Sagada Birds

[Neon Rosell II]

Sagada is a promising birding place for now, when development catches up after the roads are finished I doubt it will still be a bird haven. There were lots of missed opportunities during this sortie as the area is so vast and road birding is just possible in a few places. It's was mostly trekking and ambush (waiting in one spot for birds to come) style birding. Birds were really skittish.

Here's what I collected during this trip April 1-4

Crested Myna (Acridotheres cristatellus)
5DM2 + 600 mm f4 IS + 1.4x Sigma TC, f 7.1, 1/320 sec, ISO 3200, Av priority, in available light, Tripod-Gimbal support.


Metallic-winged Sunbird (Aethopyga pulcherrima)
5DM2 + 300 mm f4 IS + 1.4x Sigma TC, + 580 EX II + Flash Extender, f 5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO 640, Hand held


Will post more later.. ;D

[tina mallari]

Excellent Neon.... looking forward to more of your captures Sayang we weren't able to book a room there. Super plenty people ba?

[Neon Rosell II]

Thanks Tina, no not that much people in the area, I guess most preferred to go to the beaches than to drive close to 900km. We went home via Benguet, it's a much shorter route than via Baguio. The roads are very excellent, the landslide we encountered going to Bontoc last time was all gone and concreted.

Here's a fledgling White-bellied Woodpecker (Dryocopus javensis). It's nest hole was just on a tree beside the road going to the Rock Inn.
5DM2 + 300 mm f4 IS + 1.4x Sigma TC, + 580 EX II + Flash Extender, f 5.6, 1/80 sec, ISO 640, Hand held


And these birds were all over the place.
Scale-feathered Malkoha (Lepidogrammus cumingi)
5DM2 + 300 mm f4 IS + 1.4x Sigma TC, f 5.6, 1/200 sec, ISO 400, Av priority, + 4/3 EV, in available light, Hand held

[Edu Lorenzo Jr]

all over the place? WOW!

All great captures sir!!!!

[Sylvia Ramos]

Nice ones Neon! The owner of the Inn said there are a lot of birds around October. Unfortunately, that's also around the time when the people there do the akik hunting.

[Bob Kaufman]

Awesome shots, Neon! Such fine detail in every shot. The metallic-winged sunbird is gorgeous!

[Toto Gamboa]

So this is what I missed in Sagada. Magnificent shots in all Neon! Thanks for the tips on how to bird in the hotel's ground.

[mantarey]

Very nice set Neon, the metallic winged sunbird is a killer.

Looking forward to the rest of your captures.

[Ely Teehankee]

All beautiful captures. The Metallic Sunbird is my favorite because I like Sunbirds. Well done Neon. Mabuhay.

[JV Noriega]

Nice set Neon! Its wonderful to see these well photographed birds in high altitude! I like the Scale-Feathered Malkoha... its such a beauty, wish i could have the chance to photograph it someday, well done and congratulations!

[JP Cariño]

I love this place but i have to agree the birds were either skittish or scarce. Nice use of flash on the sunbird. I like the malkoha

[Neon Rosell II]

Thanks Guys!

Here's one of the very active and numerous birds there but the toughest to catch as it is always moving among the bushes. It seldom perch like this where you get it in the open.

Chestnut-faced Babbler (Stachyris whiteheadi)
5DM2 + 600 mm f4 IS + 2x Kenko TC, f 8, 1/400 sec, ISO 1600, Av priority, in available light, Tripod-Gimbal support.

[Romy Ocon]

Wow.... great haul, partner.... you did well with the flash at the MW Sunbird!