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Post by Romy Ocon on Jan 22, 2010 15:04:54 GMT
Just got down from the mountains, and my eyes are too tired from the 5:30 am - 8:30 pm (15 hours) birding along the montane roads and the mad dash back to the city. Still I can't resist processing this capture before retiring..... it took me many trips to the Cordilleras to finally get this close. Will probably re-process this tomorrow when my eyes will be well-rested. { EDIT - I replaced the first version with a reprocessed one because the first one was too dark.} ;D
Mountain Shrike ( Lanius validirostris, a Philippine endemic) Habitat - Uncommon in montane forest (clearings and edge) above 1000 m. Shooting Info - Elev. 1065 m ASL, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, January 22, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 700 mm, f/7.1, ISO 200, 1/640 sec, Plain Tina bean bag, manual exposure in available light, near full frame, 13.5 meters shooting distance  |
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Post by alainpascua on Jan 22, 2010 15:38:00 GMT
Wow, excellent, Ka Mastah! Bravo!
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Jan 22, 2010 16:33:17 GMT
Congrats Mastah! Very beautiful capture!
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Post by tina mallari on Jan 22, 2010 18:53:04 GMT
So happy for you IDOL Romy !!!!
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Post by Ding Carpio on Jan 22, 2010 20:47:17 GMT
13.5 meters shot with a 700mm! Wow! Congrats.
Had to check out where Cervantes is. Noticed it's not on the usual route between Sagada (Mt Data) and Baguio. Did you take a detour?
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Post by Eric Patdu on Jan 22, 2010 21:44:57 GMT
Wow!  |
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Post by Neon Rosell II on Jan 22, 2010 22:41:06 GMT
Wow!! Awesome capture, Ka Mastash!! This has been the most wanted in my montane list too. For the two times I tried to capture this bird it only showed itself once, when you said "many trips" how many did you mean? I have a long way to go, and countless trips to make ;D Wooohooo!!
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Post by Dennis Alfaro on Jan 23, 2010 0:02:29 GMT
Excellent shot Mastah! Perfect pose as well
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Jan 23, 2010 0:47:00 GMT
That is a beautiful capture of a Mountain Shrike. I am looking forward to see your other captures. Well done Romy. Mabuhay.
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Post by Romy Ocon on Jan 23, 2010 1:28:08 GMT
Thanks everybody for the comments! I reprocessed the photo because the version I posted last night was too dark, I knew my tired eyes weren't reliable. ;D These birds are more shy at Mt. Data, and I couldn't get an aesthetic shot at that place in two days of stalking work. Nevertheless, here's a Mt. Data bird showing some detail at the backside, taken in harsh mixed lighting. Shooting Info - Elev. 2195 m ASL, Mt. Data, Mountain Province, January 21, 2010, 7D + 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 700 mm, f/7.1, ISO 200, 1/160 sec, Plain Tina bean bag, manual exposure in available light, near full frame, 10.1 meters shooting distance  |
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Post by Edu Lorenzo Jr on Jan 23, 2010 1:28:20 GMT
So that's where you were!!!  Beautiful as always mastah.. this needs no more processing. |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Jan 23, 2010 1:57:05 GMT
Had to check out where Cervantes is. Noticed it's not on the usual route between Sagada (Mt Data) and Baguio. Did you take a detour? Ding, I decided to come down the mountains via the Mankayan (Benguet) - Cervantes (Ilocos Sur) - Suyo (IS) - Tagudin (IS) route. Driving conditions were terrible - countless one way sections because the road is being concreted. Very bumpy and dusty too. Vegetation in the Mankayan-Cervantes stretch is covered with dust and very unphotogenic (similar to Baler-Pantabangan route in terms of terrain and dust) . I actually regretted driving this way, till I saw the shrike (that made it somewhat worth it). There are some spots in the Cervantes-Suyo section that may be promising, but I got through that area near lunch time, hence there was very little bird activity. Another consolation in this route is the killer papaitang baka at the eateries in the Bangar (La Union) public market. ;D Wow!! Awesome capture, Ka Mastash!! This has been the most wanted in my montane list too. For the two times I tried to capture this bird it only showed itself once, when you said "many trips" how many did you mean? I have a long way to go, and countless trips to make ;D Wooohooo!! Hehe, I actually blazed the Mt. Data trail years ago to look for this bird. This latest sortie must be my 5th or 6th trip to the Cordilleras, partner. ;D So that's where you were!!! Yes, Edu.... that's why I can ship out your DVD only on Monday. |
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Post by Edu Lorenzo Jr on Jan 23, 2010 2:50:06 GMT
Well this made it worth the wait I am sure everyone is glad here that you have been reunited with that ear-to-ear grin and adrenalin rush that birding provides when we capture a lifer. At your level, that feeling understandably now comes to far in between. Congrats again mastah! |
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Post by Tonji Ramos on Jan 23, 2010 3:48:47 GMT
What superb shots! Details, the colors, bg ... best thing I can say is that they look like Romy Ocon photos! When the master takes a bird off his list he does it in style. Wow. Congrats on the photos!
Its interesting information that the Mountain Shrike can be found at 1065 meters.
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Post by Mark Itol on Jan 23, 2010 4:10:42 GMT
Superb captures, Ka Mastah! Congratulations!
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Post by William Lim on Jan 23, 2010 12:24:33 GMT
Fantastic |
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Post by Romy Ocon on Jan 23, 2010 22:52:36 GMT
Thanks again folks for the comments. I've some video clips too of this bird, and will process these shortly. |
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Post by mantarey on Jan 24, 2010 5:53:18 GMT
Wonderful Mastah Romy. Tons of fine details and I like the composition too. Very nice head angle and impressive handling of the mottled light in the second pic. Congrats.
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Post by JP Cariño on Jan 24, 2010 14:51:05 GMT
congrats Romy! i love the pose on the first photo. clean bg as well
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Post by ppaaoolloo on Jan 24, 2010 16:54:13 GMT
Romy your Shrike looks fierce. Great capture!
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