TWO MINI AFA CONVENTIONS
SCHEDULED IN THE NEAR FUTURE
3rd place - FULROUS TREE DUCK
by Pat Witman, San Marcos, CA
2nd place - PINTAIL NON PAREIL
by John Krell, Garden Grove, CA
1st place - ZEBRA FINCH
by John Krell, Garden Grove, CA
February 3rd, 1979 - "AFA NORTH"
Chicago, Tllinois - see insert in this issue for information
April 7th, 1979 - "AFA EAST"
Washington, D.C.
The first Eastern Regional Mini Con- will be lead by nationally recognized
vention of AFA will be held on April 7 expert breeders.
and 8 in Washington, D.C. at the Holiday A banquet will be held in the evening,
Inn in historic "Old Town", Alexandra, than to top it off, a once-in-a-life-time
across the Potomac from the nation's tour to one of the country's outstanding
capitol. This will be the most exciting breeding facilities. All this and the excite-
bird event ever held on the East Coast. ment of the Cherry Blossom Festival in
The "Bird Mart" will be open for buy- Washington at the same time!
ing, selling, trading, and conversation.
Make plans to attend "AFA EAST",
The Board of Directors Meeting will be
April 7th, 1979. More information will
followed by an afternoon of interesting
follow in the next issue of Watchbird.
and informative speakers on breeding,
nutrition, genetics, etc. Round table For information call Mrs. Lee Phillips,
discussions on individual bird species (301) 798-1353.
~
~v I ~n
~
by Steven Clause
PowaY,CA
ph oto Cj Raphy
Avian photography has been, is, and mother could love, is adorable to the
will continue to be an art fonn, and is at aviculturist. And what about documenta-
best, difficult. This of course is the tion of spoon feeding an orphan, some of
challenge of photographing birds. Bird our readers may never have seen this
photography is also useful when there is a procedure.
need for study prints or documentation of a Those of you living in snow country
particularly important avian activity. So may keep a wild bird feeder during the
we can generate much usefulness from this winter months. Can you capture the feed-
type of photographic work; art prints and ing frenzy of these birds at the feeder on
study prints. film?
The winter months are a perfect time to Patience as well as practice will help
practice the art of avian photography, both you get that once-in-a-lifetirne photo-
domestic and wild. graph. And once you've got it, share it!
The show season is just ending for some Enter your photograph in the AFA Watch-
types of birds and many fanciers have their bird photographic contest. But you've got
animals in prime condition. That is, in to start now with the photography (I know
perfect feather, clear of eye, and steady that many of you would have entered last
from being shown in a confined area year's contest but you just got too late of a
amidst confusion and excitement. This is start and missed the deadline). The various
the bird that makes a good photographic categories are black and white prints, color
subject. prints and slides. Monetary prizes are
The breeding season is just beginning offered for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. All
for some species, such as cockatiels and photographs are judged before the
lovebirds. These birds are also in peak convention starts and these photos are
condition and beginning to select mates. displayed at the convention. Then the
This is the time to try for photographs of photographs are run in the Watchbird issue
the courtship process and even of the after the convention.
actual mating, but you had better be on This column will, in upcoming issues,
your toes since these birds almost never cover many points useful to the novice as
pose for their photographs. well as the experienced avian photog-
For those of you whose buds are into the rapher, but if you just can't wait or if you
hatching to fledgling stage, remember that have something that you can share with all
baby pictures are irresistable. Even the of us, please drop me a line c/o Watchbird,
baby hookbill with a face that only a attention Steve Clause.
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