For the past two years in November, we have gone on a lighthouse/wildlife safari with a group of photographer friends.  This year they were going a little too far for us, so we set out on our own.  We went to some new places and some of our old favorite ones.  The weather was FREEZING so we really had to bundle up!  I love doing this kind of trip with my husband because it challenges me to get outside of the box and practice techniques that I don't use in the studio.  He has become a great wildlife photographer and I have learned a lot from him!  He took these next two photos.

We started out heading to Mackay national wildlife rescue up near Virginia.  We took a ferry over to the island and had sandwiches (not much fast food in the wilderness!).  Once we got there, we found that most of the park was closed for hunting.  We did take a short hike but didn't find any birds.

 We headed on to Virginia Beach for the night.  We stayed on the beach and they had Christmas decorations all up and down the beach.  You could even drive down the beach to look at them.

The next day we headed back to North Carolina and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.  We found some Tundra swans there.  There was not much going on there so we went to Pea Island.  There we found lots of pelicans, ducks and swans.  That was the first time I had seen a white pelican.

 We stopped at Bodie Island lighthouse on the way to our favorite spot, Mattamuskeet.  I saw an owl sitting on the side of the highway as we left!

We got up the next morning before sunrise and headed to the cypress tree lookout.  The sky was absolutely gorgeous!  The colors changed quickly and we almost missed the pink sky.  It was a different perspective of our favorite spot.  

On our way to the refuge, we met someone who said he had just spotted a bald eagle.  We rode around and photographed ducks and swans, but when we saw the eagle, he was so far away, and we couldn't get a good shot.  Of course my wearing a pink sweatshirt probably didn't help much!

On our way home, we stopped by Lake Phelps.  It was raining by then and all we found were the last spots of fall colors in the cypress trees.  We did hike down a trail that said to watch for bear.  There was some evidence that bear were certainly around all along the trail!

Wildlife photography can definitely be challenging.  Weather is a big factor.  We started out freezing and then when it did warm up, it started raining.  Birds move so quickly that you have to use a fast shutter speed and using a tripod is hard to do.  You have to be on the lookout all the time with binoculars just in case you find something cool like the eagle.  Nature photography is quite a bit different from children and family photography.  It gives me a chance to use my artistic license on something other than human subjects!