OCTOBER 2017 • NEBRASKAland 29
Thinking of doing
a similar photography
challenge next year?
Here are a few
tips on how to be successful.
In general:
•
Don't assume you'll have to
traverse the state, particularly if
you live in a good birding area. "I
saw 80 percent of my birds within
five to six miles of my house,"
Boni Edwards of North Platte
said. Photo challenge participant
Elizabeth Winter, who stuck
mostly to the Omaha, Bellevue
and Lincoln areas, had a similar
experience.
•
You'll never know what you'll
see (or won't see) on any given
day, so if you strike out, just be
patient and keep trying. "I think
a lot of bird watching has to do
with luck," Winter said.
•
Capitalize on spring and fall
migration.
•
Find friends to take photos
with, as well as someone to help
double-check identification. You'll
likely find people willing to help
out with the latter in Facebook
birding photography groups.
•
Never, ever harass the birds.
Keep a respectful, safe distance.
•
Make use of the
excellent birding resources
out there. This year's
participants went to
a variety of online
sources, including
nebraskabirdlibrary.org,
ebird.org, hotspotbirding.
com, the Merlin Bird ID
app, and nebraska
birdingtrails.com.
Helpful books
include The Sibley
Guide to Birds
by David Allen
Sibley, Stokes
Beginner's Guide
to Shorebirds by
Donald Stokes and
Lillian Stokes, and
Birds of Nebraska
Field Guide by Stan
Tekiela.
■
Taking the
Challenge
in 2018
Lynette Keeshan photographed this greater prairie-chicken
south of North Platte.
Rita Flohr photographed this male yellow-headed blackbird at Bittern's Call
Wildlife Management Area northeast of Darr.
