Post by Sylvia Ramos on Mar 28, 2011 7:23:35 GMT
We were in the Northern Sierra Madre a few weeks ago for an amazing birdwatching trip that involved camping for 4 nights, hiking, horseback riding, and bathing in a waterfall. The group was Tonji, Carmela B., and Robert B. Our guide and Camp Boss was Nicky Icarangal. It was such an extreme and different experience from our usual car birding, but you never saw a happier (or more tired) group of campers!
This is the "new" place that Adri mentioned in his other post, different from Camp Hamut. Thank you Nicky Icarangal and also Adri Constantino for making it possible! Superb campsite and logistics!
Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi
This was THE target bird of the trip. It was very elusive and we didn't get to see it until our final birding day. We all got great views, but my picture had obstructions. I know! Tonji has a much better one from another vantage point. You see Tonji's pic in our smugmug: tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Pittas/wp/16280738_kVGvv.
f2.8, iso 2500, 1/160, handheld
Flame-Breasted Fruit Dove Ptilinopus marchei
This bird is described in the Kennedy guide as "very shy". The bird in this picture is a immature, and apparently it hasn't learned yet to be shy. The adults really were shy. It was perched on a tree that was draped in a beautiful fruiting vine.
f7.1, iso 500, 1/200 , tripod
f5.6, iso500, 1/500, tripod
Cream-Bellied Fruit Dove Ptilinopus merrilli faustinoi
This bird is also very shy like the Flame-Breasted. We only got to see it for a short time while it fed on the fruiting tree very, very early in the morning. We had to be very quiet and make sure the bird didn't see us. The picture is dark because it wasn't even 6am yet!
Spotted Wood Kingfisher Actenoides lindsayi
This bird was just as unconcerned by birdwatchers and bird photographers as the Spotted Wood that was in UP a while back. It stayed on the branch for a long time. It was late afternoon though when we saw it, so not much light.
f5.6, iso 150, 1/30, tripod
Canon 5D Mark 2 with 2x tc, except in the photo of the Whiskered Pitta
This is the "new" place that Adri mentioned in his other post, different from Camp Hamut. Thank you Nicky Icarangal and also Adri Constantino for making it possible! Superb campsite and logistics!
Whiskered Pitta Pitta kochi
This was THE target bird of the trip. It was very elusive and we didn't get to see it until our final birding day. We all got great views, but my picture had obstructions. I know! Tonji has a much better one from another vantage point. You see Tonji's pic in our smugmug: tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Pittas/wp/16280738_kVGvv.
f2.8, iso 2500, 1/160, handheld
Flame-Breasted Fruit Dove Ptilinopus marchei
This bird is described in the Kennedy guide as "very shy". The bird in this picture is a immature, and apparently it hasn't learned yet to be shy. The adults really were shy. It was perched on a tree that was draped in a beautiful fruiting vine.
f7.1, iso 500, 1/200 , tripod
f5.6, iso500, 1/500, tripod
Cream-Bellied Fruit Dove Ptilinopus merrilli faustinoi
This bird is also very shy like the Flame-Breasted. We only got to see it for a short time while it fed on the fruiting tree very, very early in the morning. We had to be very quiet and make sure the bird didn't see us. The picture is dark because it wasn't even 6am yet!
Spotted Wood Kingfisher Actenoides lindsayi
This bird was just as unconcerned by birdwatchers and bird photographers as the Spotted Wood that was in UP a while back. It stayed on the branch for a long time. It was late afternoon though when we saw it, so not much light.
f5.6, iso 150, 1/30, tripod
Canon 5D Mark 2 with 2x tc, except in the photo of the Whiskered Pitta
he he he he.
