Week ending 31st October - IRRI, San Juan, Bot. gardens

Spent most of the week trying to find Chestnut Munia, which I have not had on the farm in this ADUC period for the last 2 years, and again drew a blank. I've seen them elsewhere, but not at IRRI at this time of year. Strange.

Friday was a holiday so I went back to San Juan. A Manila based friend has seen Sharp-tailed Sandpiper recently further north, so I was hoping for some migrants. Again no luck, but that is probably down to the water-level at the fish farms which is quite high, leaving little exposed mud. Apparently the farmer will drain the ponds in March, so the return leg of the migration might be good here. Carried on around the farms anyway, and found a pair of Lesser Sandplovers on the beach. Scarce residents were visible though, with views of a pair of Island Dove, and a very secretive Tawny Grassbird.

Back at Los Banos I had a wander around the Botanical Gardens. They've been refurbished, with a new visitor centre, sadly crap. On the main stream no sign of any Kingfishers, but there was a Little Heron actively feeding. A very odd sight, this was the first of this species I've seen away from the coast.

Island Dove. These are quite scarce and easy to miss. This bird was one of a pair that were quite showy in the vegetation on the edge of the beach at San Juan.

Tawny Grassbird. This bird was in exactly the same spot as I saw one last year. Much more secretive than the Striated Grassbird, and with a very different call.

juvenile Brahminy Kite. Extremely numerous at San Juan.

Asian Glossy Starling. On wires on the way home from San Juan.

Little Heron feeding in the stream at the Botanical Gardens in UPLB.