Merritt Island IV Florida Wildlife Shoot - 2/4-2/11

Harryb

Hi y'all,

This is the first call on our yearly Florida Wildlife shoot. It will be held
2/4/07-2/11/07.

The shoot will be centered on the primary locations on Florida's Space Coast (Merritt Island and the Viera and the Orlando Wetlands. Some folks have expressed an interest in also shooting at some different locations during the shoot. If we have enough interest we may break off a group of folks to shoot at Ding Darling, Corkscrew Swamp and the Venice Rookery on the west coast. I will be staying on the Space Coast for the entire shoot to guide folks and facilitate the shooting for folks who prefer not to do all that travellling. We also may do a break-off group to shoot on the Anhinga Trail in the Evergaldes (about the 3 hour drive from the Space Coast).

Right now only the dates are set. I will arrange group rates at a local motel again. This year I'll be looking a little bit north of where we stayed last year so the rates should be cheaper and the shooters will be closer to Merritt Island and the Orlando Wetlands. As additional info gets set I will post it in this thread.

We will also be probably scheduling a second shoot in April in the St. Augustine area to catch the action at the rookery in the Alligator Farm.

If you want an idea of the photo ops on this shoot you can take a gander of my gallery from last year's shoot
http://behret.smugmug.com/gallery/1205766

Andy

It's Chez Harry, for me (can you stand it?)!

Osprey Whisperer

Hey Harry,

I'd be happy to help guide the folks around these neck of the woods (Venice rookery). Honestly though...the Venice rookery is a drop in the bucket compared to the areas we shot for MI3. It's pretty small. I know many folks come from around the country to shoot there...but it's nothing great. If some do come over here to the West coast I can take a few on a boat trip to shoot the bird islands and osprey nests in the area. You can start sending checks to me now to reserve a prime seat on the boat. :uhoh

Perhaps Mike will join me in playing wild wild wildlife guide for those that come over this way.

Looking forward to the shoot already. Things have been pretty slow the last couple months. I've only seen osprey, snowy egrets, great egrets, BC night herons and great blue herons in the backyard this time of year.

gluwater

Woohoo! It's a great opportunity for anyone interested. There are top rate photographers there and the locations are just packed with wildlife.

Here are my galleries from last year.

http://gluwater.smugmug.com/Merritt%20Island%20III%20Shootout

Rhuarc

I wish I was going to be going again this year, had the time of my life last year thanks to Harry letting me borrow his D100, and all the great people I met! Unfortunatley living in Washington now won't afford me the easy access I had last year from Daytona! Anyway, I highly reccomend anyone who likes shooting birds go to this!

Here is my gallery from last years shoot.
http://wendell.smugmug.com/gallery/1179533/1/57429898

gluwater

Rhuarc wrote:

I wish I was going to be going again this year, had the time of my life last year thanks to Harry letting me borrow his D100, and all the great people I met! Unfortunatley living in Washington now won't afford me the easy access I had last year from Daytona! Anyway, I highly reccomend anyone who likes shooting birds go to this!

Here is my gallery from last years shoot.
http://wendell.smugmug.com/gallery/1179533/1/57429898

Yeah, I still don't believe that was your first time using a DSLR. Sorry to hear you won't be making it. It was nice meeting you last year.

Rhuarc

gluwater wrote:

Yeah, I still don't believe that was your first time using a DSLR. Sorry to hear you won't be making it. It was nice meeting you last year.

Lol, thanks! Yeah, meeting you and the rest of the group and shooting for a couple of days was serisously one of the funnest (is that even a word) things I've done in a very long time. I had a blast! You guys will have to be sure and keep me updated on how things are going!

gus

What a blast to get shown the finer points from the 'egret man' himself. Good luck with the trip guys

Harryb

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Hey Harry,

I'd be happy to help guide the folks around these neck of the woods (Venice rookery). Honestly though...the Venice rookery is a drop in the bucket compared to the areas we shot for MI3. It's pretty small. I know many folks come from around the country to shoot there...but it's nothing great. If some do come over here to the West coast I can take a few on a boat trip to shoot the bird islands and osprey nests in the area. You can start sending checks to me now to reserve a prime seat on the boat. :uhoh

Perhaps Mike will join me in playing wild wild wildlife guide for those that come over this way.

Looking forward to the shoot already. Things have been pretty slow the last couple months. I've only seen osprey, snowy egrets, great egrets, BC night herons and great blue herons in the backyard this time of year.

Thanks Mike. Right now it looks like we will have a contigent shooting on the Gulf side for the first two days of the shoot. Once we have some numbers and confirmations we will start firming that up.

Harryb

gluwater wrote:

Woohoo! It's a great opportunity for anyone interested. There are top rate photographers there and the locations are just packed with wildlife.

Here are my galleries from last year.

http://gluwater.smugmug.com/Merritt%20Island%20III%20Shootout

Excellent galleries Nick. The exciting thing for me about these shoots is the folks I get to shoot with. I have learned something new during everyone of these shoots.

David Taylor

I'm interested
Harry, I'm very interested in joining you and others at this shoot. I'd love to learn some tips and techniques from the experienced birders and wildlife shooters.

Although having lived in FLA for 5 years and being only 2.5 hrs away, I've yet to get down to these wetlands :cry

Just have to convince the better half that it will be business.....

Harryb

David Taylor wrote:

Harry, I'm very interested in joining you and others at this shoot. I'd love to learn some tips and techniques from the experienced birders and wildlife shooters.

Although having lived in FLA for 5 years and being only 2.5 hrs away, I've yet to get down to these wetlands :cry

Just have to convince the better half that it will be business.....

That's great David. Keep an eye on this thread. I hope to have a group rate set up at a local motel in the next two weeks.

If you can make it for any part of the shoot you will find it worth your while. It should be a target rich environment and some of the shooters are the best around.

raptorcaptor

Would love to go on this shoot, but I signed up for one of Arthur Morris's IPT's at that date!
Maybe next year!

gluwater

raptorcaptor wrote:

Would love to go on this shoot, but I signed up for one of Arthur Morris's IPT's at that date!
Maybe next year!

That's ok, you can bring Arthur along. We don't mind .

Let us know how that goes, I've always been interested in attending one of his workshops but have never had the cash to yet.

pathfinder

Nightingale and I plan to return Harry. We look forward to some of those so accomodating Fla birdies:D

Indeed, she wants to return in December some time as well if I can work out the timing to coordinaate with a meeting or two.

Michael Allen

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Hey Harry,

I'd be happy to help guide the folks around these neck of the woods (Venice rookery). Honestly though...the Venice rookery is a drop in the bucket compared to the areas we shot for MI3. It's pretty small. I know many folks come from around the country to shoot there...but it's nothing great. If some do come over here to the West coast I can take a few on a boat trip to shoot the bird islands and osprey nests in the area. You can start sending checks to me now to reserve a prime seat on the boat. :uhoh

Perhaps Mike will join me in playing wild wild wildlife guide for those that come over this way.

Looking forward to the shoot already. Things have been pretty slow the last couple months. I've only seen osprey, snowy egrets, great egrets, BC night herons and great blue herons in the backyard this time of year.

I'll have to check into next years schedule and let you know what dates I'll be available for sure but it sounds good to me. I'm looking forward to the shoot again. It's my chance to get permission to vacation with my camera.lol

Harryb

****Merritt Island IV Shoot*******
Hi Y'all.

The 4th Merritt Island Shoot will be held from 2/4/07-2/11/07 and this is the thread where you sign up for the shoot. I have arranged a group rate for us at the Comfort Inn in Titusville, Florida. The address is Comfort Inn, 3655 Cheney Hwy, Titusville, FL 32780. Its right off of exit 215 of US 95 and its a 20 minute drive from there to all three of our main shooting locations (Merritt Island NWR, Orlando Wetlands, and the Viera Wetlands). The room rate is $75/night for a room with two queen size beds. The motel supplies a free continental breakfast in the morning. Most of the rooms are non-smoking but we also have a few smoking rooms. The motel phone # is (321)269-7110 (sorry no 800#). Reservations must be made by January 4th 2007. The group rate is under the name of HPB Photography

Reggie will be coordinating the Florida west coast portion of the shot. A group of folks will be shooting in some different locales in western Florida on the first two days of the shoot and then joinging the rest of us on the Space Coast If you want to take part in the western portion of the shoot let us know when you sign-up.This what Reggie had to say about that portion of the shoot:

"After giving the matter some thought, I think that the first day of a West Coast Shoot should begin at Ft Myers Beach. From Ft Myers Beach, we could easily cover Cape Coral for the Burrowing Owls, and Ding Darling NWR as well as the Little Estero Lagoon, and if some people really feel the need to see Corkscrew, that is also possible from this location. I am planning on booking the rooms at the Holiday Inn located right at the Little Estero Lagoon in FtMyers Beach., which would allow us to walk out of our rooms and begin shooting at the lagoon. We can then drive to Cape Coral for the Burrowing Owls. The next morning we can drive to the Venice Rookery, which is about a 60-90 minute drive and we can shoot the Rookery in early morning light. It is about a 2-2 1/2 hour drive from Venice Rookery to Viera Wetlands where we can join up again with the rest of the group at Melborne that evening. This is the plan right now. I also have spots in the Venice area for Bald Eagles and a variety of woodpeckers, plus there is a sure-fire spot for Florida Scrub Jays."

I will be hosting a welcome BBQ at my house on Monday, 2/5/07 and I will make dinner arrangements for Wednesday (2/7) and Friday (2/9) at local restaurants for us as a group for those interested.

If you have't been to one of the Merritt Island shoots before you don't know what you've been missing. This is a wonderful opportunity to shoot with some of the most talented shooters around in prime wildlife shooting locations. If you live up north where the herons and egrets don't let you get closer than a football field away this a chance to shoot them up close and personal.
__________________

Osprey Whisperer

Ok...who is Reggie and where is this "eagle" spot in Venice? They are in the area, but I never have found a "hot" spot for them. The land fill is suppose to be the place, but I've never seen them there (ask Mike also).

You should spend more time in Venice

As usual Harry I want to come...so I'll be trying to line up a ride etc.

Cheers

Harryb

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

Ok...who is Reggie and where is this "eagle" spot in Venice? They are in the area, but I never have found a "hot" spot for them. The land fill is suppose to be the place, but I've never seen them there (ask Mike also).

You should spend more time in Venice

As usual Harry I want to come...so I'll be trying to line up a ride etc.

Cheers

Reggie is from the Nikon Cafe (his real name is Ron, BTW). He will be coordinating the west coast portion of the shoot while I hold down the fort on the Space Coast.

With the group shooting on the west coast I should be able to get you a ride over to the Space Coast.

Osprey Whisperer

Harryb wrote:

Reggie is from the Nikon Cafe (his real name is Ron, BTW). He will be coordinating the west coast portion of the shoot while I hold down the fort on the Space Coast.

With the group shooting on the west coast I should be able to get you a ride over to the Space Coast.

I kind of figured I could sneak in someone's trunk. Thanks. Now can you find me a place to stay with an attractive, smart & charming lady about my age.

dragon300zx

Ya see last year ya didn't give me enough notice. I think this is plenty of notice this year though. I'm in. Now I just gotta find a place to rent a fun car while I'm there.

Harryb

dragon300zx wrote:

Ya see last year ya didn't give me enough notice. I think this is plenty of notice this year though. I'm in. Now I just gotta find a place to rent a fun car while I'm there.

Harryb

Just a quick update. Right now 26 folks have expressed an intention of taking part in the shoot so far.

Osprey Whisperer

How many single ladies?

dragon300zx

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

How many single ladies?

What he said.

Harryb

Bird Man Photographer wrote:

How many single ladies?

Not many but there is one very attractive and available cross dresser coming. Let me know if you want an intro, :lol4

Osprey Whisperer

Harryb wrote:

Not many but there is one very attractive and available cross dresser coming. Let me know if you want an intro, :lol4

HARRY!! Now I've told you several times I wasn't interested in your advances.

You know I've got a one track mind for the chicks.

gluwater

Alright people, you know you want to go! Ben, Jeff, Dallas?? I hear the Coronas are on Harry this year :hide.

Look at this good stuff I got, and I suck! Imageine what you guys will come home with.

dragon300zx

Harryb wrote:

Not many but there is one very attractive and available cross dresser coming. Let me know if you want an intro, :lol4

Haven't we all ment And... I mean "Anita" before.

Michael Allen

Harryb wrote:

Just a quick update. Right now 26 folks have expressed an intention of taking part in the shoot so far.

Harry, you can count me in for at least a couple of days. Probably 4th-6th on the east coast, seeing as I get to see the west coast anytime.

Harryb

Michael Allen wrote:

Harry, you can count me in for at least a couple of days. Probably 4th-6th on the east coast, seeing as I get to see the west coast anytime.

Great, I'm looking forward to shooting with you again.