|
Day 1
An early morning flight will take us from Manila to Cagayan de Oro where our driver and minivan waits to transfer us to Damitan village from where we get a ride up in the Kitanglad mountains to just short of the Del Monte lodge. This last bit we need to walk but this is nothing too strenuous so we should make it easily in time for lunch.
We spend the afternoon looking for the first of the endemic bird species and other specialties above the camp. One of the first birds to notice and very common indeed is the Cinnamon Ibon, a handsome species certainly not done any justice in the field guide. Note that Ibon is the word for ‘bird’ in Tagalog. Of course it will be the more elusive species we will focus on, some of the plenty goodies to look for are Apo Myna, -worth the trip alone-, as well as Blue-capped Wood Kingfisher, Stripe-breasted Rhabdornis, Mc Gregor’s Cuckooshrike, Red-eared Parrotfinch, Mindanao Racquet-tail and Long-tailed Ground-Warbler.
Day 2 + 3
‘The’ star bird on Mt.Kitanglad and of course our main target indeed is the Philippine Eagle (Monkey-eating Eagle) and we’ll head straight up to the Eagle viewpoint on our second day.
Also the trail above the viewpoint needs a visit as the forest at this slightly higher altitude is the best spot to look for White-cheeked Bullfinch, Apo Sunbird, Amethyst Brown-Dove and better chances on Mindanao Racquet-tail.
Evenings around the camp come with possibilities on Philippine Frogmouth, Philippine Nightjar, Bukidnon Woodcock and with a bit more luck even Mindanao and Giant Scops Owls. All are present in the immediate vicinity of the lodge.
Day 4
Another full morning to catch up on any bird species we might still need on Mt.Kitanglad. After lunch we head down again to make it back to Cagayan for our short evening flight to Cebu where we stay for the night.
Day 5
Early morning start for our trip to Tabunan forest to try for the critically endangered Cebu Flowerpecker in this last remnant of tall forest on Cebu. While chances to see this bird are slim, we’ll certainly pick up the endangered Black Shama, they are endemic to CebuIsland and make the place live up with their exceptional song. Other specialties at the site include White-vented Whistler, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and Streak-breasted Bulbul.
In the afternoon we return to Cebu and the seaport for the short ‘SuperCat’ hop to Bohol. If time allows after check-in we head out again to watch the flocks of Asian Glossy Starlings coming in roosting at the town square, a spectacle described “In Focus”.
Day 6+7
Two full days at Rajah Sikatuna National Park and a couple other spots nearby. Bohol’s many specialties is what we’re looking for and these will indeed provide us with the perfect alternative for Picop, -minus the long daily uncomfortable jeepney rides and 8 hours travel from Kitanglad to get there! In our view Bohol gets underrated and is under watched, with species (specialties) overlap as compared with Picop including; Steere’s Pitta, Blue Fantail, Streaked Ground-Babbler, Rufous-lored Kingfisher, Silvery Kingfisher, Black-faced Coucal and Rufous-fronted Tailorbird.
Both Rufous Hornbill and Mindanao Bleeding-heart occur but are seldom reported.
Visayan Wattled Broadbill, Samar Hornbill and Yellow-breasted Tailorbird are the endemics otherwise not found outside the Visayas with Black-crowned Babbler another extra species common on Bohol and not regularly found at any of the other well visited birding sites in Philippines.
A few other species are more widespread but nowhere common, with Bohol a good place to look for them; Bicolored Flowerpecker, Red-bellied Pitta, Philippine Trogon, Philippine Oriole, Philippine Fairy Bluebird, Yellow Wattled Bulbul and Blue-crowned Racquet-tail.
Rajah Sikatuna is a good spot to look for night-birds too and they are represented with Philippine Frogmouth, Philippine Nightjar and Philippine Scops Owl.
We’ll certainly make an effort too, to see the Philippine Tarsier.
Lunches at Chocolate Hills and the butterfly garden.
Day 8
Another morning birding on Bohol, followed by an afternoon flight to Manila and 3 hour transfer to Subic where we stay in a hotel with pool and by the beach inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Day 9 + 10
A full host of new endemics and other delights wait for us in the excellent forest on the Subic Bay naval base. Some of the most easy, enjoyable yet rewarding birding found in the country.
Green Racquet-tail, Blue-naped Parrot, Sooty and White-bellied Woodpecker, Rufous Coucal, White-lored Oriole, White-fronted Tit, Purple Needletail, Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, Blackish Cuckoo Shrike, Red-crested Malkoha, Scale-feathered Malkoha, Philippine and Great-eared Nightjar, White-browed Shama, Philippine Hawk Owl, Philippine Falconet, Philippine Serpent Eagle, Spotted Buttonquail, Barred Rail, Plain Bush-hen, Luzon Hornbill, Stipe-sided Rhabdornis…
Day 11
Another full morning is certainly needed to do the Subic rainforest any justice.
After lunch we travel to Candaba Marsh, a good spot to get the Philippine Duck on our list as well as a host of waterbirds inclusive the now on Philippines rare Purple [Philippine] Swamphen. At dusk we hope to get good views of the resident Grass Owl.
Day 12
Transfer to Los Banos - Mt Makiling for birding the rest of the day on the campus and lower part of the track up this volcanic mountain, which preserves some of the best rainforest left on Luzon. Birding can be very slow here but with the plenty time birding Subic we had, our target species list for this site got reduced greatly.
Over 50 endemic bird species have been found here and species we would likely still want to look for include Indigo-banded Kingfisher, Spotted Wood Kingfisher and Spotted Buttonquail.
Day 13
Full day on Mt. Makiling where we will be birding at different altitudes along the summit track as well as the botanic gardens and the spacious green Los Banos university grounds.
Day 14
A last day on Mt Makiling before returning to Manila to connect with international flights. | 
All rights reserved.
Photos Stijn De Win 
