Post by Tonji Ramos on May 3, 2009 18:29:20 GMT
We went to Sierra Madre last Friday with Tina and Wency.
It was an interesting trip with 9 lifers for us. Sylvia and I each had our own cameras and we took so many pictures.
Sylvia and I had just finished taking photos of a Scale-Feathered Malkoha when I heard an unusual call. I determined it came from the hill in front of us. I squatted down to the level of the grass and hoped my green shirt with leaves was a good disguise. I made my version of a young bird call. Moments later out came what I first thought was a raptor. It landed on a tree and I sneaked to it and saw it was a very big owl! After taking photos we looked at the kennedy guide and determined it was a Philippine Eagle Owl. Maybe this is the owl Neon and Aphine photographed earlier or its mate. It was a very cool capture.
Philippine Eagle Owl May 2, 2009
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 640, 1/200, F5.6 handheld
Sylvia and Tina were taking pictures of a Mangrove Blue Flycatcher when we heard a Philippine Coucal calling out in the distance. Sylvia told me to take a picture, I thought to myself, yeah.. right, thats a pretty elusive bird and there is a forest full of cover. But I decided to try the calling technique again. So I partially hid behind some grass and made what I believed to be a horrible imitation of a coucal, I thought I sounded like a dove and a monkey combined. Strangely two birds were responding. Even stranger, one bird flew up to look at me. Ack. I promptly took the photos. It was my lucky day for my makeshift bird calls.
Philippine Coucal
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 640, 1/125, F 5.6, handheld
This last picture is of the baby Black Naped Monarchs. It was late afternoon and the sun hit the nest just right. I was able to bend down and take this pic just as the chicks were calling out. They are translucent in the sunlight and look so frail and yet so eager for life. I was happy to be able to handhold even at a lower shutter speed.
Black Naped Monarch
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 800, 1/80, F 5.6, handheld
It was an interesting trip with 9 lifers for us. Sylvia and I each had our own cameras and we took so many pictures.
Sylvia and I had just finished taking photos of a Scale-Feathered Malkoha when I heard an unusual call. I determined it came from the hill in front of us. I squatted down to the level of the grass and hoped my green shirt with leaves was a good disguise. I made my version of a young bird call. Moments later out came what I first thought was a raptor. It landed on a tree and I sneaked to it and saw it was a very big owl! After taking photos we looked at the kennedy guide and determined it was a Philippine Eagle Owl. Maybe this is the owl Neon and Aphine photographed earlier or its mate. It was a very cool capture.
Philippine Eagle Owl May 2, 2009
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 640, 1/200, F5.6 handheld
Sylvia and Tina were taking pictures of a Mangrove Blue Flycatcher when we heard a Philippine Coucal calling out in the distance. Sylvia told me to take a picture, I thought to myself, yeah.. right, thats a pretty elusive bird and there is a forest full of cover. But I decided to try the calling technique again. So I partially hid behind some grass and made what I believed to be a horrible imitation of a coucal, I thought I sounded like a dove and a monkey combined. Strangely two birds were responding. Even stranger, one bird flew up to look at me. Ack. I promptly took the photos. It was my lucky day for my makeshift bird calls.
Philippine Coucal
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 640, 1/125, F 5.6, handheld
This last picture is of the baby Black Naped Monarchs. It was late afternoon and the sun hit the nest just right. I was able to bend down and take this pic just as the chicks were calling out. They are translucent in the sunlight and look so frail and yet so eager for life. I was happy to be able to handhold even at a lower shutter speed.
Black Naped Monarch
50D 100-400, 400mm, ISO 800, 1/80, F 5.6, handheld