Photo Blinds in NWR's

[jerome_smith]

I would very much like to compile useful location information for

future north American bird photo trips. I would greatly appreciate it

if you could identify National Wildlife Refuges (et al) in your

area/state that have permanent photo blinds set up. When's the best

time to come?

 

For the record, NJ has 2 NWR's: Brigantine (Forsythe) and Great

Swamp. Only the latter has permanent blinds, which are not

particularly big glass friendly. They overlook bird feeders (which

are active in winter), and wetlands.

 

Thanks so much

[chris_somers]

Check these archives for Tule and Klamath NWRs. They are located adjacent to each other at the CA/OR border. Also, there is a great resource at http://www.klamathnwr.org/

[chris_somers]

Ooops - p.s., two other websites worthwhile are:

 

http://refuges.fws.gov/

 

http://www.refugenet.org/

[mark_lagrange1]

This is not quite what you asked but....I have found two books helpful in compiling bird locations in North America: Birds as Art (Arthur Morris) has a section in the back with prime locations and descriptions of when to go and the opportunity available........and, yes I know this sounds commercial, but, the Discovery Channel (formerly the Nature Company) has a great Birding Guide including suggestions on prime locations and what time of year to go.(check out the great pictures in this new guide)

 

Now if there exists a guide of places where permanent blinds are set up, that would be worth somethin' to me! Anyone know of one of those?

[bill_palmer]

NWRs offer some great photo opportunities.

 

There is a new series of books available about the National Wildlife Refuge System. There are seven books in the series and are collectively know as the "Audubon Guide to the National Wildlife Refuges" Individual volumes in the series are: South Central, Mid-Atlantic, Rocky Mountains, Southwest, Southeast, Northern Midwest, and New England."

 

The guides cover all of the NWRs that are open to the public in each region (some NWRs are closed--such as caves that contain rare and endagered species). The books usually tell if the refuge has permanent blinds or not and if portable blinds are allowed. There is a short section in each refuge's description about the photography opportunities on that refuge.

 

I checked the Mid-Atlantic guide and it lists four NJ refuges: Cape May, Edwin B. Forsyth, Great Swamp, and Wallkill River. Wallkill has a photo blind on the Wood Duck Nature Trail.

 

Each volume sells for about $20. They are available at most refuges and amaz

[stnoonan]

The Parker River Wildlife Refuge (Plum Island in Newburyport, MA) has a permanent blind, as does Daniel Webster WR (Marshfield,MA). Both are very large with space for 15-20 birders, and plenty of room for your glass. Check out www.massaudubon.org for others.

[sparky]

The Bear River NWR has purchased 2 blinds and are in the process of determining sites for their erection. They are not permenant per say but they are a first step in their efforts to be more accomidating to photographers and wildlife watchers.

[roberto_lins]

McNary Wildlife Refuge, Burbank, WA State. One can find, white pelicans, great blue heron, canadian geese, malards, owls, and

although not very common, bald eagles among many others species.

http://nwr.mcnary.wa.us/

[cliff_beittel]

Laguna Atascosa NWR on the South Texas coast has a nice blind at feeders adjacent to the visitor center. Birds include Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, and other South Texas specialties. Santa Ana NWR on the Rio Grande River south of McAllen, TX, also has blinds, good for Green Jay, Chachalaca, etc. The problem with these and possibly other NWR blinds is that they aren't necessarily situated for good light and you have no control over perches (typically large snags with lots of droppings) unless you could work out changes with refuge mangement.

[bob_royse]

The best blind I've ever found at a NWR is a car. I've personally never seen a permanent blind anywhere in the US that I feel was well thought out for photographers. I've never seen one that puts the viewer at eye level, up close, with good light possible at least once a day, with slots positioned for a long lens. South Africa, on the other hand, has some wonderfully situated blinds at numerous reserves with long tunnels that keep people from being seen when entering, but that's another story. Unfortunately American designers haven't bothered to copy them. As was previously mentioned, the blind at Laguna Atascosa is a joke for photography. Many NWR's in the GreatPlains have permanent blinds at grouse leks, but the holes I've seen aren't large enough for 600mm lenses. If you need to use blinds, the good old Rue blind could be set up (with permission) at most NWR's I'd think.

 

Using cars as a blind, however, really is the best method for photographing birds at NWR's. Since the revolutionary introduction of the Canon IS telephotos, shooting on a beanbag from the car window with a 600mm lens + 2x opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Cars enable you to position yourself at eyelevel, up close, and with the best possible light. Having spent the past 2 Junes at NWR's of Montana and North Dakota, I must admit my favorite NWR (that I've been to) for photographing birds from the car is Medicine Lake NWR in NE Montana. On the other side of Montana, Freezeout Lake (though not a NWR) is also spectacular.

[phil]

Jamaica Bay NWR in New York City. One blind overlooks a small pond in the South Garden section of the West Pond loop. It is quite

reasonable in spring for bathing passerines (e.g. Eastern Towhee, Catbird, Yellow Warbler from personal experience), a House Wren has nested in a nestbox there the last two years, and there are feeders which tend to attract House Finches and Goldfinches. The other blind overlooks a larger pond on the East Pond trail (Big John's Pond) which tends to attract herons, ibis, but fewer opportunities for smaller birds. People have told me of Woodcock feeding there (but I've not seen that myself).

 

Ironically, your best bet at Jamaica Bay is to wait until the level in the East Pond drops (normally this time of year, unfortunately it has been very wet this year) and get up close and personal with the Least, Semipalmated Sandpipers etc. No blinds, but perhaps ultimately more rewarding.

 

Luck also helps: this weekend at Brigantine I had Forster's Tern, Cattle Egret, Fish Crow all close enough to fill the frame, Least Sandpiper running around *well* inside my minimum focus distance (600/4), and all that with me making no attempt to conceal myself.

 

(NJ has more than 2 NWRs: Cape May and Walkill come to mind).

[stephen_long]

Mr. Smith

I live on the California/ Oregon boarder. Our Klamath Basin National Refuge Lower Klamath/Tule Lake refuge have perm blinds. I'll passs

along the e-mail www.fws.gov/klamath. Our neck-of-woods, are well known for its waterfowl and Eagles. But please do not come to visit we want to keep it a secret. Best regards, Stephen Long(Shasta Global Images)

[jerome_smith]

For those interested in this thread, I received a private EMail with the following information: "The best blinds for the Pacific Flyway are on the Sacramento NWR. They used to be easy to use but are now booked all the time. They are available on a reservation basis only during winter only. Saturdays and Wednesdays. There are two blinds available. Blind number one is an intimate tule pond

blind. Blind #2 is open water in front with resting logs and open water. Both are great for frame filling shots with a 400 mm lens.

The weather is always unpredictable with rain and fog. If you get a mixed weather day it is incredible."

 

PJ, thanks for the correction...you are entirely right about Cape May and Walkill. I am not familiar with their blind situation and therefore left them out. My oversight.

 

Thanks for the responses so far; they're great. Keep the info. coming.

[don_baccus]

Robert Royce oughtta try out the eagle blinds at Klamath/Tule. These are the best photo blinds put up by a US NWR that I've seen thus far. <p>

The fact that the Bob Fields, refuge manager at the time of their being installed, is a die-hard bird photographer probably has something to do with this. Not to mention that he was helped out by a young, up-and-coming (at the time) photographer from California named Franz Lanting ...

<p>

Sacramento NWR has blinds that are probably OK for waterfowl, you have to wade in water that can be up to your waist to get to them. The fact that the refuge manager mentioned above was later promoted to run all refuges in CA/NV might have something to do with these blinds being decent, too ...

<p>

All of the above require advance reservation. The Klamath/Tule eagle blinds don't have a concealed approach, so you must get there by daylight and stay there until mid-morning.

<p>

Personally, I do most of my shooting from a car, like this action shot of a <a href='http://donb.photo.net/photo_cd/l/b29.html'>mallard</a>. Sometimes I use a green canvas cover tossed over my head and tripod, as I did awhile back at Bear River NWR, though I did just as well by simply <a href='http://donb.photo.net/photo_cd/e/b92.html'>laying on my pillow</a> in the middle of the loop road.

[preauxshots]

Although I have found my automobile to be the best as well. Anials are so used to the rangers and biologists driving by a few time a day that you can practicly park next to them. Should you open your door...well that is another story.

 

I would like to add that everyone who works for the department of the interior has an email adress and phone number that can be easily looked up. All NWR employees work for the us fws which is under the department of the interior.

 

http://directory.gov:8080/portal/usgov/page-action.xtl?current-page=search_page&session-id=session432

 

I was looking for the same info for a few refuges on the TX-LA coastal region. I emailed a biologist at a refuge and received a few books worth of information in less than 5 email exchanges. I would certainly hope that all refuge biologists are as friendly as the one that I came across.

 

I also received replies from several folks that run, or are affiliated with the private sanctuaries that often border NWR's.

 

I would by the book with the complete list as well. Good luck researching the info!