Philippines Trip: spaces available July/August 2009 (1 Viewer)

[geoff dobbs]

Hi

I have arranged a private trip to the Philipppines through Tim Fisher, resident birder and tour organiser, from 19th July to August 16th 2009 visiting all the major sites including Mindanao, Palawan and Hamut Camp.
It's not the perfect time of year, but the only time I can go.

All accommodation, guides, air transport and ground transport are being booked by Tim.

If any forum members wish to take part on any part of this trip, please let me know and I can send an itinerary and Tim's contact details.

I would benefit from reduced costs for sharing ground transport and guides, and extra pairs of eyes!

 

[lewis20126]

Check with Tim about PICOP - I'm told most of the key areas have / are being been chopped down in Jan-Feb this year. Maybe try another lowland site - Zamboanga watershed?

cheers, alan

 

[gjfernandes]

I spent two days with Tim in December and was impressed with his knowledge. Moving around in the Philippines is very difficult. It always takes at least twice as long as you expect.. August will be difficult weatherwise, but you gotta go when you gotta go. Good luck.

 

[geoff dobbs]

Check with Tim about PICOP - I'm told most of the key areas have / are being been chopped down in Jan-Feb this year. Maybe try another lowland site - Zamboanga watershed?

cheers, alan

Thanks Alan

Tim has designed an itinerary that includes PICOP for now...will check with him: I have some friends out there right now, so will soon find out how they have got on.

Geoff

 

[Rob Hutchinson]

Geoff / Alan,

PICOP has been very badly damaged, with an unbelievable loss even since last year. That said, Road 42 remains intact and all the birds are still available in the remaining fragmants elsewhere. We lost a day to rain which cost us Little Slaty Flycatcher and we didn't find the broadbill but everything else was still present including Celestial and Short-crested Monarch, endemic hornbills, Pink-bellied Imperial Pigeon etc. This is still probably the best accessible site for lowland Mindanao birds although we are hoping to find somewhere more suitable by next year. Zamboanga has great potential but we still seem to be missing birds there (eg the endemic monarchs) so more exploration is needed.

August will be quiet but you should find everything with hard work, good luck!

Rob

Thanks Alan

Tim has designed an itinerary that includes PICOP for now...will check with him: I have some friends out there right now, so will soon find out how they have got on.

Geoff

 

[GDK]

That is really sad news about PICOP as it is a top quality birding site even in a much degraded state. Fingers crossed it will continue to limp on.

Good luck in getting all your target birds Geoff,

Cheers

 

[geoff dobbs]

Picop

Geoff / Alan,

PICOP has been very badly damaged, with an unbelievable loss even since last year. That said, Road 42 remains intact and all the birds are still available in the remaining fragmants elsewhere. ...

August will be quiet but you should find everything with hard work, good luck!

Rob

Rob
Thanks for the re-assurance that it is still worth doing: will feedback on how I get on.

Geoff

 

[geoff dobbs]

Picop

Just to let anyone know
1. The weather in August was mostly dry, with only 3 days of rain from a nearby typhoon when I was on Negros, and some rain on 2 days at Hamut Camp. There was no rain at all in 9 days on Mindanao...in fact I was hoping for some to freshen the birds up as was very quiet midday.
2. Most birds in Philippines were still calling, but Whiskered Pitta has finished breeding. However a number of young birds were present at Hamut and one responded well. Steere's Pitta was easy on Bohol and off Road 42
3. Owls were mostly unresponsive, but maybe my spotlighting skills leave something to be desired.
4. PICOP is still worth visiting, but most areas near Bislig are still being felled

The Monarchs are still available (and amazingly good birds), and I also saw Little Slaty Flycatcher, Mindanao Bleedingheart, Giant Scops Owl, Philippine Frogmouth, Silvery Kingfisher and many others.
I personally missed the Broadbill but it was seen by a friend who stayed on an extra day, and we only heard the shy Pink-bellied Pigeon, although were maybe unlucky: we met several hunters who were targeting this species.

The depressing Quarry Trail was getting devastated by a logging gang even while we birded it, although Short-crested Monarch, Rufous-lored Kingfisher and Little Slaty Flycatcher were stilll present. Further down the same road in a patch of roadside forest, also being selectively felled, was one Celestial Monarch and Writhed Hornbills were on the escarpment just beyond this.
The forest off Road 42 held both the Monarchs, and the Broadbill.
So I will have to return some time for the Broadbill and the higher altitude Lina's Sunbird and Cryptic Flycather, which I didn't attempt on this trip.


Will eventually write a trip report. Almost easier to list what I didn't see in 4 weeks.