An Update on Los Baños Birds

[Tirso Paris]

If you are wondering what you might see in Los Baños nowadays, this post might be useful. In general, bird population is still sparse and my favorites like buttonquails, moorhens, greater painted snipes, and watercocks seem to be still hiding elsewhere. On the other hand, striated grassbirds, brown shrikes, pipits, and egrets are quite common. Ocassionally, you may find a flock, of whiskered terns, some plovers and sandpipers, and a few waterbirds like buff-banded rails, crakes, and bitterns. I do hope that more species will show up within the next few months.


The photos below were all taken within the past month using my Canon EOS 7D, EF 100-400mm L IS USM, and either handheld or car window support.



Striated Grassbird (Megalurus palustris)
1/500 sec, Aperture priority, F8, ISO 400, 400 mm, Subject distance 8.4m



Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis), juvenile
Thanks to Paul Bourdin for pointing out that it's not a cinnamon bittern but a juvenile y.bittern
1/640 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 1000, 400 mm, Subject distance 14.9 m



Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis), female
1/500 sec, Aperture priority, F11, ISO 800, 400 mm, Subject distance 5 m



Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)
2012-01-11 08:07, 1/640 sec, Shutter priority, F6.3, ISO 800, 390 mm, Subject distance 12.6 m



Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis), with a juvenile
1/500 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 250, 400 mm, Subject distance 12.6 m



White-browed Crake (Porzana cinerea)
1/500 sec, Shutter priority, F6.3, ISO 200, 400 mm, Subject distance 10.8 m



Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis), Los Banos
1/1250 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 200, 400 mm, Subject distance 8.4m



Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
1/500 sec, Aperture priority, F10, ISO 200, 400 mm



Little Ringed-Plover (Charadrius dubius)
1/1000 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 160, 400 mm



Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)
1/100 sec, Shutter priority, F6.3, ISO 125, 400 mm, Subject distance 4.5 m



Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)
1/2000 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 800, 400 mm, Subject distance 10.8 m



Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus)
1/2000 sec, Shutter priority, F6.3, ISO 320, 400 mm, Subject distance 7.4 m



Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)
1/1000 sec, Shutter priority, F6.3, ISO 3200, 365 mm, Subject distance 14.9 m


Philippine Falconet (Microhierax erythrogenys)
1/1600 sec, Shutter priority, F5.6, ISO 400, 400 mm, Subject distance 30.3 m

[Mick Harris]

A wonderful set of images, congratulations.

[Ely Teehankee]

I can appreciate the clarity of your pictures especially when you were able to take very close shots of the smaller birds like the Olive-backed Sunbird 5M and Brown Shrike 4.5. For the medium size birds even if they were a little bit further, they were still super like the Yellow Bittern 8.4M and Whiskered Tern 7.4. For those over 10 meters but less than 15 they were also sharp because of the size of the birds like the White Browed Crake 10.8M, Buff Banded Rail 12.6M and Cinnamon Bittern 14.9. It really pays to be close to the subject and your pictures demonstrates how close one should be depending on the size of the bird. Well done Tirso & Mabuhay. I bet you were happy taking these pictures.

[paulbourdin]

Nice pictures. The 'Cinnamon Bittern' is in fact a juvenile Yellow Bittern.

[Tirso Paris]

Feb 9, 2012 17:39:33 GMT Mick Harris said:

A wonderful set of images, congratulations.

Thanks a lot Mick for your appreciation.

[Tirso Paris]

Feb 9, 2012 21:10:47 GMT Ely Teehankee said:

I can appreciate the clarity of your pictures especially when you were able to take very close shots of the smaller birds like the Olive-backed Sunbird 5M and Brown Shrike 4.5. For the medium size birds even if they were a little bit further, they were still super like the Yellow Bittern 8.4M and Whiskered Tern 7.4. For those over 10 meters but less than 15 they were also sharp because of the size of the birds like the White Browed Crake 10.8M, Buff Banded Rail 12.6M and Cinnamon Bittern 14.9. It really pays to be close to the subject and your pictures demonstrates how close one should be depending on the size of the bird. Well done Tirso & Mabuhay. I bet you were happy taking these pictures.

Thanks a lot Ely. There are lucky days when your subjects are close enough that you can really capture a lot of detail. But alas, it doesn't happen often. You're absolutely right, there is perhaps an ideal distance to bird size ratio to get a decent shot. The smaller the better. Many thanks again!

[Tirso Paris]

Feb 9, 2012 22:25:19 GMT paulbourdin said:

Nice pictures. The 'Cinnamon Bittern' is in fact a juvenile Yellow Bittern.

Thanks again Paul for compliment but especially for the correction. I did base my ID on absence of the black cap which is found I guess only in adult males.

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Wonderful harvest, Tirso. I am surprised that the birds let you come so close. Do they feel safe in Los Banos because there is no hunting allowed? Is the road right beside the rice paddies? I should go there some time soon.

[Tirso Paris]

Feb 10, 2012 20:56:37 GMT Ramon Quisumbing said:

Wonderful harvest, Tirso. I am surprised that the birds let you come so close. Do they feel safe in Los Banos because there is no hunting allowed? Is the road right beside the rice paddies? I should go there some time soon.

Thanks Ramon. You're right, there are long stretches of roads that are beside rice paddies. Sometimes if you wait long enough, birds come close to the roadside. I will PM you when it's a good time to come.

[Lawrence Lo]

These are great close shots sir Tirso, and just a distance of a car window. They must be comfortable enough that they dont consider us a threat.

I love that Little Ringed-Plover

[Tirso Paris]

Feb 11, 2012 1:22:00 GMT Lawrence Lo said:

These are great close shots sir Tirso, and just a distance of a car window. They must be comfortable enough that they dont consider us a threat.

I love that Little Ringed-Plover

Thanks a lot Lawrence. Yes, I observe that initially, they keep their distance but if you don't make much commotion, they would come closer.

[Lydia Robledo]

I was trying to choose which one I like best, at the end of the scroll, I like all. I always covet your great photos! I have not been back to Makiling in ages. The gas and toll take their toll. If I am guaranteed that there are butterflies, I will go! Makiling has become unpredictable even with birds. To live within the forest is a great privilege. I should visit soon. I don't think I can wait for the April showers. Cheerps, lyd >;<

[Tirso Paris]

Thank you so much Telyds for your generous comments. If and when I see a lot of butterflies around, I will surely notify you.

[Mark Jason Argallon]

great series! feels like actually seeing them.

[Tirso Paris]

Thanks a lot Mark..in general, I was close enough to the birds. Of course, some bit of cropping and post-processing do help.

[Tateo Osawa]

All great shot Tirso ! very nice photos, I like Buff-banded Rail the most.

[Tirso Paris]

Thank you very much Tateo!

[tina mallari]

Awesome pictures prof Tirso !!! It's always nice to look at your "harvests" coz you always take such wonderful photos.

[Juan Manuel C. Del Prado]

There is some thing, too, that we can learn on birds' behavior....like the female Olive-backed Sunbird seemingly piercing the flower at the lower portion to get the nectar, because its beak was not long enough. Thank you, Prof. Tirso, for the "lesson" via your fantastic photos.

[Nilo Arribas Jr.]

Very good set here Prof. Tirso. The Buff-banded and Little-ringed Plover are my fav.