I started taking pictures of birds some 20 years ago, but after years of filling up my trash can with bad slides, I lost interest. My old photo equipment was collecting dust until digital photography came along. In November 2002, I traded in all of my old equipment and purchased a Nikon D100 digital camera along with a Nikkor 80-400mm VR zoom lens. I was back in business and bad images were ending up in my PC's Recycling Bin instead of the the trash can.

I needed a goal other than taking better pictures because I knew that if I kept at it, better pictures would eventually come along. So I came up with a goal that will keep me busy for a while; to take pictures of at least 1,000 different bird species. Since there are less than 400 birds that I can get to around my house, this would also give me a reason to travel to birding hot spots around the world.

I like to share with you some of my adventures along the way. I welcome and look forward to your input on how to make my images better, and more importantly, on how to increase my species count.

Publications

My photos have been published in a number of books, magazines and other publications. Here is a sample list:

Audubon North American Birdfeeder Guide. DK Publishing. Authors: Robert Burton and Stephen W. Kress. Publication Date: March 2005. ISBN: 0-7566-0850-3

National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America (National Wildlife Federation Field Guide). Publisher: Sterling. Author: Edward S. Brinkley. Date published: 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1-4027-3874-6

The Songs of Wild Birds by Lang Elliott. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publishers. Pub. Date: October 2006. ISBN-13: 9780618663989

Parks and protected areas in Canada : planning and management / edited by Philip Dearden and Rick Rollins. -- 3rd ed. -- Don Mills, Ont. : Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-19-542734-9

Biological Globalisation. Bio-invasions and their Impacts on Nature, the Economy, and Public Health. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2007.Authors: W. van der Weijden, R. Leewis, P. Bol. ISBN 978-90-5011-243-7

Birds & Bloom - July 2010 - Journey to 1,000 birds

National Geographic Traveler - May 2010 - The Western Balkans - Big, Rare Birds in Quiet Places

ΦΩΤΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ - ΙΟΥΛΙΟΣ 2005 - PORTFOLIO ΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΟΝΤΟΝΙΚΟΛΑΣ

Nature Conservancy - Summer 2007 - Plover Patrol. Army Corps Restores Endangered Bird Habitat

Florida Monthly - November 2006 - Species Spotlight: Smooth-billed Ani

Cottage Life - May 2007 - Welcome to Hooterville. Make room for owls at your cottage - all it takes is one board, a few tools, and some imagination

Casino Conection - May 2007 - Back to Nature. Exploring South Jersey's Wildlife

Wildlife Activist - Winter 2009, Spring 2006, Spring 2005 - Front Cover Image ISSN 0894-660

Park Rapids Enterprise - 2/17/07 - Outdoors

Carlton News - October 2006 - Wildlife Notes

Edwin B. Forsythe - Refuge Brochure

Edwin B. Forsythe - Junior Refuge Manager Activity Guide

Ecojustice Canada - 2007 Holiday Card