Great Cormorant at Candaba wetlands! Photo Gallery by romy ocon at pbase.com

Great Cormorant at Candaba wetlands!

Right after the rainy days had passed, the access road was repaired and opened by the municipal government of Mayor Jerry Pelayo and Leny Manalo.
Of course, I was immediately there in my favorite wetlands, eager to shake off accumulated rust from my birds-in-flight equipment and technique,
after months of shooting mostly perchers.

And I got very, very lucky today. I captured my 249th lifer, a rare migrant to our islands, and what I believe to be a new site record - the Great Cormorant.
I was not really too impressed before with the beauty of this bird when I saw it in photos taken outside the country, mostly in a wingspread while perched.
But when I saw it in flight, I was mesmerized by the graceful strokes, the long extended neck, and the dark feathers shining in the golden sunlight.

Light was very good and the breeze was steady and cool, so I stayed until the sun has gone under the horizon to enjoy the opening of this Candaba season...:)

KZ2L1590-1200x900.jpg Great Cormorant Scientific name - Phalacrocorax carbo Habitat - Rare, found along the coast, and inland waters and marshes. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1753-1125x900.jpg Black-crowned Night-Heron (immature) Scientific name - Nycticorax nycticorax Habitat - Variety of wetlands from ricefields to mangroves. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1592-800x600.jpg Great Cormorant Scientific name - Phalacrocorax carbo Habitat - Rare, found along the coast, and inland waters and marshes. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	IMG_6955-1000x750.jpg White-Breasted Waterhen (immature) Scientific name - Amaurornis phoenicurus Habitat - Wetter areas - grasslands, marshes and mangroves. [40D + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, bean bag]	KZ2L2001-1200x800.jpg CHESTNUT MUNIAS AT SUNSET. Flocks of Chestnut Munias feeding on the ricefields take off at the slightest movement of passers-by, as the sun decides to withdraw my golden light. The center of planetary orbits must be telling me "you have had enough birds for this sortie"...:) [1DM2 + 100-400 L IS, hand held]
KZ2L1652-1000x750.jpg Philippine Duck (a Philippine endemic) Scientific name - Anas luzonica Habitat - Freshwater marshes, shallow lakes and ricefields. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1802-1000x750.jpg Blue-tailed Bee-eater Scientific name - Merops philippinus Habitat - Open country usually associated with water along rivers, marshes and ricefields. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1684-1000x750.jpg Purple Heron Scientific name - Ardea purpurea Habitat - Fairly common in all types of wetlands. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1776-1000x800.jpg Black-crowned Night-Heron (immature) Scientific name - Nycticorax nycticorax Habitat - Variety of wetlands from ricefields to mangroves. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1582-1000x750.jpg Pied Harrier(male) Scientific name - Circus melanoleucos Habitat - Wetlands, drier grasslands and open country. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]
KZ2L1852-1000x800.jpg Grey Heron Scientific name - Ardea cinerea Habitat - Uncommon in wetlands. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1722-1000x750.jpg Philippine Duck (a Philippine endemic) Scientific name - Anas luzonica Habitat - Freshwater marshes, shallow lakes and ricefields. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]	KZ2L1564-800x600.jpg Island Collared-Dove Scientific name - Streptopelia bitorquata Habitat - In lowlands, in open areas and mangroves. [1DM2 + 500 f4 L IS + Canon 1.4x TC, 475B/3421 support]

comment |

Leny Manalo		19-Dec-2007 08:32
Congrats Romy! And thank you for the valuable documentation.

romy ocon		18-Dec-2007 14:02
Ok, ok... I'll post a couple in 10 minutes, hehehe.

csmallari		18-Dec-2007 13:57
....still waiting anxiously for your photos Romy even if there's nothing here yet (tina taps her fingers while waiting for Romy to post)

romy ocon		18-Dec-2007 13:56
Hehe... still backing up the CF cards in DVDs, Tina.... come back in about 30 minutes for the first photos...:)

csmallari		18-Dec-2007 13:55
....still waiting anxiously for your photos Romy even if there's nothing here yet (tina taps her fingers while waiting for Romy to post)

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