Wild Images, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife photographic tours worldwide. Wild Images' exciting programme of tours includes both group and individual departures, and features such destinations as Hungary, Spitsbergen, Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro), India, Japan, Baja California, the Galapagos, Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falklands and the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia. Click on the picture above to visit the Wild Images website.
Ocean Adventures, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife-orientated expedition cruises all over the world. As well as our Birdquest/Ocean Adventures group trips, there are many cruises available for individual bookings. These feature Spitsbergen, Greenland, Iceland, the Scottish Islands, Siberia (including the Kurils, Commanders, Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Bering Strait), Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, the South Atlantic Islands, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia, the Western Pacific and many other venues. Click on the picture above to visit the Ocean Adventures website.
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THE PHILIPPINES
Saturday 7th February - Sunday 1st March 2009
Pete Morris
Amazingly, ten whole years had passed since I had last visited the Philippines and I was eager to get back and see the place again and see how things had changed. Some things had seemingly changed for the better – the roads were better and journey times faster, despite the ever increasing traffic, and all of our flights were operated punctually by what seemed like much improved internal airlines. Sadly, what had definitely not improved, was the pressure on the remaining natural habitat. With a rapidly increasing population, the pressure on the land is continually increasing, and at most sites (Palawan excepted), the habitat had deteriorated noticeably since my last visit. Perhaps most shocking was the ongoing and much accelerated destruction of the habitat at PICOP, our prime lowland birding site on Mindanao. No longer a logging concession, it is now a free-for-all for squatters and the sounds of their chainsaws and the trees crashing down was without doubt, the most depressing part of the tour. Now for the good news. We recorded an excellent total of 335 species including an extremely high proportion of the available endemics. The exact total of endemics depends upon the taxonomy followed, but suffice to say, we found as many as we have ever found. The Philippines really are blessed with a fabulous set of endemic birds, and our highlights ranged from the amazing Mindanao Wattled Broadbill, to the dazzling Palawan Peacock-Pheasant to the awesome Philippine Eagle. Other favourites included (to name just a few!) a superb set of kingfishers (including the beautiful Silvery, Spotted Wood and Blue-capped Wood Kingfishers), a great set of pigeons (including the superb Flame-breasted Fruit-Dove), Red-bellied and Azure-breasted Pittas, brilliant nightbirds (including Mindanao, Philippine and Chocolate Boobooks, Northern Philippine, Southern Philippine and Palawan Scops Owls and Philippine and Palawan Frogmouths) and a number of more subtle species such as the skulking Streaked and Falcated Ground-Babblers and the endearing Little Slaty Flycatcher.
The air holidays shown are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 2937.
ATOL protection covers those booking a tour with us that includes a flight from London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom, regardless of where in the world you live.
Birdquest Ltd is Registered in England, Company No. 01568270. The address of our registered office is Two Jays, Kemple End, Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QY
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