AWC Meeting in the Philippines

2006-11-03T18:16:00.000-08:00

Candaba, represented by Leny Manalo, Candaba's Chief fo Staff and standing second from right, was invited to attend the meeting of Asian Waterbird Census country representatives held in Quezon City last month.

The delegates, including officers Wetlands International, visited the Candaba Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Visit Candaba's website for more photos.

ASIAN WATERBIRD CENSUS 2006

2006-01-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

Candaba will conduct its Asian Waterbird Census on January 14, 2006 in collaboration with the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Kaakbay sa Kalikasan and other bird enthusiasts.

It is anticipated that we will have a record year for Candaba. The Philippine Ducks alone numbered more than 1,000 a week ago, while the number of species of migratory wild ducks also increased. The Purple Swamphen made a dramatic return with 20 plus sighted so far.

Harmony

2005-12-06T00:29:00.000-08:00

Philippine Bird Festival 2005

2005-11-07T19:13:00.000-08:00

Candaba Joins 1st Philippine Bird Festival

Contact : Mike Lu, President, Wild Bird Club of the Phils., 0917 3350325.

Birds of Candaba

2005-01-26T18:16:00.000-08:00

Opinion

Save the birds, save the country!

By: Leny Manalo

January 19, 2005

Farfetched? It’s true!

Take the case of Candaba. The waterbirds of Candaba have steadily decreased in number for the last ten years. But now based on the recently concluded Asian Waterbird Census 2005, the waterbirds led by the vagrants or the migratory species have made a spectacular return to the Candaba marsh.

This could not happen overnight. The migratory birds are very sensitive to environmental change.

For the last several years Jerry Pelayo, long before he became the mayor of Candaba, has started conserving more than 70 hectares of the swamp in Sitio Simang, Barangay Visal San Pablo. He no longer drained the water there for agriculture and let the fish he stocked in the area to grow wild and multiply. He allowed the endemic plants of the swamp to grow and planted trees along the dikes.

When he became mayor, Jerry immediately banned the hunting and killing of wild birds especially the migratory species. At the same time he launched a strong campaign against pollution and waste dumping in the swamp.

As if informed by a travel advisory, the birds since October of last year have started arriving in flocks. At least two rarely seen species, the Chinese Pond Heron and the Purple Gallinule are making their appearance for the first time in ten years.

A large pond in Simang became the playground of more than 3,000 wild ducks of at least 4 species, including some 600 of the now vulnerable (two stages from being endangered) Philippine Duck.

At exactly 5:30 in the afternoon the Little Egrets start to arrive by flock in Simang. Those coming from the East arrive first then followed by those from the West.

Those from the East wait for those from the West to settle on the trees lining the dikes first before they find their own roosting places there. Well organized!

The mixed flock of herons of at least 4 species bide their time in another pond taking cover among a growth of shrubs. As if by signal they fly out to some unknown destinations as soon as the Little Egrets arrive. They return before the break of dawn the following day. A delightful mystery!

In another big pond, the smaller Common Moorhens, duck-like body with chicken-like beak, lazily feed and float among the kangkong vines.

And nearby in a big area a big flock of the bigger Cattle Egrets and Great Egrets mingle with farmers plowing the field. They are feeding on the little ground insects and snails being exposed.

More spectacular is the very large flock of smaller birds, probably the agile Terns, fly as one in a wavy dance against the setting sun. Those who have witnessed this swear they could number as many as 60,000 or more.

Both media and the public were enthralled by the sight of thousands of birds swarming around. The public, gone tired of unending news on calamities and political bickerings, welcomed the front page color photos of the birds in several newspapers and watched with keen interest the news and feature stories on them on various TV channels.

It’s not just the birds. Now people are strongly reminded about the importance of protecting and conserving nature. Here in the Philippines the disappearance of these magnificent birds could only mean the destruction of the environment, and with that, the destruction of the very source of our needs in order to live and survive.

In Candaba, with the effort to protect the wild birds comes the effort to protect the swamp and manage both water and land well to strike a balance between the needs of the people and those of the environment.

This requires strong political will. Candaba is lucky. Its mayor has that.

Asian Waterbird Census 2005

2005-01-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

The municipality of Candaba, Pampanga will actively participate in the Asian Waterbird Census 2005. The census in the Candaba Swamp on January 15-16, 2005 will be led by the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines and will be participated in by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, the Haribon Foundation, the Candaba Swamp Migratory Birds and Wildlife Foundation Inc., and the Kaakbay sa Kalikasan Initiative to Protect the Environment and Promote Biodiversity.