Hi guys! I can't wait to see some pics from your outing today! I wish I could have gone, but I was shooting 9+10 yo football today and throwing a party for my little fella's third birthday! I had a fun day, too.
Bob, I hope you enjoy your trip there tomorrow. I have not yet tried it. Be sure to show us some of your pics.
I had a great time with you guys as well. You never know what you're going to see down there. I identified our mystery water fowl.....A Hooded Merganser. Apparently his crest can be raised or lowered. We saw it in the up position!
Great shots, Gary. Beautiful duck, Todd. I got out to H.L. Huie before sunrise and shot a GBH before the sun rose. Egrets all over the place. Nobody else was there all morning. Went to the wetlands preserve and got some GBH shots and my first Carolina Wren. Here are two From H.L. Huie:
Alright you guys, I'm wanting to go to the Watershed now. All these great photos. Bob, If that egret got much closer you wouldn't have been able to focus on him. Great shot. Glad you didn't try to climb that tree too. Todd I would love to have gotten that shot of the Hooded Merganser. Wouldn't have expected them to be there and Gary what lens did you use for those great close ups?
I have been in Florida for the past two weekends but plan to join in on the Smokies outing. The fall colors should be near peak. Didn't get to do much photography at all while in Florida but here is a shot taken in front of "Picketts" a gift shop in Seagrove Beach, FL.
Also, how is the light at E L Huie late afternoon? I may try to find this when I am in that area sometime during this week. I would be just off I-675 near Conley so I think it would be pretty close to there.
Hi guys. The family and I tried to find this place today, but all we had to go on was that it was about 15 min south of the farmers market. I can't find directions for it on the internet...Can someone please tell me where Huie is?
Thanks!
Tracey: Here are directions, as listed at the Atlanta Audubon Society's website:
Directions: Take I-75 south beyond I-285 to US 19/41 (Tara Blvd., exit 235); drive south for 8.2 miles to Freeman Rd. and turn left. The Clayton County Authority office is a quarter-mile down Freeman Rd. on the right. The pond complex is across the street. Call the Wetlands Center for information about birding at both sites: 770-603-5606.
What those directions leave out is: When you go down Freeman Rd. for that quarter mile, then take your first LEFT.....go for just a little ways then take another LEFT into the entrance to the pond complex. Once you're in the pond complex, it's easy, easy, easy from there.
Well....I think we were well-represented at Huie this weekend.
Bob, you certainly came back with some impressive "keepers"....I'm glad you had a good day there today. Like Grant, I'm puzzled how you got that close to the Egret....You weren't in costume, were you?...hehe.
Todd, Gary....All your images from Saturday remind me of why going on such shoots is so rewarding for me. I can't help but learn from you. Great work, guys. And....the comraderie wasn't so bad, either.
Grant, Tracey...I encourage you both to explore this incredible setting for capturing quite a variety of waterfowl.
As for my own images from the day, lots has interferred with my sorting and PS'ing efforts, but alas, the first image has emerged. Who knows, more may follow....Enjoy:
Greg, that's a female Northern Shoveler. Nice action shot. Lets see now thats - Egrets, Herons, Shovelers, Merganzers, Lizzards, Honey Bees and an assortment of birds. I am definitely going.
Hi Greg. Thanks for the directions! We drove all over the place down there and asked directions at a couple of hotels and convenience stores-no one had heard of it. I can't wait to give it a try. I wish that I had ben able to go with you guys-like you say, it is such a learning experience.
I love your shot of the Northern Shoveler-what great timing!!
Todd, that was the original. The sun had not yet illuminated the GBH, but the water in the BG was much brighter. I just moved the sliders in PS when converting from raw to properly expose the heron, thus overexposing the water. It might be a more pleasing shot if I cloned out a couple of pieces of debris from the water and then changed it to a nice shade of blue, but that wouldn't be what the camera saw.
Grant...Thanks for the I.D., and for the kind words. And...I'm glad you're going to be joining us in the Smokies!
Tracey.....Hope the directions help....And, thanks for your kind words, as well. Shooting inflight shots is a humbling experience...at least when you sit where I do on the learning curve.
Well E L Huie offers a great array of shooting possibilities. Thanks to Todd for sharing this fantastic area with the group. Looks as if everyone who has made a trip there has come away with some very nice images......congrats!!
Grant.......macro shots with the Canon 100 f2.8, so glad that you'll be joining the Smokey's trip.
Tracey.......we need to get you a GPS!! You'll love E L Huie.
Glad I could make some small contribution to keep this great group you started going! I'm just happy to find a nice group of folks to shoot with and learn from.
