mitch_mcconnell

The famous Venice rookery is only about an hour or so south of Tampa, although I don't know whether May is the best time there.

 

Closer, Fort DeSoto in St. Petersburg can be good for warblers at that time of year (if you have a long lens).

 

Mitch

Thanks to all for the replies. I have taken the very southern Rio Grande "tour", including Laguna Atascosa, Santa Ana, Bentsen Rio Grande SP, etc. All were excellent for birding, but less great for photography (although the SP was good). On South Padre, the convention center was the best spot for photography. I got a very nice shot of a King Rail there!

I forgot to mention that I <b>have</b> perused all available Web resources, e.g. USF&G sites, etc. I am looking for more personalized experiences or suggestions.

I would like to take a winter trip in mid-February to the Corpus

Christi, TX area to do some bird photography. Obviously, the primary

attraction there is Whooping Cranes. Are there lots of places where

someone with a long lens (despite what some may think, even a 600mm

cannot bring in birds out in the middle of the gulf!) can get

reasonably close (e.g., boardwalks, blinds, etc.). I expect to spend

quite a bit of time at Aransas, but am willing to try any other

hotspots nearby.

One other thing to keep in mind is that if your subject is any kind of wildlife that may be moving (such as birds), even a large, expensive lens will not necessarily guarantee that you will always have sharp images. I have many shots that would (IMHO) be "perfect" but for a very slight fuzziness due to a subtle movement (Warblers are famous for this!).

 

The bottom line is that technique is always (and luck sometimes!) the most important factor.

 

Mitch

While in Orlando, you should realize that Merritt Island NWR is only

about an hour or so away. The wildlife drive at the refuge should

offer some good opportunites for bird photography.

 

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Mitch

Lance,

 

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I know this is a difficult question since no-one likes to part with

their hard-earned money. IF YOU GET A 600/f4 HOWEVER, my recommendation is to get the "real" Wimberly and don't try to skimp.

I know from experience it is well worth the price. Before I owned

both it and a 600/f4, I really couldn't conceive of why a Wimberly

was needed (and I agonized over whether I should use my Arca B1), but I assure you it is worth it for a large lens.

 

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Mitch

I have been with Arthur on one of his tours, and I can assure you I never saw him write down a thing. I believe that Art and other pro's I have talked to just "know" what their data was. Art almost always shoots wide open, so he only has to remember the shutter speed and what (if any) exposure compensation he dialed in.

 

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I think until us mortals get to the point where we "know" what the exposure should be, it would behoove us to keep notes. I have tried,

and it is very difficult to concentrate on the action and take notes in-between shots! I may try a voice-activated recorder some day, and would also be interested in hearing from others who may have tried this.

 

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In the meantime, I think the next best thing is to keep shooting and trying to learn by doing!

 

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Good luck,

 

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Mitch

Jeremiah,

 

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It is pretty likely that they were American Goldfinches. They

occur pretty commonly around the country, and would be likely

to be seen in larger groups. They are overall yellow, with

black and white wings and a black forehead.

 

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Another clue would be if they were hanging around wild thistle.

 

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Mitch

This is a timely topic for me, as I recently took my kid's tuition

money and bought a 600/f4 (just kidding, no kids!). I have traveled

on an airline only once, and I basically checked my Pro Photo Trekker

sans 600 and hand-carried the 600 in a smaller gym bag. I was still

extremely nervous because of the weight and relative lack of protection afforded by the gym bag.

 

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My question is: does anyone with a 600 have a recommendation for a

hard-shell case, i.e., a specific model number for Pelican or some

other brand?

 

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Thanks,

 

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Mitch

The biggest other factor (other than the $$$ and weight, which are

both considerable) is the fact that with a Canon 600mm/f4 you can

autofocus with the 1.4x at 840mm. For wildlife which is often

constantly moving (such as birds) this is an enormous advantage.

The weight is not a problem if you are at, say, Anhinga Trail in

the Everglades, but if you have to hike a couple of miles to get to

your shooting location, it is a significant factor!

 

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Mitch

Kathy,

 

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You're in luck. New England is quite compact, so that one can see

quite a lot within 2-3 hours from Boston. The most obvious places

to recommend are the entire coast of southern Maine, which is probably

only 2 hours at most, and Rhode Island. My first choice for the

latter (which I know better) is the area around Narragansett. If

you were really ambitious, from the port of Galilee (part of Narragansett) you could take the ferry to Block Island. It is one

of the most pristine, undeveloped places left in New England. Once

there, you would have to rent a bicycle or moped, but it would be

worth it.

 

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Although you mentioned the coast, the White Mountains in New Hampshire

are also only about 2 hours away.

 

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Good shooting!

 

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Mitch

Jeff,

 

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I have always had pretty good luck at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. It is located approximately halfway between Boynton

Beach and Delray Beach, west of Route 441 in Palm Beach County, Florida. There are lots of impoundements where you should be able

to see and photograph the normal variety of Florida wading birds,

as well as anhingas, cormorants, etc. I even got a shot of an ani

there a few years ago!

 

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Refuge phone: (407) 732-3684

FAX: (407) 369-7190

 

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Refuge mailing address:

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee

National Wildlife Refuge

10216 Lee Road

Boynton Beach, FL 33437-4796

Since as nature photographers, we are not among the idiots throwing rocks at wildlife, we can all agree that certain types of behavior are reprehensible. Not all photographers, however, even professional ones, are immune from distubing behavior (such as baiting). Having said all that, I think that the enviro-cultists have intimidated everyone into thinking that mere human presence on earth is enough to disturb all wildlife! Since Djuna was (by his account) behaving responsibly, there is very little reason to think that his actions would have any impact whatsoever on the elephant seals, whose day to day existence is, after all, much more dangerous and risky than simply submitting to being photographed.

 

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As a compromise, I would guess that photogs will have to invest in longer lenses and/or be more creative than simply crawling up to their subjects in similar cases. I do not condone the SWAT-team mentality of many government agencies (I read recently the percentage of all government employees who now carry firearms; I forget the number, but it is scary!), but it is not that different than commuting to work everyday and seeing the police stop not the aggressive morons who dangerously weave in and out of traffic, but the guy going 9 miles over the speed limit.

 

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I sincerely wish Djuna luck!

 

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Mitch McConnell

Mike,

 

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I have never been in December, but the last two trips I made to LA

I went to both Newport Back Bay (in Newport Beach) and to Bolsa Chica

Lagoon in Huntington Beach. Both are great spots for shorebirds and

ducks. You may get Black-necked Stilts, Avocets, long-billed curlews,

scoters, etc.

 

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These locations are about 30-45 minutes south of LA, so you might be

able to get these in during your business trip, then go elsewhere on

the weekend.

 

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Good luck,

 

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Mitch

Thanks to all for replying. I am definitely going to try and look

at both the Wimberly and the B1G. Despite the weight, with a 600 it appears to be necessary to have something substantial. I don't see how any ball-head design could avoid the dreaded "flop", though. Even if nothing is harmed, the thought of a big lens falling over does leave one feeling a little queasy.

 

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Mitch

I am considering buying a Wimberly tripod head for my long lens support for bird photography. Does anyone know where I might be able to see one in the Boston area?

 

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Thanks in advance,

 

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Mitch

Don,

 

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I *do* have the ABA Guide you mentioned. Everything I have read

sounds like this is a great spot for birding, but since my photographic journeys have mostly been in Florida, I am trying to get

more photo-oriented information....

 

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Mitch

I will be taking a week in January to do some bird photography. I

would like to try someplace new, and the southern Rio Grande area

sounds great. I would appreciate any advice about the area,

accomodations, especially good sites, etc., that people are willing

to share. All kinds of information will be greatly appreciated!

 

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Thanks,

 

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mitch