I have recently taken a class by Frans Lanting through Creative Live. Great class and great instructor. I took many things from the class but one key items was to pick a spot close and learn that area. Go back often because the landscape is always different and wildlife is seasonal so you will always see something new. My spot has become Contra Loma Regional Park. I really started to spend time there a couple of years back because it was a great place for me to begin to learn how to photograph birds. Since that time, I go back at least three times a week. It is so close. Each time I go, I see something new or learn something new about the park.
We have major wildfires throughout the state of California. Most areas north of San Francisco are suffering from very smokey skies. Although the wildfires are doing so much damage, the smoke from those fires have the effect of a sky wide light diffuser. I decided to head out to the park to see if there were any pictures to be made. I arrived at the park early so the temperature was mild and there was no wind. That is quite the rarity for this time of the year. Because of that, there was actually quite a lot of critter activity. I must have seen at least 20 Green Herons in various states of maturity alone. There was the usual Mallards, Canada Geese, and park ducks but I also saw a Sora, Great Blue Heron, Caspian Tern, Snowy Egret, and a Black-crowned Night Heron. There were also at least 30 Turkey Vultures perched in the trees. So there were plenty of photographing opportunities. I would encourage anyone interested in photography to find your "spot". Learn all you can about it. And take lots of pictures. You never know what you will get.
Below are a few of my favorite shots from today's outing.
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron in flight
Juvenile Green Heron and reflection
Foster's Tern in Flight
Sora