Top 10 Birding Highlights of 2008 - 31 Dec 2008

As the sun sets on 2008 its time for me to look back at and review personal successes and failures. Although 2008 turned out to be a trying time for many, it proved to be a most enjoyable year for birding and bird photography. Along with digiscoping I had a great time chasing birds with the DSLR and 400mm lens. The Nikon D300 and MB-D10 grip provided me with a great tool for capturing birds in flight. As such, I was also able to finally capture elusive passerines, especially warblers! Adding additional software (Noiseware Pro) for cleaning up images allowed me to improve my image-processing workflow.

I’ve compiled my top ten list of memorable birding highlights for 2008. And below that are a handfull of my favorite images from 2008.

10. CBC – I get more joy out of this outing than any other during the year. Especially this year, when I was able to photograph a red-phased Screech Owl in the dark using a flashlight and flash attachment.

9. Fifteen Buff-breasted Sandpipers on 9/14/2008! Most ever at one time by this guy…

8. Photographing Magnificent Frigatebirds from the deck of a cruiseship during a recent trip to Mexico 11/10/08.

7. Photographing / digiscoping Burrowing Owls in Cape Coral, FL 4/4/08.

6. Chasing Rough-legged Hawks and Short-eared Owls in Clinton, MI 2/08.

5. Photographing Common Terns at Grosse Ile on 7/22/08. Never have I taken more photos (2000+) in a 2-hr period just to capture a handfull of flight pics.

4. Photographing / digiscoping Black-necked Stilts nesting at Pt. Mouillee SGA – only the 2nd time since 2003 has a successful nesting occurred in Michigan.

3. Peregrin Falcon attacking a hapless Green Heron at Pt. Mouillee on 8/30/08. This composite is probably my favorite image of 2008!

2. Photographing a dark-phased Rough-legged Hawk at Pt. Mouillee 5/13/07. My most memorable bird of 2008, especially after (sadly) finding its carcass a week later.

1. 1st Place in the Digiscoping Category of WildBird Magazine’s 20th Annual Photo Contest!

May peace and prosperity and abundant birds be yours in 2009!