Birding in Coron, especially for photography, has to include Capayas. After all this is the place that put Coron in the consciousness of Manila-based birders. Specifically, the three resident kingfishers. A Coron trip for me is never complete without at least one visit to this bird haven. Last November 20, after more than eight months since my last visit, I was able to go to back to CCKP. The first birds I saw and was able to take a photo were a pair of Blue-eared Kingfishers which were perched not in their usual open perch but somewhere inside the thicket. I would not have seen them but Erwin's sharp eyes picked them up. Erwin Edonga is CCKP's caretaker and resident bird guide.
Blue-eared Kingfishers
At first, we assumed that it was a male-female pair but judging from the orange beaks, it looks like two females. I was hoping that they would both come out and perch in a more open area but they never did.
Instead it was the noisy White-vented Shama that did.
White-vented Shama, Saya-saya in Cuyonon
Then I heard the unmistakable call of the Black-hooded Pitta. I was somewhat surprised to hear it in December. But it was there and after several minutes, I was able to photograph it.
Black-hooded Pitta, Wawa in Cuyonon
The pitta kept flying about and to my surprise it landed on the kingfisher perch in front of me. Luckily, my camera was pointed in the right direction since I was waiting for the kingfishers.
Black-hooded Pitta perched on the KF perch!
After about an hour and a half, my patience was rewarded when the Rufous-backed Kingfisher showed up.
Rufous-backed Kingfisher
With the appearance of the Rufous-backed, I was hoping that the Blue-eared and the Ruddy Kingfishers would follow but the birding gods did not favor me with the three kings that day. Instead, my last bird for the day was the Black-naped Monarch.
Black-naped Monarch, male
Five birds is low by Capayas standards so I left feeling "bitin" and was already planning to come back the following day if my schedule allowed it.
Fortunately, I was able to go back the following day. As I was entering the gate of Ramon Quisumbing's treehouse property I saw Erwin standing inside and pointing to something in the ground. It was the Hooded Pitta in the middle of the pathway! I quickly put my stuff down and extracted the camera out of my backpack but a dog scared away the bird before I could take a shot. Got my stuff again and set up behind the net/hide. I didn't have to wait long before the Blue-eared Kingfisher was there in front of me.
Blue-eared Kingfisher, female
What followed was one of those magical birding days that happen once in a while. Bird after bird appeared that there was hardly an idle moment during my half day stay. While shooting the Blue-eared, the Rufous-backed Kingfisher appeared and briefly perched on a vine but before I could snap a photo, it was chased away by its fellow kingfisher. But the friendly Black-hooded Pitta kept begging to have it's photo taken. Sometimes coming as close to about four meters away.
Black-hooded Pitta, Wawa in Cuyonon
While shooting the Pitta, Erwin saw another bird on the ground and quickly and excitedly (but quietly) summoned me to his side. Said bird was new to his eyes, hence the excitement. Upon seeing it, I believed it to be a Pechora Pipit, (which is not a lifer anymore), but was also hoping that it might be something else (so that it could be a lifer. hehehe).
Pechora Pipit, possibly the Menzbier's subspecies as identified by Desmond Allen
It was later identified by Desmond Allen as a Pechora Pipit, possibly Menzbier's Pipit subspecies. This is the first photograph of this bird at Capayas, maybe even in the whole of the Calamianes.
While I was shooting the Pipit, Erwin happened to glance up at the big mango tree and saw woodpeckers! A pair of Spot-throated Flameback woodpeckers were feeding on something from the tree branches. I thought they must be termites but the photo of the female shows a worm-like creature. It was very difficult to get an unobstructed shot. Sharing two of the more open ones.
Spot-throated Flameback Woodpecker, female, endemic to Palawan
Spot-throated Flameback Woodpecker, male, endemic to Palawan
The same tree also had a Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, a Palawan Drongo, and an Ashy Drongo.
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Manok-manok in Cuyonon
Ashy Drongo, Salang-ikog in Cuyonon
It was difficult shooting these because I was looking almost straight up and against the sun. I wasn't even able to get a decent shot of the Palawan Drongo (formerly conspecific with the Hair-crested Drongo).
Palawan Drongo, curiously, a bird with two Cuyonon names - Chichibiao and Tambeliligaw. (I think one of them is Tinagbanua)
As I was trying to get a good angle for the Malkoha, we heard the unmistakable call of the Blue-Headed Racquet Tail parrot, or Kilit in Cuyonon. True enough we saw one high up but there was no clear shot. A Black-naped Oriole (Tutulyaw in Cuyonon) and a Palawan Crow (Gakgak in Cuyonon) also did a fly-by. Then we heard the call of a Blue-naped Parrot but it kept to a dark part of a tree. Here are two super docu shots.
Blue-naped Parrot, Pikoy in Cuyonon
I returned to the creekside hoping for another chance at the Rufous-backed Kingfisher (in case it returned). But the Blue-eared was still holding court. Then Erwin excitedly summoned me again and pointed to the creek towards the far end of the property. Ruddy Kingfisher! I took a couple of insurance shots...
Ruddy Kingfisher from afar
...then we quietly made our way nearer. I took another couple of shots but they were both obstructed by a leaf. And while trying to manuever for a more open shot, the bird flew and never returned. Still, I was so happy to see this largest Capayas king.
Ruddy Kingfisher
After my encounter with the Ruddy, I went to the fruiting banana plant of Erwin and true enough found the Palawan Flowerpecker and Ashy-fronted Bulbul feasting on the fruits.
Palawan Flowerpecker, male, endemic to Palawan
We counted five males and one female Flowerpecker going back and forth to the banana.
Ashy-fronted Bulbul, Tabeleklek in Cuyonon, endemic to Palawan
While walking back to the treehouse, we saw the shama perched on a very low bush. With such an open shot, what can I do but oblige.
White-vented Shama, Saya-saya in Cuyonon, endemic to Palawan
After getting my fill of the shama, the Black-naped Monarch made an appearance in practically the same spot that it did the day before.
Black-naped Monarch, male
I briefly went back to the creekside to check on the kingfishers but the Rufous-backed was still a no show. Erwin then called my attention to a flowering tree that he said is frequented by the Lovely Sunbird. It seems he heard the call so the bird may be nearby. I walked several steps and positioned my tripod and camera. Within a few minutes, the male Lovely Sunbird made an appearance with what food in mouth!
Lovely Sunbird, male, sometimes called Chiwit nga mapula in Cuyonon
After the sunbird left, I went back to the treehouse, and met the Pitta on the path. We both stopped on our tracks. I slowly lowered my tripod and clicked away.
Black-hooded Pitta
I went back to the creek just in time to catch the Blue-eared Kingfisher do a dive and get a fish.
Blue-eared Kingfisher feeding on a fish locally called "pait"
After taking shots of the feeding kingfisher, I heard Erwin say quietly, "sir, pag seleng sa imong likod" (Sir, look behind you), and there it was again standing so close (this shot is uncropped).
Black-hooded Pitta (again)
I went back to the banana and was able to take a photo of the female Palawan Flowerpecker and the male was also around.
Palawan Flowerpecker, female
Palawan Flowerpecker, male
We heard the Blue Paradise Flycatcher near the creek so I made my way back and my BFF was there again peeping over some leaves.
And within a few minutes, the female Blue Paradise Flycatcher appeared.
Blue Paradise Flycatcher, female
It was nearing noontime and I was already thinking of leaving but then Erwin called my attention to a tree branch and saying "Kilit". It took me several minutes to find the green bird amidst the foliage. And when I finally saw it, it was a challenge to get a clear shot. Fortunately it appeared in the open for a bit.
Blue-headed Racquet Tail, female, Kilit in Cuyonon
Then the bird disappeared from view. We kept watch on the clump of bananas facing the treehouse. And of course the bird flew to the clump facing away from the treehouse! So I gathered my gear and started to walk around the other side giving the banana plant a wide berth. As soon as I curved to the right the bird was there in the open, I froze on my tracks and started firing away even before I could set my tripod down.
At one point the Kilit looked at me and cocked its head as if to ask, "are you done?"
Then it gave me another pose before it flew up to the taller trees.
Talikodgenic!
Hoping that it will come back, I set up my tripod under some cover and waited. But it did not come down again. We did see the male Kilit in one of the branches.
Blue-headed racquet Tail, male, Kilit in Cuyonon
Thinking that our presence might be preventing the Kilit from going to the bananas, I decided to call it a day. Incidentally, I should also mention here that the Kilit has been declared a flagship species by the Municipal Government of Coron last March 2021.
As I was starting to gather my stuff and put them back in my backpack, by birding BFF for the weekend made one last foray as if to say goodbye and ask for another photo. So I took a couple of shots and bade him (or her), adieu.
A parting shot of my bff :-)
Needless to say, it was a very satisfying morning of birding. I used up two 64gb XQD cards while taking about 2000 shots. All in all I saw 22 species in 5 hours of birding from within an 800sqm property 15 minutes from where I live in Coron. If only all birding sorties were this easy!
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