Birds & Wildlife


Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach) by alabang, on Flickr

The Long-tailed Shrike or the Rufous-backed Shrike (Lanius schach) is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes. The eastern or Himalayan race, L. s. tricolor, is sometimes called the Black-headed Shrike.

It is a common resident breeder throughout the Indomalayan ecozone from Kazakhstan, through Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indian peninsula except eastern states,[2] to New Guinea, found on bushes in scrubby areas and cultivation. Winter visitor to southern areas such as southeast India and Sri Lanka.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-tailed_Shrike
 

Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis) by alabang, on Flickr

The Asian Glossy Starling (Aplonis panayensis) is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family. It is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. There is also a huge number of this species inhabiting towns and cities, where they take refuge in abandoned buildings and trees. They often move in large groups and are considered one of the noisiest species of birds.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Glossy_Starling
 
evoWALO said:
No flash in any of the shots. I shoot in RAW and overexpose by a stop or two then fix it in post to balance it out.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I avoid using flash whenever possible but it's never occurred to me to do something like that. Beautiful shots by the way.
 
Matt2000 said:
Interesting. I avoid using flash whenever possible but it's never occurred to me to do something like that. Beautiful shots by the way.
Click to expand...
Thanks Matt!



White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) by alabang, on Flickr

Adult White-breasted Waterhens have mainly dark grey upperparts and flanks, and a white face, neck and breast. The lower belly and undertail are cinnamon coloured. The body is flattened laterally to allow easier passage through the reeds or undergrowth. They have long toes, a short tail and a yellow bill and legs. Sexes are similar but females measure slightly smaller. Immature birds are much duller versions of the adults. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails.

Several subspecies are named for the populations that are widely distributed. The nominate subspecies is described from Sri Lanka but is often widened to include chinensis of mainland India and adjoining regions in Asia, west to Arabia and east nearly to Japan. The remaining subspecies are those from islands and include insularis of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, midnicobaricus of the central Nicobars, leucocephala of Car Nicobar, maldivus of the Maldives, javanicus of Java and leucomelanus of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-breasted_Waterhen
 

Last Morning of 2011 by alabang, on Flickr


Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica) by alabang, on Flickr


Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica) by alabang, on Flickr

The Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica) is a large dabbling duck of the genus Anas. It is endemic to the Philippines. As few as 5,000 may remain. Overhunting and habitat loss has contributed to its decline.

It has a black crown, nape and eye stripe, with a cinnamon head and neck. Rest of body is greyish brown with a bright green speculum. Its legs are greyish brown, and its bill is blue grey.

It eats shrimp, fish, insects, and vegetation, and it frequents all types of wetlands.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Duck

Photographed in Candaba, Pampanga on December 31, 2011
 

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) by alabang, on Flickr

The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions. It has become common in summer even inside the Arctic circle along the Norwegian coast.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Heron
 

Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinu) by alabang, on Flickr

This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Source: http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=1179
 

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) by alabang, on Flickr

The Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) is a wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, breeding in Africa, central and southern Europe, and southern and eastern Asia. The European populations are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa; the more northerly Asian populations also migrate further south within Asia. It is a rare but regular wanderer north of its breeding range.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Heron
 

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) by alabang, on Flickr

The Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), also known as the African Purple Swamphen, Purple Moorhen, Purple Gallinule, P?keko or Purple Coot, is a large bird in the family Rallidae (rails). From its name in French, tal?ve sultane, it is also known as the Sultana Bird. This chicken-sized bird, with its huge feet, bright plumage and red bill and frontal shield is unmistakable in its native range. It should not be confused with the American Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinica.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Swamphen
 

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 Lune?ville.

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
 
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
 
Last edited:

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
 

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
 
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