Post by Tonji Ramos on Mar 30, 2011 4:23:00 GMT
Sylvia and I have always wanted to go to the Northern Sierra Madre Mountains for one bird. The Whiskered Pitta. We did not see or hear it in Mt. Polis. So this was the only place that we knew we could encounter it.
Nicky invited us to join Carmela and Robert on a six day trip to the Northern Sierra Madre mountains . We were glad the Pitta was also their number one target bird. We spent the whole first day riding horses, climbing, and finally setting up our tent.
We spent the next three days looking for this bird. Thats 12 hour birding days climbing crazy 45 +degree slopes. It was not for the faint hearted thats for certain. This area is easily the hardest birding terrain we have encountered. The difficulty is caused by the distance to get to the camp and the daily long climbs. The daily treks were harder than the the hike to the camp itself. Mt. Kitanglad was just 1/3 the effort or less.
On the third day our spirits were beginning to get lower since we failed to see the bird. Then our luck changed, we finally saw one. For the initial appearance I chose not to move or click my camera so all the birders could get their lifer look of the bird. Thankfully we all the saw the bird and it was duly ticked. Our spirits lifted, we then wanted to get a better look. Sylvia and I wanted a photo.
We hiked for an hour or two more and got to see another bird. It was on the side of a hill hiding in the low branches and twigs. We could only see bits of the bird thru all the obstructions. Then Carmela got a better vantage point and motioned for me to come over. It was a ground level shot. I silently removed my 500mm rig from my tripod and lay down on the muddy ground. It was a 45 degree or more slope and the bird was in fact slightly above us. I had to raise the camera a few inches off the ground and use manual focus because of all the twigs and branches. It was under a forest canopy, under a tree, thru a bunch of twigs, grass and leaves so the light was super low.
But it was close. And my focus seemed spot on. I braced the camera as best as I could, clicked away and hoped for the best. At one point I had Carmela click the remote release so I could brace my camera with two hands and get a steady shot despite the strange angle. Then at another point I even used Sylvia's leg as a bean bag of sorts. Anything to get the shot, after three days of hiking! Team effort!
Its not the best Whiskered Pitta shot ever. But, we did not give up and we saw the bird. We got a memorable photo. And it was a fun adventure.
WHISKERED PITTA
Pitta kochi
Canon 5Dmk2, 1.4xtc, 500mm, 1/25, f 5.6, ISO 2500, handheld, manual exposure and focus.
Nicky invited us to join Carmela and Robert on a six day trip to the Northern Sierra Madre mountains . We were glad the Pitta was also their number one target bird. We spent the whole first day riding horses, climbing, and finally setting up our tent.
We spent the next three days looking for this bird. Thats 12 hour birding days climbing crazy 45 +degree slopes. It was not for the faint hearted thats for certain. This area is easily the hardest birding terrain we have encountered. The difficulty is caused by the distance to get to the camp and the daily long climbs. The daily treks were harder than the the hike to the camp itself. Mt. Kitanglad was just 1/3 the effort or less.
On the third day our spirits were beginning to get lower since we failed to see the bird. Then our luck changed, we finally saw one. For the initial appearance I chose not to move or click my camera so all the birders could get their lifer look of the bird. Thankfully we all the saw the bird and it was duly ticked. Our spirits lifted, we then wanted to get a better look. Sylvia and I wanted a photo.
We hiked for an hour or two more and got to see another bird. It was on the side of a hill hiding in the low branches and twigs. We could only see bits of the bird thru all the obstructions. Then Carmela got a better vantage point and motioned for me to come over. It was a ground level shot. I silently removed my 500mm rig from my tripod and lay down on the muddy ground. It was a 45 degree or more slope and the bird was in fact slightly above us. I had to raise the camera a few inches off the ground and use manual focus because of all the twigs and branches. It was under a forest canopy, under a tree, thru a bunch of twigs, grass and leaves so the light was super low.
But it was close. And my focus seemed spot on. I braced the camera as best as I could, clicked away and hoped for the best. At one point I had Carmela click the remote release so I could brace my camera with two hands and get a steady shot despite the strange angle. Then at another point I even used Sylvia's leg as a bean bag of sorts. Anything to get the shot, after three days of hiking! Team effort!
Its not the best Whiskered Pitta shot ever. But, we did not give up and we saw the bird. We got a memorable photo. And it was a fun adventure.
WHISKERED PITTA
Pitta kochi
Canon 5Dmk2, 1.4xtc, 500mm, 1/25, f 5.6, ISO 2500, handheld, manual exposure and focus.