More on Bosque: Dear Phil and Phoebe

San Diego IPT Late Registration Discount

If you are at all interested in traveling to San Diego to improve your photography and enjoy the phenomenal Brown Pelican photography this month, please shoot me an e-mail for IPT #2 late registration discount info. The photography has been consistently and astoundingly good.

Homer Late Registration Discounts

If you are at all interested in traveling to Homer with me in FEB/MAR 2023 to photograph Bald Eagles, shoot me an e-mail for late registration discount info. Several folks are in the process of registering so do not tarry.The first IPT is looking very sold out as I await the last two deposit checks.

What’s Up?

We spent the morning and afternoon of Day 2 of the second San Diego IPT at Santee Lakes. Both sessions were filled with learning and unique opportunities. Ring-necked and Wood Ducks along with Cinnamon Teal cooperated nicely as they responded to offering of scratch (now $2/bags at the pay booth or the camp store). With zero wind in the morning there were lot of great reflections.

Today is Monday 9 January 2023. We will be headed early to La Jolla. This blog post took about an hour to prepare and makes two hundred eighty-six days in a row with a new, educational post just for you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.

It is looking as if Homer will be sold out fairly soon. Please do not forget to use my B&H or Bedford’s affiliate programs for your new gear purchases.

My plan is to continue to post every day until the streak reaches one year and one day and then go back to posting every other day.

Thanks to BPN-friend Bill Dix for sharing his heartfelt letter to Phil Norton and three of his very fine images below.

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!

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.

Induro GIT 304L Tripod

Out of production for more than two years, BAA just sold its last one. The good news? We have located two more new-in-the-box tripods. They will be available for shipping at the end of January. Best to order yours now to be sure that you get one. We will not run your card until your item ships. The 304L was my go-to tripod for more than a decade. Best to grab order yours right now to avoid being disappointed.

Bedfords Amazing 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.

Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix Image #1: Gambell’s Quail

Bill Dix

I’ve met Bill Dix in person only once or twice, once for sure at Nickerson Beach. Bill is (obviously) an accomplished photographer, one of the many who has honed his skills in the Avian Forum at BirdPhotographers.Net. Bill has been a member since 2009 and participated to the tune of 12,483 posts!

At $40/year BPN is the greatest buy in an avian photographic education except for the BIRDS AS ART Blog at $0.00/year.

Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix Image #2: Ross’s Geese in flight

Dear Phil and Phoebe

I just listened to the interview with you that Art Morris posted here in his recent “What About Bosque?” blog post here. My wife Joanne and I visited Casa Blanca in 2019. I had heard at least part of the story of your management of Bosque, and its subsequent demise when you left, but that 51-minute interview contained a wealth of fascinating detail and personal stories. I am exceedingly grateful to you for your wise, visitor-oriented management of the refuge during your tenure. You conclude the interview with a somewhat hopeful outlook, that one of these days the pendulum will (or at least may) swing back the other way and wiser government and management could prevail.

I had looked forward to visiting Bosque again, and again staying in your wonderful B&B: but alas, I understand that you will be closing the place, and besides, I don’t have that many more years to wait for the pendulum to swing. So I will treasure my short visit in 2019, and the few images that resulted from that trip. One of your wonderful turned bowls occupies a place of honor in my living room.

I wish the two of you all the best as you move on to another chapter.

Bill

Image courtesy of an copyright 2023 Bill Dix Image #3: Sandhill Cranes taking flight

Your Call

Which of Bill’s three featured images is your favorite. Do leave a comment and let us know why you made your choice. For me, it is a tie for first place.

Typos

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