In 2021 I was astonished to stumble onto some techniques that allowed me to reliably photograph warblers in their fall migration. I have always dreamed of making images of warblers in their more subtle plumages and include elements of the beautiful woodlands and fields in late summer and early fall. Though full fall color will still be a few weeks away, I seek to find little patches of the first hints of autumn berries and color to include in the images. We’ll even do some photography in my own backyard where I groom my meadow and apple trees to work for bird photography. When not in my yard, however, we will be doing some walking. See below for a description of physical requirements. During the last two weeks September in 2021 I drove thousands of miles and hiked over five miles per day to research the best way to photograph warblers. Of all the locations I tried, my own backyard and local metro parks were best and I think that was true for several reasons. First, we get a fairly good migration in Ohio in general, but unlike southern Ohio, in the northern part of the state we get just a little fall color when the birds are moving through. Since our photography locations are situated near my home, I am able to hone in on the small patches of attractive berry bushes, trees, and early color and do extra scouting prior to the trip.

The following gallery was made between September 1 and September 20 and is representative of the species and foliage we will have on the first trip. The first trip is generally a little more productive with higher total numbers of birds. I would estimate there are twice as many birds during the third week of September than the last week, which means any given shooting session is likely to be more productive. Many species move through early like Black-and-white Warbler, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ovenbird. Other species come through all month:

Flights: Fly to Cleveland, Ohio and drive 30 minutes south to our hotel

Likely Species on the trip. Species in bold will be the easiest/most common -

• Red-bellied Woodpecker

• Eastern Wood-Pewee

• Yellow-throated Vireo

• Blue-headed Vireo

• Warbling Vireo

• Red-eyed Vireo

• Philadelphia Vireo

• White-eyed Vireo

• Tufted Titmouse

• Black-capped Chickadee

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet

• Golden-crowned Kinglet

• Red-breasted Nuthatch

• White-breasted Nuthatch

• Carolina Wren

• Gray Catbird

• Swainson’s Thrush

• Hermit Thrush

• Field Sparrow

• Ovenbird

• Black-and-white Warbler

• Tennessee Warbler

• Orange-crowned Warbler

• Nashville Warbler

• Mourning Warbler

• Common Yellowthroat

• American Redstart

• Cape May Warbler

• Northern Parula

• Magnolia Warbler

• Bay-breasted Warbler

• Blackpoll Warbler

• Black-throated Blue Warbler

• Pine Warbler

• Yellow-rumped Warbler

• Black-throated Green Warbler

• Wilson’s Warbler

• Hooded Warbler

  
  
  

What to pack

• Waterproof Boots: Ideal boots would have no laces to tie. Laces attract thorns and seeds while hiking through fields. I prefer muck boots or farm boots. Chest waders are actually great for early hikes through dewy grass.

• Pants: Long, waterproof pants are imperative. We will be walking through waist-high grass drenched in morning dew. The grass may have thorny plants so I don’t take my most expensive Gortex either. The ideal pair of pants would be totally waterproof, resistant to seeds sticking on the fabric, and either briar-proof or if they get caught and torn by a briar they aren’t so expensive that it ruins your day.

• Shirt: Nothing white or brightly colored.

• Jacket: You will want a waterproof coat. Be prepared for possible temperatures in 40's at dawn. Rare afternoons could see temps in the lower 80's so wear layers and be prepared for a variety of temperatures.

• Hat and Sun Protection: A baseball cap and sunscreen is a good idea for the daytime.

Camera Gear. Almost all the official photos we are seeking on this trip will be taken with your longest lens. After your crop factor and tele-extenders, you should have at least 600mm. I highly recommend a tripod. People who don’t use tripods quickly swing their lenses around and scare the birds.

Cell Phones and Internet: The hotels all have wifi. We should also have phone reception 99% of the time in the field.

Weather and Schedule:
We will use as much photograph-able light as we can each day, shooting sunrise through 11am, and 4pm to sunset.
Sunrise 7:30 a.m.
Sunset 7:30 p.m.

Transportation: There will be a lot of driving during this trip in order to gain access different metro parks and preserves in the area. Ask about carpooling or riding with me if you like. High clearance is not required.

Hotel:
More information to be provided about where to stay upon signing up for the trip. Hotel costs are not included in the photo tour fee.

Meals: This trip takes place near civilization so we'll have plenty of restaurant options. Have breakfast on your own. Our hotels will not provide breakfast at the time we meet. Most participants opt to have fruit and granola bars or something of the like in their room before we meet. Lunch will usually be early.

Learning / Slideshows:
This trip is about maximizing field time rather than doing much classroom work. I will, however, go over field ID tips, basic shooting strategies, and do a little post-processing while we wait for meals at lunch or dinner.

My job is to know the area, do many hours of research, know and be able to ID the birds instantly both by sight and sound, and understand their habitat and behaviors, drive you to the most productive areas at the right time of day, be prepared to attract the birds or assist the group in stalking them, advise on how to make the most of each photo opp, ensure that everyone has their physical needs met, and ensure that everyone gets the most and highest quality images in the time we have.

Your job is to communicate your needs and have fun. I want to emphasize that each of you please communicate and keep me aware of your needs.

Physical Requirements:
Unlike my spring warbler trips which involve shooting very close to the road, be prepared to walk two miles each morning and again in the evening. The walking won’t be done all at once. It will more typically involve walking 5 minutes, photographing 15 minutes, walking 8 minutes, photographing 20 minutes, etc. Some of the walking will be off-trail through fields. If you aren’t up for some serious walking, this trip is not for you. You’ll likely get your “10,000” steps in each day.

Photographic Objectives:
I will have limited control of our perches, but I’ll try to spend time in photogenic areas where birds are feeding on berries, apple trees, and I’ll spend a large amount of time before the trip scouting for the first few trees and bushes with a hint of fall color.

Cancellation Policy: Participant will receive a full refund of their deposit minus a $250 re-listing fee if we are able to fill the cancelled space. If we are unable to fill the cancelled space, we cannot issue a refund or credit of any kind.