Scaly Ground-Thrush, perched atop a clump of palm fruits and started feeding. Unlike our previous encounters with the bird, where it was observed on the ground, this individual preferred high perches and fed on berries instead of worms. I was able to get great views through my binoculars but photographing it was difficult from where I stood.

All I managed was this out of focus photo!

We were still enjoying our views when suddenly an Ashy Thrush swooped in and drove the bigger White's Thrush away. Interestingly, the Ashy perched atop the clump of fruits and started feeding on them as well! We discussed the Ashy's new item on its diet and watched as the bird stood possessively over the cluster of ripe, red berries.

It stayed quite a while as if saying
"This clump is MINE!"

We moved on, managing not to flush the Ashy as we passed by the palm tree. We tried our luck with the Spotted Wood Kingfisher, which Trinket hasn't seen yet in the park. After this morning, she still has yet to see it in the park. The Spotty wasn't on its usual perch. We did get to see another Ashy Thrush, perched very close to us and then it foraged noisily among the dry leaves covering the ground.

Other birds started to make their presence felt: Philippine Pied Fantails, Large-billed Crows, Arctic Warblers, Philippine Magpie Robins, and Red-keeled Flowerpeckers flew among the trees and called noisily from their perches. A scraggly Brown Shrike also showed along the trail as well as some noisy Black-naped Orioles and a Grey-streaked Flycatcher. We found ourselves facing the palm trees again, with the Ashy Thrush still sitting on top! It soon flew away, which gave the Yellow-vented Bulbuls a chance at the fruits.

YVB's turn to eat!

The Bulbul's ate noisily and messily, scattering fruits on the ground as they gobbled up the red berries. I decided to stay and wait for the White's Thrush and Trinket decided to go find herself a lifer in the trail.

I positioned myself in the shade and at the edge of the trail so as not to stick out like a sore birder, er, thumb. The Bulbuls have left the palm trees and I waited. Suddenly, an adult Ashy Thrush perched just a couple of feet beside me. It looked around and then it looked straight at me! It cocked its head one side, then the other and for a moment, I was afraid it would attack me! I raised my hands slowly to my face, ready to shield my eyes lest it did launch an assault on a poor, unarmed birder.

This bird scared me for a moment there! =P

I guess it decided I wasn't a threat (or I was a tree since I was definitely NOT breathing and moving!) and it turned its back to me and diverted its attention to other things in the forest. Suddenly a big bird perched on the palm trees: the White's Thrush was back!!! As soon as I turned my head towards the palms, the Ashy darted towards it, trying to flush the bigger thrush away! I actually let out a loud "Nooooo!"

The White's Thrush held its ground and stayed hidden behind the thin trunk, checking out if the endemic bully was going to attack again. Thankfully, it didn't.

Is the bully there???

When the coast was clear, it proceeded to feed on the berries. After a few second of eating, it stopped. And didn't move. At all. It stayed as if frozen on its perch. I happily took photos and admired the bird through my binoculars. It stayed for a long time, so I sat on the trail and watched.

It stayed still like this for a long time until it was flushed away by a hiker
who greeted my a shouty "Good morning" because she had her
earphones on =P

I got up from my seat (which was a big flat rock) and turned to see Trinket approaching me with a big smile, holding her fingers up in a letter L. Lifer! She was able to see the Slaty-legged Crake! Our excited chatter was interrupted by an ongoing, noisy Ashy versus Ashy fight. We saw the winner plucking out an earthworm from the ground. We continued talking about her lifer and decided to wait for the thrushes to come back.

We began talking about our friend Kitty's recent thrush lifer, and suddenly weren't sure which thrush she saw. We talked about the other possible species including the Brownheaded Thrush and the Eyebrowed Thrush. Just seconds after mentioning them, an Eyebrowed Thrush stealthily perched on the palm trees, plucked a couple of berries, and flew off into the trees. Cool! We thought the Sunda Thrush was worth mentioning aloud, but it didn't show =P

The Yellow-vented Bulbuls were back and after we were seated comfortably on the trail (Trinket on her folding chair and me on my rock), the White's Thrush came back. It gave us good views of its backside this time, before it walked towards the berries and fed.

My official favorite bird!
(for now)

It was the Bulbuls turn to get all territorial of the fruits. They hovered around the Thrush, flying in and out, noisily trying to drive it away, to no avail. Again, the Thrush fed for a while before staying absolutely still. We enjoyed observing it from our seats until it was flushed away by a group of students. A young Black-naped Oriole tried its luck with the fruits but it only stayed a few seconds before it gave up and flew off.

It was almost mid-morning and Trinket and I were more than satisfied with our very productive girls day out. We headed out the trail energized and ready to take on the Thursday that lay ahead of us. =)

Three Very Handsome Birds

Our trio found ourselves in the La Mesa Ecopark early Sunday morning. I was pretty excited at the possibility of seeing the Scaly Ground-Thrush again (it being one of the handsomest birds for me) and maybe even photograph it (I brought my new camera!)

Jun, Jops, and I entered the park surrounded by bird song. Just past the entrance, the tailorbirds were already singing loudly from the undergrowth and the tree tops were bustling with flitting birds. We stopped at certain areas to check out the birds calling around us: Black-naped Orioles, Olive-Backed Sunbirds, flowerpeckers, and Philippine Pygmy Woodpeckers were all joining the chorus. We entered the trail and it was refreshingly alive with bird song. It has been a while since we last heard the trails so "noisy."

An hour passed, but aside from the usual suspects, all we saw was a tree frog clinging adamantly to a thin branch.

While we were busy observing and photographing the frog, a Mangrove Blue-Flycatcher decided to have its breakfast beside us. It would perch on different branches, sometimes high and once very close to the ground, snatching a meal, but staying very close to us. After observing the flycatcher and listening to its beautiful song, I realized it is a very strong candidate in becoming my favorite bird!

A very handsome-looking Mangrove Blue Flycatcher.

In the same area, another handsome bird made its appearance. An Ashy Ground-Thrush took its time posing and searching for food on the ground, giving us fantastic unobstructed views.

A handsomely spotted Ashy Ground-Thrush.

When the bird flew away, the three of us explored the trail separately. I found a small flat rock to sit on, facing the inside of the trail, watching out for movement on the ground. Nothing. Bikers and joggers raced past behind me but in front of me, only a rooster with his harem of hens appeared in my chosen area.

And then Jun called me. I knew it at once... the boys spotted the Scaly Ground-Thrush. I trooped to where they were standing: exactly where we saw the Mangrove Blue, Ashy, and the frog (which was still there on its branch!) Jops was photographing the frog again when the thrush landed in the clearing beside him. I scanned the area they were pointing to and there it was... out in the open, busy foraging for food, handsome in its perfect camouflage.

Another handsome bird!  The Scaly Ground-Thrush.

After a while, the birds flew off and we started to head out the trail. We bumped into birder friend Rei and his friend and pointed out the area where we saw the birds. They texted us later on that they saw both thrushes too!

On the drive back home, reviewing my bird list and my photos, I couldn't help but feel really lucky to have practiced using my camera on three extremely handsome birds =)

P.S. On our way out, Jun spotted a Monitor Lizard sunbathing on a tree trunk. It was our first time to see one in the trail!

The Scaly Thrush Teaches Me A Lesson

It was the first time I really felt frustrated with the lack of birds. My companions and I were in the La Mesa Ecopark for some post-Christmas birding and I was hoping for the best. The park wasn't so full and the trails were almost deserted except for us and the occasional passerby. But all we saw after a couple of hours birding were Black-naped Orioles and Brown Shrikes. Good thing we saw an Osprey in flight on our way into the trail. 

We moved further into the trail hoping to see the Red-bellied or Hooded Pittas, but the surroundings were so quiet. A light rain would fall in intervals, alternating with songs from unseen Golden-bellied Flyeaters and yes, more Orioles. Good thing the Ashy Ground-Thrushes were a bit active that morning or else I would have felt really down.

We rounded the trail without seeing any additional birds. No Mangrove Blue Flycatchers. No Tailorbirds. No Crakes. No Pittas. Not even a Yellow-vented Bulbul! I was really beginning to feel sad. I decided to take our birder friend, Tinggay's advice to actually talk to the birds. I did (quietly.) I talked to the Red-bellied Pittas hiding in the brush to show themselves even for a few seconds. They didn't.

By this time, I was feeling really sad already so when it was suggested that we leave the trail to bird somewhere else in the park, I just pouted and followed my fellow birders as they started walking out the trail. There wouldn't be any more birds this morning.

It was then when a bird decided to teach me a lesson: no matter how frustrating and hopeless a situation may seem, God has something much, much better in store for you.

Walking out the trail, I saw what looked like a gigantic wader atop a fallen log. It flew off into the trees as soon as we stopped to take a better look. We followed it and saw a huge bird foraging on the ground. It was speckled... the spots looking like burnt fish scales. That's when it hit, we were actually looking at a Scaly Ground-Thrush (White's Thrush).

It was very easily flushed, flying off even when we were standing really still. I wasn't able to take a docu shot of my lifer before it flew away. Along the trail, we bumped into Bram and Kath. While we were waiting and scanning the area for the larger thrush, Bram saw a Red-bellied Pitta who apparently decided to answer my request earlier that morning and posed for their cameras. 

I guess talking to the birds really helps. I started talking to the Scaly Ground-Thrush (White's Thrush), this time asking permission for us to photograph it. We saw it one last time, perched a few meters above the ground, before we finally headed out the park. 

Thank you, Scaly Ground-Thrush, for teaching me the lesson I needed to learn the most =)