Mabolos, Guavas and a Hungry Flowerpecker

The non-stop rains brought by Typhoon Kiko (Chanthu) temporarily halted our construction work at the half-finished farmhouse. After inspecting the newly delivered GI roofing materials, I visited a couple of trees that are currently fruiting.

We have three mabolo trees that are now about 9 years old. For the first time ever, I saw them bear fruit. It looks like this is their first season of maturity.

A rain-drenched mabolo fruit (velvet apple, Diospyros discolor) yet to ripen. This was a favorite fruit of mine when I was a kid. We used to rub these against the grass to remove the velvet-like fur covering the skin. I haven't eaten one in decades, and I've almost forgotten how it smells or tastes like. I'm eagerly waiting for these ones to ripen. I'm sure a flood of childhood memories will come rushing back after the first bite of a ripe mabolo.

Over at the guava stand, fruits are everywhere, mostly unripe yet. In a couple more weeks, the birds around the Orchard will have a feast on these.

Guavas are great to be eaten fresh off the tree (after washing these, of course). Some folks prefer the manibalang ones (just before fully ripened), while others like the ripe ones better. For me, the best use of ripe guavas is as a souring agent for sinigang na baka sa bayabas (soup made with tenderized beef ribs, string beans and guavas). This was a special dish prepared by my granny in Batangas when I was young.

 

Meantime, in another fruiting tree beside the farmhouse, a mixed flock of birds are having their lunch. This tiny bird was feasting on the fruit of an aratiles tree (Muntingia calabura). For a sense of scale, the berry-like fruit is typically about 1.5 cm in diameter. 

Red-keeled Flowerpecker (Dicaeum australe, a Philippine endemic) 

Habitat - Canopy of forest, edge and flowering trees. 

Size - 4 inches total length 

Shooting Info - filmed in habitat at Maambal Orchard, Pangasinan, Philippines on September 11, 2021, Nikon Coolpix P1000, fluid head + tripod + shotgun microphone, manual focus, manual exposure in available light, 4K/29.97p.