For those who have not visited Candaba wetlands yet, here's a couple of very large herons that are regulars in that place, both captured with the hand held 20D + 400 5.6L...:)


1. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), wingspan - 70 inches (among the largest wing span for Philippine birds, compared to the Philippine Eagle's 74"):

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/36870001.jpg



2. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), wingspan - 55 inches

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/36870133.jpg


Regards,

Romy

majestic!!! woohoo! thats all a non-birder can say!

magnificent sir, as always!

You're really something Romy! Keep up the awesome work Bro.! :)

Idol!!! If I were to be a birder (?), what is the right lens to use if money were no object?

are they all native in the phil.? cgro maraming type ang heron..
nice flyer you got there romy.. look at those claws..

Thanks, Jay, Earl, Jerry and Jimmy....:)


Idol!!! If I were to be a birder (?), what is the right lens to use if money were no object?


Jerry, you need a 400 mm for medium distances and 500-800 mm for long shots.

For Canon: 400 5.6L, 100-400 L IS, 500 f4 IS, 600 f4 IS, Sigmonster (Sigma 300-800 f5.6)

For Nikon: 200-400 f4 VR, 500 f4, 600 f4, Sigmonster

You also need teleconverters, good supports and truckloads of patience....:)


are they all native in the phil.? cgro maraming type ang heron..
nice flyer you got there romy.. look at those claws..

Jimmy, the Grey Heron is supposed to be a migrant (according to the Kennedy Guidebook). But I believe they've started breeding in Candaba, so that makes these dual status - migrant/resident.

The Purple Heron is a resident (it breeds here).

Both birds are not Philippine endemics, so they also range outside our islands...:)

Romy

sorry Romy but I already ran out of beautiful adjectives to describe your photos. Please post some more....it really makes my day, always.

Wow, great captures, Romy!!! Nothing else to say... :)

Jerry, you need a 400 mm for medium distances and 500-800 mm for long shots.

For Nikon: 200-400 f4 VR, 500 f4, 600 f4, Sigmonster

You also need teleconverters, good supports and truckloads of patience....:)



@jerry
Let me know if you get any of the above so I can try it out. :Grin:

ang gaganda sir..nice and very clean images..

ruel

Thanks, Caloy, Rosalie and Ruel....:)

ang gaganda sir..nice and very clean images..

ruel

Ruel, how's your 600 f4? I inquired with you about it a while back before I bought the Sigmonster.

Romy

Great shooting Romy. As usual. :D

Just curious, is the special 1200mm Canon good for birding too? I haven't really heard about it being used but the focal length sounds pretty adequate?

Thanks, Caloy, Rosalie and Ruel....:)



Ruel, how's your 600 f4? I inquired with you about it a while back before I bought the Sigmonster.

Romy

Hi Sir Romy, I sold it already...sold it with the Wimberly and Tripod as well...sakit kasi sa likod bitbitin..di pwedeng walk around lens :Grin:

ruel

Great shooting Romy. As usual. :D

Just curious, is the special 1200mm Canon good for birding too? I haven't really heard about it being used but the focal length sounds pretty adequate?

Thanks, Fidel. The 1200 5.6L can be very good for birds, but if have that much money (over PHP 4M) for a long lens, I'll probably settle for either a 600 f4 IS (840 mm f5.6 with a 1.4x) or a Sigmonster (800 mm f/5.6). The change of over PHP 3.6M will allow me to bird in Palawan in absolute luxury for a quite a long period.....:)

Romy

Hi Sir Romy, I sold it already...sold it with the Wimberly and Tripod as well...sakit kasi sa likod bitbitin..di pwedeng walk around lens :Grin:

ruel

I can relate to that Ruel..... one needs to be hopelessly nuts about birds to carry over 30 lbs of gear (lens + camera + tripod +accessories) in remote areas....:)

Romy

Oh man, didn't know the cost difference would be that much! :Shock:

Thanks for satisfying my curiosity Romy. :)

I can relate to that Ruel..... one needs to be hopelessly nuts about birds to carry over 30 lbs of gear (lens + camera + tripod +accessories) in remote areas....:)

Romy

You need an SUV to carry around the lens..or maybe a porter to go with you into the wilds..:) but I do miss the power of that lens..Tack sharp..

ruel

@Rosalie, I will. And let's have a date in the swamps of Candaba. :)

@Romy, at the height of the avian virus scare, was it necessary to *stay* away from places where migratory birds converge?

Wow wow wow!!! Ganda nung shots mo, Romy! :)

@Rosalie, I will. And let's have a date in the swamps of Candaba. :)

@Romy, at the height of the avian virus scare, was it necessary to *stay* away from places where migratory birds converge?


Jerry, most of us birders (phototographers and birdwatchers) don't get into physical contact with the migrant birds. We also avoid their roosting places (where their droppings abound). Also, the long migration flight to the Philippines would weed out the sickly, weak individuals from reaching our shores (no scientific study yet on this though).

So the danger of getting infected is very, very unlikely. Metro Manila backyards are also the habitat of migrant birds, so I'd say one has as much chance of getting bird flu (if it does reach our islands) in one's garden as in the wetlands or rainforest.

Here's a couple of common migrant birds that are found in Metro Manila:

1. Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus)

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/49703462.jpg


2. Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis)

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/67612732.jpg


Malaria and snake bites are real dangers however. Sadly, one of our veteran Filipino birders died from cerebral malaria in Palawan last year, shortly after the son of Rey Langit passed away from the same malady....:(


Romy

romy: you're so prolific! would those herons be easier to shoot because of their size, or still difficult because they stay so far away from humans? when and what time would be best to go to candaba? would you mind sharing a map, with sites to go to? thanks.

For those who have not visited Candaba wetlands yet, here's a couple of very large herons that are regulars in that place, both captured with the hand held 20D + 400 5.6L...:)


2. Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), wingspan - 55 inches

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/36870133.jpg



I've seen some of these in our place, but they're too shy. I also observed they're the loner type... I have'nt seen them in groups.

Wow :) Amazing shots Romy! :) Truly amazing! They look majestic

Thanks, Louie, Raul, Mon and Marton....:)


romy: you're so prolific! would those herons be easier to shoot because of their size, or still difficult because they stay so far away from humans? when and what time would be best to go to candaba? would you mind sharing a map, with sites to go to? thanks.

Raul, Mon is right - they tend to be shy. It's actually easier to get them in flight (when they pass by your hidden position) than to approach them when they're on the ground/water. November to April is the best time to go to Candaba, as all the migrants are in, the access road is passable and the sun always shines.

Here's a link to a primer (and map) on Candaba, courtesy of the municipal government.... Mayor Jerry Pelayo is doing a very good job in establishing and protecting a wetlands bird sanctuary in that place:

http://www.geocities.com/mun_of_candaba/sanctuary.JPG



I've seen some of these in our place, but they're too shy. I also observed they're the loner type... I have'nt seen them in groups.

Mon, where's your place where these birds can be seen?


Romy

thanks for the candaba link romy.

Hi Romy,

Our place is Mayantoc, Tarlac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayantoc,_Tarlac). I am wondering though, Mayantoc is not has no wetland or marsh like Candaba. Locals believed they're migratory as they only present during October to January when the rice fields are tilled for second cropping. Although, they are considered harmful as they destroy the seedbeds (apparently when hunting for food), farmers refuse to shoot them believing its bad luck. Cattle egrets are scattered as well these months.

Hi Romy,

Our place is Mayantoc, Tarlac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayantoc,_Tarlac). I am wondering though, Mayantoc is not has no wetland or marsh like Candaba. Locals believed they're migratory as they only present during October to January when the rice fields are tilled for second cropping. Although, they are considered harmful as they destroy the seedbeds (apparently when hunting for food), farmers refuse to shoot them believing its bad luck. Cattle egrets are scattered as well these months.

Thanks for the info, Mon.... Mayantoc is only about 70 km from Candaba, as the crow.... er..... heron flies.

For birds that fly across large seas to migrate, that's a short distance to forage for food. I reckon the birds you see are among the residents of the Bulacan-Pampanga-N. Ecija-Tarlac wetlands/ricefields area....:)

Romy

Awesome captures as always Romy. Those Herons looks pretty much as our Herons around here, huge and plentiful but very shy. The closest I probably got close to one of these was about 40-50 feet and was very brief.

Beautiful captures as ever Romy... Thanks for sharing... :)

Great job Romy. The 1st one looked like the Great Blue Heron here in the U.S.
gil

Wow Romy, you must have a lot of time in your hands. :Grin:

The shots are simply awesome!

Thanks, Reyno, Joel, Gil and Zandy...:)

Wow Romy, you must have a lot of time in your hands. :Grin:

The shots are simply awesome!


Zandy, like most certified bird nuts, I hold office now in the wetlands and rainforests. Real work just gets in the way of birding, so I semi-retired a couple of years ago.....:D


Romy

romy, i definitely cannot afford your sigmonster. so what would you recommend between the canon 100-400L and the sigma 50-500?

romy, i definitely cannot afford your sigmonster. so what would you recommend between the canon 100-400L and the sigma 50-500?

Hi Raul,

If you'll use this primarily for birding, I'd recommend the 400 5.6L instead. It's cheaper than the 100-400 IS and can take a 1.4x TC better, plus AF is faster at flying birds. It has no IS, but in very low light, you'd need a tripod anyway even if the lens has IS.

If you'll shoot varied subjects (aside from birds), the 100-400 IS is very versatile - it can be hand held in moderate light, the minimum focus distance is closer (6 feet vs the 400 5.6L's 11 feet) and can be nearly as sharp as the 400 5.6L if you're lucky to get a sterling copy. Please note that the 100-400 is a complex zoom design, and finding a very sharp copy will need luck. OTOH, the simple design of the 400 5.6L makes most copies of this lens very sharp.

The Bigma (Sigma 50-500) is also good for birding, but you'd need a tripod most of the time. It's decent wide open (f/6.3) and gets sharper at f/8. Its AF is slower than the Canon 400s, but it's still fast enough for fliers.

Romy

romy: thanks for the advice. another question: how is the sharpness of the bigma (at f/8) compared with the 400L's? im actually a regular at jt near our office in pasong tamo and the bigma doesnt seem that big to me (i'm just 5'5" and lightly built). though of course i feel better using a tripod. thanks, romy.

romy: thanks for the advice. another question: how is the sharpness of the bigma (at f/8) compared with the 400L's? im actually a regular at jt near our office in pasong tamo and the bigma doesnt seem that big to me (i'm just 5'5" and lightly built). though of course i feel better using a tripod. thanks, romy.


Hi Raul,

The Bigma is actually pretty sharp at f/8 (just remembered that JT is indeed near PDI :) ).... it was my workhorse two years ago. BTW, I'm very satisfied with the aftersales service of JT (kudos to them). The lack of IS will accelerate your learning curve in shake control, and later you can always sell it if you need to upgrade. The 10x zoom is the widest range among current decent telephotos.

Here are a few of my favorite pics taken with the 300D + Bigma:

1. Black-naped Monarch (Male), Mt. Makiling, 500 mm, wide open (f/6.3), 1/640, ISO 800, DG Super flash, hand held

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/49388669.jpg


2. Guaiabero, Mt. Palay-palay, 500 mm, f/6.3, 1/500, ISO 400, DG Super flash, hand held

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/51353830.jpg


3. Common Kingfisher, Bondoc peninsula, 1000 mm (with Sigma 2x TC), f/16, 1/125 sec, ISO 400, with fill-in flash, on tripod

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/47806956.jpg


Romy

really amazing shots!

Sigh Romy .... These are truly marvelous shots. I miss birding a lot. I have been so sick that I cannot even carry my camera and lens for even just 5 minutes. I envy all those wonderful shots that everyone seems to be taking with all their birding trips here and there.

Looking forward to visiting Candaba again. Maybe in January pa siguro to make sure lang that the "pilapil" is dry enough to carry the weight of our SUVs :Grin:

romy: it seems that whatever lens you use, you can take really superb bird shots. i'm now really inclined to get that bigma. btw, you mentioned using a flash in 2 of those photos using the bigma. up to what distance can we use a flash in taking bird photos? i remember taking really dark pictures of birds canopied by tree leaves, really against the light. your bigma shots are amazing. do you have shots of birds in flight using the bigma? just to convince myself more.

a truly nice shot from the bird master..
romy, do you recomend sigma 50-500mm for birding? cause im eying for one..
can you give some input about this lens..
thanks

Got to get home early today to have a look on your photos Romy, too bad pbase and other "storage" websites are blocked here in my office - i can only view them at home...

better get moving... sure this will be awesome!

Thanks, Floyd, Tina and Sherwin....:)



Sigh Romy .... These are truly marvelous shots. I miss birding a lot. I have been so sick that I cannot even carry my camera and lens for even just 5 minutes. I envy all those wonderful shots that everyone seems to be taking with all their birding trips here and there.

Looking forward to visiting Candaba again. Maybe in January pa siguro to make sure lang that the "pilapil" is dry enough to carry the weight of our SUVs :Grin:


Tina, we miss your usual banter on the boards lately, I thought you gave in and went birding in the Galapagos (where the unique birds can be captured with a wide angle). Get well soon.... the birds are missing your shutter clicks...:)

Romy

romy: it seems that whatever lens you use, you can take really superb bird shots. i'm now really inclined to get that bigma. btw, you mentioned using a flash in 2 of those photos using the bigma. up to what distance can we use a flash in taking bird photos? i remember taking really dark pictures of birds canopied by tree leaves, really against the light. your bigma shots are amazing. do you have shots of birds in flight using the bigma? just to convince myself more.


a truly nice shot from the bird master..
romy, do you recomend sigma 50-500mm for birding? cause im eying for one..
can you give some input about this lens..
thanks



Hi Raul, Jimmy,

If you stay within the x-sync speed of the camera, the 580EX, 550EX or DG Super can probably reach 20-30 feet, depending on the power needed, your shutter speed, ISO and AV. This can be extended by 2-3 stops if you use a Better Beamer flash extender. However, if your shutter speed is faster than the x-sync, you need to go to FP or HSS mode and the power of the flash is drastically diminished to a fraction of within-x-sync range.


I bought my BB from the site of Artie Morris (http://www.birdsasart.com/accs.html)and here's how it looks in action:

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/39168993.jpg

I've stopped using flash at birds now (I don't like the flashed look), but I still bring it just the same in case a documentary capture in the dark materializes.



Here's a couple of Bigma fliers (Gil who's based in the US has tons of Bigma flight pics).... I often zoom back the Bigma at flight shots to 400 mm or so to make target acquisition easier and to speed up AI servo. The Bigma has no focus limiter and the long focus throw can slow down AI servo.

1. Immature Black-crowned Night-Heron, Manila Bay, 300D + Bigma, sports mode, 500 mm, f/8, 1/2500 sec, ISO 400, hand held

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/32755588.jpg


2. Whiskered Tern, Manila Bay, 20D + Bigma, 417 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 sec, ISO 400, hand held

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/52156931.jpg



Good luck on your choice of birding lens.


Romy

Sigh Romy .... These are truly marvelous shots. I miss birding a lot. I have been so sick that I cannot even carry my camera and lens for even just 5 minutes. I envy all those wonderful shots that everyone seems to be taking with all their birding trips here and there.

Looking forward to visiting Candaba again. Maybe in January pa siguro to make sure lang that the "pilapil" is dry enough to carry the weight of our SUVs :Grin:

O/T: Get well soon, Tina! :) No wonder you haven't been posting...

romy: i didn't understand a thing about your tips/explanation on the flash. that's how elementary i am in photography. i'm still in the basics of this hobby, but i'm learning, thanks to you. man, your birds-in-flight shots using the bigma are awesome! i guess i'll go for the bigma, cheaper and longer and more versatile than the 100-400L (or 400L), i think. again, thanks for all your tips. was in UP for the nth time this morning and was pleasantly delighted to have taken several shots of the egrets there. the sharpest i've taken so far (but still sooooo far from the pictures you take). also browsed through your pbase site--amazing! and now i know how you can afford this expensive birding hobby (passion would be more appropriate, i think.) if you're a beer lover as i am, hope we can have a round or two--on me, to thank you for all the help. btw, have you published a book on all those magnificent photos of Philippine endemic birds? if not, why?

if you're a beer lover as i am, hope we can have a round or two--on me, to thank you for all the help. btw, have you published a book on all those magnificent photos of Philippine endemic birds? if not, why?


Hi Raul,

I gulped SMB all my adult life till about 3 months ago, when my tummy started to go over-acidic. Now, I always carry a bottle of brandy in my birding vehicle, plus a tiny shot glass. Each time I get a keeper, I give myself a 20-30 ml shot and raise my glass to the bird....:D

I've not published a book yet..... perhaps when I get past the half-way point in the number of species (300 out of 600, I'm 201 now), I can give it a serious thought.....:)

Here's one more Bigma pic for you to make up your mind, hehe...

Little Ringed-Plover (La Union, Sep. 2004), 300D, 500 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec, hand held

http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/image/33722192.jpg

Romy

Thanks, Floyd, Tina and Sherwin....:)

Tina, we miss your usual banter on the boards lately, I thought you gave in and went birding in the Galapagos (where the unique birds can be captured with a wide angle). Get well soon.... the birds are missing your shutter clicks...:)

Romy

Thanks a lot Romy. I'm dying to get well na nga so that I can go out and take pictures again.

Thanks Rosalie .... I shall be back with a vengeance - HEhEHEhHEHEhEHe

These are really awesome!!! Great work Romy! :)