BIRDS AS ART BULLETIN

ICELAND IPT

Atlantic Puffin, Iceland

Razorbill, Iceland

All of the images that accompany this e-mail were created by Daniel Bergmann (who will be co-leading the Iceland IPT with me) and two of my very obviously talented students, Steve Metildi and Chris Dodds, each a very accomplished photographer. (Note: Many of the images here were created with 300mm lenses!) Both Steve and Chris are multiple IPT veterans. Chris Dodds is an accomplished businessman from Quebec, Canada. You can see more of Chris’ images here: www.chrisdoddsphoto.com Steve Metildi and wife Lorelei live in Southern California where Steve works for Toshiba. Steve and Lorelei were last with me in Nome this past June. You can see more of Steve’s great photos here: http://www.naturescapes.net/portfolios/portfolio.php?cat=12103 A big time thanks go to all three! As for me, I cannot wait to get to Iceland!

Black-tailed Godwit, male, Iceland

ICELAND IPT

Dates: June 14-28, 2007. Fly to USA on June 29.

Co-leaders: Arthur Morris and Daniel Bergmann. Daniel is Iceland’s top nature photographer (http://www.danielbergmann.com/) and has been instrumental in helping to plan and fine-tune the itinerary below. Please note that though it is a near-certainty that we shall follow the itinerary below, it may be changed at any time to ensure the photographic success of the trip or to adapt to unforeseen developments.

While we will be concentrating on the birds of Iceland (especially Atlantic Puffin and other seabirds), the country is so beautiful that we will be stopping, often en route, for short sessions of scenic and landscape photography. Our travel will be via comfortable bus with lots of room for our photo gear and checked bags.

Iceland International Photo-Tour; June 14-29, 2007

Pricing: 12 participants: $6786/per person

10 or 11 participants: $7197/per person

8 or 9 participants: $8414/per person

Included:

All accommodations.

Ground transportation via bus with extra seats for photography equipment. There is a 12 volt system on board for charging equipment during travel times.

Flexible bus driver willing to work early and late. In addition, Daniel Bergmann will be able to fill in as bus driver allowing us more flexibility so that we can stay “legal” as far as the law regarding maximum hours and rest time for our regular driver.

All breakfasts, all lunches (a mix of restaurants and picnic lunches), and all dinners.

Not included:

Articles of a personal nature including alcoholic beverages

The international flight from your home to Reykjavik, Iceland

Travel Insurance (which is highly recommended).

Driver tip.

This is an International Photo-Tour, not an Instructional Photo-Tour. There will be hours of image sharing, editing, and Photoshop tips and there will be lots of in-the-field instruction to help you get the most out of the great opportunities that we will encounter. With at least two leaders, there will always be someone close by to help. An international photo-tour is not a trip for beginners. You will be expected to know how to handle your gear and how to operate your camera. We will of course be delighted to help you with the fine points of working with your gear. The weather in Iceland is—as it is in most sub-arctic locations, extremely variable, with overcast, drizzle, and fog being in the forecast on most days. This will give us the opportunities to do lots of flash work and we will be sure to provide extra guidance in this area. If you are not prepared to deal with inclement weather, or if you are basically a bitter unhappy person, please choose another group for your Icelandic adventure. As always we will do our very best to ensure that your tour is enjoyable and as photographically educational and productive as possible.

Important Note: There will be no more than 12 photographers plus either two or three leaders on this Photo-Tour. We need at least 8 registrants to make this trip feasible. We fully expect that this tour will sell out, but do understand that if we do not have at least eight registrants by February 1, 2007 we may need to cancel the trip; if you send a deposit, please do not purchase your plane tickets until you hear from us. We will keep you posted.

Payment schedule:

Deposit $1500.00. This deposit is non-refundable unless your spot is re-sold and the trip fills. If the trip does not run (see Important Note above) your deposit will—of course—be refunded.

Please make all checks payable to “Distinctive Journeys” and mail them to:

Distinctive Journeys

270 Mars Hill Rd.

Powder Springs Ga. 30127

Please let me know via e-mail if you are sending Janie a deposit check: birdsasart@att.net

First Payment: $3000.00. This payment is due on December 23 and is non-refundable unless your spot is re-sold and the trip fills (but will of course will be refunded if the trip does not run).

Balance Due: This payment is due on February 23, 2007 and is non-refundable unless your spot is re-sold and the trip fills.

Common Eider, male, Iceland

Itinerary:

June 14: fly to Reykjavik.

June 15: arrive Iceland 6:30am. A 6hour drive to Akureyri by bus is necessary as the weight restrictions on the in-country flights make flying impossible. Evening session at Lake Myvatn.

June 16: full Day/ Lake Myvatn Lake. Highlights should include: Barrow’s Goldeneye, European Golden-Plover, Horned Grebe, Harlequin Duck, Red-necked Phalarope, Whooper Swan, Common Redshank, and Arctic Tern.

June 17: full day/ Lake Myvatn area

June 18: morning/ Lake Myvatn. Depart for Southeast Coast: Jockulsarlon Lagoon with its magnificent glaciers and lots of Arctic Terns. Just before we reach the lagoon, we will pass by Iceland’s biggest volcano Öræfajökull glacier, which has the highest peak on the island, Hvannadalshnjúkur (2110 m). Jökulsárlón lagoon began to form in the early nineteen twenties and is getting larger every year. We will see large blocks of ice that have broken off Europe’s biggest glacier (Vatnajökull) and sail slowly towards the ocean which is only 2 km away. Some of the icebergs are partly covered with volcanic ashes from ancient eruptions and look like sculptures,

June 19: full day in Southeast/ Ingolfshofdi seabird colony. Highlights include: Great Skua, Northern Fulmar, Common Eider, Snow Bunting, and Arctic Tern (among others).

June 20: full day in Southeast

June 21: travel south/scenics along way/evening session at Floi Nature Reserve (west of Selfoss). Highlights include Red-throated Loon, Whooper Swan, Common Redshank, European Golden-Plover, Red-necked Phalarope, and Whooper Swan. The spectacular Black-tailed Godwit is easy to photograph at this location.

June 22: full day/Floi Nature Reserve (west of Selfoss)

June 23: Travel to Snaefellsnes peninsula/Evening session with Arctic Terns, kittiwakes, and other seabirds.

June 24: ferry to Breidafjordur Bay/cormorants/puffins—puffins (possibly Flately Island for Black Guillemot…)

June 25: Travel west to Latrabjarg and Bjargtangar. Highlights on the cliffs include Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Northern Fulmar, Parasitic Jaeger and Black-legged Kittiwake. White Wagtail, Northern Wheatear, and European Golden-Plover are common nesters on the tundra. On the drive to the cliffs we should find Lesser Black-backed Gull and Common Ringed Plover nesting on the flats near sea level. We will see Thick-billed Murre and Common Murre but they will most likely be difficult to photograph.

June 26: Latrabjarg Full Day

June 27: Latrabjarg Full Day

June 28: return to Snaefellsnes for evening session with Arctic Terns, kittiwakes, and other seabirds.

June 29: Depart for USA