Birds & Wildlife

[evoWALO]

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) by alabang, on Flickr

[evoWALO]

Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) by alabang, on Flickr

The Richard's Pipit (Anthus richardi) is a medium-sized passerine bird which breeds in open grasslands in northern Asia. It is a long-distance migrant moving to open lowlands in southern Asia. It is a rare but regular vagrant to western Europe. This bird was named after the French naturalist Monsieur Richard of Lunéville.

It belongs to the pipit genus Anthus in the family Motacillidae. It was formerly lumped together with the Australasian, African, Mountain and Paddyfield Pipits in a single species: Richard's Pipit, Anthus novaeseelandiae. These pipits are now commonly considered to be separate species although the African and Paddyfield Pipits are sometimes treated as part of Anthus richardi.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard's_Pipit

Photographed in Muntinlupa City, Philippines

[evoWALO]

After a year on hiatus I have decided to start shooting birds again. A friend's passing reminded me that life is too short not to make a difference.

The Scale-feathered Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus cumingi) is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines.

Scale-feathered Malkoha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Scale-feathered Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus cumingi) by alabang, on Flickr

Camera     Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
Exposure     0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture     f/6.3
Focal Length     800 mm
ISO Speed     1600
Exposure Bias     +5/3 EV
Exposure Program     Shutter speed priority AE
Date and Time (Original)     2012:04:01 08:53:56

[evoWALO]

Rough-crested Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus superciliosus) by alabang, on Flickr

The Rough-crested Malkoha or Red-crested Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus superciliosus) is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough-crested_Malkoha

[evoWALO]

Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus goiavier by alabang, on Flickr

The Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus goiavier, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is resident breeder in southeast Asia from southern Thailand and Cambodia south to Borneo and the Philippines.

It is found in a wide variety of open habitats, but not deep forest. It is one of the most common birds in cultivated areas. They appear to be nomadic, roaming from place to place regularly.

The Yellow-vented Bulbul builds a well-camouflaged but fragile, loose, deep, cup-shaped nest from grass, leaves, roots, vine stems, and twigs. The nest is untidy on the outside, but it is neatly lined with plant fibers. it may be built in a wide range of places from low bushes to high trees. This is a species adapted to humans and may even nest in gardens. The Yellow-vented Bulbul lays 2-5 eggs in February to June.

The Yellow-vented Bulbuls eats berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and take some insects.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-vented_Bulbul

[gucom]

not quite as up-close and personal as your shots, evo (great shot by the way! are you trying to shoot every kind of bird in your part of the world?), but I like this shot of a flock of geese looking for a place to sleep on a cold winter evening

[evoWALO]

I like your shot better gucom. It is impossible to see a flock fly over in the Philippines these days.


Rough-crested Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus superciliosus) by alabang, on Flickr

[evoWALO]

Female Yellow-bellied Sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis by alabang, on Flickr

Exposure Program Shutter speed priority AE
Date and Time (Original) 2012:04:20 15:34:21

The Olive-backed Sunbird, Cinnyris jugularis, also known as the Yellow-bellied Sunbird, is a species of sunbird found from Southern Asia to Australia.

The sunbirds are a group of very small Old World passerine birds which feed largely on nectar, although they will also take insects, especially when feeding young. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings. Most species can take nectar by hovering, but usually perch to feed most of the time.

The Olive-backed Sunbird is common across southern China to the Philippines and Malaysia down to northeast Australia. They are small songbirds, at most 12 cm long. In most subspecies, the underparts of both male and female are bright yellow, the backs are a dull brown colour. The forehead, throat and upper breast of the adult male is a dark, metallic blue-black. In the Philippines (where they are known as "tamsi") the males of some subspecies have an orange band on the chest, in Wallacea and northern New Guinea some subspecies have most of the underparts blackish, and in southern China and adjacent parts of Vietnam most of the underparts of the male are greyish-white.

Originally from mangrove habitat, the Olive-backed sunbird has adapted well to humans, and is now common even in fairly densely populated areas, even forming their nests in human dwellings.

The birds mate between the months of April and August. Both the male and the female assist in building the nest which is flask-shaped, with an overhanging porch at the entrance, and a trail of hanging material at the bottom end.

After building the nest, the birds abandon the nest for about a week before the female returns to lay one or two greenish-blue eggs. The eggs take a further week to hatch. The female may leave the nest for short periods during the day during incubation. After the chicks have hatched, both male and female assist in the care of the young, which leave the nest about two or three weeks later.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olive-backed_Sunbird © Paolo Dolina