Post by Ely Teehankee on May 24, 2014 1:48:43 GMT
It was a first time for me to see and photograph the Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (Sitta frontalis) 4 3/4 inches, lasting more than 10 minutes. Ordinarily you would only see them for a minute or so. After catching and giving the cicada to his mate, he was able to catch a big worm. I was wondering how he was going to swallow this worm that would probably choke him. Than I saw how he beat this worm against the trunk of the tree, probably to kill it or to bring it to a swallowable size.
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.
When I saw these two birds come together, I tried to keep the camera focus on them. Later when I viewed what I was able to capture, I saw that one of the birds, presumably the male, giving the food that he had on his beak to his mate. I have seen this being done by the Ruddy Kingfisher in Coron. Birds has a natural instinct to share with what they have with their mate.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
It turned out to be a cicada, a a large homopterous insect with long transparent wings. To those who are familiar with this insect, it is the male cicada that makes a loud shrill droning noise after dark by vibrating two membranes on its abdomen.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Soon after that, I saw another Nuthatch catch a big worm. I do not know if it is the same bird or not. Occasionally a bird flock of mix species would appear from nowhere and go on a feeding frenzy. This is what bird photographers like to see & experience. You have to be focussed on what you want to do because it can be confusing to decide which bird you would like to photograph. I stayed with this Velvet-fronted Nuthatch wondering what he would do next.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Just like Kingfishers who kill their catch before swallowing them, the Velvet-fronted Nuthatch beat this worm against the trunk of the tree, repeatedly for some time.
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
This is what remains of the worm, before the bird took off. I can only wonder if he is going to give it to his mate or eat it for himself.
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
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.
When I saw these two birds come together, I tried to keep the camera focus on them. Later when I viewed what I was able to capture, I saw that one of the birds, presumably the male, giving the food that he had on his beak to his mate. I have seen this being done by the Ruddy Kingfisher in Coron. Birds has a natural instinct to share with what they have with their mate.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
It turned out to be a cicada, a a large homopterous insect with long transparent wings. To those who are familiar with this insect, it is the male cicada that makes a loud shrill droning noise after dark by vibrating two membranes on its abdomen.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Soon after that, I saw another Nuthatch catch a big worm. I do not know if it is the same bird or not. Occasionally a bird flock of mix species would appear from nowhere and go on a feeding frenzy. This is what bird photographers like to see & experience. You have to be focussed on what you want to do because it can be confusing to decide which bird you would like to photograph. I stayed with this Velvet-fronted Nuthatch wondering what he would do next.
1/640 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
Just like Kingfishers who kill their catch before swallowing them, the Velvet-fronted Nuthatch beat this worm against the trunk of the tree, repeatedly for some time.
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600
This is what remains of the worm, before the bird took off. I can only wonder if he is going to give it to his mate or eat it for himself.
1/500 sec., f/5.6, ISO 1600