INTRODUCTION

This is the "blog" for my 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bird-Photography Tour, which begins and ends in Durham, NC, and extends as far north as Lake Erie (i.e., nearly to Canada). When I eventually get around to post-processing all the photos from my trip, this page will be replaced with a photoalbum of the best images taken during the 3-week trip. Until then I hope to update this page each evening from my hotel room^*. The photos included below are only quick extracts from each day's catch, and will look better when I get around to post-processing them all in Photoshop.

^*unless I get eaten by an alligator or a bear

BLOG

May 2 Friday	After work I packed the dog and the photo equipment into the car. Before heading to Virginia Beach I stopped at Eno River State Park to see if I could capture a few more Prairie Warbler photos before leaving for my three-week "Warbler Tour". I found the individual shown below preening on a branch at the edge of the meadow: Prairie Warbler at Eno River State Park (NC)

May 3 Saturday	I headed to First Landing State Park (in Virginia Beach) first thing in the morning. There wasn't much bird activity on the Long Creek Trail (just a coy Parula). Upon arriving at the CVWO Bird Banding Station (run by Peter Doherty, with 3 assistants), I was informed that a good variety of warblers had been caught in the mist nets (Magnolia, Blue-winged, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Common Yellowthroat), along with a few catbirds. I got a number of photos documenting the banding process, which includes determining the age and sex of the bird as well as various measurements such as weight and wing/tail lengths. Along an elevated stretch of the Kingfisher Trail I did encounter a good number of warblers (Black-throated Blue, Yellow-throated, Parula, Prairie, Gnatcatcher), but got only a few shots, since the birds were difficult to see in the dense foliage. There was also much Osprey activity. Magnolia Warbler in the process of being banded at CVWO (VA beach).

May 4 Sunday	I got lucky and just barely caught the first ferry to Cape May. I went straight to Higbee Beach WMA, where I encountered White-eyed Vireos, Prairie Warblers, Indigo Buntings, a Baltimore Oriole, and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Just down the road is Hidden Valley, which I birded in the afternoon, but wasn't able to get any photos. In the evening I walked the boardwalk at the Lighthouse, but saw very little. In the parking lot an Eastern Kingbird posed for me in a flowering tree. White-eyed Vireo posing for me at Higbee Beach WMA (Cape May, NJ).

May 5 Monday	I birded Higbee Beach WMA in the morning, then Villas WMA in the afternoon. At Higbee I heard or (rarely) saw Prairies and White-eyes. At one point I had a Parula, Prairie, and Black-throated Green all together in a group of trees, but only got a few photos of one (the BT-Green). At Villas there was much bird activity right in the parking lot (Great-crested Flycatcher, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Parula, Yellow Warbler), though severe allergies (hayfever) ended my birding day early, due to a very severe sinus headache. From the parking lot of the 7-11 I could hear a Blue-winged Warbler singing in the tiny city park across the street. Prairie Warbler trying unsuccessfully to evade me at Higbee Beach WMA (Cape May, NJ).

May 6 Tuesday	In the front yard of the B&B where I was staying, a Common Yellowthroat greeted me as I packed the cameras into the car in the early morning fog. I also met another guest then who was in town to pick up his new Chesapeake Retriever puppy, "Clancy". Higbee Beach offered the usual in the morning (Prairie Warblers and White Eyed Vireos, but barely anything else), with very few of the birds showing any interest in having their picture taken. In early afternoon I paid the $15 fee to bird the "Beanery", where I photographed a (solitary) Solitary Vireo. I then made the 45-minute drive to Belleplain State Forest, which was teaming with birds (Ovenbirds, various flycatchers, Pine Warblers, Hooded Warblers, Yellow-throated Warblers), though I was only able to get photos of an Ovenbird and an Acadian Flycatcher. In late afternoon I took Kelsey swimming at Higbee, then hit the Nature Conservancy, where I photographed Piping Plovers mating on the beach at sunset. Acadian Flycatcher behind the ranger station at Belleplain State Forest (NJ).

May 7 Wednesday	I awoke to the sound of a Yellow Warber singing outside my window. Unable to find the bird, I drove straight to Belleplain in hopes of catching the warblers during their morning feeding frenzy. There were many birders in the parking lot, where one senior birder was giving directions to a bridge on Sunset Road. We descended on the bridge en masse. Here we found a Prothonotary Warbler nest and a chickadee nest. We also heard and/or (rarely) saw Blue-winged Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, Ovenbirds, Hooded Warblers, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Great-crested Flycatchers, Phoebes, and a Louisiana Waterthrush. I was informed that the famous birdwatcher Pete Dunn had just driven by while I was gawking at a bird. Bummer. Several of us then drove to nearby Jake's Landing, where we saw terns, Marsh Wrens, Seaside Sparrows, Glossy Ibises, Ospreys, and Northern Harriers. I skipped the 4:30 bird walk at Nummy's Island after judging that the distances were too great for photography, though some nice Canadian people let me look through their scope at a pair of loons in the water. After this I tried Reed's Beach, where there were tons of "peeps" (mostly Sanderlings, plus a few Ruddy Turnstones) and Laughing Gulls, but no Red Knots, despite many eyes looking out for this severely declining species. There were no good photo ops here, so I drove to Two Mile Beach. This was also a waste of time, because virtually all of the beach was closed off. Although numerous Yellow Warblers were singing in the adjacent field, none would let me approach for a decent photo. At the Nature Conservancey I was informed that a Ruff had been spotted out in the wetland, but upon hauling all my gear out there I found that the Ruff had flown off an hour before. I did, however, get to meet a registered participant of the upcoming World Series of Birding (who also, coincidentally, is named "Bill"!). Black-and-White Warbler over a bridge at Belleplain State Forest (NJ).

May 8 Thursday	In the morning I rushed to the ferry terminal, only to find that the next crossing wasn't for another three hours (@$%#&*!!!). Rain prevented me from trying to slip in some quick birding while waiting for the boat. Fortunately, I was first in line and ended up being at the very back railing of the ferry, so I was able to set up my equipment right at my car and photograph the gulls which persistently trailed the boat during the crossing. It is perhaps ironic that I took more photos during that hour-and-a-half than I took during my entire stay in Cape May. Just as I arrived in Washington D.C. it began to rain. During a brief clearing I photographed a Prothonotary Warbler at Riley's Lock on the C&O Canal (along the Potomac River), as you can see below. Prothonotary Warbler eyeing me on the towpath between the Potomac River and the C&O Canal (MD).

May 9 Friday	No birding at all in the morning, due to heavy rain. In the afternoon when the rain slackened I headed to Falls Church (VA) where some good friends have been following a Barred Owl nest. I photographed the owl chicks as they emerged from the nest and began testing out their wings on nearby branches. Below is a photo of the mother with one of her chicks. Adult Barred Owl and one of her two recently fledged chicks (Falls Church, VA).

May 10 Saturday	It again rained until noon. In the early afternoon I birded the legendary Monticello Park in Alexandria (VA), where I (and about 20 other birders) saw/heard many warblers, mostly too high in the trees to photograph, but a few that came down to bathe in the stream which flows through this extremely tiny park. The Black-throated Blue warbler shown below was photographed in this location. In the afternoon I returned to Falls Church to check on the owl chicks. We watched as the younger chick finally came fully out of the nest cavity and climbed up the tree trunk to perch with its sibling. The adults actively hunted in the vicinity as darkness approached, though we saw no prey-captures. A Scarlet Tanager and a Swainson's Thrush posed very nicely for the camera. Black-throated Blue Warbler at Monticello Park in Alexandria (VA).

May 11 Sunday	Although the rain held off until the afternoon, the morning was dark and gray. Rock Creek Park in Washington D.C. had lots of singing birds, but few were low enough in the trees to be photographed effectively; a singing Veery was one exception. Around noon I hit Monticello again, but it was so dead that I didn't even take a single photo (!). Huntley Meadows in the early afternoon wasn't much better -- I got a female Common Yellowthroat and a few blackbirds, and virtually nothing else. By mid-afternoon the rain had returned, and it continued steadily for the remainder of the day. The Scarlet Tanager below was photographed yesterday in Falls Church near the owls' nest. Notice the line of insects along the underside of the branch. Scarlet Tanager eating insects in Falls Church (VA). Tomorrow I leave for the final site in my tour before retracing my steps back home: Crane Creek State Park in Ohio, where migrant warblers cross Lake Erie en masse for the Canada shore. I was informed by an experienced birder at Monticello today that this is perhaps the ultimate destination for warbler photographers.

May 12 Monday	I left early for Ohio. It rained the entire way. Arriving in town 7 hours later, I went straight to the state park. As soon as I entered the park, the song of the Yellow Warbler came to my ears, seemingly from everywhere. This is one bird I definitely wanted to get. I was still skeptical, though, as to whether this place would prove worth the lengthy drive. Reaching the main parking lot, I tied up my dog (no pets allowed on the trails) and hit the boardwalk. From that point on, until the end of the day, all I could say was one word: WOW. Even on this dark, overcast day, the boardwalk was virtually dripping with birds, mostly warblers, but also orioles and tanagers, and a majority of them right at eye level. WOW. Me photographing warblers at Crane Creek State Park (OH) with the Canon 600mm f/4L lens and the EOS 1D Mark III camera. The flash unit you see mounted on top is the 580EX II fitted with a Better Beamer. By early evening I was suffering from severe "warbler intoxication", a dire medical condition that involves hearing buzzing noises in the ears and seeing bright, colorful flashes in front of the eyes. This condition is often brought on by being subjected to large numbers of warblers perching mere feet away as they show off their stunning plumages and their excellent singing voices. Very often the birds in question came so close that my camera refused to focus. Along the Lake Erie shoreline a group of Ruddy Turnstones foraged. A very tame Woodcock posed for us in the woods. A Gray-cheeked Thrush also made an appearance close to the boardwalk. The first-year Summer Tanager shown below (notice the mottled plumage) attracted quite a lot of attention, primarily from the photographers present. First-year Summer Tanager at Crane Creek State Park (OH). In the afternoon I ran into two people I recognized as the banding assistants (René and John) from the banding site in Virginia Beach --- what a small world!

May 13 Tuesday	This morning an Eastern Meadowlark was singing as I loaded the dog and the equipment into the car. At the breakfast buffet I slipped an orange into my coat pocket for the orioles, then hit the road for the park. The weather was beautiful. Kelsey again greeted all the birders at the head of the boardwalk where I tied her up (and she became quite a celebrity --- many birdwatchers apparently like dogs). The boardwalk was teeming not only with birds, but also with birdwatchers. I've never seen this many birdwatchers in one place before. Sometimes the crowd was so thick that I had real trouble moving around with the big lenses. And there were a fair number of other chaps around with big lenses (though I was informed that since I was carrying around two big lenses I won the award for "Most Gear"). Once again the Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Green warblers put on an amazing show, literally at the boardwalk's edge. The Blackburnian Warbler once again drew the largest crowds, despite remaining quite high in the trees. I and at at least one other photographer gave up on the tripod and just aimed the big lens straight up in a two-handed "grip of death" at the tiny bird high overhead. Magnolia Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH). I was pleased to run into several birders I recognized from Maryland -- again, what a small world!

May 14 Wednesday	In the morning I was disappointed to see that the forecast called for rain all day long. I decided to head to Crane Creek anyway, thinking that I might get in a few shots during the lull between passing showers. I figured I'd be the only photographer crazy enough to haul out the gear on a day like today. When I pulled into the parking lot I was stunned to see that the edge of the marsh was lined with photographers, each with a huge lens mounted on a tripod and protected from the rain by an umbrella ingeniously attached to the tripod head. Apparently, I'm the only photographer in the world without an umbrella mount for my tripod! Fortunately, I had a roll of duct tape in the car, with which I was able to mount my extra-large Duke umbrella to my Manfrotto gimbal head. Soon I was in business. The change in weather had apparently brought in the birds (or at least brought them down to eye-level), so that the day eneded up being extremely productive for shooting warblers, despite intermittent rain that spanned nearly the whole day. I again met a number of exceptionally nice photographers, who provided company during the long hours of shooting, as well as additional eyes for finding the birds. The highlights were the Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, and Blackburnian Warblers that lingered for some time at eye-level, mere yards away. Black-throated Green Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH).

May 15 Thursday	Morning sun brought out the birders in droves, so that the boardwalk was once again packed. Despite the sun, I photographed few birds in the morning, partly because the birds were higher in the trees than yesterday, and partly because moving around on the boardwalk became very difficult with all the people. In the afternoon the skies clouded over, and I decided to try the east end of the boardwalk, where the crowds were far, far thinner. Here I had excellent luck with Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Parula, and Black-and-white Warblers (I also spotted a lone Ruby-crowned Kinglet, which surprised me). In the afternoon a young Scarlet Tanager put on an amazing show in the bushes at the east end of the parking lot, which many photographers gathered to see. The tanager was present in this area for at least 4 hours, according to several reports. A Wilson's Warbler also lingered in this area for about the same time, though it proved much harde to photograph. Winds coming across Lake Erie from the north apparently kept what birds we had here from continuing their trek northward, though I did not sense that the volume of birds trapped here was very great. On the way out of the park I spied an eagle winging its way toward me. Recalling the account of one photographer about an eagle snagging a Canada Goose gosling that morning, I quickly parked and grabbed my 400mm rig. Though the photos didn't turn out very well (due to the poor lighting), I did capture a series of images showing the eagle coming down and nonchalontly grabbing a gosling in its talons. Wow. I also checked out the neighboring Ottowa National Park (by car), but saw only an Eastern Meadowlark. It was fairly cold by evening. Chestnut-sided Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH).

May 16 Friday	The birding today was quite slow (though the birders, who don't require the birds to be as close as do the photographers, mostly thought it was an OK day), primarily because the birds were staying largely up in the higher parts of the trees. I was pleased to find a Nashville Warbler (shown below) foraging low in the trees at the east end of the boardwalk. Kelsey and I walked the loop behind the visitors' center, where there were Yellow Warblers, Prothonotaries, and Palms. The Palm was quite cooperative, though the Yellows (despite being extremely numerous) did not let me get a single shot. By now I can say that I've met a number of very nice bird photographers here, all of them very generous in sharing information about the locations of birds and other shooting tips. I can say for certain that Crane Creek is now my favoriate spot to shoot migrant warblers. In the future I plan to drive straight here from North Carolina, and to spend two weeks here every year rather than one. Nashville Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH).

May 17 Saturday	Early rain kept me in my hotel room till late morning. The boardwalk at Crane Creek was a bit slow, though I did follow a cooperative White-eyed Vireo around for quite a while, and also snapped a few Magnolias and Redstarts. Below is the Palm warbler I shot yesterday behind the visitors' center: Palm Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH). Some fellow photographers gave me directions to an eagle nest in Sandusky, behind a bar about 40 minutes from Crane Creek. I spent the afternoon there, shooting the adults at and around the nest, as well as the three chicks (now 6 weeks old) flapping their wings in the nest. At the nest site were several photographers, some of which I recognized from Crane Creek and others who were new to me, but all of them were very friendly and provided enjoyable company while shooting the eagles. Bald Eagle, behind the Old Dutch Tavern in Sandusky (OH).

May 18 Sunday	Early rains once again kept me in my hotel room, where I finished up a research article for publication. At noon I pulled into the parking lot at Crane Creek, where a crowd of birdwatchers were obsessing over a Connecticut Warbler that was hiding just inside the forest edge. Just as the bird was coming out into the open and I was starting to get some good images of it, the rain returned, quickly turning to large hail. Kelsey and I took refuge in the car till it cleared again, and then I was able to capture a few images of a Tennessee Warbler at the west end of the boardwalk. Along the east end of the boardwalk we were treated to stunning views of a Blackburnian warbler (shown below). In the late afternoon as the rains returned to Crane Creek I again made the 40-minute trek to the Sandusky eagle nest. Unfrotunately, the rain followed me, so that I wasn't able to get any good photos. Blackburnian Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH).

May 19 Monday	Today was one of the best days I have seen at Crane Creek, with lots of sun, blue sky, and warblers galore. A fellow photographer showed me a cypress tree where an Orange-crowned Warbler had been hanging out for the past day or so. After capturing some images of this bird, a group of birdwatchers pointed out a Philadelphia Vireo, another bird I had never before seen. In addition to these two birds, I also captured many fine images of Magnolia Warblers, Wilson's Warblers (see photo), Chestnut-sided Warblers, and several other vireos (Red-eyed, and Solitary). Like many other days on this trip, I put in eleven hours in the field today, and look forward to doing the same tomorrow! Every person I meet along the boardwalk at Crane Creek tells me they think this is the most amazing place. Many come back every year. I plan to do so myself. Even when I am elderly and have a three-foot beard, I plan to come here and stalk the warblers from my wheelchair. No kidding: two days ago I saw a man in a wheelchair far out on the boardwalk, with a 500mm f/4 Canon lens specially mounted on his wheelchair. Wilson's Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH).

May 20 Tuesday	Early clouds gave rise to sunny skies at Crane Creek, allowing me to capture my very first photos of a Canada Warbler (shown below), as well as more fine images of Wilson's Warblers and Chestnut-sided Warblers. At the Sandusky eagle nest there was relatively little activity, and with the birds staying mostly in the shade, I was able to get few usable images. On the way back to the hotel I chanced upon a small, out-of-the-way park (Pickerel Creek WMA), where at one point I saw at least seven (!) bald eagles all at once (four perched and three or more in flight), some adult and some immature. Canada Warbler at Crane Creek State Park (OH). Photo taken with the Canon 600mm f/4 lens, hand-held!

May 21 Wednesday	Today was my last day at Crane Creek for this year. I spent the entire day slowly pacing the east end of the boardwalk, patiently stalking every warbler that ventured within 10 feet of the trail. Almost all of my shots were taken with the 400mm lens, as on many other days: the closeness of the boardwalk environs often renders longer focal lengths impractical. A crowd gathered near the sighting of a Golden-winged Warbler. I was pleased to be the first to sight both the male and female Golden-wing during that particular vigil, though the birds were so far from the boardwalk that photographing them was hardly practical -- as you can see from the shot below, the bird is small in the frame, and lacks feather detail, even at a focal length of 1200mm. My best shots of the day were of a Canada Warbler that foraged at the edge of the boardwalk for probably 20 minutes or so, and those of a Wilson's Warbler that I followed along the trail for maybe the same length of time. Golden-winged Warbler (female) at Crane Creek State Park (OH). The bird was too far away to capture any significant feather detail, even at 1200mm.

May 22 Thursday	Most of the day was spent driving back to Washington D.C. from Lake Erie. Upon arriving in the late afternoon I hit Riley's Lock again (on the Potomac River) to seek out the Prothonotary Warbler (which I found) and also to visit one of my old favorite birding spots -- Little Bennett Regional Park (in Clarksburg, MD). I obtained very few photos today. Red-eyed Vireo along the Potomac River (MD).

May 23 Friday	I again sought out the Prothonotary Warbler at Riley's Lock. Though I did find the bird and snapped a number of photos, my subject wasn't terribly cooperative. At least Kelsey got to swim for a bit in the Potomac, which always makes her happy. Little Bennett provided few photo ops as well. Although I did snap a few photos of a Yellow-breasted Chat (see below), the bird was far away and ended up being very small in the frame, even at 840mm. As you can see from the photo below, digitally enlarging the image results in poor image quality. In the afternoon after visiting some friends I made the horrendous drive back to Durham (NC). Yellow-breasted Chat at Little Bennett Regional Park (MD). (Note the poor image quality due to excessive digital zooming --- the bird was simply too far away)

May 24 Saturday	This is the final day of my 2008 Mid-Atlantic Bird Photography Tour. So far it has been a tremendous success, and I look forward eagerly to doing it all over next year. To finish off the Tour, I decided to try to get some more Prothonotary Warbler photos, this time along the shore of Jordan Lake in NC. While Kelsey swam in the lake I followed this individual around for several hours in a stagnant pool adjacent to the lake, wearing my hip-waders so that the bird could not easily escape me: Prothonotary Warbler on the shore of Jordan Lake (NC).

SUMMARY	This has been the longest, most productive (and enjoyable), and most physically taxing vacation I've ever taken. During the course of this spring I've photographed 30 species of warblers¹, most of them at Crane Creek State Park in Ohio. Crane Creek is now officially my favorite spot to photograph warblers. Even on a slow day in spring I can be sure that I'll find at least some species of warbler to photograph till my heart's content along the boardwalk at Crane Creek. In future years I plan to drive straight to Crane Creek and spend at least two weeks there in early May. For the benefit of those considering a trip to this site in future years, I have the following advice: Spend at least a week there. The variety and number of individuals present on any given day can vary considerably. Traditionally, the peak diversity / quantity has been around May 15th, though intense warbler activity can be seen as early as late April. Don't write off the rainly days --- one of my best days there was a day in which it rained constantly through the entire day. If you want to photograph the warblers, the best lens to use on the boardwalk is a 400mm lens with a close focus (i.e., a small "minimum focus distance"). Longer lenses (i.e., 500mm, 600mm, 800mm) can be useful in the parking lot, or very occasionally on the boardwalk in places where birds can be seen at a distance without intervening foliage, but the 400mm will see much more use than the longer lenses on the boardwalk. Take an umbrella, and some duct tape or other means of attaching it to your tripod. Rainy days can bring a fallout of warblers that you won't want to miss by staying in your hotel room. If you detest traffic, then do NOT drive through the Washington D.C. area on your way home... Please check back later for the final version of this page, which will feature the full photo-album of all photos taken during this trip (once I get around to processing them all...).

THE END!