BONTOC, Mountain Province – Thirty-nine (39) local guides and homestay owners participated in the recently concluded Basic Photography and Birdwatching Training initiated by the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Tourism Office.
According to Administrative Assistant IV Elizabeth Farnican of the Tourism Office, the activity held in Barangays Maligcong and Bayyo on October 19-21, 2022, aimed to develop basic photography skills of local guides and homestay owners as well as to educate them regarding the endemic birds in the municipality.
She added that birdwatching activity is seen as a potential tourist activity in this capital town.
The lecturer for basic photography is Photographer II Juvy Lopez from the Office of the Municipal Mayor-Information Unit while Photographer, Vlogger and Brand Ambassador for Olympus Cameras, Mr. Ferdinand Decena, lectured on birdwatching and had identified several endemic and migratory birds in the said barangays.
The identified endemic and migratory birds found in barangay Maligcong include:
- White-breasted Waterhen
- Blue-headed Fantail
- White-throated Kingfisher
- Yellow-eastern Wagtail
- Scale-feathered Malkoha
- Arctic Warbler
- Olive-backed Sunbird
- Purple-throated Sunbird
- Yellow-vented Bulbul
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Swiftlets Mountain White-eye
- Red-rumped Swallow
- Mountain Verditer Colasisi
- Elegant Tit
- Chestnut-face Babbler
Meanwhile, the following birds were found in Barangay Bayyo:
- “Kingking” Luzon
- Water Redstart (juvenile)
- Collared kingfisher
- Gray-throated Sunbird
- Luzon Sunbird
- Elegant tit
- Grey wagtail
- Brown Shrike
- Olive-backed sunbird
- Philippine pied fantail
- Mountain white eye
- Long-tailed shrike
- Red Crossbill
- Mountain Verditer
- Flycatcher
- Scale-feathered Malcoha
- Sulfur-billed nuthatch
- Little Pied Flycatcher
- Philippine Bulbul
- Philippine Swiftlet
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
- Yellow-vented Bulbul
