Friday, April 16, 2010

Inflight practice shots...

Self : I think it's your forte...
Hubby : What...
Self : Taking inflights...how do you do it...
Hubby : Practice...

Practice...
One word...
Which is easier said than done...
Not on hubby's part tho, but most definitely on yours truly...

Sometimes I would just watch him taking shots of the birds when they're airborne...
I told myself, they're just too fast for my camera...
Come to think of it, I told myself a lot of things...
Yeah, that's me...full of excuses...
Whining, complaining, sighing...
That's definitely my forte...:D

So, one day I find myself not whining, not complaining and not sighing...
I was on the verandah of our hotel lodge...waiting for my turn to use the bathroom...watching the swallows flying crazily on their morning feed...
Normally I would just watch them...
But that morning I was not normal...
I grabbed my camera and practice shooting them inflight...


White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchus)

...too fast...



...after a few attempts...



...following and focusing is mighty difficult to do...



...have to be satisfied with this...not a clean and clear shot...



...kame hame ha...Son Goku great ball of fire...hahahaha...



...my last shot...


Was I happy...a little bit...
Was I content...not yet...
How can I be happy...
How can I be content...

Have you seen hubby's work...Amazing Birds of Borneo
You'll be the judge...
For me...
I rest my case...
...for the time being...

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The winter visitor...Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaki)...

Hubby : Let's look for the Mugimaki...
Self : They're here already?
Hubby : Should be...

Without really specifically looking for the Mugimaki Flycatcher, I've decided to stroll around the back of the Liwagu Restaurant. That was where I saw it first, I think it was in 2008. Like I said, I wasn't really looking for it, but then, just in case.

I was standing near the little manmade pond when I noticed something on the ground nearby. I found the Mugimaki Flycatcher, but it was not a good find I'm afraid.





...the end of the journey for this little fella...


After stumbling upon the carcass in last November, I never saw any of it but hubby did tho. It was only in March I had the chance of seeing it. I guessed to have the chance on sighting this winter visitor is not something that everyone have the luxury of. And for me, trying to get its image into my camera is tough task to say the least. They are but a very shy creature and very fleety. They loved to perch up high and that did not spell good to me, not with my 55-250mm lens.

So when I did chance upon it, I tried to remember all the tips that hubby told me...all the do's and all the don'ts...
These are what I could managed...
These are what this winter visitor permits me to capture...



The female Mugimaki Flycatcher...
I like her...
She's a bit friendly...













...perching just up above me on the wire...


...I aimed my camera between two bamboos...I think this is the last time I'm going to see him this year...


They are a joy to watch...
Thank you little ones...
It's been a pleasure...
Till we meet again...
Safe journey...