Cebu Flowerpecker

Features editor Matt Merritt writes:

You may or may not know that the critically endangered Cebu Flowerpecker is the poster bird for this year's British Birdwatching Fair (at Rutland Water, August 21st-23rd).

While I was in the Philippines earlier this year, we attempted to see the elusive little fellas. Only two of our party managed it (yours truly wasn't among them), but it was a fantastic experience all the same, and American birder Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest, interviewed local conservationist Lisa Marie Paguntalan about her work in trying to save the bird from extinction.

You can hear a podcast of the interview here, and read more about the bird and the interview here.

Finally, there's my article about the Cebu Flowerpecker in the August issue of Bird Watching, due out July 20th, and a five-page feature on birding in the Philippines, plus a chance to win a great birding holiday there, in our special Summer Issue, due out August 10th.