Wild Delaware

Looking back over the past year of photographing Wild Delaware one sunrise at Gordons Pond stands out as the most beautiful combination of great light and great wildlife. The sky was clear overhead but there was a thin blanket of fog hanging over the pond filtering early light. Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets and an assortment of gulls crowded into the shallows of the pond having a fishing frenzy. They were so focused on fishing I was able to get very close to the action.

If you are in the Lewes area this Saturday (October 25th) you can see these photographs and a sneak preview of the book Wild Delaware at the Peninsula Gallery between 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you there…

Jeffrey A. Gordon is a tour leader and frequent speaker at birding festivals all over North America. He writes for Bird Watcher’s Digest and other publications and is the coordinator for the Delaware Birding Trail. His latest project is a series of video podcasts released in conjunction with the Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America this past August 2008.

For Wild Delaware Jeff has written a chapter taking the reader through a year in the life of First State birds. When you read Jeff’s chapter you will learn about our migratory birds, some are in Delaware for just a few days every year, our pelagic birds (birds that live at sea) and our resident birds both common and rare.Here’s a sneak preview of Jeff’s “Year in Flight” chapter.

If you have been following my daily progress shooting Wild Delaware over the past year you already know this a photography book. What you might not know is that I have asked Delaware’s top wildlife experts and writers to contribute to the book. The more I learned about animal behavior the more I knew I should leave the writing of this book to the experts. Jeffrey A. Gordon knows more about birds than I could hope to learn in a lifetime. The same is true of Bill McAvoy with plants, Jim White with reptiles and Derek Stoner with mammals. Dr. Jean Woods’s knowledge of the science of nature is exceptional. I hope when you read their essays you will be inspired to go into the wild and find these creatures for yourself.

When you read Jennifer Ackerman’s Great Marsh essay (sneak preview below) you will almost be able to smell the salt marsh and hear a whippoorwill. She paints incredible pictures with her words.

So, if you have already ordered Wild Delaware you will have your books in November. If you have not ordered already I urge you to do so now. There are still signed and numbered, first edition books available that include the four beautiful free prints.