Killdeer — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 with +2/3 stop EV, ISO 640.

Killdeer — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/320 sec. at f/5.6 with +2/3 stop EV, ISO 640.

Red Knot — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/400 sec. at f/5.6 with +1 stop EV, ISO 320.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/500 sec. at f/5.6 with +1 stop EV, ISO 320.

American Golden-Plover — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS. 1/1250 sec. at f/4 with +1 stop EV, ISO 640.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/400 sec. at f/5.6 with +1 stop EV, ISO 320.

Willet (Western) — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 with +1 stop EV, ISO 500.

Lesser Yellowlegs — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS. 1/400 sec. at f/4 with +1 stop EV, ISO 640.

Semipalmated Sandpiper — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 with +2/3 stop EV, ISO 400.

White-rumped Sandpiper — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/2500 sec. at f/5.6 with +1/3 stop EV, ISO 320.

Pectoral Sandpiper — Canon 7D, 600mm f/4 L IS, 1.4x TC II. 1/2000 sec. at f/5.6 with +1/3 stop EV, ISO 320.

A couple of images from Higbee Beach:

After birding all the usual areas of Cape Island my first day (the meadows, higbee, etc) I decided to explore other areas outside of Cape Island, first on the list was Nummy Island. I’m not going to lie, photography on Nummy Island is not only challenging, it’s nearly impossible. Birding Nummy Island consists of driving along a single road (where traffic travels at approximately 50 mph), then pulling off on the side to watch the birds. The marsh had many herons and egrets and I even picked up a Whimbrel for my life list! I was lucky enough to have a mixed flock of shorebirds (Short-billed Dowitchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Plover, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin) land directly in front of where my vehicle was parked on the side of the road. In order to get the following shots I had to walk down into the marsh which I have been told is perfectly fine. Notes: Parking on the side of the road could be dangerous if one isn’t paying attention to the traffic. There were also some areas down in the marsh where you could easily fall into or get a boot sucked down into the mud, so be careful if you try it.

After spending an hour or two at Nummy Island, I proceeded on to Stone Harbor Point. Stone Harbor Point was an incredible experience. It was a massive beach with very, very few people on it and scattered with hundreds, if not thousands of Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers. Following are a few images from the series:

On my way home towards NYC, I stopped off at Heislerville area to do some final shore birding and to check on a previously reported Curlew Sandpiper. Upon entering the Heislerville area, there were simply thousands of shorebirds on almost every beach and mudflat that I checked. After studying one flock of probably 2 to 3 thousand shorebirds, the previously reported Curlew Sandpiper made an appearance. Sadly, I was not able to get a photo as there was a banding operation going on in the same mudflat and I did not want to spook the birds away, but it was well worth the trip to add a Curlew Sandpiper to my life list.

I will certainly be returning to Cape May next Spring and perhaps even later this year in the fall. If you can make it to Cape May, you won’t be disappointed.

Following is a list of birds seen during the few hours I spent at the park:

• Brant (Atlantic)
• Canada Goose
• Mute Swan
• Gadwall
• American Wigeon
• American Black Duck
• Mallard
• Northern Shoveler
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Black-crowned Night-Heron
• Killdeer
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Laughing Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• Rock Pigeon
• Mourning Dove
• Downy Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
• American Crow
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Tree Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Carolina Wren
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Hermit Thrush
• American Robin
• Northern Mockingbird
• European Starling
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Pine Warbler
• Prairie Warbler
• Palm Warbler
• Field Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Northern Cardinal
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• American Goldfinch
• House Sparrow

There were several Piping Plovers (10) on the North Shore of Sandy Hook, but only one was displaying courtship behavior. The single bird below seemed to be a bit of an outcast from the rest of the group and preferred to be on its own and was quite friendly!

Hermit Warblers are typically found in mature coniferous forests of the west coast (California, Oregon, Washington) and spend most of their time at the tops of some of the world’s tallest trees. That being said, they are more often heard than seen and it’s not very often (or ever) that one is seen on the ground; on Long Island; in December.

This particular bird is thought to be a young female based on plumage. The New York State Avian Records Committee will have the final and official word on the bird, but if it is accepted by the organization, then it will be the first record of a Hermit Warbler in New York State!

“Quit trying to find beautiful objects to photograph. Find the ordinary objects so you can transform it by photographing it.”

I believe this quote is a fantastic piece of advice that more photographers need to think about and understand. Now that photographers can shoot digitally, there is no reason not to experiment and test ideas, rather than waiting or searching for the perfect photo opportunity. My typical workflow is to find a bird (or scene) that I want to photograph, set up my gear, then wait for the shot I’m trying to get. However, after paying more attention to this quote and ideology, I have taken several photographs that I normally wouldn’t have.

The following image of a Louisiana Waterthrush perching on a fence in Central Park is a perfect example of using this advice. Bird photographers, myself included, tend to not press the shutter when a bird is on a man made object. I’m glad I did because I believe it is a powerful image that illustrates man’s impact on birds and wildlife.

The next two images are images that I took even though I wasn’t happy with the lighting and environments. I typically wouldn’t have even set up to shoot either of these shots, however I think they turned out well.

Look around you, there are great photo opportunities anywhere you live. You don’t need to live near Yosemite National Park to make beautiful images like Ansel Adams.

On Saturday, I traveled to Sandy Hook which turned out to be a fairly slow day due to northwest winds the night before. Even though there weren’t many new species, I was able to practice my shorebird and beach photography techniques on some not very cooperative birds. First up were the American Oystercatchers who seem to be a reliable bird at Sandy Hook so far. There were at least 5 different individuals, but only one was cooperative and feeding. The others tended to fly around and were extremely vocal. Following is my favorite Oystercatcher shot of the day:

I then came across a pair of Laughing Gulls who were extremely difficult to approach. I was only able to shoot them for a few minutes or so before they decided they had enough and took off.

I have been eager to see one of these birds for two years, ever since I moved to the New York City area. Shortly after my previous visit to Sandy Hook, I was told the beach location of where there were a few pairs nesting. A week later and first thing bright and early Saturday morning, I made my way to the beach. It was extremely windy and cold – not exactly what you would call a leisurely stroll along the beach. However a life bird was in my grasp; nothing was going to stop me (except not finding them). I walked up and down the beach for a solid 30-40 minutes exactly where I was told and saw nothing but sand whipping by my face. I decided to head back to my vehicle and try another location, but to my surprise I saw a tiny fluff ball dug into the ground as grains of sand sped by. I was finally looking at a Piping Plover and was able to add a tick to my life list. I decided to set up my camera gear and try to get some shots.

After the wind decreased to a manageable amount and I wasn’t paranoid of getting sand in my gear, I was able to get down on the ground and watch these birds in action. These birds are active and fast, so working at close range is difficult. I always prefer to be laying on the ground with shorebirds. They respond better (less nervous) and when you’re on the ground you can’t actively chase them. I prefer this method of laying and waiting rather than chasing because the birds behave more naturally and I have the peace of mind to know that I’m not disturbing them in their daily activities. If you position yourself in a good location (paying attention to lighting and foraging opportunities), you can get two completely different settings without even moving. Compare the two following images, both were shot from the exact same location, however both convey two very different images.

When you are working with threatened or endangered birds, it’s even more critical to be cautious. If you notice the bird(s) standing upright frequently and looking at you every few seconds, it’s a clear indicator that the bird is uncomfortable. As a photographer you should be able to read the bird and know when you’re too close and when the bird is going to simply fly away. Try to avoid flushing the bird at all costs, not only do you lose your photographic opportunity, but you also are potentially disturbing the bird. Patience, reading and understanding the bird will allow you to get close enough to get some beautiful shots of your subject.

In closing, I have put together a few tips for photographing Piping Plovers:

• Use extra caution – these birds are threatened and endangered. Sacrifice a shot if it means not disturbing the bird.
• They’re fast – chasing them won’t get you anywhere. This is a species where sitting and waiting for them to come to you will likely yield the best results.
• Get low – shorebirds typically photograph best when you’re near their eye level. You don’t need to lay on your stomach, but bending down rather than standing up will give better shots.

I started the morning off fairly early at around 7:30am and within 30 seconds of stepping outside of my vehicle I had some beautiful looks at a Peregrine Falcon flying fairly low overhead. I then proceeded to investigate the dunes and North Pond, then made my way out towards the shore at the north end. I was greeted with a pair of American Oystercatchers who seemed to be teasing me. My first attempt at approaching them was terribly unsuccessful. I didn’t get within 200 feet before they flew. This demonstrated to me how rusty I was since I hadn’t been seriously birding in months. I should have been able to read the signs that they were giving me (high posture, head movement, etc.) that I was approaching too quickly and not low enough. I hate flushing birds simply because I was trying to approach closer and I am usually more careful than that. Lesson learned. I tried to relocate the Oystercatchers for 15 minutes or so, then gave up.

There wasn’t a lot in terms of variety on the shore that I could see through the thick fog, so I started making my way back inland to where the fog wasn’t as thick. Just as I was probably 50 feet inland from the shore, I heard the “wheeps” behind me. I turned around and there they were, closer than before. I pulled out my 600mm, set up and got low. I let them feel a little bit of comfort then slowly moved closer. They were much more relaxed this time and carrying on with normal feeding behavior. Here is a shot from the series:

After about 50 frames of the Oystercatchers and 20 minutes with them, a fisherman with a Point and Shoot came walking up near them to try to get a “shot.” Needless to say, they flew, just like my first attempt. Feeling accomplished with the series I got of the Oystercatchers I headed back away from the shore to a flooded lot by my vehicle. This location had a Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, the previous Stilt Sandpiper, two Killdeer, and a Wilson’s Snipe. Here is a shot of the Lesser Yellowlegs:

Having my fill of shorebirds for the morning, I decided to check out some other locations on the peninsula. Further south is a location which I believe is called the “Faux Hook”. It turned out to be a nice spot and I found a beautiful singing Song Sparrow and a set of Great Egrets hunting.

Before calling it a day, I decided to head back to the shore one last time and was rewarded with hundreds of Northern Gannets, which actually was the third life bird on the day for me. It was great watching these birds smash into the water in pursuit of fish.

Overall, Sandy Hook turned out to be a phenomenal birding location and I plan on spending a lot of time there in the coming months. In my opinion, it ranks right up there with Jamaica Bay in my experiences so far. The target bird for my next trip down to the Hook is definitely the Piping Plover – another life bird if I can find one.