The “A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines” by Robert Kennedy et al lists six (6) woodpeckers species that can be found in the Philippines as Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker Dendrocopos maculates, Sooty Woodpecker Mulleripicus funebris, Great Slaty Woodpecker Mulleripicus pulverulentus, White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis, Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus, and Common Flameback Dinopium javanese. When Gerard Gorman, who was then still writing “Woodpeckers of the World, The Complete Guide,” called me up last year, he said there have been many taxonomic changes and Philippine Woodpeckers are now eleven (11) species. The Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker is now split into Philippine Woodpecker and Sulu Woodpecker; Sooty Woodpecker into Northern and Southern Sooty Woodpeckers; and Greater Flameback into Buff-spotted, Luzon, Yellow-faced, and Red-headed Flamebacks. The Common Flameback is now called the Spot-throated Flameback Dinopium everetti.
Gerard Gorman’s “Woodpeckers of the World, The Complete Guide” is now off the press! Three (3) of my photos are featured in the book in pages 223, 463 and 464.
From only two (2) Filipino photographers who have contributed in the book “Owls of the World, A Photographic Guide,” there are now nine (9) Filipino photographers contributing photos in the new book, five (5) of these are from the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines (WBPP) – Ramon Quisumbing, Canon Ambassador Ely Teehankee, Carlo Benitez Gomez, Arnel Ceriola and Alain Pascua.
The Philippine Woodpecker was photographed at Loyola Grand Villas at the subdivision of my friends Elmer and Susan Mercado and where fellow bird photographer and tv-movie director Jv Noriega also resides. Surprisingly, that village gave me two photos that have been published internationally – one is the photo above, while the other is that of a Chocolate Boobook that is featured in the book in page 468 of the “Owls of the World, A Photographic Guide” by Heimo Mikkola.
While the book was being printed, author Gerard Gorman published blogs that featured my other photos of Philippine woodpeckers.
Four other bird photographers from the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines (WBPP) – Ramon Quisumbing, Canon Ambassador Ely Teehankee, Carlo Benitez Gomez, and Arnel Ceriola have their photos of Philippine woodpeckers featured in the book.
“Woodpeckers of the World, A Complete Guide” by German Gorman is available at Bloomsbury Publishing, Amazon and other online stores.
The photos may be viewed larger and higher resolutions by clicking on them.
Other photos of Philippine Wild Birds may be viewed at the following sites:
Wild Birds of the Philippines Gallery
Those who are interested in wild bird photography may signup and join:
Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines, Inc. (WBPP) Group Page
For Philippine Bird Photography Workshops, Tours, Exhibits, etc., please visit:
Wild Bird Photography Philippines