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Post by Tonji Ramos on May 21, 2011 3:52:35 GMT
This is a pretty rare bird. It is a critically endangered bird (IUCN Red List). In 2003 they counted only 1,171 breeding pairs of Christmas Island Frigatebirds. They are not even in our Kennedy Guide. We were very lucky enough to see four different individuals. A fourth year female, a third year female, and a second year male and a juvenile (sex cannot be determined for juveniles). All of them flying around Tubbataha Reef. The fourth year female even landed on a tree and posed for pictures. Sylvia wrote the expert on Frigatebirds, David James to confirm our ID's. All the Frigatebird pictures have confirmed ID's on the species, sex and the year. The best way to ID the Frigatebirds is to get a shot of them flying. Then its good to have all the angles. Especially directly under the bird. It is a good thing to have a shooting partner so you can get all possible angles of a bird. Christmas Island FrigatebirdFregata Andrewsifourth year female third year female third year female second year male Our other Christmas Island Frigatebird pictures can be found in our website. tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.smugmug.com/List/Frigatebirds/cif/17092671_fnjTjZ#1294962729_TfGLtsN
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Post by Ramon Quisumbing on May 21, 2011 6:32:28 GMT
Wow, fantastic! Is this the first time that Xmas Island Frigatebirds are seen in the Philippines?
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Post by Tonji Ramos on May 21, 2011 10:50:03 GMT
Hi Ramon. I think it was reported last year by Arne Jensen and Lory Tan in the June 2010 issue of Birding Asia. There are three species of Frigatebirds in the Philippines now and the three species are very difficult to tell apart. I think the Christmas Island Frigatebird has been seen before but not reported. David James the expert on Frigatebirds had a great article on how to ID the birds. Sylvia made a big spreadsheet that covered our entire bed and was able to ID all the species properly using a chart she made based on the article. She then wrote David James and he agreed with the species ID and corrected some of the ages that were wrong. But it was a fantastic learning effort by Sylvia to research and get the ID of the birds correctly. She was super happy to get them 100% correct. We took so many pictures and David was quite interested in them and got them for his files as well.
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Post by Ramon Quisumbing on May 21, 2011 10:53:06 GMT
Excellent work, Sylvia and Tonji!
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Post by Ely Teehankee on May 21, 2011 15:37:15 GMT
Congratulations Sylvia. I don't think I will ever be good in identifying birds. You guys are exceptional. Well done & Mabuhay.
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Post by Toto Gamboa on May 22, 2011 14:27:38 GMT
You both are a team to beat Sylvia and Tonji. You have now redefined bird photography in the country. The bar of excellence just keep going higher and higher. Can't say anymore other than these are perfecet shots.
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Post by tina mallari on May 24, 2011 2:31:58 GMT
Fantastic captures Sylvia and Tonji !!!! How I envy you guys I want to go to Tubbataha - hu hu hu Sylvs and Tonj, I am smiling like a crazy fool in front of my monitor coz I remembered your story about Sylvia's boo boo - LOL !!!! If that happened to me, I'd go to a corner and whimper like a dog - LOL !!!!
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Post by Tonji Ramos on May 24, 2011 13:08:44 GMT
Thanks Toto. I really hope you get to see and photograph these birds also. Thanks Tita Tina. You better keep your bags packed.
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Post by Nilo Arribas Jr. on May 25, 2011 2:31:00 GMT
These are excellent photos of the rare bird Tonji. I'm very happy for you and Sylvia. Big congrats and thanks for sharing your experience in this trip.
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Post by Ariel Matias on May 26, 2011 16:24:14 GMT
WOW! I only see frigate birds in the air! This one is beautiful!
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