Indigo, check!

I first became aware of this bird almost seven years ago when it became THE target bird La Mesa Eco Park together with the Spotted Wood Kingfisher.  These two birds dominated the Manila birding world in September and October 2013.  Even foreign birders came to visit.  And it was also a source of a big social media war - Facebook and Yahoo Groups (yes, it was still being used then), - between bird photographers (mainly WBPP) and other birders who held other views (this was my introduction to this difference of opinion). 

I only saw the Indigo-banded once during that time and while I was happy at capturing a lifer, I was not so happy with my shots.  I saw it again at Bangkong Kahoy in May 2014 and was able to get better shots.  When DRT and Avilon Zoo, came into our consciousness, many birders also got great shots there but not me.  So when I saw a post three weeks ago of an IBKF taken at LMEP, I immediately messaged the poster, Ralf Nabong, a good friend, and asked where he got it.  

On the day that we both shot the White's Thrush, Bong left the mini forest a few minutes ahead.  As I passed the area of the "Gods" on my way out,  I saw him waving at me and pointed the IBKF perch, saying that he heard it a few minutes earlier.  I was already running late so I was not able to stay.  But I made a mental note to come back for it when I had the time.  My chance came a week later.  I arrived at the site a little before 8am and found Prof Ferdie Llanes and Fidel Sy already seated with cameras mounted on tripods and pointed at the usual perch. Within ten minutes of setting up my gear, our target bird arrives and the sound of shutters clicking filled the (still) quiet air.  

Sharing two of the images I was able to create (one without a teleconverter, one with a 1.4x tc). 

Indigo-banded Kingfisher, female

Indigo-banded Kingfisher, big check!  Now where can I photograph the male?