This week I was determined to get to The Riparian Preserve at Gilbert. It is a long drive and requires a really early start, but it is the best place I know for my type of photography. It is particularly special at this time of year because the migrant birds start to appear. Every year at this time I struggle to maintain a consistent number of successful shots - during the summer my photography is tailored for the intense heat and so I avoid being outdoors - as the autumn starts I find that my stealth, rather than my photographic technique, needs to be relearned. I watch the warblers in the hedgerow, I see glimpses of yellows, golds and oranges but when I try to approach I only succeed in scaring the birds away! At this time I return to the old faithfuls: The Art of Bird Photography - by Arthur Morris, The Guide to Wildlife Photography - by B. Moose Peterson, Photographing Wild Birds - by Chris Gomersall. These classic books help to cement the methods of approach in my mind. Of course, it does not help that The Riparian Preserve has gravel paths, so skittish birds are never easy to approach if you are carrying the kit that I carry. However the tips that these books provide are invaluable.
Here are some of the shots from today - including a shot of a yellow warbler (often seen but never photographed) from a large crop and a Black Phoebe who was only happy to throw me an over-the-shoulder look!
Aberts Towhee
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