June/July issue, Birds & Blooms
Web Bonuses
Profile of the western tanager
Profile of the scarlet tanager
Prizewinning hummingbird plants
Birding and gardening newsletter sign up
DIY hummingbird feeder project
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Behind the Lens Interview with the Pros: Carol Freeman
Who was that a-May-zing photographer behind the Birds & Blooms Extra feature “Every Day in May” (pages 36-39, May issue)? Carol Freeman sits down for a little Q & A with the Birds & Blooms editors.
Read Carol's feature "Every Day in May" in the Birds & Blooms Extra, May 2012 issue.
When and why did you begin taking pictures of birds?
I majored in Graphic Design in College with a minor in Photography. My passion for bird photography started when I ran my graphic design company. One of my first clients in 1990 was a bird store called Upstart Crow (sadly no longer in business). The owner and his employee were avid birders and would tell me about all the wonderful birds they would see each weekend. I was intrigued and had to see these birds for myself. They were nice enough to help me ID them at first and to suggest good field guides to take me further.
What’s one good pieces of advice that you learned through firsthand experience?
Wow, where to start! So many things are learned through experience. For me I like to travel light, one camera, 2-3 lenses and no tripod. I also study the subjects I am going to photograph. I learn their habits and habitats which allow me to get closer and get better photos without stressing out the wildlife. Chasing birds never yields satisfying results. If you sit quietly for 15-20 minutes, wildlife will often come to you.
Do you have a treasured piece of advice that was given to you?
If it’s worth taking one photo, it’s worth taking two (or three, or four…), so often the first shot is out of focus or not framed properly. Take some time to explore the subject, take both horizontal and vertical shots. This moment will not last and there is no way to recreate the magic another day.
What inspires you?
The diversity of nature. I am amazed at the colors, textures and variety of subjects to photograph.
Why do you take pictures?
I love nature, I love being a witness to the beauty that is all around me and I love to share that with others. If people see a photo of something beautiful they are more likely to want to know more about it, when you know more about something, you can connect and relate to it better, when you connect to something you are more likely to want to preserve and protect it. This is the only earth we have and everything we use, breath, eat, and drink, is here because the earth has provided it. I don’t ever want to take that for granted!
Where can people find more of your work online?
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carol-Freeman-Photography/124594203299
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inbeautyiwalk/
My website: http://www.carolfreemanphotography.com/
Team Green (my nonprofit): http://teamgreenweb.org/
Chicago Tonight Interview: http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2012/01/26/photographing-endangered-species
Enjoy more of Carol's photography on Facebook, Flickr, or her website, www.carolfreemanphotography.com. Photo ©Leif Otto.
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I love Bird Tales! Sharing our favorite birding experiences and sightings, what could be better? Except, maybe, Bird Tale Videos? Since warblers are featured in the April/May issue of Birds & Blooms (be sure to check it out!), I dug around for a few great clips of these cheerful chirpers.
First, from our Bird & Blooms YouTube channel, a great tutorial on bird banding. Our Ken Keffer shows us how-to with a slightly disgruntled young common yellowthroat. With its new band, Ken tells us this bird will be identified as number 256060994. Personally, I would have named him “Carl.”
Four species of warbler are endangered, one of which is right in my regional backyard. In this video, ride along on a Kirtland’s warbler guided tour in Wisconsin (sponsored in part by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin.) Michigan also offers guided tours, as well as a self-guided auto tour.
Or, enjoy some virtual birding right now, from the comfort of your home, by visiting the Wisconsin Fish & Wildlife Service’s page on Kirtland’s warbler updates.
Hand-feeding birds = great. Hand-feeding warblers = awesome! Here’s another video we love, and yes, (ICK!) those are live mealworms. But close up encounters with these feathered beauties more than make up for enduring a palm full of squigglers.
For more fun, visit Daniel Edelstein’s blog, Warbler Watch. Scroll down to test your skill with his “Name These Five Warblers” quiz.
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Baby sloth-©SlothSanctuary
Baby sloths have such sweet faces!! When I found out about The Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica and saw some of their photos and videos of their rescued sloths, I thought this would be a nice addition to a feature story in the January, 2012 edition of Birds and Blooms Magazine Extra (‘Birding in Paradise’) about traveling to Central and South America to view their amazing tropical birds.
I went on a birding trip to Costa Rica and I not only enjoyed the wonderful birds found there but other wildlife including a Three-toed Sloth I saw while on a small boat tour of the Rio Frio–this was so special that, though it has been more than 15 years, I still vividly recall watching this sloth as it moved ever so slowly in the trees.
The baby sloths as shown in these photos are just so darling and appealing with their big eyes. The Sloth Sanctuary of rescues and treats both adults and babies that have been orphaned, injured and ill. They have a number of resident sloths that are unable to be released back into the wild.
Since they move so slowly, and are so cute, they are great subjects for nature photography. Check out this video.
If I go back to Costa Rica, and I sure do want to as there is an amazing variety of birds (like those pictured in the Birds and Blooms Magazine article noted above) and other critters, I plan to visit the Sloth Sanctuary and take some of their tours.
- Have you ever visited Central or South America or do you plan to?
- Have you ever seen a sloth?
- Don’t you just love these cute sloths?
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