On January 7, 2025, Irene Dy embarked on a 30-minute birding trip in the Candaba area of Pampanga, Philippines. Her journey took her through a rice field, where she encountered an astonishing 25 species of birds.

The trip began with a sighting of the Barred Rail, Eurasian Moorhen, and White-browed Crake, with a combined count of 7 individuals. These birds are accustomed to the rice field environment, where they forage for food and shelter.

The highlight of the trip was the sheer abundance of wading birds, with 10 species identified. The Black-winged Stilt and Marsh Sandpiper were among the most numerous species, with counts of 10 and 43 respectively. The Long-toed Stint, with its impressive count of 476, stole the show. Other wading birds spotted included the Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Common Sandpiper, and Common Greenshank.

Among the waterbirds, the Whiskered Tern caught Irene's attention, with its striking appearance perched on the rice field. Other bird species seen during the trip included the Little Grebe, Javan Pond-Heron, Eastern Cattle-Egret, Gray Heron, and Purple Heron.

The trip also yielded several terrestrial bird species, including the Golden-bellied Gerygone, Philippine Pied-Fantail, Brown Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Zitting Cisticola, and Yellow-vented Bulbul.

Irene's brief comments on the observation protocol revealed that the birds were observed perched on the rice field, providing a unique glimpse into their daily lives.