Good Friday this year was spent moving from one church to another for Visita Iglesia across Cagayan. In between stops, we passed through a farm in Alcala where a pair of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters (Merops philippinus) caught my attention. It turned out to be a lifer, which made the stop more memorable than expected.

They were active the whole time, flying back and forth across the open field and perching briefly before taking off again. The male was not carrying anything in its mouth, but it stayed close to the female, following her movements and keeping within the same area. The pattern of short flights and returns suggested courtship behavior, with both birds staying coordinated in their movements.

Their appearance was easy to appreciate in the mid-morning light. The body was a bright green, with a distinct blue tail that stood out especially in flight. The elongated tail streamers gave them a slightly trailing look in the air. A black eye stripe ran across the face, and a chestnut-colored throat added contrast to the otherwise green and blue plumage. The colors were clear and consistent whether perched or in flight.

We stayed for a few minutes to watch them before continuing to the next church. Among the stops for the day, this was one of the more unexpected highlights. It was a simple sighting, but a good addition to the day’s Visita Iglesia.