Bicycling, birding and photography are a great combination. Yesterday I took a 24 mile ride on the Luce Line Trail. This rails to trails route which starts in the western suburbs of Minneapolis and proceeds into the rural countryside allows one to get some great exercise and also access areas not reachable by car. While one certainly may walk your local trails, when on a bicycle the birding photographer may quickly ride between prime habitat locations, and then either slow down or dismount for birding. By keeping a good lookout which in transit, unexpected sights will often present themselves.

My setup for birding photography is simple. I have a handlebar bag where my camera is stored for easy access. In addition I have a monopod lashed to rear bag for stabilizing my camera during long distance zoomed shots.

Here are a few photos from my Luce Line Trail bike ride. Please realize songbirds are just starting to migrate into the area. Photographic opportunities are yet a bit thin this spring.

• View this project’s Flickr photo stream. (click upon image to view at full size)

Some of my equipment

———-

———-

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

———-

Yellow-Warbler

———-

Baltimore Oriole