A moulting Blue-and-White Flycatcher

[JV Noriega]

This is my rarest Lifer.

From Wikipedia:
The Blue-and-white Flycatcher, Cyanoptila cyanomelana is a migratory songbird. It breeds in Japan, Korea, and in parts of China and Russia. It winters in South East Asia, especially in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra and Borneo.


At first i thought i heared a Pied Fantail, but it didn't move like one, and didn't have a fan-shaped tail. It seemed like a black-colored bird as it flew from branch to branch in the shadows underneath a Gimelina tree, so i had to use flash to capture it properly and bring out its colors. To my surprise, it was blue and white, and i had no name for it.. it wasnt even in the field guide book of Philippine birds.. So I posted this photo for identification, and Ka Romy forwarded it to Des, who finally identified it as a moulting Blue-and-white Flycatcher a few months ago. This was photographed in my village behind Ateneo on January 29, 2009, at around 9am.

Blue-and-white Flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana)
50d + EF400 5.6L f/9.5, 1/250 sec, ISO 320, manual focus, better beamer, tripod

[Toto Gamboa]

Wow. A rarity. Haven't chanced this bird in Palay Palay. It is good to know it has reached QC. Probably be gone by now Great low light capture JV.

[Neon Rosell II]

Congrats on this rare lifer, JV!! Excellent capture and flash control. This bird is still in my wish list.

[Edu Lorenzo Jr]

WOW!!!!!!!!

[Ely Teehankee]

You are lucky if you heard it sing. It must have been wonderful. We encountered this bird in Palay Palay and I was lucky to have a photo of it but I did not hear it sing. This is a very interesting discovery for all of us in the sense that it has reached your village. Well done JV. Mabuhay.

[Ralf Nabong]

Molting or not, this is still in my wish list!

Congrats on this rare find JV!

[mantarey]

Congrats on your rare lifer JV. I tried to find this a few times in Mt. Palay-palay but did not even see a shadow.

[Lydia Robledo]

It's good that the not so common birds frequent your area, JV. Your skills allow you to document them day or night. You are so blessed! You are also addicted already, I think... the symptoms show in the forum... he, he. can't hide, like the others on camouflage attire. telyds

[William Lim]

Congrats, JV on the lifer.

[Mark Itol]

Great catch, JV! Congrats!

[Romy Ocon]

Congrats again on the rare lifer, JV..... very skillful use of flash!

[JV Noriega]

Thank you Toto, Neon, Edu, Ely, Bong, Rey, Telyds, William, Mark and Ka Mastah for the inspiring comments. Yes, i must admit, i am now a true certified addict of this unique artistic craft of ours.. but i still have to learn a lot from all of you birdnuts, who have tons of experience in this artform. More power to PBPF, and hope to share more lifers and videos with the group!

[JP Cariño]

congrats on this very beautiful fc. i noticed with this species is that its big for a fc when i saw it in palay palay last year

[JV Noriega]

Thats absolutely right, JP, cause when i first saw it in the shadows underneath the tree i thought it was a ETS or a Pied Fantail.. thanks for viewing JP, i was saving up to buy your 500 VR since you mentioned you were going for a 600, but you just dunked it! -- did the lens get soaked in water and mud too? I just dropped my D300s also last week, came off loose from the lens while carrying by tripod, and it had no strap, 3 feet down on concrete, has a few scratches, but still works like brand new... Nikons can really take it all!