I have visited Subic, Philippines from 15-20 May 2010 instead of Hainan, China.
No bird guide was hired, but information is around on internet and I mainly based on :
http://www.birding2asia.com/W2W/Philippines/Subic.html
From Manila to Subic, you can take a cheap way by using Vitory Liner from Palay EDSA to Olongapo (215 Peso per person). Many local Filipino use the Vitory Liner to go home. The bus terminal are full of person on my arrival day in Manila (May be it was Saturday). The termainl is hot and a long queue to buy tickets. Upone arrival of Olongapo, then followed by motor tri-cycle to your resort (200-250 Peso per car). Overall it takes 4 hr from Manila to my hotel. Another expensive but luxury way is to ask you hotel to arrange a airport pickup which costs 4000-4500 Peso per car. I think the later is better if you have 3-4 birders to share the fare.
Renting a car in subic is a must to birder (or you have you own transportation) as the area is too large for walking. Car rent: CATCOR RENT A CAR (047)224-1723 or email:
catcor_rentacar@yahoo.com. Discounted price for 5 days in Subic: 10000 Peso for a Toyota 1600cc private car which is quite reasonable to me.
I would suggest birders to stay at the Crown Peak resorts (I stayed at TIARA hotel: 1500 peso per night) as the area around is easy to spot the Blue-naped Parrot and Some philipine owls. The Crown Peak is located at the forest edge and it took 15-20 mins of driving to any birding spots of the subic forest. The area is also quiet than the Baloy beach but with less restaurants and resorts available: one restaurant (The Chef E Resto is good) and one 24-hr 7-11 like shop available in the peak area.
The best birding sites is the Nabasan Trail (the road to IDESS Maritime Centre) where we can see the Green Racquet-tail every morning on the same tree. Close to the road end of Nabasan Trail going west and heading to the Ocean Adventure direction, there is a good road where is easy to hear the Shama.
Wild bird club of the Philippines also provides a lot of trip reports on subic. Their web site:
http://www.birdwatch.ph/. You may contact them to see any members can accompany you in your holiday. I have met the founder of the club and a member, they are really very nice people.
79 species of birds were encountered of which 37 are Philippine endemic:
Cattle Egret
Yellow Bittern
Brahminy Kite
Philippine Serpent-Eagle (endemic)
Besra
Philippine Hawk-Eagle (endemic)
Philippine Falconet (endemic)
Red Junglefowl
Spotted Buttonquail (endemic)
Barred Rail (endemic)
Common Morhen
White-breasted Waterhen
Oriental Pratincole
White-winged Tern
Whiskered Tern
Black-naped Tern
Spotted Dove
Emerald Dove
Zebra Dove
Luzon Bleeding-heart (endemic)
White-eared Dove (endemic)
Amethyst Dove (endemic)
Pompadour Green-Pigeon
Spotted Imperial-Pigeon (endemic)
Green Imperial-Pigeon
Guaiabero (endemic)
Green Racquet-tail (endemic)
Blue-naped Parrot (endemic)
Philippine Hanging-Parrot (endemic)
Asian Koel
Red-crested Malkoha (endemic)
Scale-feathered Malkoha (endemic)
Rufous Coucal (endemic)
Philippine Coucal (endemic)
Philippine Scops-Owl (endemic)
Philippine Hawk-Owl (endemic)
Philippine Frogmouth (endemic)
Great Eared-Nightjar
Glossy Swiftlet
Pygmy Swiftlet (endemic)
Purple Needletail
Whiskered Treeswift
White-throated Kingfisher (endemic)
Collared Kingfisher
Blue-throated Bee-eater
Blue-tailed Bee-eater
Dollarbird
Luzon Hornbill (endemic)
Coppersmith Barbet
Philippine Woodpecker (endemic)
White-bellied Woodpecker
Greater Flameback
Sooty Woodpecker (endemic)
Pacific Swallow
Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike
Blackish Cuckoo-shrike (endemic)
Yellow-vented Bulbul
Philippine Bulbul (endemic)
Oriental Magpie Robin
Zitting Cisticola
Philippine Tailorbird (endemic)
White-browed Shama (endemic)
Elegant Tit (endemic)
Stripe-sided Rhabdornis (endemic)
Pygmy Flowerpecker (endemic)
Striped Flowerpecker (endemic)
White-lored Oriole (endemic)
Black-naped Oriole
Brown Shrike
Long-tailed Shrike
Balicassiao (endemic)
White-breasted Woodswallow
Large-billed Crow
Asian Glossy Starling
Chestnut-eared Starling
Coleto (endemic)
Crested Myna
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Photos will be available soon.
Louis
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Last edited by LCY at 31/05/2010 13:38 ]
