Wild Portrait of the King! After 4 years of waiting, I finally got to see and photograph our national bird, The mighty Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), in its natural habitat.. Back story.. It was in 2018 that I got my 1st chance of ticking it off my bucket list.. but because of flight delays, I wasn't able to take the last flight to CDO.. Thus missing my only chance of photographing it in the wild.. This year, when news of a sighting of a young Phil Eagle spread like wildfire among the birding community, I was also so eager to go.. But again, because of tight flight schedules, I couldn't find the time to do so.. I thought that I would miss it again this year.. Fortunately, the young royalty stayed a little longer.. Duty calls when our conservancy director, Dr. Miguel David De Leon, asked me if I could be a 2nd observer for another "never before" documentation of a nesting owl.. Its nest was previously unknown to science.. So our group, the Robert S Kennedy Bird Conservancy (RSKBC), will document its nest.. from egg to fledging.. I haven't seen this owl yet so I happily accepted the invitation.. But soon after, I also messaged Kuya Blackie of the Kitanglad Guard Volunteers (KGV) if the young Haring Ibon was still around.. I was so happy to hear that its still in the area.. So I message Doc back if he could accompany me to the Phil Eagle before going some research work.. As you know, according to the KGVs, Doc Miguel is the Phil Eagle whisperer.. The Haribon would show up if Doc is around.. 🤣 I was so happy that Doc agreed.. Thanks Doc!😆 The following day after my arrival, we were on a van going to Mt. Kitanglad.. Doc told me that I should get some sleep enroute to store enough energy for the climb to the site.. I was so excited that even if I only got about 3hrs of sleep because of all the catching up, I still couldn't take a nap.. Doc was sleeping soundly.. literally and figuratively!🤣 Upon arrival at the site, we were greeted by the warm smiles of the KGVs.. RSKBC have been helping and supporting them since we started our conservation work.. There I met Kuya Blackie for the 1st time.. I already met some KGVs when I did a field work back in 2018 for a nesting bird species.. Kuya Blackie and some KGVs went ahead of us to try to look for our target while we prepare our gears and lather ourselves with Off lotion to protect us from the blood sucking leeches or locally known as "Limatik". After an hour of hiking, we reached the site.. I was still catching my breath when I heard its call.. Fatigue was instantly turned to Excitement! A few moments later, one of the KGVs was rushing towards us saying they found it.. I haven't checked my watch but I think at that moment, my body battery turned 200% hahaha.. After about 10 mins of fast trekking, I saw the KGVs resting and staring at distant tree.. I followed the direction they were looking at and then there it was.. my dream bird.. A young Philippine Eagle.. basking in the early morning sun.. in the wild!!! Dreams do come true! My friend, the late sir Bong Nabong, once told me that you'll be star struck if you see the Phil Eagle in the wild for the first time.. and he was right.. 🤩 My hands were shaking while I was mounting the camera on my tripod and when I saw it on my camera's view finder.. It was so beautiful.. I couldn't contain my happiness! I kept on whispering a short prayers of gratitude to God while I was shooting.. Such a blessing to be in that moment.. God blessed us with an exceptionally, beautiful day.. The sky was blue.. It didn't rain the night before so the trail wasn't so slippery.. I heard stories about those leaches but I could barely see one.. I found a few wriggling on my boots but that's it.. We were done before 8am while a japanese birder that went a day before us searched for it for 4 hours and trekked a few kilometers more.. Philippine Eagles are Critically Endangered with only about 400 pairs left in the wild.. and with the areas of forests slowly shrinking, their population is also declining.. Let's help protect them by saving their home.. the forests.. and by supporting the KGVs, they are the ones in the frontline in protecting the Philippine Eagles and their habitat.. Let's do our share to protect and save our remaining forests so that our wildlife will survive for generations to come.. Floyd P Bermejo Nature Photographer
Measuring at 15 inches, the Giant scops Owl (Otus gurneyi) is the largest of all the scops owls species in the Philippines.. and dare I say, the most beautiful!!! It is endemic to the Philippines and it can only be found in the moist lowland forests of Mindanao, Siargao and Dinagat.. I photographed this one in Bukidnon inside a closed observation hide.. Its nest was previously unknown and many believed that, like other scops owls, it's likely to nest in tree cavities.. But our research and conservation group, the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservancy or RSKBC, through our director, Dr. Miguel David De Leon has found out otherwise. Even the presumed nesting season published in literature is altogether incorrect. More information once our research is published.. In 2020, he rescued an owlet abandoned by its parents after its nest was damaged by a road construction.. He named the owlet, Mizu, from its former scientific name, Mimizuku gurneyi. After rearing it for two months, he turned over the owlet to John and Renee Perrine for release back to the wild.. So when a nest was found last month, Doc asked me if I could come to act as 2nd observer for the nest documentation.. how could I say no.. 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you so much, Doc!😜😁 2nd observers are important to validate such data previously unknown to science.. So after an incredibly short and unforgettably sweet encounter with Pamarayeg III, the Philippine Eagle at Mt. Kitanglad, we were again hitting the road on the way to Manolo Fortich.. Ate our late lunch upon arrival at the site, and soon after we were inside the observation hide waiting for the parents' return.. While waiting, Doc taught me everything he knew about this gorgeous species.. This owl was once thought to be strictly nocturnal, but what this was not the case here.. it was active in broad daylight.. And Dr. De Leon told me he has encountered the species active during daytime while in the field documenting plants and other birds.. We have still much to learn about our endemic species.. Sadly, Giant scops Owls are currently endangered of becoming extinct due to Habitat Loss.. Like the Philippine Eagle, they are dependent on the forest for their survival.. We save our forests, we save these magnificent creatures..
