An Excellent Yearend Birding in Malagos

The birding session on December 22 at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Malagos might be the last session for 2018 but definitely a good one. A total of 30 species showed up but some common birds were nowhere in sight. On a lighter note the session was sort of a reunion for me with some Davao birders Tonton (the organizer), Alden, Eric and John Paul. 

Coppersmith Barbet

Rufuos-crowned Bee-eater

An immature Brown Shrike

Pacific Swallow

We arrived at the parking area of PEC by 6:45 AM and we were greeted with a Brahminy Kite in a durian tree from afar, a usual perching site for this raptor which was in company with the disturbing Large-billed Crows. The Rufuos-crowned Bee-eaters were in a habitual site scouting for bees in a bald tree near the car park while four Guiaberos were caught passing by in the same site.

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Female Olive-backed Sunbird

Yellow-vented Bulbul

 We headed to the lagoon part of PEC and seconds after our arrival a lone Brown-breasted Kingfisher flew just once and never showed up again. As we head further northeast we saw one Coppersmith Barbet. Philippine Bulbul and Yellow-wattled Bulbul were also great consolations.

Another shot of a Coppersmith Barbet

Purple-throated Sunbird

Another Purple-throated Sunbird in a different location

Two more Purple-throated Sunbird

 An exciting part of the trip was the presence of assorted Purple-throated Sunbird appearing at a two separate sites in multiple numbers and colors. Below is the complete list of birds during that session:

Rufuos-crowned Bee-eater (Merops americanus)

Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynsis)

Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis)

Guaiabero (Bolbopsittacus lunulatus)

Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)

Grey-streaked Flycatcher (Muscicapa griseisticta)

Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus)

Red-keeled Flowerpecker (Dicaeum australe)

Ridgetop Swiflet (Collocalia isonota)

Ameline Swiflet (Aerodramus vanikorensis amelis)

Brown-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon gularis)

Philippine Bulbul (Hypsipetes philippinus)

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiaver)

Brown-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata)

Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis)

Purple-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma sperata)

Orange-bellied Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma)

Orange-tufted Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flammifera)

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus)

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorynchus)

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Asian Palm Swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Whote-eared Brown Dove (Phapitreron leucotis)

Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)

Pygmy Swiflet (Collocalia troglodites)

Black-faced Coucal (Centrupos melanops) – Heared Only

Yellow-wattled Bulbul (Pycnonotus urostictus)

Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)