avian photography april 24, 2013

First photo of this day. I'm so happy I get to do this with my wife. She has better vision than I do and can spot birds faster.

 Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)

Very smart and aggresive, flying around Faith Academy like he owned the place

Long Tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

waiting for its prey

Black Naped Orioles (Oriolus chinensis)

avian photography april 23, 2013

Elegant Tit (Pardaliparus Elegans)

Elegant Tits (Pardaliparus Elegans) are endemic to the Philippines, bringing my endemic photo collection to two. Saw them for the first time at Springs of Living Water Bethesda garden today (Antipolo). I set up expecting only to see Eurasian sparrows and Sunbirds, but I heard a different sound. Something I have not heard before, then I checked out the treetops and found these yellow 10cm long birds actively moving around from branch to branch, it was really hard to photograph them with my all manual setup. I had neck pains after taking pictures of them for an hour. It was all worth it though!

Olive backed Sunbird

I also saw a Crow do a flyby, a grass bird and off course sparrows. Also saw a V formation of around a hundred birds at around 1000ft AGL but was not able to take a picture of it. I am assuming they are egrets moving northbound.

To finish the shoot, I took this

avian photography april 22, 2013

Going up the valley, my wife and I were able to spot a couple species of birds. These are the ones I was able to take pictures off.

Black naped Oriole

Pied Triller (Lalage Nigra)

Pied Triller is a new addition to my photo collection.

After lunch, i went out and walk around the campus to take pictures, it was so hot and what I saw rewarded my effort.

Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker (Dendrocopos maculatus)  

Endemic to the Philippines!

I saw around 8 of them flying and pecking from branch to branch!

I also learned how they sounded, hope to bring a recorder next time.

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

avian photography april 19, 2013

White-collared kingfisher

Yellow-vented Bulbul

Olive backed sunbird

some macro shots

wild flowers, they always go unnoticed!

Second day for my cheap tamron 70-300mm LD macro, I am trying to maximize usage of it, squeezing every single pixel resolution I can get out of it. It is not VC so everything is done manually, the AF works but I still focus manually.

Sun-birds. If you're an observant, you'll notice how common they are.

The Elusive Black-naped oriole (Oriolus Chinensis)

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo Tahitica)

This couple I took in Hacienda Isabela Tagaytay, I also found their nest. They were collecting small materials for their nest.

After just two days of shooting, I can now distinguish three bird sounds, that of the Kingfishers, orioles and of the sunbirds. I know when they're around and I can get ready, although Orioles are too elusive.

Crows are unmistakable when you hear them, though i have yet to take photos of them. They always would keep their distance.

avian photography april 18, 2013

Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

Olive backed sunbird (Cinnyris Jugularis)

Long tailed Shrike (lanius schach)

Here is my first take on bird photography. I noticed that there has been an increase in the number of species just around the valley, where I work. In one seating, you can observe bulbuls, kingfishers, orioles, shrikes, fantails, sunbirds, white-eyes, egrets and of course sparrows..and many more.

Golden-bellied Flyeater ()

LUNAR IMAGING SESSION: OCT 23, 2012

Waxing Gibbous at 66%

Been a while.

After rehearsals for the 2012 SAVED Festival for my band Gloryfall, I was able to capture the moon with the help of my lovely wife. I love the month of October, the best weather and also my birth month..I don't remember having any rain on my birthday, ever (7th). It was always awesome.

Saved Festival 2012 is on Friday, the only thing I am after is God's presence. I don't really care about anything else, fancy setup, big venue.. most musicians dream of. Been there, done that! Played tons of big gigs like that and it is not worth it if God's presence is missed.

I always remember Pastor Steve Ruetschle's preaching. "The Audience of One". That's the only thing in my mind whenever I play. One audience. Jesus.

Venus Transit 2012

I have been waiting for months to document this rare event. I don't want to wait another 105 years for the next one. It was awesome because I got to do it with my wife. We woke up at 5am to prepare equipment and went to an overlooking place inside our village in antipolo that faces east. Weather was not really that promising but I was still able to image through my baader 5.0 filter.

10:30AM

I am still imaging, weather looks better. I shoot everytime there's a cloud opening.

11:30AM

Imaging again.

12:10

Venus' transit speeds up from the simulation. I am imaging. The sun is at zenith and I have tracking problems. But Im still able to take good shots.I am shooting every 5 mins now.

1:17PM

Thank God that i was able to document one of the greatest astronomical event of the century.

The "black drop effect" in contacts II and III was not as pronouced as Captain Cook's observations centuries ago.

EGRESS

Black Drop Effect at Contact III

Contact IV

GREATEST TRANSIT

Venus at greatest transit (~9:30AM PST) and AR11493

Party with sunspots!

INGRESS

Contact II

Contact I Cloudy but good enough!