Startling Starling in Flight

[Romy Ocon]

I've been trying for some time now to get these fast noise-makers in flight, but they often fly very low, always presenting a terrestrial background. Such busy BG coupled with the all-black plumage of the adult bird make it a very tough AF job even for the 5D MIII.

Well, I got lucky this morning when one young fellow flew above the skyline. The striped plumage of the youngster over a featureless BG rendered it an easier target for my favorite BIF gear to lock on. 

Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis, sub-adult)

Shooting info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, May 27, 2015, Canon 5D MIII + 400 5.6L, f/5.6, ISO 640, 1/2500 sec, hand held, manual exposure in available light, major crop.

Some mango trees are regenerating their leaves along the Bued River, and these present a photogenic perch especially in early morning light. I wish the bird grasping that branchlet were a rare endemic.

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

Shooting info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, May 27, 2015, 5D MIII + EF 400 f/5.6 L, f/5.6, ISO 640, 1/1600 sec, hand held, manual exposure in available light, major crop.  

[Bobby Kintanar]

Hahaha, so much like my "ambition" Ka Romy! I too have wanted for some time to capture the AGS in flight and finally got my pair just several days ago on a short trip to a fishing resort back here in Cebu! That's where I got the Little Bronze Cuckoo, too. I hope you don't mind me posting my shot here too, coz it just seems so amusing to know you wanted that BIF as well!

I used the 7D2 with the EF-400 mm 5.6L for the shot - my favorite combo for BIF:

Camera settings: ƒ/7.1; 1/2000; ISO 400

Asian Glossy Starlings In Flight by Grandpa@50, on Flickr

Those ASG's really fly fast, and you have to see them in-coming from afar to take a good "lock and track" shot before they zoom by. :-)

God Bless!

[Nilo Arribas Jr.]

Birdnuts often "think alike" good to see your BIFs Romy and Sir Bobby

[Romy Ocon]

Thanks, Bobby and Nilo!

Love the opposing wing positions of the twin... gosh, those eyes are really scary.

[Tateo Osawa]

Wow! impressive shot, beautiful leaves and dark background, even common bird but you make great a pictures.
Always your BIF are great.

[Romy Ocon]

Thanks, Tateo-san.

I've been on a regular diet of garden-variety birds for a few years now, being too deeply immersed in non-photo activities. Still, a birdnut will always be a birdnut no matter what.

If the only birds around are Eurasian Tree Sparrows, I still get a kick when I review the shot in my camera's LCD and I see that I nailed it. As they say, if we are given lemons, we will try to make some good lemonade! (Or to put a local flavor to it, if the only meat around are offal/innards, we'll try to make a mean papaitan or some mouth-watering kare-kare.)