On January 9th, 2025, a solo bird enthusiast, Peter Widmann, embarked on a 1-hour, 8-minute adventure at the Katala Institute in Narra, MIMAROPA, Philippines. The result was an impressive haul of 24 bird species, a testament to the area's remarkable avifauna.

The morning's sightings began with a pair of Wandering Whistling-Ducks, followed by a trio of Spotted Doves and Zebra Doves. The wetlands yielded two White-breasted Waterhens, while the nearby scrub yielded a single Yellow Bittern. A flutter of egrets, including Little, Eastern Cattle-, and Great Egrets, was a highlight of the trip, with a total of 12 individuals counted.

Other notable sightings included a trio of Collared Kingfishers, providing a splash of color against the lush foliage, and a quartet of Philippine Pied-Fantails flitting about the undergrowth. The trip list also featured a variety of songbirds, such as the Common Iora, Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, and Striated Grassbird.

Raptors and swallows were also well-represented, with six Barn Swallows wheeling overhead and several raptors, including the Black-headed Bulbul, Ashy-fronted Bulbul, and Asian Glossy Starling, perched in the trees.

Foraging birds included a pair of Palawan Flowerpeckers, a Pygmy Flowerpecker, and a single Palawan Sunbird, while seedeaters like the Scaly-breasted Munia, Chestnut Munia, and Eurasian Tree Sparrow rounded out the list.

This outing underscores the Katala Institute's reputation as a prime birding destination, offering something for every enthusiast's tastes.