Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3 Late Registration Discount Info

If you are interested in learning about the late registration discount offer for the third Fort DeSoto IPT, please get in touch via e-mail

On Getting Better

Consider joining me on a BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tour (IPT). The DeSoto, San Diego, Homer, and the yet-to-be announced July 2023 Jacksonville and July 2024 Galapagos Photo-Cruise of a Lifetime all offer the opportunity for you to dramatically improve your skills both in the field and at the computer and to make some astounding images as well. Click here and see which IPT might be best for you.

Fort DeSoto in fall is rife with tame birds. All the images on this card were created at Fort DeSoto in either late September or very early October. I hope that you can join me there this fall. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version. Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Caspian Tern, Great Egret, Sandwich Tern with fish, Willet, Black-bellied Plover threat display, Snowy Egret, 2-year old Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, juvenile Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron.

Fall 2022 Fort DeSoto Instructional Photo-Tour #3

3 1/2 Days: Monday 31 October through the morning session on Thursday 3 November 2022. $1899.00 includes three working lunches. Limit six photographers/Openings: 5.

Fort DeSoto, located just south of St. Petersburg, FL, is a mecca for migrant shorebirds and terns in fall. There they join hundreds of egrets, herons, night-herons, and gulls that winter on the T-shaped peninsula. With any luck at all, we should get to photograph one of Florida’s most desirable shorebird species: Marbled Godwit. Black-bellied Plover and Willet are easy, American Oystercatcher is pretty much guaranteed. Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and White Ibis are easy as well and we will almost surely come up with a tame Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or two. And we will get to do some Brown Pelican flight photography. In addition, Royal, Sandwich, Forster’s, and Caspian Terns will likely provide us with some good flight opportunities as well. Though not guaranteed, Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork might well be expected. And we will be on the lookout for a migrant passerine fallout in the event of a thunderstorm or two.

On this IPT, all will learn the basics and fine points of digital exposure. Nikon and Canon folks will learn to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure, and SONY folks will learn to use Zebras so that they can be sure of making excellent exposures before pressing the shutter button. Everyone will learn how to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them, to understand and predict bird behavior, to identify many species of shorebirds, to spot the good situations, to choose the best perspective, to see and understand the light, and to design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system. Most importantly, you will surely learn to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. And you will learn how and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it). The best news is that you will be able to take everything you learn home with you so that you will be a better photographer wherever and whenever you photograph.

There will be a Photoshop/image review session during or after lunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time.

This IPT will run with only a single registrant (though that is not likely to happen). The best airport is Tampa (TPA). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with Gulfport AirBnB information.

A $600 deposit is due when you sign up and is payable by credit card. Balances must be paid by check two months before the trip. Your deposit is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out with six folks, so please check your plans carefully before committing. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or by sending a check as follows: make the check out to: BIRDS AS ART and send it via US mail here: BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, clothing, and gear advice. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.

Clockwise from upper left to center: Long-billed Curlew, juvenile Tricolored Heron, Marbled Godwits, Great Blue Heron, juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Wood Stork, smiling Sea Scallop, Ruddy Turnstone scavenging needlefish, Great Blue Heron sunset silhouette at my secret spot, and southbound migrant tern flock blur.

Up Early, Stay Out Late!

Obviously, folks attending an IPT will be out in the field early and stay late to take advantage of the sweetest light and sunrise and sunset colors (when possible). The good news is that the days are relatively short in early fall. I really love it when I am leaving the beach on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving. The length of cloudy morning sessions will often be extended. Click on the composite to enjoy a larger version.

Spoonbills at DeSoto

Over the past years, Roseate Spoonbills have become regular visitors to Fort DeSoto Park. I know when and where to find them and can teach you to approach them successfully. Do consider joining me on the last Fall DeSoto IPT.

What’s Up?

I woke early on Sunday and arrived at Sebastian Inlet in the dark. After a blah sunrise, there were few birds for several hours. At 10:30am, things pick up for an hour with lots of fishing terns and gulls. Many Ospreys patrolled the inlet, but very few dove.

Once home, I marveled with glee as the Giants beat the Ravens and the Jets beat the Packers on TIVO.

Yesterday’s Comments

Kathy Graf: My favorite is the first image, the one farthest from the bird. I love the bird’s intense stare and the soft blue horizon line with wisps of tan from the grasses. It’s really an interesting image for me. And that blue horizon line makes it special.

Chris Davidson: Hey Artie, Kathy beat me to it, image one for me as well. The out of focus elements in the background really make it special IMO. All three are superb, but number 1 is special.

Virginia Hayes: I find the first image unique and beautiful. The bird is large enough for us to see good detail and appreciate seeing his quizzical expression. To see the bird in the lovely habitat makes it extra special.

Elinor Osborn: Totally agree with Kathy in all she mentioned. And that bedraggled look of the bird makes it comical.

As above, I felt that the small-in-the-frame Bald Eagle image, #1, was by far the strongest of the three featured in yesterday’s blog post. Thanks to those who left thoughtful comments and let us know why they liked that image best.

Today is Monday 17 October 2022. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took about two hours to prepare and makes two hundred-five days in a row with a new one.

Please remember to use the B&H and Amazon links that are found on most blog pages and to use the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout when purchasing your new gear from Bedfords to get 3% back on your credit card and enjoy free second-day air FedEx. Please, also, consider joining a BAA IPT. You will be amazed at how much you will learn!

Iceland

My decades-long dream of spending time with the puffins on Grimsey Island, Iceland — 13 days in this case!, will be realized this coming July. If anyone else would like information on the world’s greatest Iceland/Atlantic Puffin trip this coming July, please contact me via e-mail.

Instagram

Follow me on Instagram here. I am trying to feature both new and old images, especially images that have not appeared recently on the blog. Or search for birds_as_art.

BIRDS AS ART Image Optimization Service (BAA IOS)

Send a PayPal for $62.00 to birdsasart@verizon.net or call Jim at 863-692-0906 and put $62.00 on your credit card. Pick one of your best images and upload the raw file using a large file sending service like Hightail or DropBox and then send me the link via e-mail. I will download and save your raw file, evaluate the exposure and sharpness, and optimize the image as if it were my own after converting the raw file in Adobe Camera Raw. Best of all, I will make a screen recording of the entire process and send you a link to the video to download, save and study.

Induro GIT 304L Price Drop

Amazingly, we have two, brand-new-in-the-box Induro GIT 304L tripods in stock. They are $699.00 each (were $799.00) and the price now includes the insured ground shipping to the lower 48 states. Weekday phone orders only: 863-692-0906. Order yours here while they last.

Please Remember

You can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to earn 3% cash back at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

Brand-New and As-Good-As-Ever Bedfords BAA Discount Policy

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy a post-purchase, 3% off-statement credit (excluding taxes and shipping charges) on orders paid with a credit card. The 3% credit will be refunded to the card you used for your purchase. Be sure, also, to check the box for free shipping to enjoy free Second Day Air Fed-Ex. This offer does not apply to purchases of Classes, Gift Cards, or to any prior purchases.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy getting 3% back on your credit card along with free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex Air shipping, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and check the box for Free Shipping. That will automatically upgrade to free 2nd Day Air Fed-Ex. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The waitlists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard-to-get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager to please.

Important Note

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage when you purchase from Amazon after using any of the Amazon links on the blog (including the logo-link on the right side of each blog post page). My affiliate link works fine with Amazon Prime and using it will not cost you a single cent. Huge thanks, BTW 🙂

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.

The Mega-rare Shorebird on the Second Fort DeSoto IPT

This image was created on 6 October 2022 by Anke Frohlich on the second Fort DeSoto IPT. She used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500. 1/2500 second at f/6.3 (wide-open) in Manual Mode. AWB at 4:18pm on a sunny afternoon. Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: (European) Bar-tailed Godwit taking flight Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Anke Frohlich

The Discovery

On the first afternoon of the second DeSoto IPT, Anke Frohlich, who had gone off on her own to photograph some Sanderlings and small plovers that were feeding in a small pool, shared an image on the back of her camera with me. Looking only at the up-curved pink bill with the dusky distal half, I said, “Marbled Godwit.” Sure that she was seeing something different, Anke enlarged the image to show me an orange blotch on the sides of the bird’s breast. Then she zoomed out again. I quickly realized that the bird was more brown than cinnamon-colored above and said, “Oh my God! It’s a Bar-tailed Godwit.”

This image was also created on 6 October 2022 by Anke Frohlich on the second Fort DeSoto IPT. She used the handheld Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens (at 600mm) and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. The exposure was determined using Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 2500. 1/2500 second at f/7.1 (stopped down 1/3-stop) in Manual Mode. AWB at 4:18pm on a mostly sunny afternoon. Tracking: Zone/AF-C with Bird Face/Eye Detection performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: (European) Bar-tailed Godwit in flight Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Anke Frohlich

(European) Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit breeds in northwestern Alaska, Siberia, and northern Europe. The birds from Alaska routinely migrate more than 7,000 miles (nonstop!) to their primary wintering grounds in New Zealand. Learn more in the NPR article here. The European race (Limosa lapponica japonica) winters in Africa and the Middle East, mostly on coastal shorelines.

Richard Crossley identified this bird as being of the European race based on the light tones of the underwings. Other races are more darkly marked below. In the Sibley Guide to Birds, the author notes the following with regards to European Bar-tailed Godwit: a rare visitor to the Atlantic Coast; similar to Siberian but with clean white upper rump and underwing.

Anke’s two fine images immediately above clearly show these features along with the barred tail that gives the bird its name.

Anke’s Style

Anke loves handholding the Sony 600mm f/4 GM or the 200-600 G, disdaining the use of even the 1.4X TC, and creating super-sharp images that stand up well to being cropped. And she is never scared to use the high ISOs that needed to get the shutter speeds she wants.

You can see more of her work here on Instagram (anke.frohlich.photography).

This image was created on 7 October 2022 by yours truly, Arthur Morris on the second Fort DeSoto IPT. I used the handheld Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 2x Teleconverter and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera. The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 1000. 1/1250 sec. at f/5.6 (wide open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file brightness was determined to be perfect. AWB at 6:46:40pm on a partly sunny afternoon. Tracking: Spot S AF-C with Bird Face/Eye detection enabled performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #3: (European) Bar-tailed Godwit foraging Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

The Toe-Pod Technique

The bird returned every afternoon to the same pool. On bar-tailed day two, I sat is six inches of water and used the toe-pod technique to get as low as possible. Ripples of water lapped against the bottom of the lens hood.

This image was created on 9 October 2022 by Anke Frohlich on the second Fort DeSoto IPT. She used the handheld Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless digital camera. ISO 2500. Exposure was determined via Zebras with ISO on the rear dial: 1/1250 sec. at f/4 (wide open). AWB at 7:34am on a cloudy morning. Tracking: Zone/AF-C was active at the moment of exposure and performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy the larger version. Image #4: (European) Bar-tailed Godwit foraging Image courtesy of and copyright 2022: Anke Frohlich

Hello and Goodbye

Anke made this parting image of the godwit on the last morning of the IPT. All four participants and the leader had many good opportunities to photograph this very-rare-in-Florida species. As we thought that we had discovered it, we learned with a bit of dismay that the bird had first been spotted on October 2nd and had been seen regularly since then.

Hurricane Ian made landfall on the southwest coast of Florida on 28 September. Fort DeSoto was closed for nearly a week. It seems likely that the appearance of the bar-tailed was storm related.

The bird is relatively innocuous. Heck, it fooled me at first. I chuckled at the many birders and photographers who went off in search of the rare bird and walked right by it as it foraged in front of us. The bird continues to be seen and it is likely that it will still be around for the third DeSoto IPT. And there is a good chance that it will — like many snowbirds, spend its winter in Florida.

Feel free to leave any comments on our special find.

Typos

With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.