Hi! I am from Cape Breton Nova Scotia...

[gail bisson]

When I was an undergraduate at Acadia University I had a very heavy course load and decided to take an easy credit (ie.a bird course-pardon the pun) and chose Ornithology 101. I hated it! The only bird I could identify consistently was a bluejay. The gulls and shorebirds drove me nuts...I got a C+ in the course and swore I would never ever look at another bird for the rest of my life...
Until my husband and I volunteered in Tanzania for 6 weeks in 2009 and I saw my first lilac breasted roller. I have been hooked on avian photography ever since. All I had was a Canon point and shoot with me so when we returned to Nova Scotia I bought my first DSLR ( a Rebel XS) in July 2009.
I took classes through Henry's and attended my first workshop with Chris Dodds in Point Pelee Ontario in May 2010. I then did the Owl Prowl workshop with Chris in January 2011 and just attended Jim Neiger's flight photography course in May 2011.He directed me to this website and I look forward to learning and posting,
Gail

[John Chardine]

Hi Gail- Welcome to BPN! We are almost neighbours! If you are ever across to Sackville, NB, let me know and we can shoot some birds locally. August is good here for the Semipalmated Sandpipers that come though in their 100,000s.

[Ian Cassell]

Hi Gail! Welcome to BPN. I look forward to seeing some images. I was last in Cape Breton when I was a teen (umpteen zillion years ago) and remember it fondly -- I'd love to get back up there!

[gail bisson]

Thanks for your welcome!I will be sure to look you up when I am in Sackville, John.
Gail

[Daniel Cadieux]

Welcome to BPN Gail!! Glad you got to finally love birds, and yes photographing them is (very) addictive. Hoping to see some images from you!

[Richard Stern]

Hi Gail,

You post great photos, and we're also almost neighbors, so here's a belated welcome to BPN. I have been posting here on and off for a few years, and it's a tremendous learning experience, although a very humbling one, at least for me. I see you were at Acadia, so we might have met at one time. If you're ever back in the Valley, photo ops are great for raptors, especially Bald eagles, in winter, and shorebirds in late Summer and Fall.

I recently spent the w/e in Cape Breton, at the NS Nature Federation annual meeting at Gaelic College. The weather was terrible, and our trip out to the Bird Islands consisted of attemting to stay upright on the heaving boat while attempting to photograph Puffins etc. through the rain and spray - none of the results were good enough to post on BPN. Anyway, I enjoy your posts and the group.

Richard

[gail bisson]

Hi Richard,
I would love to meet up with you someday. If you are ever in CB let me know. Hopefully you will have better weather next time around!
I went to Acadia from 75 to 79. Biology major. Wheb were you there?
Gail

[Richard Stern]

Hi Richard,
I would love to meet up with you someday. If you are ever in CB let me know. Hopefully you will have better weather next time around!
I went to Acadia from 75 to 79. Biology major. Wheb were you there?
Gail

Hi again,

I was still in England (my original home) in 75-78. But in 78 I went to St.Anthony, NF for a 6 month locum,, decided I liked Canada, did the required further training, moved to NS in 1980, and have lived and worked in the Valley (I'm an internist/ gastroenterologist) since. Been interested in birding all that time, but have gotten into photography fairly recently. If you want to see a few further pics (mostly not BPN standard), try www.pbase.com/rb_stern, or more recently, http://richard-s/smugmug.com/. My wife and I might be spending a few days in the Baddeck area in August, and if so, I'll PM you.

Cheers, Richard