Wednesday April 17 – Spring Migration Photo Adventure (East End)
Time: 7:30am – Meet at: The Park & Ride Lot, northeast corner, on Trim Road (Orleans), south of intersection with Hwy. 17 – Price per person – $80.00 HST included
Bird migration in Eastern Ontario reaches a feverish pitch during late winter and early spring. Most significant are the hundreds-of-thousands of geese staging in open country east of Ottawa before heading to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic. We’ll search for hawks, songbirds and other wildlife taking advantage of the melting snow and flooded fields. However, our main goal is to locate and photograph large groups of Greater Snow Geese. If we’re lucky, we’ll experience impressive flocks of these spectacular white birds swirling through the skies above. However, since these geese are now being hunted all year, they have become timid and weary. Although we might get lucky and they’ll let us get close, most will remain at a distance. Regardless, their numbers should be large, and we hope to fill our camera frames with many individuals at a time. We start in Ottawa’s east end working our way through the rural countryside of Eastern Ontario in search of the rejuvenating signs of spring.
We plan to drive around occasionally stopping for rustic scenery, landscapes, waterfowl, raptors and other life forms. Our route takes us through areas where we expect to find large numbers of migrating birds, especially snow geese. To minimize our impact on the environment, we plan to carpool from the meeting spot with as few cars as possible. Our photographic goal today is to capture aesthetically pleasing images using various field techniques. We hope to teach participants how to quickly respond as photo opportunities unfold. We will also cover subjects like controlling exposure, improving composition and approaching wildlife.
Although this workshop is best suited to those already familiar and confident with their camera, we cater to all levels of photographer including beginners. Everyone can benefit from this fun and exciting workshop. Telephoto lenses of 300mm or more will provide the best results for wildlife subjects. Wide angle lenses are best for people, landscapes and scenery. Tripods or monopods are optional, but not necessary. Listen to the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Expect to dress in layers with warm/waterproof footwear.
