Greetings! (1 Viewer)

gene · Sep 12, 2003

Hello,

New member here. This looks like a wonderful site. I have just recently gotten back into photography and am particularly interested in nature photography, including birds.
I am from the Chicago Illinois area. There are a lot of preserves and a greenbelt in the area (we have Coyotes and hawks out our back yard).

I have posted a few photos in my member gallery of night herons an a hummingbird in flight.

I am looking forward to participating here and learning about birding from you all.

Cheers,
Gene

Geraldine · Sep 12, 2003

Hi Gene,
Welcome to a great site full of lots of friendly and very knowledgable people. It is a fabulous place to learn. :hi: :hippy:

steve_nova · Sep 12, 2003

Hi Gene,

as Geraldine has said, this is a great place to contribute to as there are people of every level of knowledge and interest here. I look forward to your future posts.

KC Foggin · Sep 13, 2003

Hi there Gene and welcome from the Mods and Admin here at Bird Forum. This is pretty much a one stop site with more information than you will ever be able to use but it is so great to have all this information at your fingertips.

Chicago has become one of my son's favorite places these days. He has been there a few times this year for seminars and workshops and has fallen in love with the city. This from a die hard New Yorker

Beverlybaynes · Sep 13, 2003

Good morning, Gene, and welcome to BirdForum!

I'm badly in need of a 'Chicago fix' -- I need to find a day to get up there (I'm about 3 hours away) and spend some time in the Art Institute! Hear there are a couple of great shows coming soon: Manet, among others. What a treasure that place is!

Although I've not birded in or around Chicago, I know there's some great birding to be had.

Hope you'll think about participating in our GGBC -- the Great Global Bird Count. A Lake Michigan lakewatch could add some very interesting birds to our report -- perhaps from the Dunes? Do you ever get down there? There is a birding trip done every Saturday, ranging from Michigan City to Waihala Beach, Wolf Lake and beyond, led by the guy who wrote "Birds of the Indiana Dunes" -- and SOMEDAY I'll get up there to go with him and his group.

You can find full details about the GGBC on the Member's Notice Board.

Glad to have you with us, Gene, and look forward to having some Chicago-area reports from you!

k.k.stevenson1 · Sep 13, 2003

Hi Gene Its great to have you with us. The best site ever.From a friend. Nottingham. England.Ken.

Larry Lade · Sep 13, 2003

Hi Gene,

Glad to have you aboard! We get up your way ever so often. Our son and his family live up in Ottawa, IL, not too far from Chicago. When we go up for a visit I usually manage to get over to Starved Rock State Park to explore some of the canyons.

Larry

gene · Sep 13, 2003

Larry Lade said:
Hi Gene,

Glad to have you aboard! We get up your way ever so often. Our son and his family live up in Ottawa, IL, not too far from Chicago. When we go up for a visit I usually manage to get over to Starved Rock State Park to explore some of the canyons.

Larry

Thanks Larry. I am in Wheaton and have frequented Starved Rock and Ottowa with my sons in scouting!

Haven't been to Starved Rock for a while, time for another visit I think!

Gene

gene · Sep 13, 2003

Beverlybaynes said:
Good morning, Gene, and welcome to BirdForum!

I'm badly in need of a 'Chicago fix' -- I need to find a day to get up there (I'm about 3 hours away) and spend some time in the Art Institute! Hear there are a couple of great shows coming soon: Manet, among others. What a treasure that place is!

Although I've not birded in or around Chicago, I know there's some great birding to be had.

Hope you'll think about participating in our GGBC -- the Great Global Bird Count. A Lake Michigan lakewatch could add some very interesting birds to our report -- perhaps from the Dunes? Do you ever get down there? There is a birding trip done every Saturday, ranging from Michigan City to Waihala Beach, Wolf Lake and beyond, led by the guy who wrote "Birds of the Indiana Dunes" -- and SOMEDAY I'll get up there to go with him and his group.

You can find full details about the GGBC on the Member's Notice Board.

Glad to have you with us, Gene, and look forward to having some Chicago-area reports from you!

Thanks! I have only been to the Dunes once, but what a great idea. I will plan on going soon. Will look into GGBC too.

Gene

gene · Sep 13, 2003

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome!

Gene

Beverlybaynes · Sep 14, 2003

Just talking about the Dunes has made me itchy to get up there myself -- it's been at least a year since my last visit.

And if you're not opposed to doing a little traveling to see fabulous birding sights, have you ever visited Jasper-Pulaski FWA for the Sandhill Cranes? Absolutely incredible -- and only about an hour beyond (and south of ) the Dunes.

Things will begin heating up in about another month -- and by the end of October, you can see up to 20,000 Sandhills there!! It's just breathtaking!!

Quick directions: Take the Skyway (I-80/90) EAST to US 421, south of Michigan City. Take US 421 south about 40-odd miles or so (you'll be just north of a tiny burg called Medaryville). Turn off is well-marked with large brown DNR sign.

If you go, plan your trip to be there just before sunset -- that's when the cranes start coming in to roost for the night. The observation platform faces west, and if there's a colorful sunset, it's just spectacular, so take your camera!!

Weekend sunsets there are VERY crowded.

Jasper-Pulaski is also one of the stops on the Operation Migration ultra-light-led journeys to re-establish
an eastern population of Whooping Cranes, although their stops are in isolated areas where you can't go. But Whoopers from the last two 'classes' have migrated freely through JP in spring and fall on their own, with Sandhills, so there's always a (tiny, tiny) chance of seeing a free-flying Whooper!!

Sal · Sep 15, 2003

Hello Gene and a warm welcome to birdforum. Multitalented people, warmth, fun, information, great depth of knowledge, brilliantly run - what more could you want! Look forward to hearing about your birds.

loggah · Sep 18, 2003

Welcome from me, too, Gene. I just checked out your pbase.com gallery. You have a great collection of images there! Some of your butterflies are very interesting - I couldn't readily identify some of them, since I have come across them yet. How do you like your Canon 10D? I am planning to get one soon, and am interested in owners' opinions. What lenses do you have?

Cheryl

gene · Sep 19, 2003

loggah said:
Welcome from me, too, Gene. I just checked out your pbase.com gallery. You have a great collection of images there! Some of your butterflies are very interesting - I couldn't readily identify some of them, since I have come across them yet. How do you like your Canon 10D? I am planning to get one soon, and am interested in owners' opinions. What lenses do you have?

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks! I saw your post at pbase this morning. I am planning on IDing the butterflies soon, but haven't had the opportunity - I have been spending as much time out as possible while the weather is good.

I really like the 10d. Only quibble I have is in situations where there is large contrast differences, it can blow highlights if your not watchful. I have Canon 50mm f1.8, 28-135mm IS USM, and 100-400L IS. I mostly use the 28-135 for butterflies, some 100-400L too, and the 100-400L for birds. I would like to get a 1.4x extender for a little more reach for birds.

Cheers!
Gene

gene · Sep 19, 2003

Beverlybaynes said:
Just talking about the Dunes has made me itchy to get up there myself -- it's been at least a year since my last visit.

And if you're not opposed to doing a little traveling to see fabulous birding sights, have you ever visited Jasper-Pulaski FWA for the Sandhill Cranes? Absolutely incredible -- and only about an hour beyond (and south of ) the Dunes.

Things will begin heating up in about another month -- and by the end of October, you can see up to 20,000 Sandhills there!! It's just breathtaking!!

Quick directions: Take the Skyway (I-80/90) EAST to US 421, south of Michigan City. Take US 421 south about 40-odd miles or so (you'll be just north of a tiny burg called Medaryville). Turn off is well-marked with large brown DNR sign.

If you go, plan your trip to be there just before sunset -- that's when the cranes start coming in to roost for the night. The observation platform faces west, and if there's a colorful sunset, it's just spectacular, so take your camera!!

Weekend sunsets there are VERY crowded.

Jasper-Pulaski is also one of the stops on the Operation Migration ultra-light-led journeys to re-establish
an eastern population of Whooping Cranes, although their stops are in isolated areas where you can't go. But Whoopers from the last two 'classes' have migrated freely through JP in spring and fall on their own, with Sandhills, so there's always a (tiny, tiny) chance of seeing a free-flying Whooper!!

I have never been there. I have seen numerous Sandhill cranes while in Wisconsin. They are beautiful birds. I have yet to capture a photo of one though. I will check Jasper-Pulaski out, thanks for the info!

Gene

Greetings! (1 Viewer)

More options

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

Geraldine

Martian Member

steve_nova

Well-known member

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

k.k.stevenson1

Well-known member

Larry Lade

Moderator

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

Beverlybaynes

Mod Squad

Sal

Well-known member

loggah

Well-known member

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread