In any of the top birding locations in the world, you are likely to see dozens of species of birds, from passerines to shorebirds to raptors. You may also encounter a newcomer, bipedal and bedecked with fancy embellishments that would make any Bird-of-paradise jealous. But while Birds-of-paradise are flaunting feathers, these visitors are showing off the very latest in field gear and camera equipment. Where there are birds, there are bird phorographers.
“Everything Comes to Cley”
This expression has been used to describe the immense diversity and number of birds that can be observed at Cley next the Sea, a birding hotspot near Norfolk, England. The picturesque village hosts a windmill that is said to be the most painted and photographed site in England. The area lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast. Its location on the most eastern point of Britain makes Cley next the Sea a perfect stopover point for migrating birds from Scandinavia or the Netherlands, and provides habitats that range from woodlands to farmland to lagoons and beaches. Lucky photographers can snap pictures of Glaucous Gulls on the beach, Common and Velvet Scoters bobbing in the waves, Snow Buntings in the grass, and avocets in the lagoons. Residents of the town are accustomed to the large numbers of bird-crazy folk who cycle through their village each year. One visiting bird expert noted that a woman who discovered a rare Rose-colored Starling in her yard was happy to feed the bird table scraps to ensure that it remained in the area long enough for birders – and photographers – to get a glimpse.
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
The southeastern corner of Oregon comprises some of the least inhabited lands in the United States. Malheur County, home of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, encompasses thousands of acres of dry desert scrubland, and even more numerous birds. The wetlands that border the Donner und Blitzen River that runs through the county draw millions of migrating birds to the area each year. The refuge, which was planned by Audubon Society legend William Finley with the blessing of President Theodore Roosevelt, was created in response to the decimating effects of the plume trade on local heron populations. Today, birders and photographers can observe and photograph both species of Sandhill Cranes, a variety of small songbirds such as tanagers, buntings, and warblers, Tundra Swans, avocets, American White Pelicans, and many raptor species, including Swainson’s and Rough-legged Hawks. When the Malheur and Harney lakes flood and join together to make one huge expanse of wetland every few years, the area suddenly fills with shorebirds like Ruddy Turnstones and Parasitic Jaegers. The region’s ecological diversity offers migrating birds, and adventuresome bird photographers, many habitat types to choose from. This area of stunning natural beauty offers not only the subjects of photographs, but a backdrop worthy of National Geographic.
