Post by Ely Teehankee on Feb 24, 2014 0:07:04 GMT
It was a day to remember, we started out early and got to Mount Kitanglad at about 5:45 AM. The travel from Malaybalay to the foot of the mountain was just under two hours. It was a pleasant surprise to see the sun starting to rise at 5:50 AM. In Manila it would be about 6:10 to see where the golf ball is going. Ramon Quisumbing, his brother JJ, and I were fortunate to have met Ben Maputi, the night before after a long trip from Mapawa, who told us that we needed a permit to go inside the protected forest. After some calls, arrangements were made, to pay to the guard at the entrance. Mount Kitanglad is certainly a good place to go birding.
Canon EOS 1DX, Canon EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM, Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. Manual exposure in available light.
As we were climbing up the slope of the mountain, we heard birds chirping even before the sun was out. There was a small flock of Mountain Verditer-Flycatcher (Eumyias panayensis) 5 1/2 inches. When I saw the bird on the viewfinder, I knew I had a lifer.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600

When we reach what they called the campsite, we stop and listened. Not long after our guide Dodong told us that the Black-and-cinnamon Fantail (Rhipidura nigrocinnamonea) 6 1/4 inches was in the vicinity. We positioned ourselves but the BCF was busy feeding itself on insects that he hardly stayed in one place for a few seconds. It was exciting for me, as it was my first time to see this Philippine endemic bird and to me it is the best looking fantail that I have seen. It has the facial expression of an "Angry Bird".
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800

Grey-hooded Sunbird (Aethopyga primigenius) 4 1/4 inches endemic to Mindanao. This was one of the bird that came along with the mixed flock.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
I have heard of the famous Apo Myna (Basilornis miranda) 13 inches but it is the first time for me to see it in the wild. Even if it was 58.5 meters away I too a photograph of it singing as if there was no one watching. I said to myself better a far shot than nothing at all.
1/2500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
It was delightful to see this Sulphur-billed Nuthatch (Sitta oenochlamys) 4 3/4 inches catching an insect among the ephyphites.
1/1250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
Its time to look for the next meal.
1/1250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
The first time that I saw a White-eye was at UP Diliman. I have never seen a bird so pretty and that hooked me on to bird photography. They are skittish and if you lose your patience you have lost your subject. I was very lucky that a Mountain White-eye (Zosterops whiteheadi) 4 inches, landed on some flowering near very near to where I was standing.
I have just been told by Ramon Quisumbing that this is the Everett's White-eye (Sosterops everetti) 4 1/4 inches. Thank you Ramon for the correct ID.
1/250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
Canon EOS 1DX, Canon EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM, Gitzo GT3530LS tripod, M-3.6 Mongoose Gimbal Action Head. Manual exposure in available light.
As we were climbing up the slope of the mountain, we heard birds chirping even before the sun was out. There was a small flock of Mountain Verditer-Flycatcher (Eumyias panayensis) 5 1/2 inches. When I saw the bird on the viewfinder, I knew I had a lifer.
1/320 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600

When we reach what they called the campsite, we stop and listened. Not long after our guide Dodong told us that the Black-and-cinnamon Fantail (Rhipidura nigrocinnamonea) 6 1/4 inches was in the vicinity. We positioned ourselves but the BCF was busy feeding itself on insects that he hardly stayed in one place for a few seconds. It was exciting for me, as it was my first time to see this Philippine endemic bird and to me it is the best looking fantail that I have seen. It has the facial expression of an "Angry Bird".
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800

Grey-hooded Sunbird (Aethopyga primigenius) 4 1/4 inches endemic to Mindanao. This was one of the bird that came along with the mixed flock.
1/800 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
I have heard of the famous Apo Myna (Basilornis miranda) 13 inches but it is the first time for me to see it in the wild. Even if it was 58.5 meters away I too a photograph of it singing as if there was no one watching. I said to myself better a far shot than nothing at all.
1/2500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
It was delightful to see this Sulphur-billed Nuthatch (Sitta oenochlamys) 4 3/4 inches catching an insect among the ephyphites.
1/1250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
Its time to look for the next meal.
1/1250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
The first time that I saw a White-eye was at UP Diliman. I have never seen a bird so pretty and that hooked me on to bird photography. They are skittish and if you lose your patience you have lost your subject. I was very lucky that a Mountain White-eye (Zosterops whiteheadi) 4 inches, landed on some flowering near very near to where I was standing.
I have just been told by Ramon Quisumbing that this is the Everett's White-eye (Sosterops everetti) 4 1/4 inches. Thank you Ramon for the correct ID.
1/250 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
1/400 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800
These things were not clear in your story and I would be interested in more detail. It is always interesting to hear a different way of doing something. Thanks Ely. 