Assateague Island Archives - Osprey Photo Workshops and Tours

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore

by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Apr 21, 2019 | Assateague, Chicoteague, Nature Photography, Photo classes, Photo instruction, Virginia, Wildlife Photography

Photo Opportunities

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge & Assateague Island National Seashore

Ospreys can dive to catch fish. Their feathers shed water easily and their talons specifically designed to be able to grab and fly with their catch.

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore

Location & Management:

Managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge covers 14,000 acres of beach, dune, marsh, shrub and forest habitats. The majority of the refuge is located on the Virginia end of the narrow, 37-mile-long barrier island of Assateague (Assateague Island National Seashore) just south of Ocean City Maryland. The refuge is managed to benefit wildlife and to protect critical habitat for both resident and migrating species. Birds found on the refuge include ducks, geese, heron, raptors, warblers, and shorebirds plus deer, raccoons, Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrels, muskrats, foxes, and otters.

In recent years, there has been a significant drop in the number of migrating snow geese visiting the refuge in the fall. Once reaching nearly 40,000, but today the numbers are much lower. Grabbed this shot several years ago as they landed on the beach. This fall, they were there again this year.

Large numbers of snow geese sometimes stop at Bombay Hook National Wildlife refuge, DE instead of proceeding south to Chincoteague in the fall. This flock circled several times before landing.

A number of impoundments have been created by refuge staff where water levels are managed to provide resting and feeding areas for waterfowl and other species. Some dikes bordering the enclosures are topped with roads adjacent to water-filled borrow ditches where birds congregate. This arrangement offers excellent opportunities to photograph wildlife from your car, steadying your camera on a bean bag or using another means of support. Because the animals are protected on the refuge and are used to seeing people and vehicles, they are less timid than elsewhere and more easily photographed.

Clapper Rails are secretive birds found in the marshes. They feed at low tide on the exposed mud flats. Rails are often heard before seen.

Wild ponies are a favorite photo subject among visitors. Smaller than standard horses with heavy coats to protect them in this harsh environment. They appear perpetually pregnant with bloated bellies from their diet high in bulk and salt.

New born. Wild pony family.

Constant Change:

As with all barrier islands, the sand shifts with the season and strong storms. The ocean cuts through the dunes sometimes forming temporary inlets. Water-laden sand rolls over the land creating new marsh. With the landscape constantly changing, there are always new and exciting opportunities for photography. No matter when you visit, you will always find something to photograph. Even in the summer when the public beach is packed with people, you can still find photo subjects by venturing out in the early morning and late afternoon when there are fewer people to interfere with your activities.

Once endangered, Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrels were transplanted on Chincoteague and now they are often seen at the edge of the maritime forest.

Locating and approaching wildlife:

Spotting animals requires careful scanning of the environment for shapes, tones or colors out of place, and movement. By studying animals, whether photographing or not, you gain insight into their behavior and are better able to capture action shots. Creatures of habit, animals often visit the same locations repeatedly so check these spots on a regular basis. Know your equipment well and be prepared to photograph at any time. Have a suitable camera/lens combination ready with exposure settings pre-set for conditions you are likely to encounter. Once a potential subject is spotted, plan your approach. Consider the lighting, background, subject temperament, and the animals direction of movement. If it is following a predictable path, move slowly and indirectly to position yourself where it is heading. Be careful not to cause it to alter its behavior. Rapidly moving directly towards the animal will normally causes it to flee.

I watched the direction the fox was moving and carefully position my vehicle on the shoulder of the road at a distance in front of where I thought it was going. I made sure the warm afternoon light was illuminating its beautiful red coat

After hearing its distinctive call, I spotted this Belted Kingfisher on one of its favorite branches. As I positioned my camera, it plunged into the water and emerged with a small crab in its bill before returning to its perch. To capture various poses of the bird as the bird struggled to consume the crustacean, I held down the shutter release button and repeatedly fired a series of shots using a high number of frames/second.

Shot from my car with my Nikon D850 camera and 600 mm lens resting on a bean bag. Settings: ISO 800, F10, and shutter speeds approximately 1/2000 second.

Belted Kingfisher stretched wing just before it dove after fish.

Suggested lenses and other gear:

A wide-angle for beach scenes, flocks of birds, and sunrise/sunsets and perhaps a 80 to 200 mm zoom lens to isolate portions of the scene.
A 300, 400 or 600 mm telephoto for small or timid subjects such as shorebirds. It is preferable to buy long lenses that have collars for mounting on a tripod. This makes it easier to handle the camera/lens combination and it allows for quick adjustment of orientation from horizontal to vertical or in-between.

To spot animals, I look for movement. This Cedar Waxwing was part of a flock attracted to the berries. Shot with my 600-mm lens.

A 1.4 tele-converter to extend the effective focal length of your primary lens for photographing small subjects. Note: The tele-converter reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor, cutting shutter speeds in half. For best image quality, buy one matched to your prime lens.
A 200-mm macro lens for close focusing and high magnification when photographing a shell, insect, or flower. Compared to shorter macro lenses, with the 200-mm lens, you can obtain the same magnification at a greater working distance from your subject–a benefit if photographing something timid such as a ghost crab.
Other gear: An electronic shutter release to prevent camera shake when using long exposures or high magnification. A polarizing filter to remove unwanted reflections and shine on surfaces of vegetation intensifying colors. Depending on the angle of the sun, it can also make the sky appear bluer. You might want to include a neutral density filter that reduces the amount of light entering the lens in order to create special effects by using slow shutter speeds to suggest motion of moving objects – the surf, the wings of birds, etc.
The lighting and pose made this photo of a Great Blue Heron special. Shot in the early AM.

A sturdy tripod, preferably without a center post for maximum stability when using long telephoto lenses. The tripod should be topped with a professional ball head that can easily support the weight of your camera/lens combination or with a Wimberley Head (gimbal) which is preferred by many photographers for manipulating large lenses and tracking animals and birds.
If shooting on the beach, the wind off the ocean can be fierce and unpredictable, so never walk away from the tripod. Also, watch where you place your camera gear since an incoming wave can swamp your equipment or worse, wash it away. When around blowing sand or dust, shield your camera when changing lenses to avoid particles entering the throat of the camera and making their way to the sensor resulting in dark spots on your images.

Willet picking up mole crab. Shorebird behavior is often predictable. They follow the edge of the surf, probing for organisms as waves retreat.

Useful tips:

By having with you two cameras mounted with different lenses when in the field, you can avoid changing lenses in the open and can more quickly switch from one focal length to another.
When on the beach, wipe or brush the sand off your tripod legs with a damp cloth to prevent particles and salt from entering the joints between tripod segments and making it difficult to adjust the tripod’s height. You can buy or create water-proof tube covers for the lower legs to minimize sand-related problems and to allow you to submerge the legs in the surf.
If visiting in the spring, summer or early fall, bring insect repellant to guard against mosquitoes, biting flies, and ticks potentially carrying Lyme disease. Reads more on CDC’s website. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_people.html
Adjacent to the refuge is the town of Chincoteague with a small boat harbor. Sometimes loons are found here. It is also a good place to photograph sunset.

Wildlife Photography – Safety and Ethics

by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jul 8, 2015 | Wildlife Photography

Safety/ethics

– Don’t corner an animal or block its path.

Watched me for a moment and even approach me closer but decided I was not threat and resumed eating. Good sign that you are not stressing an animal.

– With animals, be aware of signs of agitation or aggression: scrapping ground with hoof, thrashing grass or bushes with antlers, strong stare, ears back, showing whites of the eyes, bluff charge, growl, bearing teeth, etc. If approached by a predator, don’t run and appear as prey. Make your self appear large and slowly retreat.

Saw when returning to car from hike. I paused of a second and she did a bluff charge. I immediately returned to my car. Grabbed by long lens and got photos from the car.

– Just because an animal is in a national park or refuge, don’t assume it is not dangerous.

– Animals with young are the most dangerous.

Guanaco. If they run at you with their head down, you are definitely in danger. They will spit, kick, and “chest but’.

– Be careful not to slip and fall on wet grass, leaves, seaweed, moss or muddy surfaces.

– Be careful crossing muddy surfaces. You can slip, fall, or worse yet, get stuck in the soft mud. Some muds are like quick sand.

On slippery seaweed. Difficult to cross rocks without falling.

– Take care near cliff ledges. The support beneath them can be undermined and the ledge may break away.

Red-legged cormorants on cliff in Argentina. Much prettier than ours. Laid on belly on a secure part of the cliff to get shot.

– Be aware of the incoming tide and rising surf. You may become stranded.

– When hiking, be careful of tripping hazards: rocks, branches, roots, etc. Wear boots with good ankle support and gripping soles.

– When walking avoid stepping into hidden holes – groundhog, badger, penguin, fox, moss-covered spaces between rocks, etc.

Could have been very aggressive but was not as long as i moved slowly and did not corner him. Seems comfortable with easy access to its burrow..

– When navigating through marsh, be aware that high grasses, soft mud, and changing water level may make navigation confusing and make it difficult to return to your origin.

– Let someone reliable know where you are going and when you plan to return.

– Don’t feed wild animals. It can result in their expecting food or bitting or kicking you. People food will make animals ill.

Wild Burrow in Custer State Park, SD. People had fed the burrows in the past and one expecting I had food gave me a surprise nudge from behind.

Fighting elephant seals. Stay clear of them for they weight a lot and can deliver a very dangerous bite not only from the teeth but from the bacterial which dwell in their mouths.

Fighting elephant seals. Stay clear of them for they weight a lot and can deliver a very dangerous bite not only from their teeth but the bacteria that dwell in their mouths.

Wild Horses Fighting & Biting – Just because they are on a National Seashore and wander past people in the parking lots, they will bite or kick if approached too closely.

– Be careful where you put your hands when moving logs or reaching under something where poisonous spiders, snakes, etc. might be hiding. Consider wearing heavy gloves.

– Look before lying on the ground – fire ants, etc.

Prairie Rattle Snake. Not very aggressive but still will strike if it feels threatened.

– Don’t leave equipment unattended even in parks. Be alert around strangers.

– When traveling overseas, visit your local travel clinic for the most recent info on health concerns, vaccinations, etc.

– Avoid insect bites. Tics and mosquitos can carry serious diseases. Spray clothes with permethrin and consider using insect repellent such as those containing 30 % Deet. Net jackets and hats can be helpful in areas where mosquitos are present in high numbers.

Night Heron with crab. Walking into a marsh can be dangerous. Mud can suck off your shoes, you can fall, and may have difficulty finding firm ground. In many areas tidal guts criss-cross the marsh and make it difficult to navigate. On the coast changing tides can complicate the problem.

– Bats carry rabies so if scratched or bitten seek medical help immediately. Without the proper shots, it can kill.

– Use sunscreen and SPF 50 rated clothing for protection from the sun and to reduce the chances of skin cancer.

– Wear a hat to shade your face from the sun.

– For emergencies, carry a whistle, cell phone, or personal locator such as a handheld satellite communicator. Depending on the model, some locators can send and receive text, track your location, and send out SOS in case of emergency. They vary in power, coverage, and application with some primarily for emergencies. Check out www.delorme.com or www.outdoorgearlab.com. The later web site helps you decide what type of device is the best for your application.

Samples of personal Locator Beacons

– Be considerate of other photographers.

– Avoid damaging habitat.

– Don’t stress an animal or put it in danger.

– Only enter private property with permission.

Wildlife Photography, Value of Patience

by Osprey Photo Workshops & Tours | Jun 6, 2015 | Bird behavior, Bird photography, Digital Photography, Nature Photography, Photo classes, Photo instruction, Photo Technique, Photo Workshops

Rudy Turnstone.

Value of Patience when photographing wildlife.

The key to good wildlife photography is patience. During my photo workshop on Assateague Island, I observed two ruddy turnstones at Ferry Landing. Class participants took several fine photos capturing interaction between the two. Since I don’t typically photogrpah with the class, I could not resist returning to the same area on the following day in hopes of having similar success. That morning I spent several hours photographing ruddy turnstones, willets, and least sandpipers until canoers arrived interested in launching their boats from the shore. My patience resulted in several great shots including one showing the turnstone flipping shells in search of food, another feeding on eggs, one bathing, another stretching its wings, etc. If you want to capture action, you must watch and wait. If lucky, you will be able to capture behavior that you can not see with your eye. Of course you need fast shutter speeds for this. That is where fast lenses and cameras that perform well at high ISOs give you an advantage, With careful observation, you may be able to predict what is coming next which makes your images more unique. This sense of satisfaction is part of the reward for pursuing wildlife photography.