Pasig Rave Rainforest Adventure Park: Birdspotting in the City

Philippine Pied Fantail

I was sick post New Year's day, coughing and feverish, my breathing made difficult by the pollution caused by so much fireworks in my sister's area.   So for my birthday a week after, I decided to go birding after a lunch photo coverage of a cafe in the Pasig area.   It rained the night before and was cloudy when I set out for the day but lo and behold, the heavens withheld their precipitation and so was treated to the sight of birds right here at the heart of Pasig City. 

The 200+ year old Mangrove Trees of Villahermosa, Camotes Islands

200 year old sentinels of the sea

200 years are but a blip on the geological time scale but it's fascinating to find out what happens when man and nature leave trees to themselves. Our guide in Villahermosa, Camotes Islands in Cebu who is a DENR staff told us these are some of the oldest mangrove trees on the island.   And they certainly look that age -- gnarled, misshapen, but still standing tall (and wide) looking every bit as if they are gearing for another 200 years.   I've seen my fair share of mangrove forests even before I got interested in the botanical side of things but these trees are really something else, thick, imposing, and ancient-looking, unafraid to announce its vertical presence but also clear in making its horizontal draping intentions.