October 10th-11th 2026 – 6 people – $1,090
The bird photography tour where anything can happen! This near St Pete Beach spot has long been an iconic place for me. It is a truly special location where there is a chance for quite a diversity of opportunities. The timing of this workshop is during the migratory season. This will increase the possibilities and add many birds not normally seen in Florida. Besides all the usual Floridian wading birds, you will also discover many shorebird species. From the elusive white morph Reddish Egret, to the majestic female Long-billed Curlew a lot can happen at that location. The workshop consists of three shoots (Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning) from sunrise to mid-morning, or from mid-afternoon to sunset.
The spot: Fort Desoto Park
I created a few my high achieving images at Fort Desoto Park:
- “Hunters In White” which depicts two Snowy Egrets fishing side by side for a white on white effect (central position in the top collage) was Commended at the BPOTY Bird Photographer Of The Year competition, received a silver medal at the Photographic Society of America competition, was granted an honorable mention at the International Photography Awards, as well as being selected for the Loan collection at the Professional Photographers of America competition.
- “Vampire Wings” is the Reddish Egret above. This image was selected twice for the final round at the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and received a merit at the Professional Photographers of America competition.
- “Tilted Landing” is a Willet landing with wings wide open in a diagonal frontal position (next photograph down). I created this image early in my career and it ended 1st place at the Florida Professional Photographers competition. It was also selected for the Loan collection at the Professional Photographers of America competition, as well as received an acceptance at the Sydney International Exhibit of Photography.
Shorebirds galore
Fort Desoto Park is very well know for the quantity and diversity of shorebirds that can be observed. Plus, the chosen timing will give us a chance for other species, such as Red Knots or Long-billed Curlews. The possibilities are high for Willets, American Oystercatchers, Royal Terns, Marbled Godwits, Rudy Turnstones, Sanderlings, Sandwich terns, Semipalmated Plovers, Black bellied Plovers and many more. It is not impossible to come across Snowy Plovers and other rare shorebirds.
Did I mention wading birds?
Again, this is the place where anything is possible. You might see Spoonbills, White Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Yellow-crowned night Herons, Green Herons, Wood Storks. There is also a Reddish Egret know as “Big Red” which often hangs out in a special spot.
What you will learn
This photography tour is for all levels, from beginners to semi-professionals. Having an effective reach of 600mm is recommended to make the most of this tour.
You will learn how to nail down exposure, compose and position yourself in the best way possible each time. I will show you how to respectfully approach shorebirds so that you understand bird behavior and are able to capture the best action shots possible. Understanding the light and making the most of your camera tracking system will be accompanied by taking into consideration wind direction and angling for the most pleasing background.
Most importantly, I will explain the rational behind my positioning and will call the shots so that you may anticipate the fast action.
The cost
$1090 for the best wading birds / shorebirds mix photography tour! You need to make a $250 deposit to hold your spot.
What is included:
- 3 shoots
- 1 lunch
- image critique and Photoshop image optimization tutorials during lunch break with interactive help on whichever need you have
- in-the-field photography instruction from your favorite award-winning bird photographer
What is not included:
- airfare
- hotel
- meals other than lunches
