My study of bird photography began with a rented lens, a camera body better suited to applications other than birds, and a bit of dumb luck. On my first outing, I knelt at the edge of a pool in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to watch a flock of White Ibis feeding in the shallows. In an instant the flock exploded upward in a cloud of white feathers and water spray. I focused on three that ascended together, but not until I uploaded the images did my monitor reveal anything special. The three appeared as if joined in a choreographed dance, with wings perfectly aligned and synchronized. That image, entitled White Ibis Ballet, hooked me on photographing birds in the wild. www.flickr.com/photos/dhawkins/6394931877/in/album-721576...

The great majority of birds in my Flickr photo stream were photographed with a hand held camera and lens although recent shoulder surgery has forced me to mount the gear on a tripod. I consider it a privilege to have been invited by many birds into their space, so close in fact that some have approached me to within the minimum focal distance of the lens. That’s close. My hope is that you will enjoy viewing the images and come to a deeper appreciation of these extraordinary creatures and the natural world in which they not only survive but enrich the lives of us all.

July 2018