IRRI - 2nd March

A short walk on the upland farm this morning with Richard and Michael. The morning started slowly, with only Philippine Nightjars before sunrise. A few commuting Black-crowned Night Herons passed the groups of Cattle Egrets going the other way, hot-bedding the roosting spots. The morning was very bright with hardly a cloud, so it heated up fairly quickly. Birding was a little slow, but there were a few things of interest. Several Snipe spp. flushed from various grassy areas, one of which also held Singing Bush Lark, which allowed a very close approach while it sang from the ground, possibly nesting nearby. A passing Brahminy Kite provoked some interest, it was soon seen off by a pair of Large-billed Crows, possibly that's the reason we don't get so many raptors, the crows operate a closed shop?

The fruiting trees along the stream held Black-naped Orioles and Pied Trillers, and Philippine Bulbuls were just inside the forest.

A Singing Bush Lark, with no sign of the rufous primaries that are supposed to be its main identification feature.

Brahminy Kite, my first in over a year here and only the third I've seen at IRRI at all. It was soon chased away by a pair of Large-billed Crows.

Female Pied Triller.