and Home Again

Just home from Midway and all I can say is that the 'Photo Gods' were extremely kind! I can't express what an amazing place Midway is and how significant the three tiny islands are historically, environmentally and conservationally. I am sunburned, have bite marks from aggressive Albatross chicks, an allergic reaction to an invasive species, bumps and bruises galore and all the photos to show a glimpse of just how many 5 million sea birds really are... I'll start sharing those photos after I get some sleep!


-- Post From My iPhone

Return to Midway

I'm so excited! Today I return to Midway Atoll to check on the progress of the Albatross chicks. I'm sitting in the Kona airport waiting for the flight to Honolulu and I can hear the clatter and chatter of the albatross in my memory. I picked a few nests to revisit while I was there in November. I'm hopeful that the eggs will have hatched and I will be greeted with fuzzy chicks. I'll let you know as soon as I get back on the 22nd! I hope you all have a wonderful week!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Rainy Day in Paradise

What else can one do on a rainy day in paradise but photograph birds??? With the techniques I learned in Texas with Alan I was able to get great photos of the birds here without running all over the property chasing them. I sat with a cup of coffee beside me in a very comfy chair and waited for them to come to me. I just hope the garden staff doesn't get too upset about the perches I "liberated"... I made certain they weren't from obvious spots on the trees.... :)

Three Days in Roma

I just spent three amazing days in Roma, Texas with acclaimed bird photographer, Alan Murphy. What an incredible experience! I can tell you unequivocally that three days is not enough time. I was able to photograph twenty-six different species and I learned to identify several by their calls... Alan has been a birder his entire life and has avidly studied avian behavior. Add to this a propensity for perfect planning, a wonderfully artistic eye and the patience of a saint and you've got yourself an amazing photographer AND TEACHER.

The workshop was about more than getting pretty images to take home. Alan taught us techniques to use right in our own backyards. Every step of the way he explained what he was doing and why... from perch selection to placement... every call, every wing flap... Alan knew what birds were out there, when they would appear and what perch they would choose.

I can't wait to start playing in my own backyard... which I always assumed was too small to get anything good... Alan has changed my mind!

Check out my Flickr page for more Roma, Texas birds.