Tag: digiscoping

Yellow-throated Leafbird

Palawan is one of the major destinations for birding in the Philippines. It is distinctively different from the rest of the country in terms of avian diversity. The avifauna here is similar to that of mainland Asia with overlapping species like Black-headed Bulbul, Ashy Tailorbird, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha among others. The island of Palawan is a long strip of land that has several endemics as well, such as this stunning Yellow-throated Leafbird. This Yellow-throated Leafbird is one of two endemic leafbirds in the Philippines. This leafbird prefers the canopy of trees, often seen feeding with mixed flocks composed of Hair-crested and Ashy Drongos, Fiery Minivet, Palawan Tit, and Lovely Sunbird. Yellow-throated Leafbird Chloropsis palawanensis June 2013, Sabang, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines Video by Nicky Icarangal, JR. Digiscoped with a Swarovski ATX 95 HD, Panasonic GH3 with Swarovski TLS-APO Adapter Yellow-throated Leafbird

Mountain Shrike from the Cordilleras [HD]

The Mountain Shrike is a high elevation endemic found only in the islands of Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao. It prefers clearings and open areas adjacent to montane forest and is a prolific hunter, preying on lizards, small mammals like rodents and shrews and frogs. It likes to perch on branches near clearings as these provide good vantage points while looking for prey. These are recent videos of a nice pair from Mt. Polis taken during our recently concluded 2015 Tours. An older video from 2010 showing an immature Mountain Shrike can be seen here. Mountain Shrike, Lanius validirostris March 2015, Mt. Polis, Mountain Province, the Cordilleras, Luzon, Philippines Video by Adrian Constantino Digiscoped with a Swarovski 80 ATM HD, Panasonic G3, Panasonic 20 mm F1.7 lens, Swarovski UCA (Universal Camera Adapter) Mountain Shrike

Luzon Water Redstart (take 2)

This is another video of a Luzon Water Redstart, a Luzon endemic restricted to clean and flowing streams and rivers near forest , 300 meters and above. It is usually seen singly or in pairs and perches on rocks, foraging for insects and small invertebrates. This indivifual was videoscoped in the upland montane streams in Mt. Polis, Cordilerras of Northern Luzon, also the site for the UNESCO World Heritage Site Banaue Rice Terraces. The video showcases some advantages of digiscoping showing the relative distance of the bird and how close one can get with the spotting scope's zoom eyepiece and the optical zoom of a point and shoot camera. Check out the other video of the Luzon Water Redstart here. Luzon Water Redstart, Rhyacornis bicolor June 2012, Mt. Polis, Mountain Province, Cordilleras, Luzon, Philippines Blue-capped Wood Kingfisherl