Long Distance Digiscoping

16th May 2013

I was looking for the rare Watercock yesterday after the rain. After waited for nearly an hour without any sign or sound from the bird, I decided to test the sharpness of the Swarovski STX 95 coupled with Nikon V1 on TLS APO adapter that has a 30mm built in lens for Digiscoping.

Scanning for useful object, shimmer heat was obvious while looking through the eyepiece. Then a single Spotted Dove perched about 80 metres++ from where I was standing against lovely background.

So I set the scope and camera without cable release in Continuous Shooting mode at 30x and also at 70x. The results below:

 ISO 800, 1/640s at 30x = 2430mm ~ No sharpening applied. Raw conversion to Jpeg

 

 ISO 800, 1/250s at 70x = 5670mm ~ No sharpening applied. Raw conversion to Jpeg

It is quite impressive considering the distance and other factors. These is my favorite combo now!


Happy birding.


This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Sunset...

14th May 2013

While waiting my brother for dinner, I went to the Waterfront with wife and babies to check the flying Terns and found out it was the Whiskered Tern and some of them were in breeding plumage too. Many visitors also were enjoying the near sunset view between Manukan (right) and Gaya Island (left)

Taken with Nikon V1 + 10-30mm VR
 

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Mountain Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus trivirgatus kinabaluensis)

1st May 2013

There are 2 subspecies of Mountain Leaf Warbler found in Sabah and the photos below is the commonest one you will encountered at Mt. Kinabalu and around Crocker Range. The other P. trivirgatus trivirgatus (more yellow) apparently is rare but I have seen at both places for few times. It could be found in bird waves together with Black-capped White Eye, White-throated Fantail, Yellow-breasted Warbler and few more.

Taken with Nikon D300s + 300mm 2.8 VR II + TC1.4x

 

Very fast moving bird!

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto 

Bornean Whistling Thrush

1st May 2013

The Nikon V1 really impressed me with its high ISO capability coupled with the Swarovski STX 95 scope. The shot below I took at ISO 1600 with shutter speed of 1/15s at 30x magnification = 2430mm in 35mm format. That's the advantage of Digiscoping in slow shutter speed!

Endemic to Borneo and was seen perched and calling under one of the tree at nearby stream yesterday after the rain.

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Common Flameback ~ Female

28th April 2013

I normally see this beauty at Peat swamp and Mangrove forest found in Sabah. But with land conversion and reclamation for commercial purposes causing the loss of habitat for Common Flameback together with the rare Greater Flameback (not seen one yet). 

This one was taken at Klias Peatswamp Field Centre yesterday with CK and Jonathan in search for the rare Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker.

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 400 at 30x = 2430mm

From this side, it could be mistaken as the Olive-backed Woodpecker

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Interesting Behavior Of Watercock

26th April 2013

After the rain stopped, I went to Indai village for another try of the Striated Grassbird. Scanning the recently harvested paddy field produced only the usual species such as Pied Triller, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Black-headed and Scaly-breasted Munia including Black-backed Swamphen with juveniles Cinnamon and Yellow Bittern.

Then from a distance, silhouette in flight against the grey sky (without binocular), I thought it was the rare Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (not supposed to be here at the time of the year). But the obvious frontal shield and by the time it landed on the ground, the striking Watercock in breeding plumage, the height of the crest has increased since last week. It was seen standing above the small scrubs providing opportunity to get a short videos instead of pictures because of the poor light.

Videoscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 58x = 4698mm

2 minutes video and click on Full Screen then HD option for better quality or click watch at YouTube

My 1st time seeing this bird calling for mating. The female was around too but very shy! The audio output from Nikon V1 is great and possible to extract the audio for playback.

Happy birding!

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Baya Weaver

23rd April 2013

On my last visit, there were only 8 nests and few birds flying in and out. Yesterday was different. Counted 21 active nests and 2 were still under construction by the non-stop moving males. 1st recorded in Sandakan few years ago then slowly it expanded to Sipitang, a small town in the South then last year, saw few in Tuaran at my local patch.

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 200 at 30x = 2430mm

The female

The male were busy with nest building ...

 

The distance from my scope to the trees with 21 active nests of the Baya Weaver. Look at the LCD on the camera showing the nest.

I will continue to monitor this place and hope can see juveniles after the breeding season.

Happy birding !

This post is Supported with Sandakan Foto

Yellow-bellied Prinia

20th April 2013

The Nikon V1 has been a good match with the Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO adapter for recording video in Full HD plus the extreme reach it has in documenting birds and wildlife behavior such as the video below :

Videoscoped with Swarovski STX + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ 30x = 2430mm !

Yellow-bellied Prinia, common garden birds in my place but quite difficult to get good shots of it because it is a skulker and smaller in size. Click watch in YouTube and HD mode for better view.

This is the advantage when using Nikon V1 with its 2.7x cropped factor for Digiscoping / Videoscoping with our spotting scope. The audio output is excellent too !

Happy birding !

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Watercock ...

20th April 2013

In a quest for a green background of the Striated Grassbird, a short drive to Kg. Indai only produced a head shots of the secretive Watercock in breeding plumage at the marshes. Other birds seen at the paddy field:

• Oriental Darter
• Great Egret
• Purple Heron
• Wandering Whistling Duck
• Black-shouldered Kite
• Common Moorhen
• White-breasted Waterhen
• Pied Triller
• Yellow-vented Bulbul
• Striated Grassbird
• Yellow-bellied Prinia
• Black-headed Munia
• Scaly Munia and
• Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 400, 1/160s at 30x = 2430mm

 The red shield is much longer than the Common Moorhen with love shape. Watercock is a resident species belongs to the Rails family but only seen occasionally during the breeding season. Nocturnal bird ...

Old picture taken in 2011 at Penampang paddy field. It was rescued from the dinner pot !

In other places, this is considered a delicacies as reported at Bird Ecology Study Group © Two Watercocks In Hand Worth One In Bush…

Happy birding !

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto

Slow Shutter Digiscoping ...

18th April 2013

I was looking for the Striated Grassbird against green background yesterday but did not find any so went home and saw this Oriental Magpie Robin perched at one of the tree before it flew and landed on top of the barbed wire post against smooth background. I managed only to get few frames because it was near sunset and the Robin were under shade of the Banana leaves.

I'm happy with the result and the huge 95mm objective diameter of the Swarovski STX 95 scope really helped in gathering the last light when required !

Digiscoped with Swarovski STX 95 + TLS APO + Nikon V1 ~ ISO 400, 1/13s at 30x = 2430mm

Oriental Magpie Robin, common garden bird found in Sabah with 4 endemic subspecies

Happy birding !

This post is Supported by Sandakan Foto