Photo This

The photo group had an opportunity to meet the director of Five Rivers Enviornmental Education Center in Delmar, NY, and get a guided tour from him and an expert birder from Audubon New York. We’re smack in the middle of migratory season so this was a great opportunity.

The only catch: it was at 6:00am on a Wednesday.

Surprisingly, around a dozen people showed up, all willing to sacrifice some sleep and mainline caffeine the rest of the day in hopes of getting a few good shots. And nature provided. The sky was clear, the sun rose on an early morning fog, dew was on every leaf and blade of grass. Birds, deer, and spiders made appearances. The geese, with their newly hatched goslings, didn’t even attack.

It was a great morning and a great group of people. I had a few first-time-ever sightings; I’d never seen a Kestrel or a Baltimore Oriole before, and managed to get a few iffy shots of both. The weather was really generous though, and some of the best shots of the day weren’t of the birds at all; everyone was struck by the moody, atmospheric effects of the fog and the water, and details of the light and dew on spiderwebs and plants. Paul got some killer macro shots. You can see Paul’s photos, as well as more from Ottmar, and Bob, or check the slideshow which includes photos from my trip there on Easter.

Below: brand new goslings, even the center staff hadn’t sighted them yet; a silhouette in the early morning; Baltimore Oriole taking off, the second (and more photogenic) that we saw; the Tree Swallows were so consumed with “spring activities” that we could get amazingly close.

Previously: Best easter Egg Hunt Ever