I have been involved in birding and bird photography for over 20 years. I live in the bird-rich Kern County, California. This area is centrally located at the convergence of multiple bio-regions, giving me the opportunity to photograph many avian subjects. I also have traveled around the country and to Costa Rica, Australia, and South America to photograph species not available in my area.

My collection of images includes over 550 species of birds, many location and habitat photos, and images of flowers, butterflies, and dragonfies. Up until October of 2003 I had been shooting exclusively with transarency film (Kodak E100SW and Fuji Provia). Then I made the switch to digital with the aquisition of a Canon 10D. Today I shoot with the a couple of the top Canon digital bodies.

Photo by Susan Steele

Photo by Wildlife Artist Nancy Overholtz

Photo by Alison Sheehey (Nature Alley)

My list of camera equipment includes:

• Canon 1D Mk IV digital body (16 Megapixel)
• Canon 7D digital body (18 Megapixel)
• Canon 600mm f4 image stabilized lens
• Canon 500mm f4 image stabilized lens
• Canon 300mm f2.8 image stabilized lens
• Canon 70-200mm f2.8 image stabilized lens
• Canon 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 lens
• Canon 17-40mm f4 lens
• Canon 16-35mm f2.8 lens
• Sigma 180mm f3.5 Macro lens

• Canon 580EX II Flash
• Canon 580EX Flash
• Canon 550EX Flash
• Gitzo GT3541 Carbon Fiber 6X Tripod
• Gitzo 1325 Carbon Fiber Tripod
• Wimberley WH-200 Gimbal Head

Photo by Bill Mitchel

Some of my photographic credits include:

• Cover images for the May 2010, July 2009, and March 2009 issues of Birding Magazine
  
• Major contributor to "The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America"
• One of the primary bird photographers for the American Museum of Natural History "Birds of North America"
• Photo Researcher and major contributor for National Geographic "Birding Essentials"
• Cover image for National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: Colorado
• Cover photo for Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology "Bird Songs of California"and "Bird Songs of the Pacific States"
• Feature article in the April 2003 issue of the American Birding Association's Birding magazine
• Cover photo for Studies In Avian Biology No. 26: Ecology and Conservation of the Willow Flycatcher by Cooper Ornithological Society
• Other publication credits include: Audubon Magazine, Birding, Birder's World Magazine, North American Birds, Audubon Watch List, New York Times, WildBird Magazine, National Geographic Books, Western Birds, and many others
• Bird photographer for California Audubon's Kern River Preserve
• Second runner-up for best bird photo of the year 2002 at Nature Photographers Online Magazine

Instructional credits include:

• Former Moderator and Mentor (4 years) for the extremely popular Avian Gallery on Nature Photographers Online Magazine
• Bird Photography Field Workshops at Kern River Preserve Kern Valley Spring Nature Festival .
• Classroom and field workshops at Morro Bay Winter Birding Festival and the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua.