Best Posts in Forum: Off-Topic Forum

Animals have distribution ranges. So the birds and insects you see in the Philippines will not be the same as species found in other countries and vice versa.

Parrots for example, are common and very diverse in Australia, New Guinea and South America, but are less so in other regions. The Philippines has one endemic species of cockatoo - the Katala, which is sadly critically endangered. But it is restricted to mountainous areas.

A few species are rare, endangered, or extinct because of human encroachment on habitats or overhunting - like Philippine eagles and hornbills. Others simply can't survive in cities, which are usually infested with sparrows which they can't compete with. Others simply don't live in or have never been common in the Philippines, like seagulls which don't really exist in most tropical islands.

But rest assured, there are plenty of birds once you get to the countryside. You just have to know where to look. In my province, these birds are common near towns and villages:

• Sparrows - nuff said.
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• Cave swiftlets - at least two species. They're the birds that are the source of bird's nest soup. Called balinsasayaw ("tumbling dancer") locally, they can be quite beautiful to watch swooping and gliding about.
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• Chestnut munia - called maya locally. They look like red and black sparrows and are very common in ricefields.
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• Olive backed sunbird - very tiny birds with brown, yellow, and blue coloration. They are common visitors of flowers. They drink nectar and are very similar to American hummingbirds (they can also hover mid-air and fly backwards).
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• Kingfishers - various kinds. My favorite to watch because they are a brilliant blue. Common near streams and ricefields.
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• Brahminy kite - Often seen soaring above farmlands and bodies of water.
  
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• Zebra dove - A gray and brown pigeon that blends perfectly with the ground. They have a distinctive coo-ing sound.
  
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• Philippine pied fantail - again one of my favorites. They are commonly seen flashing their black and white fan-shaped tails to each other near meadows and farmlands. We call them sayaw (literally "dancer").
  
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• Rails - usually called tikling. Common in ricefields and marshes.
  
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• Pipit - smaller than rails, but similar in behavior. Also common in ricefields.
  
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• Cattle egrets - commonly seen on cattle and water buffaloes.
  
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As for uncommon birds I've only seen a few times, they include ravens, crows, and several species of owls. Also note that chickens (more accurately - the red junglefowl) are native to and were first domesticated in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, which is why chickens here are usually far more colorful than your average European chicken.

 

14 years into retirement I think about working only in occasional nightmares. After years of anticipating being put out to stud, this is living a dream.

 

The Brexit negotiations under May were not going anywhere - certainly not to the UK's benefit. The electorate (i.e. those who voted) voted for Brexit and so elected the Tories, under a firm Brexiteer, to get it done. I have voted Labour most of my life (with a few periods of forlorn hope in the LibDems) but I recognise they would have either reneged on the Brexit vote or kept us as vassals of the EU. People in the UK are fed up with people legally trying to gain residency being refused, after spending thousands of pounds on Visa (and sometimes legal) fees, but thousands illegally entering and being aided by the State. Boris is no longer important to Brexit but Labour is currently unelectable because people know they will open the gates and send out the rescue boats en masse to assist illegal immigration. With a small country, housing insufficient for the current population, schools having students with a dozen different languages and essential services far less accessible than 50 years ago, people will not vote for any government which fails to introduce and enforce a system whereby the country gets the immigration it needs and through legal channels.

 

Like a lot of people here in UK, I have finally got round to clearing the Garage of all the "It might come in handy things" that have laid around for years,
I managed to keep a few, hahaha. Seriously everyone seemed to have the same idea as the local rubbish dump had an hour long queue to get in!!!!
Having a good clear out is good therapy.......try telling my Mrs that!

 

Been a long while Pat, sincerely happy to be back and reading your posts.
It is clear you are a strong individual... still that cocky Marine deep down.
Congrats on your continued recovery, and life.

 

What is a dashboard camera?
A dash cam is a video camera mounted in a vehicle. Most dash cams record both audio and video continuously. These cameras are sometimes called Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) or In Car Cameras. The vast majority of dash cams are actually mounted on the windshield not on the dash. Most of the cameras are forward facing but some dual lens cameras (front and back) are gaining popularity as well.

There are 2 features that differentiate a dash cam from a traditional video camera:

1. Auto start and auto stop. A dash camera must have the ability to start recording when it receives power and stop recording when power is removed. This is typically done via the cars cigarette lighter power adapter but it could be hard wired.
2. Continuous looping / cycle function. A dash camera must have the ability to delete the oldest file and continue recording when the memory card fills up

If the camera you are considering does not have these 2 functions, it is not a dash camera.

Dash Cam Buying Guide | Dash Cam Talk

 

Don't think it's ever too late. In 2015, at ages 72 and 62, we bailed out of california, got rid of 95% of our crap (kept one tie and one blazer (never wear) and kitchen utensils). The 95% included two cars, our library except for 20 books, all furniture. Researched the world, decided on Dumaguete, visited for a month and in July 2016, moved here permanently and brought along the puppy, only got one car. I think we got out at the right time, that place is a mess. Takes a bit to adjust but it's worth it. Only regret is not keeping more kitchen stuff.

 

lol Jack, Mokin john will come good, he is eating n drinking now, we can bring him home tomo so he may get to play with his brother yet . when the rain comes