New Zealand, the Subantarctic Islands & Manila (1 Viewer)

2nd January At Sea

Today I had effectively burnt out and spent most the day catching up on sleep and attending some lectures. This meant I missed both Hourglass and Dusky Dolphins but no new birds.

The little seawatching I did do was relatively unproductive though it was nice to see some of the more northern species like Cook's Petrel again. In the evening, the boat anchored in the lee of Stewart Island. A lot of albatrosses gathered around the boat so we had some superb views of Buller's and Salvin's sitting on the water. We also saw a Stewart Island Shag and a New Zealand Fur Seal.

3rd January Arrival back on land

The brilliant voyage had to come to an end and I was looking forward to being back in civilisation where I could e-mail my parents and pick up messages.

As we disembarked early morning, I saw a Spotted Shag in the port and rather incongruously my only mainland Banded Dotterel flew over the coach as it was leaving the port.

Mark was driving to look for Rock Wren and, as this is what I was planning to do, we teamed up for a couple of days. We headed off to Te Anau, where I had booked to stay at the YHA, stopping at a small wetland. The weather was pretty grim and we were both very tired but we did manage to find Little Pied Shag, New Zealand Scaup and Australian Shoveler. I also saw my first New Zealand Yellowhammer from the car.

I did not do much the rest of the day except catch up on e-mails, messages and sleep. The next day was my last full day in New Zealand and we were heading to Milford Sound.

4th January Milford Sound / Homer Tunnel

Mark picked me up early and we headed off to Milford Sound, full of excitement in the glorious weather. A brief New Zealand Falcon from the vehicle was a great start to the day.

We started with a search for Rock Wren and split up in different directions to boost our chances but this proved fatal for me. Mark soon waved to say he had one but by the time I clambered over the rocks it had gone. A four hour search then ensued but eventually I admitted defeat. I did see some Keas at the car park from the top of the hill but they had long gone by the time I got down there.

We spent the rest of the day looking unsuccessfully for Blue Duck, Kea and Rock Wren. There were worse places however to dip these birds as the scenery was breathtaking. We also did see Fantail, New Zealand Shelduck, South Island Robin and Tomtit.

New Zealand had been brilliant but I was now ready to move on.

5th January Travel

I caught a Tracknet bus early from Te Anau to Queenstown Airport before catching a flight to Auckland. After killing 6 hours at the airport, I boarded my flight to Manila via Cairns. It was dark when I got to Cairns so no birding but I arrived in Manila on time at 3.30 am.

6th January Philippines

I had only one day in the Philippines so I had arranged for a guide called Adrian to pick me up at the airport at 4am. I rarely use guides because I prefer finding the birds myself and try to do things as cheaply as I can but I decided that with such limited time I would splash out.

However, I waited at the airport for over two hours trying desperately to contact Adrian. Eventually, I gave up and hired a driver for the morning to take me to La Mesa Eco Park. The journey took almost two hours due to the traffic and the driver not really knowing the way.

Quite how I'm not sure but Adrian guessed that I might do that and we were fortunate to bump in to each other in the car park. I explained to the somewhat confused driver that I would not need him for the rest of the day even though I'd already paid for six hours. Adrian had however offered to guide me the day for free after his mistake so it worked out a lot cheaper than I had expected.

After this debacle, we actually had a superb day's birding. It was really nice after weeks in New Zealand and the Subantarctic to actually see lots of birds and reacquaint myself with many of the birds I had seen on my Malaysia trip last April.

Amongst these in La Mesa were Black-naped Oriole, Pied Fantail (sometimes split), Arctic Warbler, Olive-backed Sunbird, Brown Shrike, Yellow-vented Bulbul, Spotted Dove, Colllared Kingfisher and Zebra Dove. It was particularly good to see several Golden-bellied Gerygone as I had managed to only hear this species in Malaysia.

There were also several specialities, the highlights of which were undoubtedly a superb Ashy Thrush, my first zoothera, and a Barred Rail. We walked round the forested bit several times and although several species like Spotted Wood Kingfisher and Little Woodpecker were uncooperative. However, we did manage to find Lowland White-eye, Grey-backed Tailorbird, Pygmy Flowerpecker, Philippine Hanging Parrot and White-eared Brown Dove.

An unpromising damp bit by the car park produced two lifers in the form of a Lesser Coucal and a White-breasted Woodswallow. We also saw a flock of Scaly-breasted Munia, my first Little Egret of the trip, numerous Glossy Swiftlet and Pacific Swallow.

We then headed to the university where we easily saw the roosting Philippine Nightjar and, after a little searching, a couple of stunning Long-tailed Shrikes.

It was still only mid morning so Adrian suggested we head to Subic Bay about two hours to the north so we headed off along the tedious motorway.

We stopped off for some much needed food at a roadside service station. This was conveniently positioned by a marshy paddyfield so the area was full of Little Egrets, Great White Egrets, Whiskered Terns and Black-winged Stilts. There were several familiar species as well like Marsh Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Moorhen, Purple Heron, Common Kingfisher and Little Grebe. More exciting however was several Blue-tailed Bee Eaters, a White-browed Crake, both Cinammon and Yellow Bittern, Striated Heron, Philippine Purple Swamphen and another Barred Rail.

The remaining hour to Subic was pretty birdless apart from some Large-billed Crows and a Chestnut Munia.

Subic however was excellent and it was getting cooler because it was now mid afternoon. The first stop produced several much-desired birds like Luzon Hornbill, Coleto, Blue-naped Parrot and Green Racket-tail. Also seen at this stop were a few Elegant Tits, a Chinese Goshawk and Grey-streaked Flycatcher.

We continued driving further stopping briefly for the remarkable number of fruit bats, a few Whiskered Treeswift and a White-throated Kingfisher off the distinct Philippines form. We then stopped by the road and birded a nice area of forest for the rest of the day, where we accompanied permanently by several stunning Blue-throated Bee-eaters.

One of the first birds I spotted was a Rough-crested Malkoha shortly followed by a Rufous Coucal. In addition to several birds I had previously seen in Malaysia like Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike, Brahminy Kite, Emerald Dove and White-bellied Woodpecker, we managed several excellent birds. These included Luzon Flameback, Guiabero, Balicassiao, Philippine Serpent Eagle, Philippine Coucal, Philippine Bulbul and eventually Sooty Woodpecker.

It was getting quite dark but Adrian suggested we head to a spot where he often sees Spotted Wood Kingfisher. Unfortunately this was a no show but we did see a Red Junglefowl and Crab-eating Macaque.

As it got dark, we then looked for owls but the Philippine Scops Owls and Philippine Hawk Owls were being completely unresponsive. As we were driving back, we however spotted a Chocolate Boobook on a phone wire but it stayed only briefly and even more brief was a flypast Great-eared Nightjar.

After this partial success, Adrian drove the 3 hours back to my hotel in Manila. I was completely exhausted when I got back just after 10pm but it had been a very successful day in the end.

7th January Travelling Home

My taxi to the airport was not until 8.30 so on Adrian's advice, I headed for a short walk in to Manila Bay. This did not look particularly promising but amazingly I got a superb lifer in the form of several showy Rufous-night Herons. Also here were a few Black-crowned Night Herons, a Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, several Whiskered Terns and my first Black-headed Gulls of the trip.

I arrived back in the UK on time at about 8pm in the evening after my typically uncomfortable Philippines Airlines flight. I need to return to the Philippines soon to spend more time enjoying its superb birdlife.

Overall, it had been a brilliant trip to places that I never thought I'd get to. I'd like to thank the Enderby Trust, Rodney Russ and Heritage Expeditions for the scholarship that made the main event of the trip possible. I urge anyone reading this aged between 18 and 30 to consider applying for one of the scholarships.

If you've got this far and are still reading this, then very well done - I appreciate it has been a pretty long report!

Trip List (all species only mentioned in first country I saw them in)

Cairns

1. Common Myna
2. White-faced Heron
3. Brown Honeyeater
4. Scaly-breasted Munia
5. Welcome Swallow
6. Fairy Martin
7. Magpie Lark
8. Willie Wagtail


New Zealand & Islands

1. House Sparrow
2. Starling
3. Feral Pigeon
4. Kelp Gull
5. Blackbird
6. Purple Swamphen
7. Pied Shag
8. Red-billed Gull
9. Australian Magpie
10. Tui
11. Song Thrush
12. Sacred Kingfisher
13. White-fronted Tern
14. Australian Gannet
15. Fluttering Shearwater
16. Variable Oystercatcher
17. Masked Lapwing
18. Arctic Skua
19. Bellbird
20. New Zealand Pigeon
21. Stitchbird
22. Grey Warbler
23. Whitehead
24. Brown Quail
25. Red-crowned Parakeet
26. North Island Saddleback
27. Swamp Harrier
28. North Island Kokako
29. New Zealand Robin
30. Little Pied Cormorant
31. Little Penguin
32. New Zealand Dotterel
33. Goldfinch
34. New Zealand Fantail
35. Takahe
36. Brown Teal
37. Eastern Rosella
38. Caspian Tern
39. Little Spotted Kiwi
40. Spotless Crake
41. Fernbird
42. White-headed Stilt
43. Skylark
44. Mallard
45. Knot
46. Bar-tailed Godwit
47. Marsh Sandpiper
48. Cormorant
49. Grey Teal
50. Royal Spoonbill
51. Cattle Egret
52. South Island Oystercatcher
53. Black-billed Gull
54. Canada Goose
55. Turnstone
56. Chaffinch
57. Greenfinch
58. Wrybill
59. Silvereye
60. Paradise Shelduck
61. Dunnock
62. Tomtit
63. Great-crested Grebe
64. New Zealand Scaup
65. Black-fronted Tern
66. Spotted Shag
67. Bronze Shag
68. White-capped Albatross
69. Kaka
70. Shining Cuckoo
71. Buller’s Albatross
72. Redpoll
73. Stewart Island Kiwi
74. Yellowhead
75. Pipipi
76. South Island Saddleback
77. Yellow-crowned Parakeet
78. Weka
79. Rifleman
80. Sooty Shearwater
81. Wandering Albatross
82. Southern Royal Albatross
83. Black Swan
84. Australian Shoveler
85. Great White Egret
86. Gibson’s Wandering Albatross
87. Northern Royal Albatross
88. Salvin’s Albatross
89. Northern Giant Petrel
90. Fairy Prion
91. Fulmar Prion
92. Black-winged Petrel
93. Mottled Petrel
94. Cook’s Petrel
95. Little Shearwater
96. Cape Petrel
97. White-faced Storm Petrel
98. Common Diving Petrel
99. Snares Penguin
100. Eastern Rockhopper Penguin
101. Broad-billed Prion
102. Antarctic Prion
103. White-chinned Petrel
104. Black-bellied Storm Petrel
105. Antarctic Tern
106. Brown Skua
107. Auckland Teal
108. Yellow-eyed Penguin
109. Light-mantled Sooty Albatross
110. Auckland Shag
111. New Zealand Falcon
112. Double-banded Plover
113. Subantarctic Snipe
114. New Zealand Pipit
115. White-headed Petrel
116. Grey-backed Storm Petrel
117. Campbell Albatross
118. Kerguelen Petrel
119. Short-tailed Shearwater
120. King Penguin
121. Royal Penguin
122. Black-browed Albatross
123. Southern Giant Petrel
124. Macquarie Island Shag
125. Gentoo Penguin
126. Grey-headed Albatross
127. Campbell Teal
128. Campbell Shag
129. Wilson’s Petrel
130. Kea
131. Yellowhammer

Philippines

1. Tree Sparrow
2. Yellow-vented Bulbul
3. Arctic Warbler
4. Black-naped Oriole
5. Golden-bellied Gerygone
6. Brown Shrike
7. Lowland White-eye
8. Grey-backed Tailorbird
9. Pied Fantail
10. Barred Rail
11. Collared Kingfisher
12. Little Egret
13. Zebra Dove
14. Spotted Dove
15. White-eared Brown Dove
16. Ashy Thrush
17. Philippine Hanging Parrot
18. Olive-backed Sunbird
19. Pygmy Flowerpecker
20. Lesser Coucal
21. Philippine Nightjar
22. Long-tailed Shrike
23. Whiskered Tern
24. Moorhen
25. Blue-tailed Bee Eater
26. Little Ringed Plover
27. Common Kingfisher
28. Purple Heron
29. Little Heron
30. Elegant Tit
31. White-browed Crake
32. Cinammon Bittern
33. Yellow Bittern
34. Blue-naped Parrot
35. Chestnut Munia
36. Chinese Sparrowhawk
37. Luzon Hornbill
38. Grey-streaked Flycatcher
39. Green Racket-tail
40. Large-billed Crow
41. Barn Swallow
42. Pacific Swallow
43. Glossy Swiftlet
44. White-breasted Woodswallow
45. Rufous Coucal
46. Rough-crested Malkoha
47. Coleto
48. Guaiabero
49. Philippine Bulbul
50. Whiskered Treeswift
51. White-throated Kingfisher
52. Blue-throated Bee-eater
53. Balicassiao
54. Sooty Woodpecker
55. Luzon Flameback
56. White-bellied Woodpecker
57. Philippine Coucal
58. Brahminy Kite
59. Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
60. Emerald Dove
61. Philippine Serpent Eagle
62. Chocolate Boobook
63. Great-eared Nightjar
64. Red Junglefowl
65. Rufous Night Heron
66. Black-crowned Night Heron
67. Black-headed Gull
68. Common Sandpiper
69. Black-winged Stilt

simmojunior said:

aged between 18 and 30

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Damn.

Good read, thanks for posting.

simmojunior said:

6th January Philippines
although several species like Spotted Wood Kingfisher and Little Woodpecker were uncooperative.

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Pardon my ignorance but what is this Little Woodpecker ? The only one I know of is Veniliornis passerinus of S America.

foresttwitcher said:

Good read, thanks for posting.

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Yes indeed, certainly is.

davercox said:

Pardon my ignorance but what is this Little Woodpecker ? The only one I know of is Veniliornis passerinus of S America.


Yes indeed, certainly is.

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Sorry I meant Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker.

Some great birds, and at least a couple more with recent splits: Philippine Swamphen and South Island Robin :t: