Ever seen a Great Bittern in our islands? :)

[Romy Ocon]

I can tell you folks that it's one huuuuuuuuuge and shy baby. I've been looking for this bird since I started birding over 5 years ago, and this afternoon the avian gods smiled at me at Candaba. ;D ;D ;D

Brief Observation Notes:

I observed and photographed the Great Bittern for almost 30 minutes (4:53 pm -5:21 pm), and it behaved exactly as described in the Kennedy Guide - "When threatened will often assume a freeze posture with bill pointing toward the sky blending into foliage."

I used my vehicle (parked atop an earth dike) as a blind. Each time some people passed by, the bird will keep very still as described in the KG. Sometimes, it slowly "shrank down" to a smaller form. Whenever I removed my eye from the viewfinder to check shot settings, I had trouble finding the bird again even through 700 mm lens magnification - it's that well camouflaged.




Great Bittern (Botaurus stellaris, rare migrant)
Candaba wetlands, November 25, 2009
5D2 + 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC, bean bag, 45.7 m shooting distance

Length = 740 mm, Wingspan = 1220 mm
A rare migrant, recorded once each in Laguna de Bay (1905), Candaba (1989) and Iwahig, Palawan (1979). [Ref. - Kennedy Guide]


1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1250





1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1600

[Neon Rosell II]

Wow!! Congrats on the lifer Ka Mastah!! Looks like you're ending 2009 with a bang!!

Hope there's a flight shot. ;D

[Edu Lorenzo Jr]

HUWAW!!!!! Just looking at that plumage already makes me think of how hard it is to spot these!

Giant Congratulations on the Gian Lifer mastah!!!!

[Toto Gamboa]

Woooooooooow mastah! congrats on such a rare rare find!

[Romy Ocon]

Thanks, guys. It's interesting to note that both shots were taken from about 45.7 m, as indicated in the EXIF. That the subject is still largish in the unposted full frame given the long distance indicates the huge size of the bird. I had to employ all the long lens handling tricks I know to minimize shake in shooting 700 mm at that distance, using a Tv of 1/125 - 1/200 sec, on a bean bag. Even then, most of the shots were not sharp.

[steve pryor]

Romy,
Great find. I don't recall seeing any photo of this from Phils. Fantastic!

[Dennis Alfaro]

COngrats on the lifer Mastah!

[Romy Ocon]

Thanks, Steve and Den!

[Carmela Balcazar]

Congratulations! But of course - it had to be the Mastah.

[Bobby Kintanar]

Wow Ka Mastah - it's such a rare and beautiful bird! Huuuge Congrats!! :-)

[Tonji Ramos]

What a great find! Congrats on a great capture of a very rare visitor. Plus another congrats on the lifer.

45 meters is pretty far. Good job!

[James Biron]

Congrats on the lifer sir romy!

[Ely Teehankee]

Congratulations on this rare bird. To see a rare bird is already difficult and to photograph it beautifully is a great achievement. A Birders dream come true. Well done Romy. Mabuhay.

[Bob Kaufman]

Big, big, congratulations on getting a shot of this rarity!

[Mark Itol]

A huge congratulations to you, Ka Mastah. Despite the bird's "camo," you captured it very well.

[Ralf Nabong]

Another awesome capture from Ka Mastah!

Congratulations Romy!

I hope we get to photograph this lifer too!

[tina mallari]

Congratulations IDOL Romy !!! Extremely happy for you

[Sylvia Ramos]

Congrats!! Wow, what a great find! Galing!

[William Lim]

Congratulations, Romy.

[jonathandael]

good job! congrats! looks like they need to update the Kennedy guide for its next edition!