A coworker dragged me off to the wetlands one day. I couldn't understand his excitement about watching and shooting birds. As we hiked down the trail, I was enjoying myself and the sights I was seeing, but as we stopped and set up our tripods in an area to try and shoot some of the birds that were out, I was about to go out of my mind. Then I saw my 1st Heron and got back into shooting the birds and started shooting everything I saw.
Disappointment didn't set in again until I got home and was able to review the shots I took. This isn't as easy as it looks. I have made several trips to the wetlands since this first experience, and have learned tons of things about shooting birds. I find myself passing up shots I would have taken in the past and have even heard myself say "I have enough shot's of Waxwings" or other species.
I never thought I would hear those words coming from my mouth. I love nature and capturing what I can. I still get excited when we come across a hawk and of course a Bald Eagle, and have yet to pass up on a good shot of those. We are finding ourselves to be more fair weather birders as we are not happy with anything we have gotten on cloudy overcast days.
We have even found ourselves going to a wetland where you ride around a 4 mile loop in your car. I was dragged to this one, but again once we got there and out on the road nature took over. We were able to get closer to the birds than we ever were able to on foot. I even found myself using the 70-200 on occassion to shoot a portrait of a hawk sitting on the road sign just outside the car window.
