COUCAL!!

[Neon Rosell II]

Finally had a proper birding fix, thanks to Bob, Alain and Bert for inviting me to bird with them at Mt. Palay-palay this morning. It was short but had a grand time with you guys!!

This was the first bird we encountered this morning and I got my boundary already!! ;D was just cruising along the rest of the day. I had deficult times capturing this bird before and now I think I can tick it out. ;D Got some videos to boot, that will follow in another thread.

Philippine Coucal (Centropus viridis) - Mt. Palay-palay, July 24 2010.
5DM2 + 600 mm f4 IS + 2x Kenko TC, f8, 1/320 sec, TV priority + 1/3 EV, ISO 500, in available light, Tripod on two legs-Gimbal support.

A closer crop of the above

[Romy Ocon]

Hehehe.... amazing detail, partner! Great focusing job through the twigs.

[JV Noriega]

Excellent feather detail and dof Neon!

[Neon Rosell II]

Thanks Ka Mastah and JV! Wish I could this more often.

[Toto Gamboa]

Wooooow. Superdetails on this hard to shoot bird!

[Mark Itol]

The details are simply amazing. Also great job shooting through the branches, Neon.

[Ely Teehankee]

Nice shot. Your capture certainly portrays the mean looking bird exactly as it is. They invade nest of other birds and get the hatchling. The beak looks so powerful and look at his pose of drying his feathers in the sun with no fear at all. Well done Neon. Mabuhay.

[Bob Kaufman]

Wow! Fine feathered detail - and through the twigs at that!

We had a fun sortie and I got two lifers: the elegant tit and finally, avianus lunaticus. ;D

[William Lim]

That is one ginormous coucal, Neon. Fantastic details.

[mantarey]

Really hard to get this skulker except when it gets wet and dries up it's feathers after the rains. Amazing macro details Neon.

[alainpascua]

Simply excellent, Neon! It's nice to always bird with you, Bob and Bert.