Bird Photography Equipment on a Budget

White Ibis in Breeding Plumage Millers Lake - Taken with Nikon D2X and Nikkor 300 AFS F/4 with TC-14e Teleconverter

This article is an update to my 2015 article, with much of it duplicated here. The good news is that with the switch by major camera manufacturers to mirrorless cameras with new lens mounts, there are bargains available for excellent systems. It is now possible to purchase a good starter system for approximately $1500, about $500 less than five years ago when I wrote the original article. The camera bodies now have more resolution, a faster frame rate, and are lower in high iso noise.

The equipment for bird photography can be costly. Part of this is the nature of the business, photographing small moving objects requires long telephoto lenses and effective autofocus systems Beginning bird photographers would be well served with a good cropped sensor camera body and 400 mm f/5.6 lens or a 300 mm f/4 lens with a 1.4x teleconverter. By applying several common-sense strategies, you can acquire such a system at a reduced cost. For Nikon, currently available suitable camera bodies are the D7200 and the D500, for Canon, the similar camera bodies are the EOS 7D Mark II and the EOS 7D Mark III.

Strategies for Reducing Equipment Costs

There are several strategies for reducing the cost of such a system. These include:

1.    Buying Refurbished Equipment
2.    Buying Last Years Model
3.    Buying Used    
4.    Buying Grey Market
5.    Renting

Buying Refurbished Equipment

The two major camera system manufacturers used in bird photography, Nikon and Canon, both offer equipment that has been returned and then repaired and resold as refurbished equipment. I frequently use this strategy, and the savings are significant. Often the testing performed on refurbished equipment exceeds that done on new, I've purchased many camera bodies refurbished and numerous refurbished lenses, and I've never had a problem. However, one downside to this strategy is the length of the warranty, typically 90 days rather than the one year for new equipment, in some cases, a camera store will supplement the warranty with one of their own, but I'm not sure how well this works. I make sure I do a thorough job of testing any equipment purchased in this way as soon as I receive it to reduce the risk of a problem. Here are links to sources of refurbished equipment:

• Nikon
• Canon
• B&H Photo Video under the used tab select refurbished
• Cameta Camera

I have purchased refurbished equipment from Nikon directly, B&H, and Cameta Camera (Currently offline, not sure of their status).

For example, right now, Nikon USA has a refurbished D7200 699.96 and a D7500 for the same price, I'd choose the D7200 even though it's an older camera because it only has one card slot. Older, Nikon manual focus lenses aren't supported, if those things aren't relevant to you, the D7500 may be better as it shoots 8 FPS versus 6, and it has an articulating screen. A new D7500 is going for $899.99 on the same site.

Buying Last Years Model

Both Nikon and Canon have recently released mirrorless cameras, with significantly higher prices, and they probably don't handle flying birds as well as the DSLR's. For now, if you're looking for a budget system, I'd go with one of the DSLR's

The newer Canon 100-400 is $1799 at B&H, and the Nikon 300mm f/4 pf is $1996.55. While these are indeed very lovely lenses, for the budget-conscious, the older lenses are a better choice.

Buying used

Frequently when new equipment is released, people sell their older models to finance the latest camera equipment. This behavior is certainly correct now with the Nikon and Canon Mirrorless systems and with many people moving to Sony or Olympus Mirrorless systems. Looking at sources like KEH camera and eBay, you'll notice used camera equipment prices are much lower now. For example, I saw a used D500 on eBay for $845, which sells new for $1496.95. However, on eBay, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Check the seller ratings carefully and stick to one that has a high rating and a large number of sales. Usually, you're better off going to someone like KEH or the used department of B&H.

Buying Grey Market

Another strategy is buying "imported" or "Grey Market" equipment. Stores often purchase equipment outside of the country at a lower cost and then sell them in the US for less. The downside of this is that Nikon and Canon in this country will not honor the warranty or even service the equipment. I'm cautious not to buy any expensive Grey Market products. However, for low maintenance items, for example, a teleconverter, I would undoubtedly consider Grey Market if the price were right.

Renting equipment

One strategy for a one time equipment need, such as for an assignment or to do a photo tour, is to rent the equipment. Several good rental companies rent appropriate equipment. Two I'm familiar with are:

Lens Rentals

Borrow Lenses

Lens Rental is also associated with Lens Authority, which sells used equipment, and Lens Rental offers a rent to buy option where you can try the camera equipment and then convert it to purchase after you rent. One caution is to be sure that you either have insurance or purchase their protection in case something goes wrong.

Camera Company Deals

Nikon and Canon are also running many specials discounting older cameras they still have in stock. If you're interested in a specific model, be sure and check that the used or refurbished camera or lens is really your best deal.

Conclusion

You can put together a good beginner's bird photography system with roughly equivalent Canon and Nikon equipment now for approximately $1500, roughly $500 less than five years ago, and have a better system.

Computer Maintenance - Hard Drive Backup Failure

Bald Eagle Atchafalaya Basin

Computer Maintenance

This past week I have been working primarily on my Computers, specifically the backup system for my laptop. This article is a bit geeky, if not interested in the details, at least read the conclusions.

My Laptop and Daily Workflow Like most photographers my laptop is essential on a trip, it is the repository of all the images taken during the day and having a working backup system is critical to avoid losing each day’s work on the trip. I’m using a a Apple MacBook Pro Retina laptop, whose performance and screen quality is fabulous. I’ve been using a 2TB Western Digital portable drive to backup the machine and contain a copy of my image library for use on the road. The daily workflow includes importing images taken during the day into the library and then backing those files up onto a second smaller portable hard drive prior to erasing the files off the camera’s memory card.

Diagnostics and System Errors

I use several tools to monitor the operation of the system and report any errors. The tools I use include:

1. SMART Reporter, an App available on the Apple App store which reports any SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology errors.
2. Drive Genius / Drive Pulse Reports on any serious disk problems including the detection of bad disk. (Note if you buy drives from OWC, this took is highly discounted). Last week I started getting Drive Pulse messages concerning the number of back sectors on the Western Digital disk. I ran the following tests on the drive:

I ran the fill disk utility using the DiskTester included with Diglloyd tools. This will fill the disk with 1000 files of random data and time the write and read time for each of these files. This will force the disk to mark any bad sectors and the tool includes a way to graph the results across the whole disk, gaps in consistent timing will indicate sectors of the disk that have been replaced with spares. The report showed serious problems with the disk. I also ran the Drive Genius Physical check on the disk and got similar alarming results. The disk needed to be replaced.

A Replacement, Testing, and Further Issues

I purchased a LaCie 3 TB Thunderbolt drive. A physically much larger drive, but hopefully one that is a bit more reliable. I formatted the drive and ran the Drive Genius Physical check and all appears to be well. I used Carbon Copy Cloner (http://bombich.com) to make a clone of my laptops boot drive and copy the Aperture Library. During the process I got Drive Pulse messages that there were bad sectors. I stopped the process and reinitialized the drive using the write all zeros option (a time-consuming process that writes to every part of the disk). There were numerous bad sectors, the Drive Pulse recommendation was to back up the disk and replace it immediately. The disk had to go back. Finally I replaced that drive with a OWC Elite Dual Pro Dual, which uses 2 disks with a hardware RAID option, which I set to mirror to provide greater data integrity. I reran the burn in test, including the zero’s initialization and this time all went well.

Conclusions

1.  Diagnostic tools are critical to identify problems before Hard Drives fail. Drive Genius proved to be very effective in creating alerts about pending problems.
2.  Backups are critical, if this had been the primary drive rather than the backup, with no backup this could have been catastrophic.
3.  Even new drives can be bad, Testing a new drive is critical before trusting it with your data.

I can provide consulting services for Mac based computer systems for photographers. If interested contact me here.

Photographing Stunning Louisiana Landscapes in the Fog.

There are many foggy mornings in Southern Louisiana. This is very fortunate! I love to photograph Foggy Cypress Scenes over the water. The limited vision afforded by the fog enables the trees to be seen against a stark white background. Even better, mornings with low lying fog allow the photographer to create stunning images of the fog appearing to be on fire.

Louisiana and Fog

Due to the humid conditions, Fog is not unusual in Southern Louisiana. Fog forms when the air temperature falls below the dew point. Over the water, in the Atchafalaya Basin, it is not unusual to have very dense fog that covers all. Less frequently, the fog forms in a thin layer over the water. Both situations lend themselves to stunning photographs.

Photographic Characteristics

1.  The light is very “soft”. No distinct shadows are visible and very little detail is discernible. 
2.  There is very little contrast, 
3.  The scene becomes blurrier with distance, the further the object the less sharp it appears.
4.  Shooting into a light source causes the fog to “glow”
5.  The scene is often much brighter than a camera meter will measure.

Techniques

1.  Choose your position to the scene prior to picking a focal length, judge the degree of blur desired, then choose the lens focal length to make the composition.
2.  Focus the lens on Close Objects rather than distant ones. The image appears sharper closest to the photographer, A sharp foreground with a blurred background will look natural.
3.  Largely ignore the depth of field as distant objects will appear blurred in fog anyway. A moderate Telephoto Lens is often a good choice in dense fog even with its shallow depth of field.
4.  Assume the scene is white, which often requires 2 stops of light beyond mid-tone. In an automated mode such as Aperture Priority try 1.7 to 2.0 stops of positive compensation. Check your histogram after shooting and adjust to the conditions.
5.  With Low lying fog, look for opportunities to shoot into the sun to achieve a fiery appearance.

Examples

Taken with a Nikkor 70-200 with a 1.4 Teleconverter at 310mm 100 ft from trees. Focused on the front stump.

Taken with a Nikkor 28-70 @ 70mm @ f22. Focus was on foreground branches.

Taken with a Nikkor 28-70 @ 70mm @ f11, Focus on Foreground Grasses.

Boat positioned with rising Sun Behind Cypress Tree.Taken with Nikkor 28-70 @ 70mm f5.6.

What I do in the "off season"

As I write this, Southern Louisiana is in the grips of an unusual cold snap. Not the kind of weather I would go wandering around finding things in nature to photograph and certainly not the kind of weather I want to be out on the water. I would argue, however, now is the most important time for my photography and the success of the shooting season is dependent upon much of what I do now.

Here are some of the activities for the next several months:

Planning

At the beginning of the year I like to set my photography goals. What would I like to photograph? What can I improve upon? What trips would I like to make? I firmly believe in the mantra “Plan your Work and then Work your Plan”. So I spend an hour or so each week working on the plan. I try to get this in writing so I solidify it in my mind and break things down into steps. While things never really go as planned, getting this on paper helps move things in the right direction.

For example, this year I want to spend more time creating good landscape photographs and panoramic images. I’ll be looking for good opportunities to create these images in the off-season so I can focus on getting the photograph when the conditions are right. I also will set up the pano head and make sure I have the proper nodal point for each of the lenses I expect to use.

Maintaining Skills

In order to be at my best in the spring, I need to be photographing all winter. So I create some self assignments to keep at it even though most of the resulting images will go into the trash.

Some examples of self photo assignments:

1. Photograph a week with a single focal length and then the next week go to the opposite extreme.
2. Create one photograph a day from the backyard for a week.
3. Create one photograph a day of my cat or dog for a week.
4. Create 3 good macro shots.
5. Create a panoramic photograph of the front of my house.

I also make to sure to notice things on my walks with the dog and perhaps take a shot or two with my iPhone. I make it a point to pick up my cameras every day, even if I’m not photographing and go through the photo making process. I also try to take a camera with me on trips to the grocery store or shopping and take and few shots along the way. The key is practice, automatically connecting with my camera rather than needing to think through the technical aspects of shooting. See my article here.

Maintenance and Testing

During the winter months I do extensive testing of my equipment to make sure it is in the best condition for the spring photo season. I set each camera up and go through each of the lenses. I check for any potential problems with back or front focusing. I run a test on each autofocus lens with ReiKan FoCal that identifies the sharpest aperture, checking aperture in turn, generating a report for each. This identifies problems with my lenses. I also do an exposure test at each aperture for each of my lenses. Using this test this year I identifies two lenses with sticking apertures. I then either send the equipment in for repair, repair the problem myself or replace the problematic equipment. Finally I do a thorough cleaning of all the equipment and put things in their proper place.

New Equipment

Now is the time I like to purchase new equipment. During the active shooting season I don’t like to learn anything new. I prefer to have some time to get used to new camera bodies, lenses, computer software, etc. during the off season when I’m not under pressure to get the shot. Having gone through process of assessing the condition of my equipment and setting the goals for the shooting season, I can make intelligent choices concerning purchases I need to make.

Computer

This is also the time to make an assessment of the computing strategy and equipment needs. I check over things such as the amount of free storage on my computers, any potential problems with hard drives, etc. I run diagnostic software to find any hidden bugs. If I need to make any changes to my workflow, now is the time.

Study

Also I spend time with photography and wildlife textbooks and doing research on the web. I subscribe to Lynda.com and now is the time to learn new software and shooting techniques. I like to spend time looking at the work of other photographers on Web sites like 500px.com. It’s also the time to reread camera manuals and guides like those published by Thom Hogan for my camera bodies.

While this time of year is not when I make most of my best images, it really is an Important time for getting things set for the rest of the year.

Photo Tours

Space is still available for the 2015 Photo Tours, check it out here.

The Role of the Photographer versus The Role of the Camera

​Nichols State University Graduation 2013

iPhone 4s Camera Panoramic Mode

Last week I did a Program for the New Orleans Photographic Society. The talk was on the Role of the Photographer versus the role of the Camera. I though I would write it up as a blog post as well.

Background

I've been doing photography full time since April 2000, in that time I've created a lot of Good images, some Very Good images and very few if any great images. I've been spending some time reflecting about what a great image is and how to go about making them.

Great Photographs

Tell a story, connect with their viewer, and convey a feeling, mood, or emotion. Looking at timeless photographs from photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson or Ansel Adams, the photograph put you into the place through their eyes, you can definitely understand their feelings looking at their work.

What it takes

It seems to me there are three things a photographer must do, have, or master to create great images:

1. The skill of visualizing the final result prior to taking the picture
2. A Great deal of Luck
3. Practice and Preparation

Visualization

"Visualization is the conscious process of Projecting the final photographic image in the mind before taking the first step in actually photographing the subject."

                                                                                                                Ansel Adams

Old Man in the Mountain, New Hampshire

Nikon N90s Camera, Velvia Film, Nikon 300 f2.8 AFD lens

This is a photograph of the Old Man in the Mountain in New Hampshire. On many of my fall trips into New Hampshire I often noticed this Iconic landmark to the West of Route 3. I awoke very early one morning (around 2am) and thought about how sunlight would strike the mountain and put only the face into sunlight. I loaded my truck with my camera bodies and my 300 f2.8 lens and arrived in time to capture what I thought about hours earlier.

This is one of the first times I remember thinking about the result I wanted and being able to select the time of day, lens, film and camera settings to capture what I thought about many miles away hours before.

Developing this skill enables the photographer to create a body of work fitting within their vision.

Luck

“Of course it’s all luck.” 

– Henri Cartier-Bresson

​Juvenile Forked-Tailed Flycatcher

Nikon F5 600mm f4 AFS lens

This is a shot of a Juvenile Forked-Tailed Flycatcher. Native to Mexico and  Central America, I photographed this one in Massachusetts. During the Spring and Summer I rarely missed a Sunday Morning at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. Normally arriving at the parking lot of Hellcat Swamp around dawn I would find very few cars. This Sunday morning the parking lot was full. Getting my equipment out and setup, one of the people with spotting scopes said he's over there. I asked who is over there. The Forked-Tailed Flycatcher was the answer. I spent that morning trying to get good shots of the bird, and only managed to get some shots with the bird small in the frame. I came back the next week and spent the time on the trail having similar luck. I came back to the truck and started to pack away the gear, looked up and there he was in the tree above the truck. I managed to get quite a few very nice photographs.

Of Course in Nature Photography you can increase the odds of getting a good shot by constantly being in the field and by knowing what to expect. But the greatest shots are often those that are unexpected.

Practice and Preparation

“If I have any ‘message’ worth giving to a beginner it is that there are no short cuts in photography.” – Edward Weston

“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

Practice and preparation are in my opinion the most important things a photographer can do to increase the odds of creating a great photograph. In his book "Outliers", Malcolm Gladwell, makes the case that anyone can master almost anything as long as they are willing to devote 10,000 hours to learning the subject. While one can certainly quibble one way or the other with the number of hours, there is no doubt the photographers best work comes when they have practice enough that they are one with the camera. 

In the book "Talent is Overrated", Geoff Colvin goes one step further and says that great performance in any field is a result of deliberate practice where the person analyzes their weaknesses and designs a practice routine to overcome those weaknesses. The best in any field will seek out feedback from those they trust and demand and accept brutal honesty on where they need to improve, and then go about designing a routine to address the issues.

The Role of the Camera

There is no doubt todays cameras enable a photographer to create work he was unable to create in the past. high resolution, high iso sensitivity with low noise, great autofocus systems, etc. all have an impact on what can now be done. 

That said, many of my better images were take with older cameras that lacked many of the refinements with todays cameras. Not to mention photographs of the masters taken long before the digital revolution.

Lessons & Exercises

1. Make the best use of what you have and only upgrade when there is something you need to do can't be done with the equipment at hand.

2. Spend more time with the camera and less time looking at equipment. Create self assignments that push the boundaries of your ability.

3. Practice visualizing photographs you wan to create and do your best to create that shot.

4. Try shooting with a minimum of equipment. Take only what you need and use some ingenuity to create shots rather than relying on the equipment.

Lake Martin - Status of a Favorite Photo Location

Prothonotary Warber - Lake Martin

Sunset at Lake Martin

Barred Owl Along the Road at Lake Martin

Snowy Egret at Lake Martin

Cypress looking down at the water from the Boardwalk at Lake Martin

Black Crowned Night Herton at Lake Martin

American Bittern Along the Road at Lake Martin

History

When I first moved back to Louisiana in 2001 I discovered the amazing Rookery at Lake Martin. There were literally thousands of nesting wading birds, including resplendent Roseate Spoonbills nesting within easy photo access of the road. from the Spring of 2002 through March of 2006, I spent hundreds of hours photographing the amazing scenes unfolding before my eyes. This was truly a world class place to photograph wading birds, particularly the Roseate Spoonbill.

That all abruptly ended in Late March of 2006. On the morning of March 26th, I received an email telling me that the majority of the birds had left. Having been there on the morning of the 24th and witnessing what appeared to be a better than typical nesting season, this came as a real shock. While it can't be proven, I believe that this was a man made tragedy.

In the last 7 years, many of the nesting birds have returned. Unfortunately none are are nesting within easy photo range. While in the early spring there are good opportunities to photograph the birds in flight retrieving sticks for their nest, the best opportunities are birds within the lake feeding and landscapes.

Current Photo Opportunities

1. Lake Martin is one of the best places to photograph owls. Barred owls are frequently seen along the road and from the new board walk early in the morning. Several times I have spent at least an hour following an owl from tree to tree as it caught crawfish from the water and returned to the tree to eat.

2. Lake Martin is also a good place to photograph smaller birds in the spring, such as the Prothonotary Warbler. While I haven't gotten any good shots of them, I've also seen Painted Buntings in Mid to Late April.

3. The lake is also a very good place to photograph irises. Mid April finds Irises in bloom along the edge of the lake and with some work you can make outstanding photographs.

4. Finally Lake Martin is a great place to photograph Cypress in the water. Although some of the best sites have been blocked by recent construction along the Lakes edge, good shots can be obtained along the road early in the morning One of the best spots in the state to capture sunsets is on the small peninsula along the boat launch.

Summary

While the loss of photographic access to nesting wading birds and to some of the better landscape locations due to construction, Lake Martin still offers significant opportunities to the nature photographer. A day at Lake Martin can provide great shots of native Louisiana wildlife and landscapes.

Update Late 2015

Unfortunately, 2015 saw a significant decline in wading birds over 2014. My hopes for a return of a great place to photograph nesting wading birds seems to be unwarrented and I'm focusing elsewhere. I've also not been able to photograph owls over the past several years and many of the best places to photograph landscapes have been obscured by development and no trespassing areas. Unfortunately I have also witnessed people removing many of the natural wild irises on the northern side of the lake, of course nearest the road where it's easiest to photograph. While still a good place to photograph natural Louisiana, it is no longer a great place.

Using Psychology to Learn Photography - The Role of Muscle Memory

Learning the Buttons

The Problem

Earlier this year I upgrade my camera bodies for the first time in 7 years. While the new equipment opens up new opportunities, over 7 years much of what I need to do with the camera has become virtually automatic. In fact it's so automatic, while I can do it with the camera in hand without thinking, if someone asks me how to do it, I can't explain without looking at the camera. For me, my best work comes when I essentially become one with the camera. In the course of a shooting session I may need to evaluate or change any or all of the following:

1. Shutter speed
2. Aperture
3. ISO Sensitivity
4. Exposure Metering
5. Metering Mode or Spot
6. Autofocus Mode
7. Mirror Lockup
8. Bracketing Options
9. Displaying the previous image
10. Checking for highlight clipping

With my old equipment I didn't need to look at the camera to do any of these, now for those things that changed, I have to think about and look at the camera to accomplish the change. When trying to capture fast moving shots of birds, this is not the best way to get the shot.

Fortunately the Shutter Speed and Aperture knobs were in the same place, so my most frequent actions require no change. The default setting for the meter however changed from lower exposure to the left and higher to the right. Fortunately this can be changed in the camera menu to provide an identical display as before. However, everything else I frequently need to do has been changed, as well as several other beneficial functions I would like to be able to perform without thinking as well.

Theory

There are two very good articles in Wikipedia that cover this in depth. One on Muscle Memory and another on Procedural Memory. Essentially through practice, a person can change the part of the brain required to complete a task such that the task can be completed subconsciously. It is also possible to learn the same thing by visualizing the task without actually performing it and repeating this in your mind over and over. There are three Phases in the process:

1. Cognitive - where an understanding of the skill is understood
2. Associative - where with practice the skill is learned
3. Autonomous - where the skill becomes automatic

In Practice

Therefore to be able to perform all the tasks in an automatic way, the following procedure is required for each task: 1. Detail exactly what needs to be done step by step 2. Practice these steps until they can be completed without looking at the camera 3. Continue practicing until you don't have to think about what you need to do

Other Considerations

In addition to the controls changing when you're upgrading cameras, muscle memory can be a factor in using a backup or secondary camera different from your primary. My previous primary camera was a D2X and I had a D200 backup. The position of the D2X display button was the menu button on the D200. I frequently hit the menu button thinking I would display the last image only to get the menu on the D200. Many professionals make it a point to have two identical cameras to avoid exactly this problem.

In addition to committing camera controls to muscle memory, procedural memory can also be helpful when composing an image. For example, a typical problem with beginning nature photographers is composing with the subject dead center in the image, automatically checking that this is not the case is an essential skill, as is making sure the horizon is level and checking the outside on an image frame when making a landscape.

Conclusion

Photography is a lot like playing a musical instrument. Practice and repetition on a consistent basis is the key to capturing the best images. Fortunately that practice does not require you to go to exotic locations, your backyard or even your living room will do just fine. In fact for many tasks you don't even need to click the shutter. Some time spent documenting and practicing the key procedures on a daily basis can pay dividends on your next photo trip.

Henderson - A Magical Swampland

Bald Eagle

Osprey Landing at Sunrise

Morning Sunrise in Henderson

Early Morning in Henderson

Roseate Spoonbill

Yellow Crowned Night Heron with Crawfisht

American Bittern

Yellow Crowned Night Heron on Nest

Fall Cypress - Motion Blurr

Fall Cypress

Foggy Fall Cypress Scene

Abandoned Hunting Blind

Osprey Landing

Osprey Silhouette

Immature Owl

Many people living in or visiting Southern Louisiana have driven the 18 mile stretch of the highway from Lafayette to Baton Rouge which is elevated over an immense wetland. The area below the highway is an incredible area of Cypress Trees growing in the water with an abundance of wildlife. This area, which I know as Henderson, from the name of the town on the West side of the area, has been one of the go to shooting sites for my tours for many years.

Access

First obviously a boat is required. For my tours I use the folks at The Atchafalaya Experience, they know the area and have the right equipment to properly explore the area. The area can be accessed either from the commericial boat launches along the Levy in Henderson, or from the boat launch at the Atchafalaya Welcome Center near Butte LaRose.

Opportunities

Normally on the tours we launch from the Welcome Center and head west from the launch between the spans of interstate 10. Wonderful opportunities abound both South and North of the Interstate. Most often we visit Henderson in the morning and photograph landscapes first with the sunrise and for the first half hour or so. Then as we have more light, we run the canals in search of birds, usually an owl or two, yellow crowned night herons, etc. We have also gotten on ducks, bitterns, beaver, etc. The final hour or so is spent photographing Osprey on the nest, there are numerous nests, both South and North of I10, and the birds put on quite a show. For birders this is a wonderful place to view song birds particularly in the spring. While it's difficult to photograph song birds from a boat, many of the smaller birds can be seen. We've seen Indigo Buntings, Pileated Wood Peckers, and Prothonotary Warblers. There are also Alligators, Snakes, Beaver, and Nutria. With the abundance of opportunities, rare is the visit that doesn't allow a photographer to create incredible images.

Fall

The Cypress in the late Fall turns a beautiful rust color. Providing a strong contrast against a dark blue sky. We also frequently encounter foggy conditions in the fall, allowing a photographer to create almost etherial images. This is truly a magical time in the swamp.

This area is one of the best places to see the beauty of the state of Louisiana and get a close up view of our beautiful wetlands. If you are in the area, make it a point to see this wonderland.

Photographing from a Boat

​Photographing from a Boat

Living in Southern Louisiana, we are surrounded by water. Over 40 percent of the wetlands in the lower 48 states are within Louisiana. The crown jewel of Louisiana Wetlands is the Atchafalaya Basin. The Atchafalaya Basin is North America's largest swamp and has an abundance of wildlife. With all this water, a nature photographer in Southern Louisiana will at some point spend time photographing from a boat.

On my photo tours, we spend a lot of time on boats and to get the most out my tours it is important to know how to shoot from boats.

Besides the fact that many of the best photo locations are only accessible by boat, when photographing wildlife, it is often possible to get much closer in a boat without invoking the fright or flight response. In a boat we are typically much lower and don't look as large or frightening as when standing. We also frequently camouflage the boats to further disguise the human form.

However there disadvantages as well. The largest disadvantage is the lack of a stable platform. Motion caused by wave action makes making sharp images challenging. Closely related to this is the fact that due to rocking motion of a boat it is often difficult to maintain a straight horizon.

Another disadvantage is space limitations. Many of the locations we photograph in are only accessible by skiffs powered by outboards or betting yet air cooled "mud boat" motors. The Gatortail "mud boats" used by the folks at Atchafalaya Experience, can only comfortably accomodate three photographers with limited space for camera equipment.

Finally one must not overlook the risk of getting your equipment wet, either from rain you can not escape, or water splashing into the boat.

Getting sharp images

While it's possible to use a tripod on a boat, I rarely do, setting a tripod on the deck of a boat transmits all the movement directly from the deck to the camera through the tripod. When hand holding the camera your body acts as a shock absorber and is able to correct somewhat for the motion of the boat. Here are some tips to help get the sharpest images:

1. Use your body like a tripod. Cradle the lens under your left hand, grip it with your right. Keep your arms to your side and if possible rest your elbows on your knees.

2. Carefully squeeze the shutter button, think about walking on egg shells when you do it. Minimize any potential movement in the process of firing the camera.

3. Maximize your shutter speed. Think about the least amount of depth of field you can get away with and set your aperture to as wide a setting as possible. Increase your iso sensitivity to the practical limit on your camera. Newer cameras give great results even at iso 1600, this is a time to use the higher sensitivity and use noise reduction in post processing to deal with the higher noise.

4. Use Image Stabilized lenses at slower shutter speeds. However at shutter speeds above about 1/500th it usually won't be of much help.

5. If all else fails, think of creating intentionally motion blurred shots.

Dealing with space issues

When shooting from a boat I like to travel light. Usually I have two bodies, a wide angle lens, a med-range zoom, and a moderate telephoto. Using a long telephoto on a boat is usually unnecessary and very difficult to do. Since you can usually get much closer than shooting on land, it is very seldom you would need one anyway. Dealing with a lot of equipment on a boat simply leads to a high degree of frustration and a lot of missed opportunities.

Keeping organized on the boat and getting to what you need quickly makes the difference in getting the shot.

This is another reason not to use a tripod. Setting up a tripod takes a lot of space and if there are other photographers on the boat it limits what you can shoot, because they're always in the way and usually you're in their way as well.

If you must use a camera support, consider using a monopod instead of a tripod. While you still will be dealing with vibration and movement issues, at least you'll take a smaller footprint wish will be easier for you and the other photographers to deal with.

Dealing with the elements

1. A small waterproof case is a very good idea. Last year I had a couple of cases where water washed over the boat and got onto my equipment, no damage, but a good warning.

2. Carry a couple of very good pancho's. On our tours, the folks at Atchafalaya Experience are equipped with large military pancho's, on several trips we got caught in serious rain and the panchos kept us and our equipment dry.

3. Head for shore at any hint at a thunderstorm. A small boat on the water is quite a target for lightning. Don't chance it.

4. Carry a few black trash bags. I've often shot in the rain with a trash bag keeping the equipment dry.

5. Remember when you're on the water it feels a lot colder, high humidity and wind from the moving boat equals a low wind chill temperature. Even in the fifties dress in layers with a good Gortex shell as the outer garment. For my December tours, thermal underwear is essential on the boats.

Use professionals for running the boats

I use Atchafalaya Experience for my tours for the following reasons:

1. They have the right boats for the job. They have many boats and depending upon the shoot one may have an advantage over another. If we need to get in tight places they have the gator tails that will go almost anywhere, if it's going to be cold or may rain, they have a cabin boat (very good if you need to shoot high by the way). If we need a bit more stability or have a few more people, they have crawfish skiffs.

2. They know the area, they're out there all the time and know the subjects and where to find them. Many of the places we go to are well off the beaten path, knowing the area is essential, you really don't want to get lost.

3. They've worked with me long enough to know where I want the boat in relationship to the light and wind. It's to the point we don't even need to communicate that, they just know where we need to be.

4. They know how to get the boat as stable as possible.

If you're planning to shoot from a boat spend the time to search out the best service you can, it can make all the difference. I don't own a boat and really don't want to, there's a lot to it and I have enough to do with the photography.

So to summarize:

1. Don't use a tripod unless absolutely necessary. If you must use a camera support consider a monopod. Use good telephoto lens techniques and high shutter speeds.

2. Use Image Stabilized or Vibration Reduction equipment if you have it.

3. Prepare for adverse weather, waterproof case, panchos, and plastic trash bags.

4. Use a professional service that knows where you're shooting and how to work with photographers.

5. Don't take a chance with lightning, at any hint of a thunderstorm, go back to the dock as soon as possible.

6. Pack light, take only what you know you will use, not everything you have.

7. Leave your long lens behind, it will just get in the way and you rarely will need it. I've only used my 600 mm lens twice on the boats and was very disappointed with the results. Trying to aim a 600 mm lens with everything moving is an exercise in futility.

8. Remember it feels colder over the water, even with temperatures in the fifties, dress in layers and plan for temperatures at least 10 degrees cooler than air temperature.

Preparing for a Photo Trip–Part 3

Final Preparations

At one week prior to the trip, long range weather forecasts are available on the web. While long range forecasts may not be the most accurate, it's a good time to get a handle on what weather you'll be experiencing on your trip. I like to look at the predicted high and low temperatures and of course the chance for rain. Based upon this forecast I can decide on clothing that may be needed for the trip. If I'm going to be spending time on a boat, I factor in the wind chill factor planning on a wind chill factor of at least 10 degrees below the forecast low. So, for example if the forecast low is 50, I know I'll need a fairly heavy jacket to keep warm. If there is any chance of rain, I'll make sure I have my Poncho, if the there is a very low chance of rain, I'll bring a small plastic poncho or perhaps just rely on a large black trash bag. For really cold weather I'll make sure I have a parka and long underwear.

Depending upon the weather I may modify the equipment I plan on bringing. While I always carry large trash bags, if it looks like there'll be a lot of rain I may bring a protective cover for my long lens and make sure I have my waterproof case for shooting sessions. While my rain cover is a bit more difficult to set up than a plastic trash bag, for days with a lot of rain I do feel more comfortable with a rain hood. I will also carry a towel or two to put over the lens or carry on the boat to allow me to keep things as dry as possible.

I also will check tidal information or river stages where appropriate. For example one of the favorite shooting locations on my tours is Cow Island Lake. But the Atchafalaya river stage must be greater than 15 feet for us to be able to get over the weir at the entrance of the Lake. I can check the current stage and the predicted stage on this link. I will continue to track this to make sure I schedule the trip to insure I can do the shoot I plan.

Now is also the time to go through and double check your equipment and do a final cleaning prior to the trip. Using the equipment list you've developed, now is the time to pack everything for the trip. Make sure everything is properly padded and protected. I like to use small plastic bags for each camera body or lens to reduce the amount of dust and the potential for water. If I plan on shipping equipment to the shoot, now is the time to do that to make sure it arrives in time.

Finally it's good time to do a check on your travel arrangements, make sure the flight hasn't changed and the hotel has your reservation, etc.

Preparting for a Photo Trip Part 2

What to Bring

Deciding on what to bring on a trip is one of the most important parts of the planning process. Bringing too much can make travel difficult and can lead to frustration on the shoot when it's hard to choose what to use. Leaving important pieces of equipment behind is equally bad when you miss critical shots due to the lack of the proper equipment.

I'll use the upcoming tours as an example of how I approach this planning process. First I create a list of all the potential shooting locations. For each of these I list what I expect to be shooting and any special considerations for that particular part of the shoot.

For the tours this is a list of the potential shooting locations and what I expect to photograph at each.

• Henderson Lake - Shooting is from a boat.
• Osprey in Flight
• Small and large birds
• Nesting Eagles
• Landscapes
• Macro shots of insects and flowers
• Large and Small Swamp Creatures - Alligators, Snakes, Beaver, Nutria
• Miller's Lake - Shooting is from a boat.
• Nesting Wading Birds
• Ducks, Rails, Smaller Wading Birds
• Landscapes
• Macro shots of flowers and insects
• Dauterive Lake _ Shooting is from a boat
• Landscapes
• Lake Martin - Shooting from land and car
• Landscapes
• Small and Large Birds
• Large and Small Swamp Creatures – Alligators, Snakes, Nutria
• Macro Shots of insets and flowers
• Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge - Shooting from car and land
• Ducks, Rails, Herons and Egrets (not nesting)
• Smaller birds
• Swamp Creatures - Alligators, Snakes, Nutria
• Macro shots of flowers and insects
• Talons Landing Road Klondike Louisiana - Shooting on land
• Nesting Wading Birds

When shooting from a boat, I try to carry only what I'm going to use. Fumbling for equipment making shooting difficult and I do better when I have just what I need set up and ready to shoot. I like to carry the equipment in a bag or case that offers some water protection in case of spray when moving between shooting sites or rain. For all of the locations I'll need compact flash cards, two camera bodies, and my Rapid Strap. I also carry a HyperDrive to each of the locations to download images from flash cards in case I fill all my cards.

• Henderson and Miller's Lake:
  • 300 mm f4 flight lens
  • 1.4 X teleconverter
  • 28-70 mm f 2.8 lens
  • 20 mm f 2.8 lens
  • Macro lens or 50 mm f1.4 with extension tubes
• Dauterive Lake
• 20 mm f2.8 lens
• 28-70 mm f2.8 lens
• 80-200 f2.8 lens
• Lake Martin and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge
• 600 mm f4 lens
• 300 mm f4 flight lens
• 80-200 mm f2.8 lens
• 28-70 mm f2.8 lens
• 20 mm f 2.8 lens
• Macro lens or 50 mm f1.4 with extension tubes
• Tripod
• Winmberly Head
• BH-55 Ball Head
• Bean Bag or Window Mount
• Talons Landing Road Klondike Louisiana
• 600 mm f4 lens
• 300 mm f4 flight lens
• Tripod
• Winmberly Head

Consolidating Lists I will need the following Equipment:

• Two Camera Bodies
• Laptop
• Laptop Bag
• Compact Flash Cards
• Compact Flash Card Reader
• HyperDrive
• Large Camera Bag
• Rapid Strap
• Small Camera Bag / Fanny Pack
• Waterproof case for use on boat
• 600 mm f4 lens
• 300 mm f4 flight lens
• 80-200 mm f2.8 lens
• 28-70 mm f2.8 lens
• 20 mm f 2.8 lens
• Macro lens or 50 mm f1.4 with extension tubes
• Tripod
• Winmberly Head
• BH-55 Ball Head
• Bean Bag or Window Mount

Preparing for a Photo Trip–Part 1

One month prior to a trip

With my photo tours starting in April and with impending reconnaissance trips and my normal increased spring shooting schedule, I've been preparing for the shooting season and I thought it might be helpful for those of you planning for your peak shooting season or planning a major trip, to document how I handle this.

My first workshop begins on April 1st and I've started working on the things listed here for 1 month out. I've loaded these tasks in a software planning tool called OmniFocus, but entering them in a computer calendar or on an old fashion paper calendar would work just as well. The key is to start the process as early as possible to make sure you have no last minute surprises.

Part 1

My first priority is to make sure all my equipment is in proper working order and I get anything needing repair back to the service center for repair. All the camera equipment comes out of the bags and is put through its paces in the back yard making sure all the lenses properly focus and produce sharp images. The camera bodies are checked and the tripods and heads are set up and I make sure that they operate smoothly. All the repairs needed that I can accomplish I do myself, anything needing further help is sent off.

Everything gets a thorough cleaning. I vacuum out the bags and carefully clean the camera bodies, lens bodies, tripods and heads. I clean each of the lenses using Zeiss Lens Cleaning Wipes, available at Wad-Mart in the glasses section. My Gitzo carbon fiber tripod is disassembled at each section, carefully cleaned and lubricated using the proper lubricant and any damaged or enlarged bushings replaced, the grease and bushings are available here. An excellent how-to article on this is here. My Wimberly head is disassembled, cleaned and lubricated and my ball head is carefully cleaned(but not lubricated).

All the camera options are checked and any changes to my workflow are thought through at this time and thoroughly tested prior to the shoot.

I thoroughly check out my laptop, run diagnostics, insure all software is up to date and make sure there are no hardware problems. For example while doing the check this year I noticed the battery was bulging and would not properly hold a charge so I ordered a replacement battery. If the battery had not been replaced I would have run the battery calibration procedure to make sure it was in tip top shape. I make sure that the hard drive on the laptop is clear and has sufficient storage space for the shoot.

I check out each Compact Flash / SD card by shooting a series of shots. My card reader is tested to make sure they properly read the cards and I test my HyperDrive that I used to download images to in the field to make sure it is working properly and I clear off all previously stored images (double check to make sure they have been downloaded first) to maximize the storage capacity. I import the shots into my photo software and make sure it's functioning properly.

If I am planning a major trip to a location I hadn't previously visited, I spend time on-line researching the location I also check on articles in photo magazines as well as contacting photographer friends who have visited the sight. I am interested in finding out as much as possible about the peak season, the best time of day, and unusual opportunities or any challenges of the location. This information would be filed away on my laptop for access when I arrive at the shoot.

For my tours each year I do a reconnaissance trip, leaving very early one morning and visit nearly all of the sites in one very long day to make sure we'll get no unpleasant surprises when visiting the site. I also call other photographers seeking information specific to each year.

Thinking about the planned itinerary and the subjects I expect to be photographing, I create a list of equipment to bring. I try to make sure I have everything I'll need, but no more. Usually the more equipment I have the poorer the shots I come back with. I don't want to have to carry too much, but don't want to miss the best shots. If flying, I try to find ways to double up equipment to reduce the size and weight, for example if planning on some macro shooting, I'd bring an extension tube rather than a macro lens, I'd consider if I need both a 300 mm lenses and an 80 - 200 mm zoom, perhaps the 80 - 200 with a teleconverter would suffice.

If I haven't already done so now is the time to book the hotel and flights. I make sure I have both hard copy and copies of these in the laptop so they don't get mixed up.

Photographing the Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill Collecting sticks

Roseate Spoonbills tending chicks

Roseate Spoonbills building a nest

Roseate Spoonbills

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbill

Roseate Spoonbills overhead

Roseate Spoonbill in Flight

Roseate Spoonbill Feeding Chick

Roseate Spoonbill Family

Roseate Spoonbill - Motion Blurr

I’ve updated this guide with new information about where to photograph these beautiful birds; see the update here.

Also, please consider joining us for a tour, which includes photographing these beautiful birds; check out my tours here.

Ever since I saw my first Roseate Spoonbills along the side of the highway many years ago, I’ve been completely mesmerized by the striking colors and prehistoric appearance of this large pink wading bird. Not knowing of the bird when I first saw it, my first impression was one of disbelief. That was over 35 years ago, but every time I see one, I’m completely amazed but what I see.

General Facts and Appearance

The Spoonbill is the most striking wading bird in North America. It has a pink body, with red on its wings, and an orangish patch on its tail. The bill is spatula shaped and is used to scoop up its food from the water. It's about 30 inches tall with about a 36" wing span. The reddish wing feathers are more prominent during mating in the spring.

Here in Louisiana, they mate in early spring, March or April, and have the chicks in May or June. They nest with other wading birds in Cypress Trees growing in the water. Each mating pair has 3 to 5 chicks. The chicks are much lighter in color, a pale pink.

During the 1900's the population was decimated with "plum-hunters". The feathers were used for such things as fans. Since they nest among other wading birds such as egrets, which were also hunted for their feathers, the population was also impacted due to the disturbance of their nesting area. Currently nesting populations are found along the coast in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. In Louisiana the largest nesting populations are in the Southwestern part of the state, within about 100 miles of the Gulf coast.

Behavior

The birds are often seen walking in the water foraging for food with their spatula shaped bill. Unlike the herons, they walk in a crouched position and move their tail back and forth as they walk. When in flight, the hold their head straight out, flapping their wings relatively slowly.

The birds are very territorial, during nesting season male act aggressively to other males holding territorial fights and chasing other males from their nesting site.

Roseates are often found in flocks during and outside of the nesting period. When nesting they are observed leaving and returning in larege "Upflights" involving many birds.

Migratory Behavior

In Louisiana, Roseate Spoonbill's don't appear to migrate outside of the area. They do disperse from the nesting site, probably due to food supply issues, but are found in the general area throughout the year.

The best online reference I've found is at:

Cornell Universities Birds of North America Online

Places to photographe Roseate Spoonbills in Louisiana

Lake Martin

Prior to 2006 Lake Martin, near Lafayette Louisiana, was without a doubt the premier location to photograph Roseate Spoonbils. Every spring, hundreds of pairs of Spoonbills nested in the Bald Cypress trees growing from with the waters of the Lake. Many of the nests were clearly visible from the gravel road on the East side of the Lake. The nesting area extended almost a mile from the south side of the Lake. This made mornings in the Spring at Lake Martin an exceptional place.

I returned to Louisiana in late 2001 and visited Lake Martin for the first time in March of 2002. It was an unforgettable experience seeing the hundreds of these beautiful birds sparring for their place to nest. During 2002 and 2003, I made the 2 hour trip to Lake Martin 2 or 3 times per week in the Spring. Many of my best photographs of the Spoonbills were made during this period.

Unfortunately early in the nesting season of 2006 a series of unfortunate events led to the near collapse of nesting at Lake Martin. The few remaining birds were nesting within the interior of the Lake far from human view and camera range. My take on this unfortunate event is found elsewhere on this site. While there has been a steady increase in the nesting population each year, as of the writing of this article in the winter of 2011, the birds have not returned to the area near the road that led to such wonderful photo opportunities. Hopefully over time Lake Martin will be restored to its' former status. Until then photographing Roseate Spoonbills there is only a pleasant memory.

(Update Late 2015, 2015 saw the fewest Roseates at Lake Martin since the 2006 event. Unfortunately I believe hope for a return of the previous glory of the Rookery is not to be expected.)

Rip Van Winkle Gardens - Jefferson Island

In 2007 I found a very nice Roseate Spoonbill Rookery near New Iberia, Louisiana. On the grounds of a Commercial Nursery many pairs of Roseate Spoonbills can be found nesting on artificial islands in Cypress trees. The islands were created for the express purpose of attracting a Rookery during the 1980's and it took until 2005 or 2006 for this to occur. Being on private property it requires permission to photograph there, but upon obtaining the permission it is a very nice and accessible place to photograph the birds. On advantage over Lake Martin is that there shooting opportunities both morning and afternoon. This location currently provides the best opportunity to photograph the birds. The way the location is laid out, it is a very natural setting with nice foliage and opportunities to create pleasing out of focus natural backgrounds. Not only are their opportunities to photograph nesting birds, it is well laid out for photographing the birds in flight.

Talons Landing Road – Klondyke, Louisiana

In Southwestern Louisiana, there is a small Rookery with Roseate Spoonbills. While there aren't as many birds as the Rookery at Jefferson Island, There are a there have been a dozen or so nesting Roseate Spoonbills for the past 4 years. While the site is on private property, shooting is from a gravel road to the West of the Rookery. The birds are about 70 feet from the road allowing excellent afternoon photo opportunities. During 2005, the site was badly effected by hurricane rita and there were no birds at the site in 2006. The birds returned in 2007 and have been there every year since.

(Update Late 2015, While the birds were nesting there in 2015, the grass along side the road has now almost completely obscured the trees, good photography at that site was not possible in 2014 or 2015)

Millers Lake

There is a very large wading bird Rookery at Millers Lake near Ville Platte, Louisiana. While the site has largely Ibis, Egrets, and Herons, there is also a small population of Roseate Spoonbills. While I love photographing at the Lake, access is by boat only and during dry years, only with a "mud boat". Unfortunately the Spoonbills nest in trees that are inaccessible by boat. While I've made some nice flight photographs of Roseate's there, it is not one of my preferred locations.

Other

As you move further west in the state there are other Roseate Spoonbill Rockeries I am aware of by have rarely photographed at. Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, badly damaged by several hurricanes, is a well known place for the bird. In 2006 when the Rookeries at Lake Martin and Klondyke had failed there was a small Rookery at Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge accessible by boat, the only place I could locate for that year. Interestingly, that was the only year the birds were there.

Photographic Challenges and Techniques

• Wading bird Rookeries are challenging places to photograph.

  1. The closest you're going to get to nesting birds is 75 to 150 feet. In order to photograph birds of this size at that range you're going to need at least a 500 mm lens to get nearly full frame photographs.

  2. In many cases you're going to need a teleconverter to increase your range, with its' limitation on both sharpness and aperture.

  3. Rookeries are cluttered places, it's difficult to isolate one pair of birds from others and getting a clean shot without sticks or branches is a challenge.

  4. Roseate Spoonbills are light colored birds and frequently you're dealing with darker color backgrounds, exposure is tricky.

• The following techniques will help

  1. Learn and practice good tripod technique with your telephoto lens. A proper tripod, tripod head, and properly holding the lens will help get sharp shots at slower shutter speeds. Work on holding your eye to the viewfinder, keeping your hand over the focus ring of your lens and squeezing, not jabbing the shutter button.

  2. With a long lens with its very narrow angle of view, moving only a small amount will make a major difference with what appears in the background. Don't limit your movement to left and right, check higher and lower and backwards and forwards as well. Look for holes in the vegetation and angles to avoid the out of focus bird in the background.

  3. Personally I like to manually meter using the spot meter function on my camera. For my shooting this works best for me. I meter something bright white near the birds I'm photographing, typically an egret at a rookery and set the exposure to something like 1 1/3 to 1 2/3 above mid-tone, take a couple of test shots and check I'm not clipping the highlights with the camera's histogram and go from there. Other people prefer to use the camera's evaluative or matrix metering system with Aperture Priority and you can get good results with that as well. However using this method often you will need to add some negative compensation, particularly if the background is dark.

  4. Roseate Spoonbills typically look best in softer light Therefore it' best to photographer either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the light is softer and directly pointing at the bird to minimize distracting shadows. On overcast days, you can often shoot most of the day, but try to compose your shots without the sky in the background.

Photographing the Roseate Spoonbill in Flight carries it's own set of challenges. One advantage is that they will often fly directly overhead and you can get full frame shots with a 300 mm or shorter telephone lens. However like any moving object you need to master panning with the subject. Given the slower action of the wings, it is less difficult to get a pleasing composition than with many other birds, but photographing in continuous shooting mode is frequently helpful. Exposure against a bright blue sky is typically pretty close with no compensation.

Time of year

The four years I photographed at Lake Martin, the timing was consistent and as follows:

• Roseate Spoonbill's arrive and begin Mating Behavior – 2nd or 3d week in March
• Nest Building – Early Apri
• Eggs on Nest – Mid to late April
• Chicks on Nest – Mid May – Early June

Since 2006 working at different sites and with a different weather pattern, I'm finding that many years are later. In fact 2010, with a very cold winter, nesting activity and chicks on the nest at Jefferson Island was a good month later than what I had experienced at Lake Martin. Nesting at the Rookery in Klondyke was a good 2 weeks earlier than at Jefferson Island, although still several weeks later than what I had experienced at Lake Martin. It's difficult for me to tell if the difference was due to the location, the weather pattern, both, or some other factors unknown to me.

Summary

The Roseate Spoonbill is one of the most striking birds in North America. There are great places to photograph the bird in Southern Louisiana. The best time to photograph the bird is during its mating and nesting season as the bird is at a predictable location and less startled by a human presence. The best time in Southern Louisiana is usually from Mid March through June. Photography at a Rookery can be challenging due difficult exposure metering considerations and the jumbled nature of the Rookery. But the efforts required will yield wonderful photographs.