It was my first time to see a Black Naped Monarch. I was lucky enough to see both the male and female black naped monarchs along with their 3 cute little baby birds. All these birds were photographed along the street lang :)

Male Black Naped Monarch
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/63248901.2bFS8EAt.IMG_8665dpp.jpg

Female Black Naped Monarch
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/63248902.tanDsFcI.IMG_8692dpp1.jpg

Tarictic Hornbill
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/63248900.1I9LqgRp.IMG_8456dpp1.jpg

For more photos, please check out http://www.pbase.com/csmallari/cavitebirds

wow, these are beautiful photos tina :)! what camera and lens did u use?

These are very good ones, Tina....wish I can get close to them too, congrats!

I see from the EXIF that you used ISO 100 for all, and 1/60, 1/80 & 1/200 sec shutter speeds, respectively. On the 350D, ISO 200 and 400 are also very clean and this increases your shutter speed to 1/2 or 1/4 of the ones used. It can help minimize camera shake or freeze subject motion....:)

Regards,

Romy

wow, these are beautiful photos tina :)! what camera and lens did u use?

Thanks a lot Mario. I was using a 350D together with the EF 400mm f/5.6L lens.

Romy : Thanks a lot. For sure you will be able to get close to them kasi they are not scared of people plus with your super nice lenses ... nakuuuuuuu I can just imagine what your photos will look like. Let's just pray for good weather tomorrow. Thanks for the tip regarding the ISO... no wonder almost all the photos that I take are malabo. For a while there I thought my camera or lens had epilepsy - take note on the camera & lens ha :Grin: Yeah right - blame the camera & lens !!!!

nice shots tina! where in cavite were these taken?

Thanks a lot Carlos :) Took those photos at the base of Mt.Palay-palay. Plenty of beautiful trees - but that also means you will need a lot of patience.

sweet blue bids.. great shots :)

Thanks a lot Ryan :)

I wish I could trade my tons of egret shots for one of these. May your tribe prosper for more pics.
cheers,
gil

Went back to Cavite last Sunday with TJ and 2 other friends who are avid birdwatchers. TJ had to leave early so he wasn't able to see those 20+ hornbills coming from all directions to attend a meeting at this very big tree and another tree beside it.

Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283559.r4aXC0Cz._mg_1846is.jpg

Philippine Falconet
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283564.slnk9J3G._mg_1912is.jpg

Brahminy Kite
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283567.RmlC74km._mg_1960is.jpg

Tarictic Hornbill
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283571.6Os7C5Oq._mg_2019is.jpg

more to come ....

mmmmmm... The Falconet... Dejavu... :)

Great images and good eye. I really enjoyed looking at these photos.

Simply outstanding to say the least of your captures Tina.

Went back to Cavite last Sunday with TJ and 2 other friends who are avid birdwatchers. TJ had to leave early so he wasn't able to see those 20+ hornbills coming from all directions to attend a meeting at this very big tree and another tree beside it.more to come ....

Haay, next time I'll stay the whole time! Nice captures Tina!

Thank you so much Nick and Reyno. I really appreciate your comments.

HehehEHEhEhe Earl, the falconet is an endemic bird so expect to see it often. I try to get lots of pictures of endemic birds dahil ito ay sariling atin.

Here's another set (from last Sunday again) ....

Brahminy Kite
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283576.AR1iTx5a._mg_2082is.jpg

Pacific Swallow
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283568.mhoGfU2i._mg_1967is.jpg

"Kili-kili" smelling Hornbill - HEhEHehHEhe
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283574.b6gHTGVF._mg_2046is.jpg

This photo of the Brahminy Kite chasing the hornbill away was what made us finally decide to head back to Manila. There were 6 hornbills perched on this particular tree and just for the heck of it, the brahminy kite decided that he wanted them all to fly away ... pati tuloy kami napauwi bigla.

http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66283578.UyvJhDlq._mg_2088is.jpg

It was so exciting to see so many hornbills in one area for the first time. I felt a little (just a teenie tiny one) bad that I had zoom lens on kasi I couldn't capture the hornbills as a group. The most number of hornbills I was able to capture in a single photos was 6 on a single tree but the head of the hornbill at the top was headless pa - Oh well such is life. Haaaaaay what a day it was !!!!!

Thanks TJ. Sige next time try your best to stay the whole time. Now that I know where those birds are ..... can't wait to go back there again :Grin:

amazing, amazing shots! did you use a tripod or are all those handheld? and when are you inviting the rest of us to join you at your secret birding spot :)

Thanks a lot Robert. Those were all handheld shots. This is not a secret birding spot. Just go to any place in Mt.Palay-palay, Cavite (armed with A LOT of patience) and you will see a lot of birds here and there.

I suggest that you guys sign up with the WBCP (http://www.birdwatch.ph/) first to learn the basics of birdwatching and then join the bird walks at the different Metro Manila bird watching areas or you can also join the Philippine Bird Photography (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/philippine_bird_photography/) yahoo group. Another thing that you can do is go to the amazing website of Romy Ocon (http://www.pbase.com/liquidstone/philippine_wild_birds) and see how many wonderful birds we have in our very own country.

will do that. thanks!

mmmmmm... The Falconet... Dejavu... :)

Haha! Magkalapit kami ni Tina when we took our shots!

Tina, let me know when the next sortie is!

Nice one Tina! I recon you have lots of patience waiting/looking for the the birds?

Thank you Doy. I have been to this place twice na before last Sundays trip so more or less, I kinda know where the birds are. With birds naman, you just have to wait a little lang so that they will get used to your presence BUT there are times na you have to wait longer than 15 minutes. It really depends on a lot of factors eh. I told nga TJ before this trip na if we are lucky, we will get to shoot a lot of birds BUT if super malas - baka wala ni isa :Dum:

To answer your question ... Yes, I am very, very, very patient - lalo na when it comes to something that I like to do :)

Psssssssst TJ, heheheheh this coming weekend ? ? ? LOL !!!!! Kaka-adik grabe !!!!

Missed these ones earlier... great series, Tina! The Falconet and the perched Brahminy Kite are specially good...:)

Romy

Thanks a lot Romy. You should go back there again. This time for the hornbills naman. Looks like they just go around in circles in that area. I would love to see photos of those many hornbills taken by you. I don't do them any justice. It would be so nice to see photos taken by you so that more people will appreciate the wonderful birds we have in our country.

Nice captures Tina!!! Next time sama ako ha!

Psssssssst TJ, heheheheh this coming weekend ? ? ? LOL !!!!! Kaka-adik grabe !!!!

Haha! Pass muna! UAAP semis this weekend. Have to shoot some Eagles. :)

Hiiiiii Neon !!! Thanks :) Are you back in Manila ???

Naku may game ba ADMU ... paktay, hindi papayag si Wency umalis for sure. Eh die hard Atenean yon eh :)

Tina, Amazing shots and memories talaga! Our prayers were heard just when we were about to give up. (I think prayers and patience are the secrets now in bird watching.) I really envy you and will soon have my own camera (like yours) to take pics like these. For now, will settle for my vidoecam to record the wild in motion. Lets go birding again !!!!

Thanks a lot Cel. Wency is predicting nga na the next time we go out, meron ka na daw new camera !!! Exciting :)

Up to now, I'm still high from seeing those wonderful hornbills. Sana next time .... RUFOUS Hornbills naman, kahit na 10 lang - LOL - Eh isa nga non, it's so hard to find one na nga eh tapos 10 pa - LOL (I'm definitely a dreamer!).

Looking forward to going birding with you guys again :)

Very nice to say the least Tina.

:) Maraming Salamat po Reyno :)

Nice shots Tina, It still amazes me to see that this pictures area taken in the Philippines... When do you normally hold the birdwalks? Have so many hobbies kase, have to prioritize which one to do on my available weekends hehe... Really want to join sometime.

Thanks a lot Edwin. The birdwalks are normally done on Sundays. You have to check the website of WBCP for schedules though.

Hi Tina,

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, I still have a day to go!!!:) . Hope my schedule matches yours.

Cheers,

Neon

Hiiiiii Neon !!! Thanks :) Are you back in Manila ???

Naku may game ba ADMU ... paktay, hindi papayag si Wency umalis for sure. Eh die hard Atenean yon eh :)

Went back to Mt.Palay-Palay last Sunday and I got a lifer !!!! My first ever Coppersmith Barbet - WoooooooooooooHoooooooooooo !!!!!!

Oh BTW, the falconets (yes, a lot of them) are back and they are perched everywhere along the road at different areas. A lot of them are perched on electric wires and tree stumps and in groups na now and not isa isa lang.

Coppersmith Barbet
http://i.pbase.com/o4/66/595666/1/66714205.0CCga30f._mg_2616is1.jpg

A classic portrait, Tina... I like this bird a lot, though I haven't captured it yet full frame...:)

Romy