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Got an email from George G about the changes that have been made at the Heron Pond……… and not for the better in his opinion.

He makes a good case as to the number of birds that used the Heron Pond before the COE took out the willows so shorebirds would use the pond. He reminded me about how the birds would be within feet of his chair blind and how he did not have to have a lens above a 300.  He did not have to use his extenders just to get a shot. Can’t say he is wrong since I cut my photographic teeth at the Heron Pond with the 100-400 and only needed the 500 for …. get this….shorebirds.

He pointed out that the pond is now set up for ‘car based’ bird watchers using 20x-60x spotting scopes. The rules about paths and all make even long lens a bit marginal. I know that the changes prompted me to buy long glass and I have an even longer lens on order for use during swan and eagle season.

George said his contacts up north reported that the swans were beginning to flock up and that it shouldn’t be too long before they headed our way.

For the record, my earliest swan images were of a small family group on October 26. I looked at the calendar and that is only a couple days away. I look for November to be the real beginning for swans and eagles but it would be exciting to see those big white birds on Friday since I have the day off.  🙂