Rumor has it we’ll be seeing some snow in New York tonight! Does that mean winter’s finally making its frigid entrance stage right? Or maybe it’s just nature’s subtle way of nudging you to get off the couch and pay us a visit for the balmy opening of the Caribbean Garden. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that–yes–the season is giving you a signal. What could it hurt?
Snowflakes or no-flakes, the NYBG will be buzzing with tours, bird walks, and all the swinging, high-heeled dance numbers of the islands. I’m talking salsa. Salsa and warmth. When’s the last time you got to enjoy that kind of two-in-one in the middle of January? And even if the winter was mild until now, it’s a breezy icebox outside today; I’m convinced the threat of frostbite is reason enough to hang out in the jungle habitats of the steamy Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
Here’s what’s going on this weekend at the Garden!
Not every New York institution knows the good fortune of having a surplus of skilled photographers. What better place to hone your picturesmith’s craft than a 250-acre utopia of nodding flowers, century-old trees, and classical architecture? I suppose it justifies the horde of zoom lenses I see on a daily basis.
This past weekend, friend of the Garden and long-time memberPat Gonzalez stopped by with her camera for another early-morning trek across the grounds. The woman must drink straight rocket fuel with her coffee to get up and in the gate before the sun even stumbles over the horizon most days. But she’s got a fantastical knack for snapping some of the most miraculous photos of our local raptors, so who’s to tell her not to?
After October’s storm and the following clean-up period, we hopped right into November’s seasonal preparations with the Holiday Train Show. Our kiku bid a fond “adieu” as they made room in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory for New York’s most cherished winter tradition. And did I mention the leaves on the trees? Fall had arrived–loud, clear, and bursting with the warmest hues.
Paul Busse and his team at Applied Imagination are nothing if they’re not diligent (and brilliantly creative). Setting up the Holiday Train Show takes no small amount of time or ingenuity, and for the last 20 years they have continued to produce one of New York’s most delightful holiday experiences. This year, we set up a time-lapse camera in the Conservatory so our readers could get a better idea of just how the whole process goes down.
Mandy Disher - "The Beacon," First Place in Plant Portraits Year 3
Every day at The New York Botanical Garden offers countless opportunities to snap the perfect shot. A red-tailed hawk making pre-flight checks, a maple seed as it whirligigs from an overhead branch–each event happens almost casually, yet the challenge of capturing nature in just the right light, at the right time, is something our visiting photographers crave.
But there’s motivation beyond the thrill of capturing the perfect picture, thanks in large part to the nearly $8,000 in grand prize funds handed out through the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition. For the last five years, the contest has provided amateurs and professionals alike with an outlet for their photographs, and in turn earned the winners not only a check, but global recognition for their work. And with an entry fee of only £10 (around $16), there’s no reason to sit this year’s competition out.
Back in February of this year, I related my tale of Rose, the red-tailed hawk who shares a nest on the nearby Fordham University campus with Vince, her mate. Since then, the hawks have extended their family. In May, four chicks (a record for this pair and likely any other Bronx hawks) came out to the world. I knew that it was only a matter of time before these youngsters would pay The New York Botanical Garden a visit. I hoped to be lucky enough to see these raptors close up, and I recently got my wish.
It was 9:40 a.m. on a chilly October morning and I had just passed the Garden’s reflecting pool. I wanted to do some shooting of the Conservatory grounds. That’s when I noticed a hawk darting overhead, landing on the lawn by the first tram stop on Garden Way.
The tram crew hadn’t noticed it at first. The hawk was looking down at something. After watching Jr. (one of this hawk’s siblings from 2010’s brood) for so many months this past winter, I already knew what was going to happen next, so I tip-toed ahead, ducking behind one of the two nearby trees and readying my camera. I set it to shoot eight images in one burst and began firing away. It was windy and the ray of sunlight shining through the trees directly onto my new friend kept changing, making getting clear shots interesting to say the least. But I got photos of the newest member of Rose’s dynasty regardless.
It’s not often that we’re thankful for the rare sounds of industry in the Garden. We do love our peace, and if silence is golden, it’s an abundant commodity here in a place where car horns and creaking subway trains can be so readily forgotten. But since the storm left its mark over the Halloween weekend, the sound of work being completed is–at least for the moment–a comfort.
Arborists and the horticulture staff have leapt to the task of trimming away damaged tree branches, removing fallen boughs, and returning the Garden to its original splendor. And while we may have endured a bit of a jolt, we’re already back on our feet and moving forward with a weekend of events both exciting and memorable.
Today’s topic is the one thing that I think every New York City wildlife photographer should consider investing in. With this, not only will you have access to the grounds and great attractions the Garden offers year round, but you’ll also be able to enter the Garden before the public does. What is it? It’s an Annual Supporting Membership.
As a Supporting Member, not only will you get a neat membership card for yourself and one other person (which in turn, gets you into the Conservatory, Rock Garden, Everett Children‘s Adventure Garden, and more) both of you will get what I like to call “the golden ticket:” An early-morning grounds pass which grants you access to the Garden’s stunningly beautiful 250-acres before they open to the public at 10:00 a.m. With this pass, you can arrive as early as 6:00 a.m. and shoot till your heart’s content.
An annual supporting membership is $250. Yes, that might seem a bit steep, especially in today’s economy, but you can cut the cost in half if you join with another person. I convinced my best friend who is also an amateur photographer to join with me, which brings the cost down to $125 each. Although the membership is in my name, we both got individual membership cards and early morning grounds passes.
I look at it this way; the money is going to keep a place that I love operating. Just the opportunity to photograph hawks, owls, and other wildlife with only a few folks around 52-weeks a year is enough to get me to re-up every year. My last four close-up encounters happened before 7:30 a.m.!
You just show your pass to the security guard at either entrance and you’re in. During one of my more recent adventures, I came across two young great-horned owls and one of their parents in the native forest around 6:45 a.m. I was able to get some great shots and video.
If you just want to go solo and don’t care about the pass, then join as an individual at $75. You can check out all the different levels of membership here.
If you still need convincing, then go to my photo site and see for yourself. Look into the eyes of the owls, hawks and other wildlife and imagine yourself in the Native Forest, camera in hand, the smell of damp earth in the air and the sounds of the natural world around you. It doesn’t get any better than this.
In part one, I encouraged shutterbugs who love shooting wildlife to visit The New York Botanical Garden and shared one of my encounters there. Today, I’ll give you some tips on how to make the most out of your visit.
Dress comfortably and efficiently
A typical outing at the Garden can last me anywhere from three to six hours, so it’s important to dress comfortably. During my adventures, I always wear cargo pants (BDUs) and boots. Cargo pants because they are loose-fitting and have lots of pockets for your gear and boots for the terrain. If you really want to better your chances of encountering wildlife, then no visit to the Garden would be complete without exploring all the Native Forest trails as well as the path that runs along the Bronx River. These paths can get pretty muddy, especially at the entrance to the individual trails, so hiking boots are strongly recommended. In winters like this past one that brought mega-blizzard after mega-blizzard, you’ll need snow boots.
Bring an extra battery
This might seem like a silly suggestion, but I’m always hearing this “I would have taken more shots, but my battery ran out, so I went home.” You’d be surprised how quickly a day can fly by. Always bring an extra camera battery and keep it someplace where you can reach for it quickly when your on-screen indicator starts flashing. I keep a fully-charged spare in the outside pocket of my camera bag.
Where to find the hawks
Everybody with a camera wants to get a shot of one of the beautiful red-tailed hawks and other raptors that hunt at the NYBG. Although Rose and Vince have their nest on the nearby Fordham University Campus, the Bronx Zoo and the Botanical Garden are all part of their hunting grounds. Younger red-tails believed to be Rose’s offspring hunt regularly at the Garden along with cooper’s hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, and the two resident great-horned owls. So, where in the Garden can these winged hunters be found? The answer is: Everywhere. Hawks pretty much go where they want and there is no specific all-year-round spot. However, I’ve had some very good luck lately in the Native Forest on the trails that border the Azalea Garden, and near the Library Building.
Have patience
Let’s say you’ve been walking around for several hours and you’re beginning to feel like you haven’t seen anything. Instead of leaving, take a break. Why not head on over to the Visitor’s Center Café? I survived my freezing winter treks on their most excellent hot chocolate. Enjoy your drink of choice while enjoying the nice view. After about a half hour there, I’m refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to continue on. Once you head out, re-trace some of the ground you covered earlier. One time, I had walked around non-stop for nearly five hours, hoping to shoot one of the red-tails there. I got nothing, but came back a half hour later and took the photo you see above. It was definitely worth heading out for a second look.
Want to photograph wildlife all year? Then join the Garden. A Garden Membership will get you and your camera unlimited entry to the grounds, the Conservatory, the exhibits in the Library Building, and to all the wonderful events that take place throughout the year.
Rumor has it we’ll be seeing some snow in New York tonight! Does that mean winter’s finally making its frigid entrance stage right? Or maybe it’s just nature’s subtle way of nudging you to get off the couch and pay us a visit for the balmy opening of the Caribbean Garden. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that–yes–the season is giving you a signal. What could it hurt?
