|
|
Post by Neon Rosell II on Feb 1, 2008 21:53:09 GMT
I shot these birds while testing My set up (40D + 300 + 1.4x) for BIF. Looks like this set up works fine even for small birds.     Cheers, Neon |
|
|
|
Post by steve pryor on Feb 2, 2008 11:43:19 GMT
Neon,
Yes, I too am not satisfied thinking this an Artamus, and I wasn't even when I floated the idea. The reasons: I can't see a bill to speak of, and the apparent lateral retrical streamers. However, I can't see this being a Striated Swallow - too barrel-chested, short-bodied, etc., but it may still be that. I still have to think about this one...
|
|
|
|
Post by Neon Rosell II on Feb 3, 2008 3:49:01 GMT
Could these be the Whitehead's Swiftlet ( Aerodramus whiteheadi)  There are only two medium to large size swiftlets occuring above 900m and one above 1000m since this bird was shot at an elevation above 2238m it could well be any of the two - the rare Whitehead's Swiftlet ( Aerodramus whiteheadi) or the Philippine Swiftlet ( Aerodramus mearnsi). Rare in a sense that it is only found locally, but is abundant in the area. Hopefully it would be any of the two so that it would increase our data base count. To those who would make a sortie to Mt. Data just remember to shoot the swifts and swallows flying above the pine forest and clearings for better captures of these birds. Cheers, Neon |
|
|
|
Post by steve pryor on Feb 3, 2008 8:58:33 GMT
Neon,
My sense is not whiteheadi, but I am still trying to find a better source than the KG (for some reason the plate we need only shows dorsal views - I imagine they thought that only people photographing them fly over them in hang-gliders!).
|
|
|
|
Post by Neon Rosell II on Feb 3, 2008 9:14:21 GMT
Neon, My sense is not whiteheadi, but I am still trying to find a better source than the KG (for some reason the plate we need only shows dorsal views - I imagine they thought that only people photographing them fly over them in hang-gliders!).  Ha ha ha ha!! I was thinking the same thing!! I hope someone thought of making ventral plates. The descriptions without a reference plate also does not help. Thanks for your time!! Cheers, Neon |
|
|
|
Post by steve pryor on May 21, 2008 12:42:57 GMT
Romy,
This thread came into discussion between Arne, Des, and myself in light of some to be verified reports (via Jon Hornbuckle) of whiteheadi sighting at Mt. Data recently. So, since I had completely forgotten about this still to be determined ID, both Arne and Des, identified the Swift in these photos as being mearnsi - since then, I also have looked and agree with them.
N.B.: The separatory difficult in this case is not really with whiteheadi and mearnsi (because the birds in these photos do have evident "headlights" - i.e., those white loral spots. The whiteheadi lacks them - instead it has a supraloral frosty ridge (whitish) but dark in the loral zone. So, the one that is the confusion species here would really be the ranging race of vanikorensis (I think here it is the sometimes split amelis), but this is a lowland bird generally, and not as chunky looking with less of a tail notch. One last thing, the bird in the photos here demonstrate darkish primary underwings, in vanikorensis amelis they are much paler.
Still don't have a handle on what the last bird is???
|
|
