June 18th, 2024 Important Notice
After an update on 4 May, WordPress stopped sending post notifications. We have been aware of the issue and are working on rectifying it. You can always visit the blog by visiting or bookmarking www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.
Summer On Long Island
Take a peek at the July and August Nickerson Beach (& JBWR) IPT offerings below and consider joining us to learn a ton, make lots of great images, and improve your image processing skills.
Saturday’s White Wading Bird
The comments at the last blog post pretty much covered all the bases. The bird was a young Little Blue Heron. Cliff Beittel noted: pale green-yellow legs, two-toned bill, base of bill relatively thick.
In addition, this bird is much stockier than a similarly aged Snowy Egret that would have a somewhat longer, slimmer bill that changes from yellow to black with some yellow as it gets ready to leave the nest. And young Cattle Egrets have black bills and black legs and are stockier still with block-shaped heads. A close look reveals that either the primary or tail tips have a bit of slate blue.
I am pretty sure that the bird in the photo is just about six weeks old (give or take a day or two). From The Birds of North America:
DAY 35 — Capable of sustained flight. Observed to perform Greeting Ceremony with siblings when returning to nest.
DAY 42 — Regularly leaves the colony in morning to forage in nearby wetlands.
Note that the changes as young little blues go from nearly all white to white mottled with patches of slate blue are the result of normal aging and development. At six months to a year, most first year Little Blue Herons have a splotchy, pied plumage. Thus, they are not “morphs.” Birds like Reddish Egrets and Snow Geese that have different forms that are the result of genetics are properly called morphs.
What’s Up?
Despite a brisk east wind on a sunny Monday morning, I had too much packing to do to get ready for my Colorado trip.
Today is Tuesday 18 June 2024 and I still have a ton to do as Jim will be driving me to the airport tomorrow a o-dark hundred. Whatever you are doing, I hope that you too choose to have a great day.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
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This image was created on 19 August 2018. Crouching just a bit, I used the tripod/Mongoose M3.6 Action Head- supported Nikon 600mm f/4 VR lens, the 1.4X teleconverter, and the Nikon D850. ISO 800: 1/100 sec. at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop) in Manual mode. AWB at 9:33:08am on cloudy morning.
Be sure to click on the image to see the larger, sharper higher-res version.
American Oystercatcher feeding young
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Oystercatchers at Nickerson Beach
There is surely no better place on the planet to photograph American Oystercatcher than Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, Long Island, NY. Many dozens of pairs nest on the white sands at Lido and Long Beach. Their nesting is staggered so that in early August you might see an adult on eggs, small chicks, medium-sized chicks, large chicks, and fledged young like the bird on our left in the image above. Be sure not to stress the chicks so that when the researchers chase them up and down the beach with long handled crab nets they will have the energy to survive this ordeal. Mid-August and beyond afternoons finds flocks of as many as several hundred adult and young oystercatchers roosting on the sand as they get ready to fly south as the season progresses.
Notice the juvie’s dark eye and the dark tip of its bill. The neatly edged feathers typical of all young shorebirds are quite worn on this bird; it might have hatched as early as April. Most mornings find more than a few oystercatcher families foraging at the edge of the surf for mole crabs and other morsels.
Your Call?
What single thing could I have done in the field that would have drastically improved today’s featured image. What would the main improvement have been?
What else might I have done to improve the image?
I came across this very old image in a Nickerson 2018 image folder. I liked the raw file but was aghast when I looked at my first optimized version. It was horrible. So, I deleted that and re-did the image starting from scratch using my current workflow as detailed in the Digital Basics III Video Series. Much, much better!
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Join me to photograph Black Skimmers, Common Terns, American Oystercatchers, and more!
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The Summer 2024 Nickerson Beach 3 1/2 day Terns, Skimmers, & Oystercatchers IPTs
Nickerson Beach IPT #1: July 29 – August 1, 2024. 3 1/2 days: Afternoon session on MON 29 July through the full day on THURS 1 August, 2024: $2099.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5
Nickerson Beach IPT #2: August 5-8 2024. 3 1/2 days: Afternoon session on MON 5 August through the full day on THURS 8 August, 2024: $2099.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5.
Join me at Nickerson Beach Park this summer to photograph Black Skimmers, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers. The trip is timed so that we should get to photograph tiny chicks as well as fledglings. There will be lots of flight photography including adults flying with baitfish and mole crabs. Creating great images of the chicks being fed is a challenge but I will do my best to help you toward that end. We will get to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship, sitting on (incubating) eggs, chick feeding, and more. We may get to photograph pre-dawn and early evening blastoffs. There is generally great afternoon skimmer flight photography that includes frequent midair battles sunny days. And with luck, we might even see a few tiny chicks in addition to fledged and flying young. We will also get to photograph the life cycle of American Oystercatcher. This will likely include nests with eggs and small chicks, young being fed, and surely a few fledglings.
Nesting Piping Plover is also possibly. There will be lots of gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few lesser black-backeds of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe even Red Knot.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Black Skimmer pair with chick; Black Skimmer fledgling skimming; Black Skimmer with large needlefish; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer fledgling taking flight; Black Skimmer adult with killifish; Black Skimmer adult landing near nest; Black Skimmer in midair chase; and Black Skimmers at dawn in the red light district.
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Activities
Morning sessions will run from pre-dawn till about 9:00 or 9:30am, roughly 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon sessions will run from 5:30 till sunset (assuming that entry policies are as they were in 2023.
Many folks head home feeling that while our time in the field was fabulous and productive, that the working brunch sessions were even more valuable. During image review you will learn to select the best images from several thousand made with your 20- and 30 fps (or 120 fps!) camera bodies. And we will process a few images and distribute the screen capture videos for you to learn from after the trip. And all IPTs offer follow-up image critiques.
Change your life: sign up for this IPT today. Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of renting some Sony gear (including an a1) from me.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Adult American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise; Adult American Oystercatcher posing on clean sand; predawn skimmer flock blur; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer landing at nest on cloudy day; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer sunrise group blur; Black Skimmer adult with Atlantic Silversides; juvenile Semipalmated Plover, and photographer with oystercatcher family.
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Some of What You Will Learn on a Nickerson Beach IPT
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
- 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 6- To spot the good and great situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. You will learn where and when to be (and why).
- 10- More than you could ever imagine.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Black Skimmer pair with chick; Common Tern landing at nest with small baitfish; large Common Tern chick on pristine beach; American Oystercatchers courtship flight; Common Tern with pipefish; Common Tern fledgling; American Oystercatcher on eggs in high wind; American Oystercatcher nest with three eggs; and Black Skimmer midair battle.
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The Details
We will be on the beach very early to enjoy sunrise. The morning sessions will run about 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon sessions will begin at 5:30 and run till sunset. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings with the right wind, we may opt to photograph till 11:30am or so and skip the afternoon session. That especially when the afternoon weather is looking iffy.
There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session before and after brunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. Each of these IPTs will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airports are JFK or Islip (if you have lots of Southwest points). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field ridiculously early and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:00am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We may be getting our feet wet on occasion, especially in the mornings, but those who wish to keep their feet 100% dry can do so.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. Those who wish to pay for the trip in one fell swoop via check may do so by making the check out to BIRDS AS ART and then mailing it to BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice right after you register. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
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Join me on the COMBO IPT this coming August to photograph adult and juvenile shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY.
Clockwise starting from the upper left back to center: juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs; adult Semipalmated Plover; fresh juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Least Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Stilt Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher; worn, molting adult Semipalmated Sandpiper; worn, molting adult White-rumped Sandpiper; and juvenile (left) and worn, molting adult Greater Yellowlegs.
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The Combo IPT — East Pond, JBWR/Nickerson Beach: August 17 – 20, 2024. SAT August 17 through the morning session on TUES 20 August 2024. 3 1/2 days: $2199.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5.
Join me for four mornings at the famed East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY (conditions permitting) to photograph southbound migrant shorebirds and for three afternoons to photograph beach nesting birds. The window for photographing juvenile shorebirds in fresh plumage is very narrow and this trip will of course get you to the right spot at the exact right time. You will learn to identify and age the shorebirds and to photograph them (at ground level). I will gladly share everything that I have learned during the 46 years I have been visiting the pond. Heck, I started late. After too many years of mismanagement, the gate valve at the north end of the East Pond has finally been repaired properly; water levels should be perfect this summer. If it is not, we will spend our mornings at Nickerson.
Afternoons (and mornings as well) at Nickerson Beach Park are superb in mid-August for photographing Black Skimmers, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers with young of all ages. There will be lots of fledged chicks by mid-August, lots of flight including adults flying with baitfish and mole crabs, and excellent chances to photograph both chick feeding and predation by gulls. The Great Black-backed Gulls see the young skimmers as potato chips. We should get to photograph the evening skimmer blastoffs. On hot sunny days, there is still great afternoon skimmer flight photography that includes frequent midair battles.
There will be lots of terns (mostly Common Terns) and gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and maybe even Red Knot. And we might encounter large, swirling flocks of Sanderling in flight over the ocean.
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Join me this August to photograph at the East Pond at JBWR in the mornings (conditions permitting) and at Nickerson Beach in the afternoons.
Clockwise starting from the upper left back to center: Marbled Godwit (likely in juvenal plumage); Wilson’s Phalarope in first winter plumage; Black Skimmer adult in flight over the Atlantic; juvenile American Oystercatcher foraging surf; adult Lesser Black-backed Gull; Black Skimmer attacking tiny chick; Killdeer in fresh juvenal plumage; Least Sandpiper in fresh juvenal plumage ruffling; and juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs and mixed shorebird flock.
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Morning sessions at the East Pond will run from just before dawn till about 9:00 or 9:30am. If the afternoon weather forecast is looking ominous, we may decide to photograph until after 11:00am and cancel the afternoon session. Afternoon sessions at Nick will run from 5:30 till sunset (assuming that entry policies are as they were in 2023).
Many folks head home feeling that while our time in the field was fabulous and productive, that the working brunch sessions were even more valuable. During image review you will learn to select the best images from several thousand made with your 20- and 30 fps (or 120 fps!) camera bodies. In addition, we will process some participant images and distribute the screen-capture videos for you to learn from after the trip. All IPTs offer follow-up image critiques.
Change your life: sign up for this IPT today. Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of renting some Sony gear (including an a1) from me.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Adult American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise; Adult American Oystercatcher posing on clean sand; predawn skimmer flock blur; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer landing at nest on cloudy day; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer sunrise group blur; Black Skimmer adult with Atlantic Silversides; juvenile Semipalmated Plover, and photographer with oystercatcher family.
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Some of What You Will Learn on the COMBO IPT
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before you make even a single image if you are using SONY gear).
- 2-How to get low and super low
- 3- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 4- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 5- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 6- To spot the good and great situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. You will learn where and when to be (and why).
- 10- To identify and age a variety of shorebird, tern, and gull species.
- 11- More than you could ever imagine.
The Details
There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session during and after brunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airports are JFK or Islip (if you have lots of Southwest points). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field ridiculously early and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:00am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We may be getting our feet wet on occasion, especially in the mornings, but those who wish to keep their feet 100% dry can do so.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. Those who wish to pay for the trip in one fell swoop via check may do so by making the check out to BIRDS AS ART and then mailing it to BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice right after you register. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 16th, 2024 Important Notice
After an update on 4 May, WordPress stopped sending post notifications. We have been aware of the issue and are working on rectifying it. You can always visit the blog by visiting or bookmarking www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com.
Supporting My Efforts Here
If you enjoy and learn from the blog, please consider using one of my affiliate links when purchasing new gear. It will never cost you a single penny. To support my effort here, please order from B&H by beginning your search here. Or, click here, to order from Bedfords and enter the discount code BIRDSASART at checkout to receive 3% cash back to your credit card and enjoy free Second-Day Air Fed-Ex shipping. It is always best to write for advice via e-mail.
In many cases, I can help you save some serious dollars. And/or prevent you from purchasing the wrong gear.
Summer On Long Island
Take a peek at the July and August Nickerson Beach (& JBWR) IPT offerings below and consider joining us to learn a ton, make lots of great images, and improve your image processing skills.
What’s Up?
After spending more than a dozen hours on the phone, many of those on my birthday, I actually had hopes that post notifications would be up and running soon. But that was not to be the case. Things are now pretty much back to square one.
On the good news front, the Jacksonville IPT is now sold out and I have one photographer/friend signed up for each of the three Long Island IPT, and each will be sharing the AirBnB with me. There is still room for you on each of these workshops.
After several weeks of clear skies and NE winds in the mornings, a SW flow has brought lots of rain to central Florida. As a result, morning bird photography has tanked. I head to Denver this coming Wednesday for two weeks of bird photography so I must start packing today. Today is Sunday 16 June 2024. Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope that you have fun too.
Please remember to use the B&H 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!
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.
Save 15%!
If you’d like to try out a new lens or if you need a lens for a specific trip or project (or for an IPT), LensRentals.com is the only way to go. To save 15%, simply click on the logo link above, arrange for your rental, and type in BIRDSASART15. If you type the gear you are looking for in the search box, it will pop right up. LensRentals.com offers affordable insurance. You can decline it, opt for LensCap: Damage Only, or select LensCap: Damage & Theft. Then hit PROCEED TO CHECKOUT. After you enter all of your info but before completing your order, be sure to scroll down to Promo Code box and enter the BIRDSASART15 code to save 15%.
I checked on renting a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens for a week. The cost is only $122.00. LensCap: Damage Only coverage can be added for a very low $18.00. Going with LensCap: Damage & Theft would be $27.00. The shipping charge varies. They offer an interesting program called Lensrentals HD. By signing up for this shipping discount program ($99.00/year), you’ll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place.
Renting a Sony 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens for a week will cost you $536.00. The two coverage options come in at $76.00 or $114.00. Less your 15% discount when you enter the BIRDSASART15 code into the Promo Code box at checkout and enter the BIRDSASART15 code in the Promo Code box at checkout to save 15%.
Remember, to save the 15% on your rental you must start your search by clicking on the logo above, or on this link: LensRentals.com
B&H
To ensure that I get credit for your B&H purchases, you can always click here. The tracking is invisible but greatly appreciated. And, you can use your PayBoo card. You must use the website to order. B&H will reopen on Fri April 14. Thanking me for the past 4000 educational blog posts could not be any easier and will not cost you one penny. Please shoot me your B&H receipt for major purchases.
Many folks have written recently stating that they purchased a Sony a1 from B&H and would like their free membership in the Sony 1 Info and Updates Group, a $150.00 value. When I check my affiliate account, their orders have not been there. When I let them know that they get credit for B&H purchases only if they use one of the many B&H affiliate links on the blog or begin their searches with this link, they are always disappointed. If in doubt, please contact me via e-mail and request a BH link. I am always glad to help and to guide you to the right gear.
Bedfords Simplified
Click here to start your search. Choose standard shipping, and when you get to the payment page, enter BIRDSASART in the discount code box and hit apply. You will be upgraded to free second day air Fed-Ex and receive 3% cash back on your credit card once your stuff ships. Either is greatly appreciated by yours truly.
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, prior purchases.
Visit the Bedfords website here, shoot Steve Elkins an e-mail, or text him on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592.
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 stave 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.
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This image was created on 13 June 2024 down by the lake near my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Working off the BLUBB from the front seat of my SUV, I used the Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x Teleconverter, and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera.. ISO 2000. The exposure was determined by Zebras with ISO on the rear wheel: 1/500 second at f/6.3 (stopped down 1/3 stop in error — should have been f/5.6, wide open) in Manual mode. RawDigger showed that the raw file brightness was perfect. AWB at 7:33:08am on very cloudy morning.
Tracking: Spot S/AF-C with Bird-Eye/Face Detection performed perfectly. Click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #1: Heron or egret?
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The Subject?
Can you identify the bird in Image #1? What species is it? How old is it? How do you know?
The Situation
There is a low quadrant in the southeast corner of the North Field where shallow ponds form each year after heavy rains. The whistling ducks have abandoned the small bay to the south of the pier for the new wet area. On some mornings, a few cranes, grackles, herons, and egrets Jon the party. The trick for me when photographing from my X5 is to avoid having to call a tow truck.
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Join me to photograph Black Skimmers, Common Terns, American Oystercatchers, and more!
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The Summer 2024 Nickerson Beach 3 1/2 day Terns, Skimmers, & Oystercatchers IPTs
Nickerson Beach IPT #1: July 29 – August 1, 2024. 3 1/2 days: Afternoon session on MON 29 July through the full day on THURS 1 August, 2024: $2099.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5
Nickerson Beach IPT #2: August 5-8 2024. 3 1/2 days: Afternoon session on MON 5 August through the full day on THURS 8 August, 2024: $2099.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5.
Join me at Nickerson Beach Park this summer to photograph Black Skimmers, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers. The trip is timed so that we should get to photograph tiny chicks as well as fledglings. There will be lots of flight photography including adults flying with baitfish and mole crabs. Creating great images of the chicks being fed is a challenge but I will do my best to help you toward that end. We will get to photograph a variety of breeding behaviors including courtship, sitting on (incubating) eggs, chick feeding, and more. We may get to photograph pre-dawn and early evening blastoffs. There is generally great afternoon skimmer flight photography that includes frequent midair battles sunny days. And with luck, we might even see a few tiny chicks in addition to fledged and flying young. We will also get to photograph the life cycle of American Oystercatcher. This will likely include nests with eggs and small chicks, young being fed, and surely a few fledglings.
Nesting Piping Plover is also possibly. There will be lots of gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few lesser black-backeds of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, and maybe even Red Knot.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Black Skimmer pair with chick; Black Skimmer fledgling skimming; Black Skimmer with large needlefish; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer fledgling taking flight; Black Skimmer adult with killifish; Black Skimmer adult landing near nest; Black Skimmer in midair chase; and Black Skimmers at dawn in the red light district.
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Activities
Morning sessions will run from pre-dawn till about 9:00 or 9:30am, roughly 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon sessions will run from 5:30 till sunset (assuming that entry policies are as they were in 2023.
Many folks head home feeling that while our time in the field was fabulous and productive, that the working brunch sessions were even more valuable. During image review you will learn to select the best images from several thousand made with your 20- and 30 fps (or 120 fps!) camera bodies. And we will process a few images and distribute the screen capture videos for you to learn from after the trip. And all IPTs offer follow-up image critiques.
Change your life: sign up for this IPT today. Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of renting some Sony gear (including an a1) from me.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Adult American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise; Adult American Oystercatcher posing on clean sand; predawn skimmer flock blur; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer landing at nest on cloudy day; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer sunrise group blur; Black Skimmer adult with Atlantic Silversides; juvenile Semipalmated Plover, and photographer with oystercatcher family.
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Some of What You Will Learn on a Nickerson Beach IPT
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before if you are using SONY gear).
- 2- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 3- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 4- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 6- To spot the good and great situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. You will learn where and when to be (and why).
- 10- More than you could ever imagine.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Black Skimmer pair with chick; Common Tern landing at nest with small baitfish; large Common Tern chick on pristine beach; American Oystercatchers courtship flight; Common Tern with pipefish; Common Tern fledgling; American Oystercatcher on eggs in high wind; American Oystercatcher nest with three eggs; and Black Skimmer midair battle.
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The Details
We will be on the beach very early to enjoy sunrise. The morning sessions will run about 3 1/2 hours. Afternoon sessions will begin at 5:30 and run till sunset. There is never a set schedule on an IPT — we adapt to the conditions. On cloudy mornings with the right wind, we may opt to photograph till 11:30am or so and skip the afternoon session. That especially when the afternoon weather is looking iffy.
There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session before and after brunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. Each of these IPTs will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airports are JFK or Islip (if you have lots of Southwest points). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field ridiculously early and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:00am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We may be getting our feet wet on occasion, especially in the mornings, but those who wish to keep their feet 100% dry can do so.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. Those who wish to pay for the trip in one fell swoop via check may do so by making the check out to BIRDS AS ART and then mailing it to BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice right after you register. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
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Join me on the COMBO IPT this coming August to photograph adult and juvenile shorebirds at the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY.
Clockwise starting from the upper left back to center: juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs; adult Semipalmated Plover; fresh juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Least Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Stilt Sandpiper; fresh juvenile Short-billed Dowitcher; worn, molting adult Semipalmated Sandpiper; worn, molting adult White-rumped Sandpiper; and juvenile (left) and worn, molting adult Greater Yellowlegs.
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The Combo IPT — East Pond, JBWR/Nickerson Beach: August 17 – 20, 2024. SAT August 17 through the morning session on TUES 20 August 2024. 3 1/2 days: $2199.00. Limit: 6. Openings: 5.
Join me for four mornings at the famed East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY (conditions permitting) to photograph southbound migrant shorebirds and for three afternoons to photograph beach nesting birds. The window for photographing juvenile shorebirds in fresh plumage is very narrow and this trip will of course get you to the right spot at the exact right time. You will learn to identify and age the shorebirds and to photograph them (at ground level). I will gladly share everything that I have learned during the 46 years I have been visiting the pond. Heck, I started late. After too many years of mismanagement, the gate valve at the north end of the East Pond has finally been repaired properly; water levels should be perfect this summer. If it is not, we will spend our mornings at Nickerson.
Afternoons (and mornings as well) at Nickerson Beach Park are superb in mid-August for photographing Black Skimmers, Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers with young of all ages. There will be lots of fledged chicks by mid-August, lots of flight including adults flying with baitfish and mole crabs, and excellent chances to photograph both chick feeding and predation by gulls. The Great Black-backed Gulls see the young skimmers as potato chips. We should get to photograph the evening skimmer blastoffs. On hot sunny days, there is still great afternoon skimmer flight photography that includes frequent midair battles.
There will be lots of terns (mostly Common Terns) and gulls to photograph; most years I am able to find a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls of varying ages in addition to the Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. You will learn to identify and age the various gull species. There will likely be some Willets feeding along the surf and with luck we might get to photograph a handsome juvenile or two. In addition to the locally breeding shorebirds, we will likely get to see some southbound migrant arctic-and sub-arctic breeding shorebird species such as Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and maybe even Red Knot. And we might encounter large, swirling flocks of Sanderling in flight over the ocean.
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Join me this August to photograph at the East Pond at JBWR in the mornings (conditions permitting) and at Nickerson Beach in the afternoons.
Clockwise starting from the upper left back to center: Marbled Godwit (likely in juvenal plumage); Wilson’s Phalarope in first winter plumage; Black Skimmer adult in flight over the Atlantic; juvenile American Oystercatcher foraging surf; adult Lesser Black-backed Gull; Black Skimmer attacking tiny chick; Killdeer in fresh juvenal plumage; Least Sandpiper in fresh juvenal plumage ruffling; and juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs and mixed shorebird flock.
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Morning sessions at the East Pond will run from just before dawn till about 9:00 or 9:30am. If the afternoon weather forecast is looking ominous, we may decide to photograph until after 11:00am and cancel the afternoon session. Afternoon sessions at Nick will run from 5:30 till sunset (assuming that entry policies are as they were in 2023).
Many folks head home feeling that while our time in the field was fabulous and productive, that the working brunch sessions were even more valuable. During image review you will learn to select the best images from several thousand made with your 20- and 30 fps (or 120 fps!) camera bodies. In addition, we will process some participant images and distribute the screen-capture videos for you to learn from after the trip. All IPTs offer follow-up image critiques.
Change your life: sign up for this IPT today. Please shoot me an e-mail if you would like to explore the possibility of renting some Sony gear (including an a1) from me.
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Clockwise from upper left around and back to center: Adult American Oystercatcher foraging at sunrise; Adult American Oystercatcher posing on clean sand; predawn skimmer flock blur; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer landing at nest on cloudy day; Black Skimmer large chick; Black Skimmer sunrise group blur; Black Skimmer adult with Atlantic Silversides; juvenile Semipalmated Plover, and photographer with oystercatcher family.
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Some of What You Will Learn on the COMBO IPT
- 1- The basics and fine points of digital exposure; how to get the right exposure every time after making a single test exposure (or before you make even a single image if you are using SONY gear).
- 2-How to get low and super low
- 3- How and why to work in Manual mode (even if you’re scared of it).
- 4- How to approach free and wild birds without disturbing them.
- 5- Lots about bird behavior and how to use that knowledge to help you create better images.
- 6- To spot the good and great situations and to choose the best perspective.
- 7- To see, evaluate, and understand the light.
- 8- To design pleasing images by mastering your camera’s AF system.
- 9- And perhaps most importantly, to evaluate wind and sky conditions and understand how they affect bird photography. You will learn where and when to be (and why).
- 10- To identify and age a variety of shorebird, tern, and gull species.
- 11- More than you could ever imagine.
The Details
There will be a Photoshop/Image Review session during and after brunch (included) each full day. That will be followed by Instructor Nap Time. This IPT will run with only a single registrant as I do not like disappointing anyone. The best airports are JFK or Islip (if you have lots of Southwest points). Once you register, you will receive an e-mail with lodging information. Do know that it is always best if IPT folks stay in the same general area (rather than at home or at a friend’s place a good distance away).
Folks attending this IPT will be out in the field ridiculously early and stay out late to take advantage of sunrise and sunset colors; this is pretty much a staple on almost all BIRDS AS ART Instructional Photo-Tours. Doing so will often present unique photographic opportunities, opportunities that will be missed by those who need their beauty rest and those who need to get home for a proper dinner. I really love it when I am leaving the beach at 9:00am on a sunny morning after a great session just as a carful or two of well-rested photographers are arriving … We may be getting our feet wet on occasion, especially in the mornings, but those who wish to keep their feet 100% dry can do so.
Your $699 deposit is due now. Credit cards are OK for that. You can register by calling Jim or Jennifer during weekday business hours at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand. Once you leave a deposit, you will receive an e-mail with your balance statement and instructions for sending your balance check. Those who wish to pay for the trip in one fell swoop via check may do so by making the check out to BIRDS AS ART and then mailing it to BIRDS AS ART, PO BOX 7245, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with detailed instructions, and clothing and gear advice right after you register. Please shoot me an e-mail if you plan to register or if you have any questions.
IPT veterans and couples or friends signing up together may e-mail for discount information.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
June 14th, 2024 What’s Up?
Everything is Just Ducky
Yes, today is June 14, 2024. Early this morning I turned seventy-eight. And happy Flag Day to you.
Everything here is just ducky. I have much to be thankful for. I am relatively healthy and am working hard to stay that way. I can get up and down off the ground to photograph my beloved shorebirds. I can photograph most every day that I want to. And travel anywhere I’d like, always to photograph birds (like Colorado, this Wednesday for two weeks). My home and car are paid off and I have no financial worries at all. I love everything about my job (if you can call it a job). And I have lots of friends. And best of all, I am relatively at peace. Technical malfunctions and corporate/governmental/health-medical BS still pisses me off off too much.
In lieu of sending an birthday expensive gift, consider joining a BIRDS AS ART IPT 🙂
Used Gear Price Drops
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (with Battery Grip)
Price reduced $100.00 on 12 June 2024
Mark Harrington is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (57,314 shutter actuations) in excellent plus condition for $949.00 (was $1049.00). The sale includes the front cap, the original product box, the manual and software, the Canon BG-E20 battery grip (a $299.00 value), one battery, the battery charger, the cable, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.
What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II and a 1DX III sat on the shelf in my garage. A new 5D Mark IV, with its 30.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor, is still in productions and sells new for $$2,299 at B&H. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab this one save $1,250.00. artie
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Price reduced $100.00 on 12 June 2024
Mark Harrington is offering a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (30269 shutter actuations ) in excellent plus condition for $899.00 (was $999.00). The sale includes the front cap, the strap, one battery, the battery charger, the cable, the manual, the original box and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.
What can I say? The 5D IV was my favorite-ever Canon digital dSLR. I owned and used three of them while my 1DX II and a 1DX III sat on the shelf in my garage. A new 5D Mark IV, with its 30.4MP full-frame CMOS sensor, is still in productions and sells new for $$2,299 at B&H. If you have been dreaming of a 5D IV, grab this one save $1,250.00. artie
Nikon D800
Price reduced $100.00 on 12 June 2024
Mark Harrington is offering a Nikon D800 (7043 shutter actuations) camera body in excellent + condition for a BAA record low $349.00 (was $449.00). The sale includes the front cap, the manual, &software, one battery, the battery charger, the cable, the original box and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.
The D800 is a 36.3MP Full Frame FX-Format entry level dSLR that performs amazingly well with any of the Nikon PF lenses.
Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 LUSM Lens
Price reduced $100.00 on 12 June 2024
Mark Harrington is offering a Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 LUSM lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record low $423.00 ( was $523.00). The glass is perfect. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the instructions, the soft case (worn and soiled from use), the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.
One of the very first Canon autofocus lenses, I put this lens on the map more than three decades ago. It was and still is a great flight lens and would be ideal when paired with any Canon mirrorless body today by way of an EF/RF adapter. artie
Mark Harrington is offering a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in excellent plus condition for a BAA record low $949.00. The glass is perfect. The sale includes the front and rear caps, the soft case (LZ1326), the lens hood (ET-83D), the original box, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower 48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.
Please contact Mark via e-mail at e-mail or by phone at 1-612-308-5776 MST.
This incredibly versatile zoom lens — with its amazing .98-meter close focus — was my favorite Canon telephoto zoom lens ever. By far. It is easy to hand hold, great for tight portraits, for birds in flight, for quasi-macro stuff, and lots more. For flight, it is deadly with an EOS R, R3, R5, R6, or R7! This lens sells new for $2099.00 so you can save a handsome $1150.00 by grabbing Mark’s lens right now. artie
The Situation
The forecast for Tuesday morning was for 100% rain. I glanced out back at about 7:15am and saw that it had quit raining and that the eastern sky was brightening. So you guessed it, I headed down to the lake and had a pretty darned good morning.
What I’ve Learned About the ILE Ducks
For years I stayed in my vehicle and always used the 600 with the 2X on the BLUBB. Doing flight and action was a huge challenge. With so many ducks this year, I tried getting out of my vehicle and working off the tripod. As the days went by, the ducks in the water became more comfortable with my presence so I began approaching them slowly by walking into the shallow water, holding my tripod as low as possible, and trying not to get stuck (or fall down!) as I traversed the soft muck.
Much to my surprise, I was able to get fairly close to the birds so I was able to drop down to the 1.4X teleconverter and shoot at 840mm (rather than 1200mm with the 2X). At times, I’ve wished that I had the 300mm f/2.8 lens(with the 1.4X TC and my second a9 iii) on a shoulder strap.
Early summer bird photography here has been unexpectedly productive.
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This is a simply different version of Image #1. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #2: Mottled Duck drake stretching near wing
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Spot the Difference
Image #1 and Image #2 are the same photograph. There are a few small differences. In what way or ways is Image #2 different from Image #1? Which one do you like best? Why?
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Tracking Zone/AF-C with Bird Face-eye AF enabled performed perfectly. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version.
Image #3: A7 INFO screen capture for the Mottled Duck drake stretching near wing image
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a9iii AF versus a1 AF
Sony a9 iii autofocus is significantly better than a1 AF. In what ways? Initial focusing acquisition is faster and eye tracking is far stickier. And with the few settings changes that I made significantly improved the autofocus system for flying birds. Why? In large part because of the improved stacked CMOS sensor.
Anyhoo, on Thursday morning, working from my SUV at 840mm on the BLUBB with my a1, I was working a very wet adult killdeer, one of the three now fledged chick’s parents. I framed the perfect shot with the bird square to the imaging sensor and a lovely, all-green background. I half-pressed the shutter but the AF system missed. I could not help but think that the a9 iii would have nailed the focus instantly.
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a9 iii E-mail Set-up and Info Guide
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a9 iii E-mail Set-up and Info Guide
For those who think that my comments on the a9 iii are pure hype, know that I sold the second of my three a1 bodies last week. And on June 5th, I purchased a second a9 iii body! Lots more on the switch coming soon.
If you plan on purchasing a Sony a9 III Mirrorless Camera (or anything else for that matter), please remember to use or write for either my Bedfords discount code or my B&H affiliate link. Folks who use one of my two affiliate links to purchase the a9 III will receive my .DAT settings (the complete camera set-up), a Buttons and Dials Guide, and my a9 iii INFO Sheet, all for free.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
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