Philippines...

The Philippines  is a lovely country, perhaps more famous for its azure tropical seas teaming with colourful fish and whale sharks.  But at its heart lies mountainous tracts of primary rainforest, home to many endemic species of bird, frog and mammal.   I made a month long trip here in 2004 to work alongside scientists and local staff on Negros Island.  Many ventures into the forest with a guide got me close to a few animals, mainly birds, but working alone was my favourite method for photography.   Hours in hides got me close to several of the local bird species, and on one occasion too close - far too close to a pit viper whose seat I was inadvertently sharing for a few hours - until I noticed it!    My closest shave with an air rescue for a long time!

Temple pit viper

Tropidolaemus wagleri

Here's the Pit Viper I nearly sat on!  

Primary rainforest

Visayan warty pig

Sus cebifrons

Classic bushmeat, now endangered.  

Mountain white eye  

Zosterops montanus

A common small bird photographed whilst on a Biodiversity Survey.

"Holding a Thread whilst Hanging to a Thread."

Pink bellied imperial pigeon 

Ducula poliocephala

A very shy Philippine bird often found in dense cover.

Tarictic hornbill

Penelopides panini

A very endangered hornbill endemic to the Philippines.  Photographed on Negros Island.

Luzon bleeding heart  

Gallicolumba luzonica

An incredibly rare and endangered bird patrols the Rainforest floor of Luzon Island.  A religious emblem in a largely catholic country.

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