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romy ocon | profile | all galleries >> Wild Birds of the Philippines (Photos) >> Bird Galleries by Location >> Philippine Scops-Owl and more La Union birds tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Philippine Scops-Owl and more La Union birds

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For some time now, in the early evening, I've been hearing a strange bird sound at the mango tree in my mother's backyard. I long suspected that it is an owl species,
and a few nights ago I couldn't contain my curiosity anymore when I heard the call again. I grabbed a bright flashlight and scanned the branches of the mango tree.
True enough, there's an owl perched on one of the branches with a newly-caught prey (a fat, juicy mouse). I quickly rushed back to the house to get my camera,
and returned with the domestic boss in tow to hold the flashlight while I shoot.

The bird turned out to be a Philippine Scops-Owl (Otus megalotis, a Philippine endemic) - a much welcome photo-lifer (my 279th species).

I'm very impressed with 7D MII's IQ even at ISO 12,800 - yes, noise is there but it's fine grained and responds well to a simple noise reduction routine. If forced by low light,
I wouldn't hesitate at all to shoot at this high sensitivity. I did expose to the right (ETTR) to mitigate the noise.

The camera was on AWB and the white balance as captured was too "cold" for my taste. Since 100% of the illumination on the bird was provided by the flashlight (torch),
I simply had to shoot a white sheet of paper under the same light later to aid me in setting a "click white balance."

Philippine Scops-Owl (Otus megalotis, endemic) Habitat - Forest and forest edge in the lowlands. Shooting Info - Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, November 29, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II, f/4, 1/250 sec, ISO 12800, manual exposure/flashlight, hand held, near full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO724532-1500x1000.jpg

Philippine Scops-Owl (Otus megalotis, endemic)

Habitat - Forest and forest edge in the lowlands.

Shooting Info - Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, November 29, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II,
f/4, 1/250 sec, ISO 12800, manual exposure/flashlight, hand held, near full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea, migrant) Habitat - Uncommon in wetlands. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, near full frame resized to 1575 x 1050.
RO724720-1575x1050.jpg

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea, migrant)

Habitat - Uncommon in wetlands.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, near full frame resized to 1575 x 1050.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage) Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO724669-1500x1000.jpg

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage)

Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, migrant) Habitat - Associated with water both along coast and inland. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO724689-1500x1000.jpg

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, migrant)

Habitat - Associated with water both along coast and inland.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage) Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO724755-1500x1000.jpg

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage)

Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage) Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1575 x 1050.
RO724670-1575x1050.jpg

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus, migrant, non-breeding plumage)

Habitat - Bays, tidal flats to ricefields.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, December 6, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1575 x 1050.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea, migrant) Habitat - Uncommon in wetlands. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 30, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, hand held, 7.4 MP crop resized to 1000 x 750.
RO724608-750x1000.jpg

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea, migrant)

Habitat - Uncommon in wetlands.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 30, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, hand held, 7.4 MP crop resized to 1000 x 750.

Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis, migrant) Habitat - Uncommon along coast on exposed mud and coral flats. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 28, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO724420-1500x1000.jpg

Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis, migrant)

Habitat - Uncommon along coast on exposed mud and coral flats.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 28, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus, resident) Habitat - Open areas often near water, and also in mountains to 1500 m. Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 21, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO723207-1500x1000.jpg

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus, resident)

Habitat - Open areas often near water, and also in mountains to 1500 m.

Shooting Info - Sto. Tomas, La Union, Philippines, November 21, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, major crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident) Habitat - Open country or lawns. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 14, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + stacked EF 2x TC II/2x TC III, 1600 mm, f/16 (wide open), 1/160 sec, ISO 800, manual exposure in available light, LV AF, UBH45/455B support, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO722922-1500x1000.jpg

Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident)

Habitat - Open country or lawns.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 14, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + stacked EF 2x TC II/2x TC III,
1600 mm, f/16 (wide open), 1/160 sec, ISO 800, manual exposure in available light, LV AF, UBH45/455B support, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora, resident) Habitat - Uncommon in parks, residential areas and scrub, sometimes in neighboring ricefields. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO722767-1500x1000.jpg

Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora, resident)

Habitat - Uncommon in parks, residential areas and scrub, sometimes in neighboring ricefields.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 200, manual exposure in available light, hand held, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.

Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora, resident) Habitat - Uncommon in parks, residential areas and scrub, sometimes in neighboring ricefields. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III, 560 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO722902-1500x1000.jpg

Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora, resident)

Habitat - Uncommon in parks, residential areas and scrub, sometimes in neighboring ricefields.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 13, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 1.4x TC III,
560 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, uncropped full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.

Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident) Habitat - Open country or lawns. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 18, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 2x TC III, 800 mm, f/8 (wide open), 1/1000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, PD AF, UBH45/455B support, 6 MP crop resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO722972-1500x1000.jpg

Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident)

Habitat - Open country or lawns.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 18, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 2x TC III,
800 mm, f/8 (wide open), 1/1000 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, PD AF, UBH45/455B support, 6 MP crop resized to 1500 x 1000.

 Link to Full HD Footage ______ Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident) Habitat - Open country or lawns. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 19, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + stacked EF 2x TC II/2x TC III, 1600 mm, f/16 (wide open), 1/125 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, LV AF, UBH45/455B support, uncropped full frame video grab from a 1080/59.94p footage.
RO723016-1920x1080.jpg

Link to Full HD Footage
______

Red Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica, resident)

Habitat - Open country or lawns.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 19, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + stacked EF 2x TC II/2x TC III,
1600 mm, f/16 (wide open), 1/125 sec, ISO 640, manual exposure in available light, LV AF, UBH45/455B support, uncropped full frame video grab from a 1080/59.94p footage.

 Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata, resident, female) Habitat - Drier open country, grasslands and cultivated areas. Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 25, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 2x TC III, 800 mm, f/8 (wide open), 1/320 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, near full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.
RO723946-1500x1000.jpg

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata, resident, female)

Habitat - Drier open country, grasslands and cultivated areas.

Shooting Info - Bued River, Rosario, La Union, Philippines, November 25, 2015, EOS 7D MII + EF 400 DO IS II + EF 2x TC III,
800 mm, f/8 (wide open), 1/320 sec, ISO 320, manual exposure in available light, hand held, near full frame resized to 1500 x 1000.

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