Klamath Falls Wildlife Refuge (Rescheduled)

We will be returning to Klamath Falls again in 2017 for our weekend photo adventure at the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge! Winter is the time of year when the populations of wildlife include 500+ bald eagles and 30,000 tundra swans. Peak waterfowl populations can reach 1.8 million birds, which represent 15 to 45 percent of the total birds wintering in California. Opportunities for observing the behavior of eagles and other wildlife abound. The timing of this photo adventure is designed to take place prior to the Annual Winter Wings Festival so that we have the Refuge to ourselves (no guarantee you won't see a couple of other people out there...).

ITINERARY: Meeting place: Lower Klamath Falls Refuge. Time: 2pm. There will be an introduction to the Refuge and a discussion on camera settings and guidelines for shooting wildlife. The remainder of the day will be spent shooting at the Refuge through sunset. This tour is a 10.2 mile loop auto route located about 24 miles south of Klamath Falls. In the mornings we will be out by sunrise, shoot throughout the day until just after sunset. The refuge is comprised of several wildlife areas, so depending on what we see at one may determine where we choose to go see at another. Saturday morning we will be out early again, and we will conclude around noon. I will be offering any critiques if requested.

Lodging, transportation and meals are not included in the $49 price and are up to you.

WEATHER: Of course, the weather can be unpredictable. Be prepared for very cold temperatures, and you should carry chains in your vehicle just in case it does snow in the mountains. We will be on paved or gravel roads the entire time, so no worries about anything off-road. Most of the time you can shoot from your vehicle, but there are many opportunities to get out and walk.

GEAR: You will want to bring long telephoto lenses in the 100-400mm range. I recommend your longest focal length be at least 300-400mm. If you don't have a lens that long, consider renting a lens through Borrowlenses.com (http://www.borrowlenses.com/). It's always a good idea to have two camera bodies for two reasons: One, you can have a long telephoto on one and a medium telephoto on the other, or two, if one camera goes out on you for some reason, you'll have a back-up. Because it is winter, you can expect to go thru batteries depending on how cold it gets, so bring extra batteries and extra cards. A bean bag or other type of window support is a good idea. Even though you will be shooting from the car, your windows will usually be rolled down on both sides, so dress as if you were going to be outside. Gloves, hand warmers, warm hats that cover your ears, down jackets and insulated pants are a good idea. A tripod and/or mono pod for shooting outside the vehicle. Binoculars are good for identification and for spotting action that is too far away to photograph.

LODGING: Two motels closest to the Refuge are the Majestic (http://majesticinnandsuitesklamathfalls.com/) (541-883-7771) and Golden West. (http://www.goldenwestmotel.us/)(541-882-1758). I will be staying at the Golden West, where I have stayed before and it is old but very clean. Don't be looking for a lot of amenities at either motel, but if you get a room at Golden West, please use my name and you may get a small discount. The rates at both motels will run around $49 to $55 plus tax per night. I recommend calling ASAP to secure a room.

More information will be forthcoming as we get closer to February.

Need a little inspiration to be a wildlife photographer? Check out this link from Petapixel http://petapixel.com/2015/12/09/10-reasons-why-you-should-try-wildlife-photography/

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