The glossy ibis is designated as a "bird of concern" in Rhode Island. The first one sighted here was in the 1930s; the first nesting pair was documented in 1971. Since then the numbers have ranged from 100 to 500 per season. During my filming there were about 75 pairs recorded throughout Narragansett Bay.
Documenting this species during the nesting season was more of a challenge than I had expected initially. Since they breed off-shore a 30 minute kayak ride to the site with camera gear, blind and bushwhacking tools was only the first obstacle to overcome. I made a dozen trips for this video over two seasons. The Bay waters can get quite rough when tides come and go in addition to navigating between fast moving pleasure boats. Once I reached the island in the morning I stayed there the whole day. You can't just walk up to a nest and start filming like one could on a backyard feeder.
Dyer island is heavily overgrown with thorny non-native species such as multiflora rose, barberry, Japanese honeysuckle, wild cherry and more. Not being managed many shrubs grow to tree-size and over time have formed an "organic fortress" almost impossible to penetrate. This is actually why the birds come here, undisturbed habitat. So my first task was to forge a crude passage (not a trail as we know it) to the bird colony which is usually not bigger than 2-3 acres on an island about 30 acres in size. Filming under this dense and dark vegetation cover was another challenge for me. When the sun comes out it creates tremendous contrast as you can notice in the footage. Much of the detail is lost as a result.
In the morning most birds are out feeding so my temporary intrusion was minimal. Once I found a nest suitable for filming I settled in. I pitched my blind, set up my gear and then faced an uncertain period of waiting. Typically that could range from two to four hours. By that time the day was half over. Waiting for me is actually becoming part of nature, blending in by observing quietly. Often something very unexpected can happen. If the birds return and something exciting happens I had a good day. If nothing happened I also had a good day. Going on a wildlife filming shoot, my advice is to have no schedule, no expectations, lots of time and never give up. In my 35 years of documenting wildlife I learned to be patient, persistent and persevering.
Nothing beats a good adrenaline rush when you get that "money shot".
Негізгі бет Glossy Ibis: Colonial Nesters
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