Post by Ely Teehankee on Oct 27, 2012 0:06:28 GMT
Bacolod is the capital of Negros Occidental. It is nicknamed the City of Smiles and ranked by a magazine as "The Best Place To Live in the Philippines" Mambukal is about 30 minutes from Bacolod and a must destination for bird photographers. The Visayan Flowerpecker is almost a certainty. So with the White-throated Kingfisher, and White-bellied Munia. The only thing is they can be so far at times. The last time I was there I did not get to see the Spotted Wood-Kingfisher but this time it was there. He is the perfect bird who will gladly pose for you and changes perches from time to time for variety. How I wish that all the birds have this characteristic. I was with Kieron Tan, Bacolod's most popular wedding photographer & videographer. Kieron told me that the Spotted Wood-Kingfisher is seen almost daily and that certainly gave me something to look forward to.
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM, Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. Manual exposure in available light.
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) 176 mm (7 inches)
Our guide Biboy showed us where the White-throated Kingfisher was but it was far and perched on a wire. We saw it moved to a tree but he was shy that day and flew back to the wire. We decided to wait for the Common Kingfisher near the Lagoon. It did not show up but this Grey Wagtail took its place.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Very typical of the Grey Wagtail is to constantly flipping his tail up & down. So it was a challenge to catch it still for a decent photograph.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
It was a pleasant surprise when the Philippine Magpie Robin (Copsychus deuteronymus) 197 mm (7.5 inches) flew to a tree adjacent to the creek.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The Spotted Wood-Kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) 254 mm (10 inches) is endemic to the Philippines and a lifer for me. It could have been better were it not molting. But a bird on the CF card is something that I am thankful for.
1/25 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Sometimes the Spotted Wood-Kingfisher would be so close that I have to moved back to where I can get at least 6 meters to get a focus on the bird.
1/15 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Visayan Flowerpecker (Dicaeum haematostictum) 100mm (4 inches)
Similar to the Red-keeled Flowerpecker these bird are just as skittish. They are both endemic to the Philippines. Just like at Villa Escudero they feast on the Higimit fruit.
1/30 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
The Visayan Flowerpecker has a bigger patch of red with some bluish grey feathers on top as if the blood has dried. A rare sight to see in birds and to think that there are two kinds of Red-keeled Flowerpecker that are endemic to the Philippines for us to see and appreciate.
1/30 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Steere's Bulbul (Hypsipetes guimarasensis) 223 mm (8 3/4 inches) What used to be commonly called Philippine Bulbul is now called Steere's Bulbul in the island of Visayas.
1/40 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
White-bellied Munia (Lonchura leucognastra) 114 mm (4 1/2 inches)
At 1.4 inches longer than the often seen Chestnut Munia, there are hundreds of this bird at Mambukal. But don't expect them to be close as they are people shy. To get this picture I added a 1.4X TC.
1/160 sec., f/8, ISO 1600 with 1.4X TC II
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, Canon EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM, Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. Manual exposure in available light.
Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) 176 mm (7 inches)
Our guide Biboy showed us where the White-throated Kingfisher was but it was far and perched on a wire. We saw it moved to a tree but he was shy that day and flew back to the wire. We decided to wait for the Common Kingfisher near the Lagoon. It did not show up but this Grey Wagtail took its place.
1/200 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Very typical of the Grey Wagtail is to constantly flipping his tail up & down. So it was a challenge to catch it still for a decent photograph.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
It was a pleasant surprise when the Philippine Magpie Robin (Copsychus deuteronymus) 197 mm (7.5 inches) flew to a tree adjacent to the creek.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
The Spotted Wood-Kingfisher (Actenoides lindsayi) 254 mm (10 inches) is endemic to the Philippines and a lifer for me. It could have been better were it not molting. But a bird on the CF card is something that I am thankful for.
1/25 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Sometimes the Spotted Wood-Kingfisher would be so close that I have to moved back to where I can get at least 6 meters to get a focus on the bird.
1/15 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Visayan Flowerpecker (Dicaeum haematostictum) 100mm (4 inches)
Similar to the Red-keeled Flowerpecker these bird are just as skittish. They are both endemic to the Philippines. Just like at Villa Escudero they feast on the Higimit fruit.
1/30 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
The Visayan Flowerpecker has a bigger patch of red with some bluish grey feathers on top as if the blood has dried. A rare sight to see in birds and to think that there are two kinds of Red-keeled Flowerpecker that are endemic to the Philippines for us to see and appreciate.
1/30 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
Steere's Bulbul (Hypsipetes guimarasensis) 223 mm (8 3/4 inches) What used to be commonly called Philippine Bulbul is now called Steere's Bulbul in the island of Visayas.
1/40 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200
White-bellied Munia (Lonchura leucognastra) 114 mm (4 1/2 inches)
At 1.4 inches longer than the often seen Chestnut Munia, there are hundreds of this bird at Mambukal. But don't expect them to be close as they are people shy. To get this picture I added a 1.4X TC.
1/160 sec., f/8, ISO 1600 with 1.4X TC II
