KUDOS
“With any other trip leader, the workshop would have been a bust. We had a record 6 inches of rain in a day and half. But Chris pivoted quickly to help us find us other locations and subjects to shoot. In the end, I was super pleased with my images and had a great time. Chris is the ultimate professional. He is highly knowledgeable about both photography and bird behavior, but even more importantly, he helps to make it an inviting and fun learning environment for photographers at all levels. A strong two thumbs up!” - Jennifer Bellon Massachusetts, USA
This red-shouldered hawk dropped in for maybe five seconds — landed, hung on for dear life as a gust tried to pry it off the perch, lost its grip, and was gone. Blink and you miss it. I got the frame I wanted and a good reminder of how unpredictable this kind of fieldwork can be.
That same workshop reinforced something else: respect the radar.
The second group got hammered — nearly six inches of rain in a day and a half. Along Florida’s east coast, that kind of rain is often regional. It can be dumping where you are and completely different an hour or two away. Experience has taught me to stay ahead of it — watch the radar closely, pick a likely clearing within a couple of hours, and move before things get worse. When it’s not safe to be on the lake with the ospreys, you adjust.
We didn’t avoid all of it — we drove through some of the heaviest rain anyone in the group had ever seen — but we stayed productive when it mattered.
Because of the weather, we had to change plans and ended up working some excellent locations we wouldn’t normally spend time in on this trip. Knowing the area made it straightforward to choose spots that worked with the light and wind, and the variety of subjects kept everyone engaged.
It also forced people to adapt.
Tracking fast birds in gusty conditions, working tight compositions in busy habitat, and being ready when something happens fast — like that hawk — are all part of it.
A few takeaways from the week:
Watch the radar and learn how to read it — there’s almost always a break somewhere
Have backup locations within a reasonable drive, ideally with different habitat
Shoot for moments, not minutes — five seconds can be enough
Stay flexible — tough conditions often lead to better images
Safety comes first — no one goes out on the water in storms
We came away with strong images and a lot of good experiences.
That hawk summed it up. Brief, chaotic, and gone before you really process it.
If you’re thinking about joining me next April, come prepared to adapt.
That’s where the good stuff happens.