Sooner or later I was going to have to tackle Mount Makiling but for the meanwhile was content on another early start perched on another bridge. There is another Kingfisher, not yet seen, around here but
for that hour it was just a case of starring into the milky water.
No Kingfisher, but did manage a few slightly better shots of
BLACK-HEADED BULBUL
While still far to sluggish to get a flight shot, these images do show the brilliance of
WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER wings.
A ride was now needed to get up to the Forestry Lodge where my walk was to begin, and I think I have the gist of the Jeepney Timetable, roughly if you want one there isn't one, when you don't there are hundreds. One arrived eventually, so it was up-hill from there.
Only motorcycle transport is allowed beyond this board, and while I knew full well there was no way of achieving Peak 2, both Flat Rocks and Mudspring were reached.
YELLOW-WATTLED BULBUL (E)
was seen only by waiting and searching out the plaintive call coming from deep in the vegetation
but there were dozens of such calls, so this record was once again really down to
LADY LUCK
The similarly 'endemic' BALICASSIAO
was far more obliging and gave itself away by being almost constantly on the move,
and for birds on the mountainside, that was about all!
This nifty little BEETLE did put in an appearance, leave a small deposit before I reached the bottom of the hill to discover a little more about the UP.
The Main Administrative Building overlooks neatly tended lawns, and
The Mighty PEGARAW
which the plaque will describe far more ably than me.
Another LONG-TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Sp) showed briefly
while this TOAD, one of what seemed like thousands, was the only one to dally long enough for a shot.
A quick look over the bridge in passing, where BICOLORED FLOWERPECKER has also been seen, allowed these shots
but, with bill and underparts being vital to identification, may not prove of much use.
and much like Tree Sparrow, YELLOW-VENTED BULBUL is never too far away!