finally took a trip down to the Ridgefield NWR today... first time i'd been there, though i've wanted to at least check it out for the last couple of years. as a place, given its purpose, it's impressive. as a photo location, not so much. while we saw lots of birds, the vast majority were much to far away to be of any interest for photography, though i did snap a few long-range shots just for documentary purposes. about the only shots i got that were close enough to be worthwhile as photos were of a pair of cinnamon teals and a mourning dove...
this kestrel flew by, probably 75 yards out... heavily cropped image, just for ID purposes...
we saw an egret out in one of the marshes being harassed by a blackbird... it finally got sufficiently disgusted with the whole thing and took off, with the blackbird in hot pursuit...
additional sightings, which did not yield photographs for reasons of distance and/or lighting, included some turkey buzzards, brown creepers, marsh wrens, what i believe was a black tern, a scrub jay, some harriers, eagles, and hawks, and lots of blackbirds and swallows. my overall impression of the place was that it'd be great if you could make a 1200mm lens small and portable enough to carry around, but short of that, it's probably a place best left for simple observation. i've satisfied my curiosity, and probably won't go back, unless i happen to be in the area anyway and have an afternoon to kill...
this kestrel flew by, probably 75 yards out... heavily cropped image, just for ID purposes...
we saw an egret out in one of the marshes being harassed by a blackbird... it finally got sufficiently disgusted with the whole thing and took off, with the blackbird in hot pursuit...
additional sightings, which did not yield photographs for reasons of distance and/or lighting, included some turkey buzzards, brown creepers, marsh wrens, what i believe was a black tern, a scrub jay, some harriers, eagles, and hawks, and lots of blackbirds and swallows. my overall impression of the place was that it'd be great if you could make a 1200mm lens small and portable enough to carry around, but short of that, it's probably a place best left for simple observation. i've satisfied my curiosity, and probably won't go back, unless i happen to be in the area anyway and have an afternoon to kill...