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Birds As Art Bulletin 336
August 30, 2010

Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART, PO Box 7245  4041 Granada Drive, Indian Lake Estates, FL 33855.  Telephone: 863-692-0906.  Computer fax: 877- 265-6955
 
Visit: www.BIRDSASART.com
 
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BirdPhotographers.Net: Inspirational, Educational, & Fun.  Honest critiques done gently:  www.BirdPhotographers.Net (It Ain't Just Birds!)
 
The BIRDS AS ART BLOG: Great info with a personal touch, great images, and our legendary BAA educational captions:  www.BIRDSASART-Blog.com
 
FEATURES:
 
LONG ISLAND TRIP & JBWR/NICKERSON BEACH IPT REPORT
THE GROUP
IPT KUDOS
BOSQUE & SOCORRO SUPER 8 UPDATES
ALAN MURPHY�S "Guide to Songbird Set-up Photography"
DELKIN LPE6 BATTERY FOR THE CANON EOS 5D & 7D CAMERA BODIES
POSSE NEWS/TODD GUSTAFSON
THE BIRDS AS ART BLOG
HUNT'S SPECIALS
IPT DATE UPDATES
 
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are responding to a Bulletin via e-mail please take the time to delete all irrelevant text and images.  Thanks. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
American Oystercatcher, juvenile on bank of sand bar, Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/160 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. 
 
Most of the IPT group was on a very cooperative family of American Oystercatchers actively feeding along the edge of the surf.  We had been working them for about 15 minutes; just before one adult gave the alarm call and the group flew off this handsome bird of the year posed on the edge of a sand ridge for a few moments.  When photographing black and white birds in relatively constant light it is always best to work in manual mode once you have come up with a good exposure; that way you do not have to worry about how big or small in the frame the subject is or about how much the black or white is influencing the camera's meter....
 
LONG ISLAND TRIP & JBWR/NICKERSON BEACH IPT REPORT
 
I flew to Islip on Friday the 13th (yikes!) but made it safely to my daughter Alissa's house in Holbrook and then continued on to my Mom's (same town).  I stayed at my Mom's house through Sunday night before moving to a motel in Freeport.   My younger sister Arna and my Mom, soon to be 88 are both fine.  My Mom needs a walker (and always will) but is doing great after her very serious hip replacement replacement surgery last summer.  Each time that I visit I find that she has gotten a bit stronger. 
 
On Sunday morning (I think...) I photographed at Pike's Beach in Westhampton with Michael Lotito who would be with me for a private day later on that week.  We had fun with the Sanderlings and the turnstones but the beautiful juvenile Willets simply would not cooperate.  I had folks on private days on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.  These included Mike (above), old friend Dianne Heggie, Dan Greenburg, and two folks who arrived early for the IPT.  We had fun and they enjoyed the bagels on Merrick Road after the sessions while we reviewed some of the mornings images.  On Friday afternoon we did quite well at the north end of the East Pond with nice light and beautiful reflections.   On Monday I had picked up Denise Ippolito at her home in NJ and we had some good times both at Nickerson where she photographs often and at the East Pond where she had never been.  She liked it a lot.
 
I met the group early Saturday evening for nearly three hours of introductory work.  It was easy to tell right off the bat that everyone was eager to improve their skills.  We did some shorebird ID stuff, I reviewed the images that I had created earlier in the week at the two spots, and we did some Photoshop work.  We headed to Nickerson on Sunday morning and the weather turned bad fast.  (We had had nice weather all week and not too hot at that.)  Before long we had some rain to go along with the strong northeast winds.  Everyone however was game and we stuck it out enjoying some good chances with both adult and young Black Skimmers and Common Terns.  Since the light was so low we worked on creating some pleasing blurs.  That afternoon the tide looked good for the north end of the East Pond at JBWR and once again the rain got us.  Along with southeast winds gusting up to 40 mph.  But I was able to get the whole group seated in the mud right on top of a mixed flock of shorebirds that included Lesser Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, and a few peeps including adult White-Rumpeds and some adult and juvenile Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers.   As we sat with our backs to the wind a juvie Pectoral Sandpiper and some Stilt Sandpipers flew in and an adult Semipalmated Plover walked by.  There were dozens of peeps feeding in the grassy puddles but they did not join the flock to roost.  It was a thrill to me to be so close to so many loverly birds even though the light was dismal at best.    
 
 
Short-billed Dowitcher, juvenal plumage, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops set manually yielded a somewhat underexposed RAW file (as I was fighting to keep the ISO down and the shutter speed up). Fill flash at -3 stops with the Better Beamer. 
 
To get the bill sharp I would have had to use a much higher ISO and a much slower shutter speed neither of which I was anxious to do).  This image was skillfully optimized by Robert O'Toole. 
 
.....
 
On Monday morning we returned to Nickerson for more skimmers and terns, more wind, and more rain, but there were lots of opps for making good images and lots of opps for learning.  That afternoon we headed for the north end of the East Pond but I misread the wind and there were no birds there so we switched tracks and headed for the South Flats.  Pickings were slim there as the strong wind switched again this time to the north.  Some of us made our way through the mud and muck at the Raunt and on the way back to the cars we had some fun with the Mute Swans.  I opted to try and create some flash blurs of the large white swans that were feeding close to shore.  After a second great dinner at Danny's Szechuan Garden on Cross Bay Boulevard it began to pour as we headed back to the motel in Freeport. I am talking armegeddon.
 
 
Spotted Sandpiper, worn juvenile, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops set manually:  1/125 sec. at f/8.  
 
Clemens Vanderwerf and I were in deep muck with our 800s (there were four on the trip!) when this bird popped up onto a perfect perch.  I whispered to Clemens but he was unable to get on the bird while I fired off six frames.  
 
 
Mute Swan feeding, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 50. Evaluative metering +2 2/3 stops set manually: 1/8 sec. at f/14. Flash at 1:1 with the Better Beamer. 
 
I had to turn off Highlight Tone Priority to get down to ISO 50.  Having still to work at f/14 I knew that I would not be overexposing the image even with the flash at full power.  Flash blurs like this attempt to combine a motion blurred image from the ambient light with a sharp image from the flash.
 
.....
 
We spent all of day three at Nickerson as I knew that the East Pond would be flooded from the heavy rains.  The morning was great with terns and skimmers and oystercatchers.  The big excitement came when an adult Great Black-backed Gull grabbed a young skimmer, ripped it apart, and consumed it right in front of the group.  I am always amazed that folks are so upset when the see predators at work; if they were not successful they would be the ones to perish.  I see it as what is. Denise on the other hand was glad that she had gotten a ride back to NJ from her friend Michael Zajac and left early.  The group greatly appreciated her in-the-field help.  That afternoon we began with an adult and young black-backed posing next to each other and ended with several ridiculously tame oystercatchers feeding along the edge of the surf.  They were so tame that I left the 800 on the tripod and grabbed the 400 DO. 
 
 
Great Black-backed Gull dragging freshly killed skimmer, Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV.  ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +1 stop: 1/640 sec. at f/5.6 set manually.  Fill flash -3 stops with Better Beamer.  
 
Once the excitement died down I asked the group how many times they thought that I had moved my tripod while photographing the predation.  Most said three to six times.  The correct answer was "more than thirty."  I knew that the bird was concentrating on getting its meal so I moved often and freely to try to get into the best position for each image.   If you watch a good nature photographer work you will be amazed at how many times they move their rig while photographing the same situation.  Many folks stand in the same spot all day. Smile emoticon 
 
 
American Oystercatcher, juvenile in flight, Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 400mm f/4 IS DO lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV.  ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off an oystercatcher walking in the surf: 1/1250 sec. at f/4 set manually.
 
Walking along the edge of the surf hand holding the 400 DO it was easy to get low and frame the image as I wanted it.  When this young bird took flight I was able to create a pleasing flight image. Hand holding for flight and action when possible is the way to go.     
 
THE GROUP 
 
Oh what a wonderful group.  There were four IPT veterans.  Mike Goldhamer a doctor and skilled photographer from San Diego has been all over the globe with me.   Myer Bornstein, a physician from Boston with the classic "pahk the cah in Hahvaud Yahd" accent, is active on BPN.  He attended a JBWR IPT about a zillion years ago.  Dr. Richard Curtain has been on several SW FLA and Bosque IPTs plus a few that I am probably forgetting.  He is as soft spoken and gentle as anyone you will ever meet.  Clemens Vanderwerf is a Dutchman from Miami who makes a living moving large yachts.  You can check out his excellent work here.   It will be hard for you to believe that he has been doing bird photography for only six months.  He has been on two IPTs and has spent more than a few days learning from James Shadle on the Hooptie Deux as well.  He is living proof that with digital, folks who make a commitment to learn can do so quickly and be producing images of high technical and artistic quality in relatively short order.    
 
Newcomer John Snodgrass of Atlanta assured me in advance that he was a happy camper--heck, it was he who prompted the "What Makes a Happy Camper" feature.  He was indeed a very happy camper.  He was the beginner in the group, was eager to learn, stuck to me like glue, and bowled the group over during the critique session with a killer breaching Humpback Whale image.  Lastly but not leastly was Amano Samarpan who traveled from the UK to join me for several days. He is a regular visitor to India and he has done lots of bird photography there and in many different places including Tibet."
 
It was the two newcomers who provided the bulk of the entertainment for the IPT Smile emoticon.   John Snodgrass realized at some point that he had lost his wallet. He--along with those who were car-pooling with him--searched the entire car and ripped the trunk apart.  No luck.  He remained remarkably calm.  He went back to a store or two and eventually headed back to the parking lot near Jamaica Bay in early morning while the group went to Nickerson.   When he finally made it to the beach he had a big smile on his face.  He had hoped to find the wallet on the ground in the parking lot or perhaps where we had sat on that first afternoon but again, no luck.   When he got back to the lot he decided to re-enact everything that he has done that morning.  He made believe that he was putting on his yellow skins while leaning against the side of the back of the car.   He reached into his pocket for his imaginary wallet, took it out, and placed it behind him in the channel that the trunk closes into.  When he turned around there was the wallet exactly where he had placed it about 26 hours before. Everyone had been so busy looking in the trunk that nobody has seen the elusive wallet. You gotta love it.
 
Amano is about as laid-back a person as exists on the planet.  I would say to him, "Amano, you need to be at the car at 5:25 am sharp so that we can leave at 5:30.  (He was riding with Denise and me).  He would mosey on over from his room at about 5:33 and then take a few minutes putting his gear into the back seat.  I was having a bit of a hard time loving what is....   On the second morning I had gotten down on the ground to photograph some skimmers.   At about 10am it began to rain fairly hard so we all decided to head for the bagel shop.   When I got to the car I realized that my keys were lost.   I had placed them in a zippered vest pocket when we left the car early in the morning but Denise had borrowed them so that she could get her flash.  When she returned them I stuck them in a pants pocket....  Yikes.  So I turned around to walk more than a quarter mile through the sand and rain to the spot where I had gotten on the ground.   Amano and Mike were kind enough to join me in the search.  (I do not think that the others knew what was going on.)  We carefully searched my elephant wallow in the sand without success.   Mike and I decided to head down towards the surf where I had been sitting to photograph some Sanderlings.  Amano continued to search the disturbed sand.  We had barely walked ten yards when Amano called out, "I found them."  "How?" I asked.  "I was digging around in the sand with my foot."  Amazing.  No $150 cab ride to the Islip airport.  No $250 lost key fee from National Car Rental.  No lost afternoon for the IPT.  "Amano," I said, "you can be as late as you wish any time.  No more rushing on my account."
 
Despite the harsh weather the group was as cheerful as could be and was thus able to take advantage of a wide variety of learning situations while at the same time making some great images.   As a tour leader you gotta love that.
 
 
Yours truly in the wind, Nickerson Beach, LI, NY
Image courtesy of and copyright 2010: Myer Bornstein
 
This group gave me lots to smile about even with the challenging weather.
 
 
IPT KUDOS

An e-mail from John Snodgrass:
 
Hi Artie, The trip was wonderful in large part because you made it so. You were challenged with weather issues that did not compromise our objectives.  I learned a great deal and appreciate the personal instruction time with you.  I am not skilled to the degree that everyone else but still felt very much a part of the group.  I originally started photography as a  way of recording my children�s athletic events and then retired and found it to be a fun and rewarding hobby. My interest in the IPT was to further my skills and therefore my enjoyment.  I did both.  Thanks a ton.  John

And another from Clemens Vanderwerf:

Hi Artie, I just wanted to thank you again for a fun IPT.  We had difficult circumstances, but they enhanced the learning experience for sure. I greatly enjoyed your life story slideshow during the last dinner and really appreciated your openness. I learned a lot and we all made some great photos.  I am looking forward to seeing you again during the Bosque IPT in November. All the best for now.  Regards, Clemens.
 
 
Black Skimmer, juvenile with bill open, Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV.  ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops: 1/500 sec. at f/7.1.   
 
With this young bird angled slightly away from me a look-back head turn was needed to create a pleasing image.  The bird cooperated very nicely. The soft early morning light allowed me to work well off sun angle.
 
BOSQUE & SOCORRO SUPER 8 UPDATES
 
The word on the street is that there is a better than decent crop of corn coming up at Bosque right now, much of it close to the tour loop road.  After the past few dismal seasons that is great news indeed. Gary Rouleau will again be leading a hardy group of "Bosque Open Windows" volunteers to ensure your viewing pleasure this upcoming season.  He is the head animal; his gang works like dogs and gets tons done.  I founded the program three years ago and hope to be able to get out there to lend a hand this year. 
 
For more than a decade Louise Darnell of the Socorro Super 8 has been providing a great place to stay for visiting photographers with the earliest breakfast in town to go with the clean rooms, good internet services, and wonderful hospitality.  In addition Louise has--over the years--generously supported both the NANPA scholarship students and the "Bosque Open Windows" volunteer program by providing complimentary lodging for dozens of students and volunteers.  Though it is likely that the Super 8 will be changing hands fairly soon, the motel is and will be open. At present, you can make your reservations anytime by calling 1-575 835 4626.  If any place deserves your business, the Socorro Super 8 is it.
 
There are only three slots left on this year's Bosque IPT:
 
BOSQUE del APACHE 2010 IPT: �The Complete Bosque Experience.�NOV 20-26, 2010.  Slide program on the evening of Friday, NOV 19.  7-FULL DAYS:  $3199.  (Non-refundable deposit: $500; see details below.) Limit: 10/Openings: 3.  Co-leaders: Robert O�Toole, Jim Heupel, and multiple BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year honoree Chris Van Rooyen of South Africa (/www.wildlifephotography.co.za/).  Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world's premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet.  Plus great co-leaders and top-notch Photoshop instruction. Please see terms and deposit info below in IPT UPDATES.
 
 
Common Tern juvenile, Nickerson Beach, Lido Beach, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV.  ISO 800.  Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/200 sec. at f/8.   
 
Before the IPT began, we had some sweet early morning light.  The young terns are much more skittish than the young skimmers.  Here I borrowed some canvas from the frame just before this one and added it to give the bird more room in front.   Note the perfect head angle here.  For my "Easy as Pie" head angle quiz, check out this thread in BPN's Eager to Learn Forum here.  You will get a good laugh just from reading the thread and if you follow the links you will learn a ton.   

ALAN MURPHY�S "Guide to Songbird Set-up Photography"

Just about one year ago I attended a slide program done by Alan Murphy.  I was so amazed by the songbird set-up tips that he revealed that I urged him to do a CD Guide on the subject.   We collaborated on wound up printing 5,000 copies of the CD.   In well less than one year that initial printing is almost sold out and the very great likelihood is that there will not be a second printing.  We will instead go to a download system.   If you would like to have your hands on the actual CD and the beautiful CD cover you need to consider ordering now Smile emoticon

 

The book is lavishly illustrated not only with Alan�s killer images but with dozens and dozens of step-by-step photos that will show you exactly how to create your own successful set-ups. The writing is clear and concise and the directions are easy to follow and inclusive.   As Alan shows in the book, even if you have only a small backyard, or even just a patio or a balcony, he can help you to create some stunning avian images on a consistent basis.

 

The professionally designed, packaged, and burned CD will not be available for long.  It sells for $50 plus $3.00 shipping and handling to US addresses. Shipping to Canada is $6.00, $8.00 for all foreign orders.  Florida residents will need to add 7% sales tax ($3.50) to the cost of the CD only. You can send us a PayPal, call us at 863-692-0906 with a credit card in hand, or the CD from the BAA On-line Store (with secure credit card data transmission) by clicking here:  Alan Murphy's "Guide to Songbird Set-up Photography.  (Note: Shipping charges with BAA On-line Store orders will likely vary by small amounts from those noted above.)

 

Below are two of Alan's recent set-up creations.

 

 
Painted Bunting, TX
Image copyright 2010/Alan Murphy Photography

 

 

Snow Bunting, AK
Image copyright 2010/Alan Murphy Photography  
 
DELKIN LPE6 BATTERY FOR THE CANON EOS 5D & 7D CAMERA BODIES

The Delkin LPE6 rechargeable lithium-ion battery is designed and manufactured according to original Canon specifications and ratings and is guaranteed to be 100% compatible with Canon LPE6 compliant cameras and chargers. This �smart� battery communicates exact charge time remaining, the number of shots taken, and battery performance/lifetime for optimal conditioning. It is rated at 1600mAh and 7.2V to provide you with a longer run time between charges, and backed by Delkin's 2 year warranty. 

High quality cells and advanced manufacturing standards produce a battery that will deliver significantly more charge cycles over time and more power per charge. Since Delkin�s rechargeable batteries are not hindered by a memory effect, you can charge your battery at any given point at any stage in the charge cycle without causing damage to the cells.  Order yours now by calling us at 863-692-0906 or sending a PayPal:  $59.99 plus $6 shipping to the US, $8 to Canada, and $10 for all foreign orders.  All shipping is per order not per battery Smile emoticon

Mute Swan flapping after bath, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/2000 sec. at f/6.3. 
 
Both Canada Goose and Mute Swan are often ignored as potential photographic subjects.  Though I am not a fan of introduced species like Mute Swan, I do not hesitate to both photograph them and use them as teaching aids. When you see either species dipping their breasts in the water, get ready to create some dramatic images as they will almost always rise up out of the water and flap for all they are worth.
 

POSSE NEWS/TODD GUSTAFSON

 

 

 

Resplendent Quetzal, Savegre, Costa Rica  Image copyright 2010/Todd Gustafson/Gustafson Photo Safari
 

GUSTAFSON PHOTO SAFARI: Costa Rica 10 day Photo Adventure 2010/Leaving the US: November 29, 2010 returning December 8: $4,200.00 double occupancy.

Travel with Gustafson Photo Safari (GPS) for their 8th trip to beautiful Costa Rica.  Tropical photo subjects abound in diverse habitats that include rainforest, cloud forest, and wetlands.  Expert GPS guides put us face to face with 2 and 3 toed sloth, toucans, and colorful frog species including poison dart frogs and the iconic red-eyed tree frog.  Rain forests and wetlands are filled with exotic birds and the cloud forest is home to the incomparable resplendent Quetzal.  Bring your biggest lens and your macro!!  Experience 10 days of action packed photography in the most dramatic locations at the exact right time with a great leader.   You can experience Costa Rica with Todd on video here.

To request a full color PDF for either Costa Rica or Tanzania send an e-mail to gustaphoto@aol.com.  Read a new interview with Todd here.  And check out Todd's impressive promotional video here.  Get yourself a copy of Todd's "A Photographer's Guide to the Safari Experience" here.   If you need any additional info, e-mail Todd at gustaphoto@aol.com or call him on his cell at 1-847-373-5622.

 

 

 

 

Anhinga, Cano Negro, Costa Rica

Image copyright 2010/Todd Gustafson/Gustafson Photo Safari

 

 

Emerald Toucanette, La Paz, Costa Rica

Image copyright 2010/Todd Gustafson/Gustafson Photo Safari

 

THE BIRDS AS ART BLOG 

I do hope that all of you are following the blog and enjoying the Galapagos journal entries.  I am up to Day 8/Puerto Ayora: tortoises and landbirds (August 27).  Do take a moment to let me know which of the two tortoise head portraits you like best (and why) by checking out the August 28th entry here.  

 

 

 

 

 

Black Skimmer pre-dawn blur, Nickerson Beach, LI, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 2500.  Evaluative metering +2 2/3 stops in Tv Mode: 1/15 sec. at f/5.6.       
 
As the group headed down to the beach on our first morning at Nickerson I explained that it always pays to be ready for the most likely situation.  As it was just getting light, I explained how I set up in Tv Mode with ISO Safety Shift enabled.  We were barely off the wooden walk-way when a flock of skimmers blasted off.  Being prepared for the most likely scenario allowed me to create this pleasingly blurred image of the swirling flock. 
 
HUNT'S SPECIALS

When comparison shopping, be sure to contact Gary Farber for price quotes on digital cameras, Canon and Nikon lenses, software, and printers and inks: call 781-462-2332 to speak to Gary directly or e-mail him at digitalguygary@wbhunt.com

IPT UPDATES

 

BOSQUE del APACHE 2010 IPT: �The Complete Bosque Experience.�NOV 20-26, 2010.  Slide program on the evening of Friday, NOV 19.  7-FULL DAYS:  $3199.  (Non-refundable deposit: $500; see details below.) Limit: 10/Openings: 3.  Co-leaders: Robert O�Toole, Jim Heupel, and multiple BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year honoree Chris Van Rooyen of South Africa (/www.wildlifephotography.co.za/).  Live, eat, and breathe photography with one of (if not the) world's premier photographic educators at one of his very favorite locations on the planet.  Plus great co-leaders and top-notch Photoshop instruction. Please see terms and deposit info below. 

 

SAN DIEGO IPT  JAN 19-23, 2011.  Slide program on the evening  of JAN 18.   5 Full Days: $2399  (Limit 8/Opening 7) Brown Pelicans in spectacular breeding plumage with their bright red bill pouches, Wood and Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Western, California, and Heerman's Gulls, Marbled Godwit, and lots, lots more.  Please see terms and deposit info below.
 
SW FLA PRESIDENT'S WEEK IPT: FEB 18-23, 2011.  Slide program on the evening  of FEB 17. 6 Full Days: 2899.  (Limit 10/Openings 8).  Escape winter's icy grip to enjoy a wide array of Florida's tame birds: herons, egrets, Wood Stork, shorebirds, gulls, terns, skimmers, raptors, and more.  Please see terms and deposit info immediately below:
 
Terms and deposit info:
 
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to hold a spot fn the above IPTs. Deposits may be paid by check, PayPal, or credit card.  Payment in full (by check or money order only) is due four months before the start of each trip and is non-refundable unless the IPT sells out.  You will be required to sign a statement of understanding to this effect.   Travel insurance is of course highly recommended.  Travel Insurance Services offers a variety of plans and options.  Included with the Elite Option or available as an upgrade to the Basic & Plus Options is Cancel for Any Reason Coverage that expands the list of reasons for your canceling to an infinite list from a sudden work or family obligation to a simple change of mind.  My family and I use and depend on the great policies offered by TIS whenever we travel.  You can learn more here:  http://www.travelinsure.com/what/selecthigh.asp?3294 .  Do note that many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance within 14 days of our cashing your deposit check or running your credit card.  Travel insurance protects you against unexpected developments, injuries, or illnesses.  We regret that we must implement this new policy but we have been plagued by last minute cancellations that make it impossible for others to participate and deprive us of essential income. 
 
Important note: please print, fill out, and sign  the registration and release forms and include them with your deposit check (made out to "Arthur Morris." )  If you use a credit card to register, please fill out, sign, and mail the forms asap.  Your registration will not be complete until we receive your paper work.  You can find the forms here: http://www.birdsasart.com/Registration%20and%20Release%20Forms.pdf. 
 
2010 & 2011 Galapagos Photo Cruise of a Lifetime IPTs/The Complete Galapagos Photographic Experience: July 2010 & July 2011: two weeks on the boat (Limits: 12/Sold out).
 
If you are a happy camper and would like to have your name(s) placed on a waiting list or either the 2010 or 2011 trip or on the the seriously interested list for the 2012 trip, please e-mail us at birdsasart@att.net
 
ROBERT O'TOOLE PHOTOGRAPHY HOMER BALD EAGLE INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTO-TOUR WITH ARTHUR MORRIS/BIRDS AS ART.  March 18-22, 2011 & March 24-28.  5-FULL DAYS: $3249.  Limit: 12 (including the leaders/sold out).  Both of these trips sold out with long waiting lists within hours after being announced to the BAA Friends List.  The Friends List consists of IPT veterans who fit in the happy camper category.  If you have been on an IPT and would like your name added to the BAA Friends List, please e-mail me at birdsasart@att.net and include a short note. 
 
 
Semipalmated Sandpiper, worn, molting adult, East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens, NY
Image copyright 2010/Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART
 
Canon 800mm f/5.6L IS lens with the 1.4X II TC and the EOS-1D MIV. ISO 400.  Evaluative metering +2/3 stop: 1/320 sec. at f/11 set manually.   
 
To learn the basics of ageing and identifying the regularly occurring North American shorebird species get a copy of my Shorebirds; Beautiful Beachcombers.  It is going out of print after press runs with two different publishers and we have only a few boxes of twenty left.  
 
Best and great picture-making,
 
artie
 
Note: Arthur Morris has been a paid Canon contract photographer, part of the Explorers of Light program, since 1996 and continues in that role today.  Hunt's Photo of Boston, MA is a BAA sponsor as is Delkin Devices.  Back issues of all BAA Bulletins can be found in the Bulletin Archives that may be accessed here: http://www.birdsasart.com/bn.html
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