Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge


The weather was dark and nasty last saturday so I decided to use the afternoon as an opportunity to check out the refuge. It's really important to know the layout of an area before coming with the idea of shooting wildlife. Well, I mean in the serious sense.

It's an interesting place, there's an auto drive tour where you must stay in your vehicle (except in designated places, at the entrance booth and a blind about half way around the loop).

The wildlife is used to the cars so it becomes like a moving blind and some wildlife will stand right next to your car (like the hawk shown below). This was on the south end of the refuge, on the north end there's a two mile hiking loop. I haven't tried that yet but looking forward to it.

The photos shown here are from that visit and they aren't very good quality, but then they were shot at about ISO 2500 in an attempt to get good clear photos. Like I said it was a dark day, dark grey, with rain and spitting snow. Can't wait to go back in nice light, should make for some fantastic photos.


If you go be sure to leave the pets at home, they aren't allowed in the refuge. Be sure to bring your field glasses and/or spotting scopes and cameras.

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