Registrar: Richard Davs
Participants: 5
Weather: 46-64 °F and sunny, NNW winds 1-4 mph
Bird Species: 35
This year’s workshop participants came with solid gear, either DSLR or mirrorless cameras with zoom lenses. We were also a diverse group of three Canon, a Nikon and a Sony. After discussing the challenges and skills we wanted to improve, we set out to practice in the most photogenic areas around the pool, the grassy knoll, the nursery and the new Davis Center, where the natural growth areas are picture perfect.
When a group has a photography focus a high species count is never the goal, in fact the opposite, you tend to linger with a species to get a better shot, waiting for that perfect pose from a hopefully cooperative subject. And with the arrival of a good variety of ducks on the pool there were many floating targets to select. The American Wigeons have lingered and we were flagged by eBird for a high count of Green-winged Teal.
The group really enjoyed a brightly colored sapsucker at the grassy knoll and found that kinglets are an especially challenging subject to bring into sharp focus. As some members pealed off for other activities a few of us persisted past noon until we reached the Davis Center and ran into Ursula’s group who were also at the end of their walk. They tipped us off to a Ruddy Duck on the Meer. We went to look since it was a life bird for our participants, but only saw it through a construction fence at a distance. It will remain a photographic target for another day.
Everyone in the group kindly provided a favorite shot and indicated they had picked up some useful tips to take into the future. We look forward to seeing more of their work on Linnaean trip reports.
Species List
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Winter Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
Northern Cardinal
