The nice thing about island resorts is that there is usually an ideal level of effort to keep the natural environment as it serves as the main "tourism product" in the area.
Take the case of El Nido Resorts in Palawan which has a comprehensive program on environmental protection and has been validated by various national and international awards on tourism and the environment.
And for the bird enthusiasts out there, staying in a place like Lagen or Miniloc island resorts (both managed by El Nido Resorts) in Bacuit Bay can provide a double reward for a great vacation and birdwatching.
Here are some of the birds that can be encountered in Lagen Island and most probably, other small islands of Bacuit Bay.
The Palawan Hornbill - Endemic to Palawan, it is most awesome to easily see flocks of this large bird on the trees lining the the resort pool and just behind the restaurant and cottages.
White-vented Shama - These flyers would wake you up with their melodious songs. Much smaller that the hornbills, it would take a bit of an effort to spot the shama. However, if you're in luck, you could easily spot one perched on a tree branch just beside the restaurant veranda.
Sea birds and migratory birds. It would be an honor to name this bird - "Whiskered" Pacific Swallow :D. But i have to drop the "whiskered" thing if I want to gain some credibility. As you go island-hopping, you will be treated to an optical overload of not just towering limestone islands, but also of birds that you will encounter such as terns, egrets, the edible nest swiflets, and swallows.
Green Imperial Pigeon - It is also a sight to see these huge pigeons flying and hopping on tree branches and canopies of the trees bordering the resort facilities.
Reported by the resort guides - Palawan Peacock Pheasant and Hooded Pitta. Yes!! But hold your excitement yet.... The peacock pheasants are very shy and it would still be difficult to spot them (unlike the famous one that has become a regular guest in Puerto Princesa Underground River). The easier bird to see would be the Hooded Pitta in the trail that leads to the lookout point. Had to bang my head for not waking up early to do birdwatching in the trail!!
Yup! Birding can be very rewarding for the visitors of Lagen and Miniloc Island Resorts. Its best if you bring your bins while on vacation and tick off those significant ones.
I've recommended that spotting scopes be brought into the resorts so that their guests can have better environmental moments while in their properties.
Oh, I think it would also be a good idea to set up a viewing deck or a cctv camera trained on a hornbill nesting tree! hmmmm.....
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