Stephen Ingraham (who?)

the unofficial site for birders and digiscopers using Zeiss equipment.

1st Coast Birding and Nature Festival

St. Augustine FL

The 1st Coast Fesitval is unique among birding festivals in that it attracts more photographers than birders. 600mm lenses are more in evidence than 8x binoculars. As one aspiring photographer put it: "Where else could you go in the US to get the number and quality of nature photography workshops we get here?" Workshops covered everything from basic field techniques to the fine points of exposure control to advanced Photoshop techniques, and the instructors are among the best in the nation.

That is not to say there isn't good birding in St. Augustine, or that there aren't good birding fieldtrips and workshops at the festival. Birding is great, and the birding trips and workshops are excellent.

On Saturday, I got out to the Guana River Reserve, about 8 miles north of St. Augustine. They have 9 miles of well marked and maintained hiking trails and boardwalks through varied habitat. Nesting Bald Eagles. Lots of warblers on my visit: American Redstart, Black and White, Common Yellowthroat, Connecticut, Ovenbird. And more Cardinals than you are likely to see in month most places. A White-tailed Deer and her faun kept just ahead of me along a long section of boardwalk. The highlight, though, was a Summer Tanager, apparently guarding his nest, and inadvertently posing for me (clicking on the Tanagers will open a larger version of the image).

Low Country Boil behind the big top	Book Signing: David Luneau, Kevin Karlson,
Greg Downing, Erin and Mya (Masterminds behind the festival), Kevin

The Alligator Farm and it's "Native Speicies Rookery" is a must for any birder visiting St. Augtine in the spring. Hundreds of Wood Storks, Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets, and Tri-colored Herons nest in the trees above the "Flordia Swamp" boardwalk at the farm. They are so acclimated to human presence, and so secure in their allagator protected trees, that they nest, often, within arms' reach of the boardwalk. It is sight that must be seen, and dream for any digiscoper or photographer. The digiscoper's main problem will be how to get far enough back from the nests to get full frame shots of the birds. Head and shoulder portraits are easy. (Clicking on the Rosiate Spoonbill, Snowy Egrets, and Wood Stork close ups below will open a larger image.)