Tuesday, October 6, 2009

A Distraction From Birding...

Just about my favorite photo of a Black-and-White Warbler, I love the circle of light around his bill.

How can I say 'Distraction from birding' when these are all photos of birds? Well, I've been working on updating a photo presentation on Photodex' ProShow 4 for the past few weeks. Though I should have done it long ago, I was hoping for that last minute 'amazing' shot that would shock and awe everyone in my audience(that would be the Doodles and my cat, Heidi) but, it never came. I'm still pleased with the outcome.

So I went back to trying to pick my favorites with quite a few added from this year, I'm happy to say! I'll be giving this presentation at the Southwest Camera Club's meeting on October 19th at the Rocky River Nature Center in Cleveland's Metropark system. If you're in the area, I could use the moral support! Showing my pics to my fellow birders is easy, showing them to other photographers that will undoubtedly criticize them scares me.

I hope at least one person attending will be sparked into going birding and joining our cause to save our feathered friends!

In the meantime, enjoy a few of my very favorite birds...

The Chestnut-sided Warbler is the Warbler that first got my heart pumping about Magee Marsh
and them little warbly things!

Not the best Black-throated Green Warbler shot I have, but he has personality!

Look at the stream lined shape of this Magnolia Warbler.
Isn't it amazing how far such small, light birds can migrate? I am in awe of them all.

No show would be complete without my buddy, the Gray Catbird!
My "Good Morning " friend has left for the winter, but he'll be back again in the spring and have another successful brood in our garden!

We saw this Great Blue Heron on our January mini-vacation to Florida.
Free plane tickets are a wonderful thing!

This Indigo Bunting was so busy finding food for his fledglings, he didn't seem to mind me aiming my lens his way.

This Hooded Merganser was in California at a nature preserve that I can't remember right now.
Doodles, wake up!!

By far, my favorite Red-tailed Hawk photo!
He's a 'guest' at the Medina Raptor Center.

Royal Tern or Peter Boyle reincarnated?

This cute little Veery at Magee Marsh during the Migration Madness didn't care a wit about his audience.

The high point of last winter was finding this White-winged Crossbill, not an everyday sight in northeastern Ohio!

This Black-bellied Plover is from the group of birds that sparked my obsession of birding and photographing them. This was on our trip to visit Laurie's...oops...the Doodles, Aunt Ginnie and Uncle Bruce on Sanibel Island, Florida.
They are great birders and cemetery searchers and taught us a lot during our visit with them. I don't think they quite realized what they were starting with me!
I owe them a big thank you!

6 comments:

  1. Good Luck Dave! You will WOW them with your photos and your enthusiasm for all things birdy.

    Don't forget to include some of you wonderful shots of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper "waving" at Conneaut. I think they are my favorite.

    Best, Cheryl

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  2. Good luck for this presentation Dave, but I know you will do well!
    I'm speechless in front of the numbers of warblers you have and in front of the quality of the pictures. So many good shots of them you have... I love the hooded-merganser and the indigo bunting... These are beautiful shots of beautiful birds! Well done!

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  3. Greetings from rainy Southern England! Good luck with the presentation, on the same date I will be faced by lots of important people when helping out with a conference/event to celebrate our new South Downs National Park - I share your nerves!
    Love to photo of the Red-Tailed Hawk.
    All the best
    Sophie May
    P.S. My last name is also Lewis - although surely un-related its nice to see we seem to share the say 'Lewis sence of humour'!!

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  4. I know your presentation will be great, and the photos and commentary enthusiastic enough to entice more to this fantastic hobby!

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  5. Good luck, Dave! I'd start with the Peter Boyle impersonation. Once you have them rolling in the aisles with your funnies no one would think to criticize (not they would anyway, because your bird photos are beautiful). I love the Indigo Bunting...it is beautiful surrounded by the Queen Anne's Lace. And that rare White-winged Crossbill is sure to win them over. They actually made it all the way down to Cincy last winter and I saw them!! I bet you convert a few and bring them into the flock. Have fun!!

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  6. Wonderful photos Warren! I'm sure you'll do great w/ your presentation.

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