Southern Appalachia Photo Journey
• a custom designed offering for up to two participants
Flexible add on extension options available immediately before or after in Southern Kentucky or Tennessee. Contact Gene to discuss if you may be interested in an extension. See top right header for contact information.
GROUP SIZE: 1-2 PARTICIPANTS PLUS LEADER
COST: $500 per day per person. Second participant half price.
Contact Gene prior to registering to agree on custom dates and itineray. (see Terms Of Use).
(HOTEL AND MEALS ARE NOT INCLUDED)
This Warbler Photo Journey historically takes place between Cherokee, North Carolina, and beyond Mt. Mitchell State Park, which is beyond Asheville. In recent years we have focused on areas east of Asheville.
The southern part of the Blue Ridge Parkway has wonderful warbler diversity, including some species normally found much farther north. The rarely photographed Swainson’s Warbler can be found at lower elevations just off the Parkway. The different elevations along the parkway allow for varied habitats and provide some amazing perches and composition opportunities. Gene has worked this portion of the parkway for multiple years now, and the dates are chosen in an effort to maximize opportunities. This is a great place to photograph warblers, and the scenery is breathtaking. We want to avoid weekends on the Parkway due to increased vehicular activity, especially the motorcycles.
We will take our time as we crawl along the Parkway and will also take advantage of various roads that shoot off the Parkway to mostly lower but sometimes to higher elevations. The goal is to create desirable compositions. It will likely work best to pack a lunch and/or snacks each day so we can maximize time on the Parkway. There are picnic areas and restroom facilities along the Parkway but bring toilet paper if you feel you may have need for it. Upon receipt of your deposit to reserve your spot, you will be given more specific details on the planned itinerary. To help with decision making Asheville is about an hour’s drive from our usual lodging. Charlotte, N.C is less than 2 hours from our usual lodging.
The amount of walking required is minimal, as most set-ups will be right off the road. Keep an eye out for snags and uneven ground when we venture a short ways into habitat on occasion.
Testimonial from 2019:
“I was very fortunate to be introduced to the Warbler Whisperer this past May, 2019. I contacted Gene Koziara, aka, the Warbler Whisperer, to photograph warblers along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was the right time of the year and at the correct elevation that the birds are located. Gene is that special guide who puts you in front of the birds for you to get great photographs AND HE DELIVERED!
Gene has super hearing and very accurate eye sight to hear the bird and then spot them in the trees and bushes. In three days with the Warbler Whisperer, I photographed 13 different species of warblers and got many great shots. It was a very productive and effecient three days.
Gene Koziara IS the Warbler Whisperer and a great fun guy with whom to photograph birds.
Thanks Gene.”
Joe Barranco
TARGET SPECIES TO CHOOSE FROM
Northern Parula C (Common; we should be able to find depending on our elevation)
Hooded Warbler C-Like the Black-throated Blue can be a challenge to get it to perch exactly where we’d like but we anticipate good opportunities in our attempts to photograph it well.
Chestnut-sided Warbler VC (Very Common) or C-Fun to be imaginitive with perch selections with this species!
Black-throated Green Warbler VC or C-Looks great on a conifer or a blooming perch!
Black-throated Blue Warbler VC- This is one of the more challenging warblers to get to perch exactly where you’d like but we will have plenty of opportunities to try!
Canada Warbler VC- This trip is timed to maximize opportunities to photograph this beautiful warbler from an in bloom Pinkshell azalea amongst other possible perches!
Blackburnian Warbler VC -This is the trip to photograph a singing Blackburnian from a beautiful conifer and hopefully it will be in gorgeous morning or evening light weather allowing!
American Redstart U (Uncommon but usually can be found)
Black-and-White Warbler U-Due to some new techniques (Gene is always learning and trying new things with warblers!) this species has on average become less difficult to place on an intended perch.
Worm-eating Warbler U or C (There are some locations where it should be easily found).
Ovenbird C- It’s fun to work to get this one on some mossy perches and perhaps we can add some flowers too!
Cerulean Warbler U- I know where to find this species around the Parkway but I don’t recommend working with it here due to accessibility issues and human pressure on the species in this location. The Tennessee and especially the NEW Kentucky trip are much better for this species!
Swainson’s Warbler U- It is reliable at some lower elevations off the Parkway but shooting can be challenged by low lighting. If desired we should be able to locate and photograph this species one morning. Alternatively Gene has a Georgia location that has been superb for this species over many years.
Kentucky Warbler R (Rare but sometimes can be found-generally lower elevations)-Tennessee or Georgia are the trips for this beautiful and very photogenic species.
OTHER SPECIES
Blue-headed Vireo C
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak C
Veery U or C
Scarlet Tanager U or C
LEADER: GENE KOZIARA
Gene has intimate knowledge of the above sites and species, having worked those areas each spring for a number of years. He knows the songs and where at those sites we are likely to find the target species.
He will work to find us as many of the above species as possible. Calls will be used but you may be surprised about the call techniques and how sparingly they may be used. The focus will be to provide opportunities for quality images, with an emphasis on composition and warblers in song whenever possible. We will start around sunrise and work until we don’t have usable light, taking a break at mid-day if the sun is bright. On those bright days we may use that time to go to another site, or we may just take a relaxing lunch. We will shoot again from later afternoon until we don’t have usable light. Our goal will be to have a quality shoot of two to four or more warbler species per day depending on the sites visited and how we are doing. The emphasis will be on quality composition, and in some cases we may shoot more than one bird of the same species in various settings.
REQUIREMENTS
We will discuss camera settings (if desired) and the composition goal(s) for each individual shoot during the set-up. Photographers who are already familiar with their camera and lens will certainly benefit more from the experience and the enjoyment of warbler photography. A long lens is essential for warbler work as warblers are small birds. I currently use a 600 mm lens and a R5 Canon full frame body. A 500 mm lens or minimum 400 prime lens is recommended for best results. A crop sensor camera and/or a teleconverter will extend reach. A teleconverter to extend reach can be used in good light situations, but it may slow image acquisition too much in more overcast or shaded situations. The faster your lens, the better for warbler photography. You should have the skill with your gear to quickly focus on a small bird, as warblers often tend to move quickly. Some birds and species will be more cooperative and forgiving than others, but the ability to quickly focus on the bird will provide far more satisfying images (A great practice exercise is to work on quickly getting on small birds as they branch down to a feeder). Warblers can be very sensitive to moving photographers. Knowing when to pull the trigger is beneficial, especially when attempting singing shots on specific chosen perches. Yet it can be hard to wait! I will attempt to coach how to better anticipate warbler movement and thus minimize less productive shooting. The Atlanta area has the added advantage of the opportunity to rent adequate gear for the duration of your trip if needed or desired. I would suggest arriving at least a day earlier if you will be renting gear so that you can practice with it. It is about a four hour drive from the Atlanta airport to Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville is about an hour’s drive from our lodging and Charlotte, North Carolina is less than 2 hours.
DISCLAIMER:
This Warbler Photo Journey will require little walking with most shooting occurring within a few hundred feet or less of our vehicles. As with any outdoor adventure watch out for briars, possible biting insects and poison ivy, and be alert for uneven and slippery ground. Poisonous snakes such as Copperheads or Timber Rattlers are possible at the lower elevations but I’ve never encountered one anywhere on the Parkway nor even on the off roads. Plan to put in a long day.
MOST IMPORTANT
The goal is to have fun and work as a team to maximize everyone’s Photo Journey. I need you to be open and honest with me as we regularly assess how we are doing. Ideally, you will not only come away from the trip with many quality images, but also with some how-to knowledge that you can apply in the future while out shooting and when doing your own post-processing.
WHY TO CHOOSE WARBLER WHISPERER LLC
-Gene’s primary bird photography focus is and has been warblers for well over a dozen years.
-WarblerWhisperer has small group sizes which allows more individual attention. As group size increases in warbler photography proximity to target and favorable lighting for the photographer may suffer. With small birds like warblers this indeed can make a difference.