Nedko P. Nedkov

Visiting my wife Anja in NJ, I convinced her to visit Maryland and to spend the weekend there. She found a very nice hotel with a SPA for her which gave me the opportunity to photograph bald eagles fishing in Conowingo Dam. This will be theme for another blog.

At Conowingo Dam, I was happy to meet Peter, an American photographer from the neighborhood. Speaking about photography, I asked him to tell me about good spots. I got the hint, that in the Island Beach State Park IBSP, there is a great opportunity to see red foxes. In November they changed already their pelt and got this beautiful orange thick winter pelt, so I decided to spent some hours there.

Coming home, I started my researches on Google, afterwards I checked pictures on FB, FLICKR, G+ and 500pix, to see what kind of lens I would need there. It seemed to be 70-200mm. To be on the safe side I took one TC 2.0 III with me, which was a very good decision. I found also a blog from Ray Hennessey and was very sure that I'm well prepared to found them.

On Friday, I finished my work in the early afternoon as my days usually start at 4am in the U.S. because of my jetlag. It took me an hour to drive there. I paid the 5$ admission fee and there were no more hurdles for fun to start immediately...

The Park is mainly used by fisherman, a lot of fisherman... Foxes will wait until at least 4 pm as at that time most of the day-visitors are gone. You don't have to search for them, just drive the only way in the park up and down and they will find you.

Waiting for the foxes to come I took some pictures:

Burnt down wood from beach fire made by the fishermen

Barnegat light

Dune grass

Dune plants

Savannah sparrow

Herring gull pointing out the rules in the park

Fishermen will spend the night on the beach

I had time until 5pm only as I had to drive back and to pick up my wife Anja from work. So it was time for the foxes to finally show up...

Warum Kraniche? Weil sie auch noch die Voegel des Gluecks genannt werden.
Why cranes? Because they are called birds of fortune.
Защо жерави? Защото на тях още им казват птици на щастието.

Einige nuetzliche Adressen dazu:
Some important addresses:
Няколко важни адреси:

Karsten Peter 
Mitarbeiter Kranich-Informationszentrum 
Lindenstraße 27 
D - 18445 Groß Mohrdorf 
Tel. 038323 - 80540 
Fax 038323 – 80541 
E-Mail: karsten.peter@kraniche.de 
www.nabu-wwf-kranichzentrum.de 

Sabrina Liepner
Landhotel Kranich
Prohner Straße 18
18445 Klausdorf
Tel.: 038323 – 266 80
Fax: 038323 – 266 829
E-Mail: info@landhotel-kranich.de

Im Kranich Informationszentrum, kann man gegen eine Spende von 75 EUR einen der 6 Verstecke am Guenzersee mieten. Da Kraniche sehr scheu sind, ist das die einzige Chance diese Voegel aus der Naehe zu betrachten.
One can get one of six blinds from the Crane Information Center donating 75 EUR. The cranes are very shy, being in a hide or blind is very gut idea, if you would like to see them from very close distance.
Срещу дарение от 75 евра на жеравният информационен център можите да получите едно от шесте скривалища на езерото Гюнцер зее. Жеравите са доста плахи, за това ако искате да ги видите по от близо това не е лоша идея.

Da ich aus Muenchen erst am Freitag Abend anreisen wollte, habe ich mit Karsten Peer (mein Ansprechpartner beim Kranich Informationszentrum) vereinbart, dass der Schluessel zum Versteck und auch die Unterlagen in meinem Hotel abgegeben warden. Mit dem Hotel habe ich vereinbart, dass ich Proviant und Kaffee fuer den ganzen Tag become und so koennte nichts mehr schief gehen.
I asked Karsten Peter (my contact person in the Crane Information Center) to depose the blind key in my hotel, as I arrived from Munich on Friday evening. I asked my hotel to prepare a lunch packet for the next day and this way all hurdles were managed.
Аз помолих Карстен Петер (моя партньор от Жеравния информационен център) да остави ключовете от скривалището в моя хотел, понеже пристигах от Мюнхен в петък късно вечерта. На хотела си казах да ми приготвят провиант за следващия ден и по този начин всички пречки бяха натъманени.

Noch eins: ich war niemals dort und muesste noch vor Sonnenaufgang im Versteck sein, aber wie finde ich ihn? Google Maps ist das Zauberwort. Nach der Beschreibung von Herrn Peter habe ich die GPS-Koordinaten in Google Maps von der Huette gefunden. Diese habe ich in Mapsme auf meinem iPhone uebernommen und so koennte ich selbst in der Dunkelheit dahin navigieren.
Ones more: I was never there and I was asked to be in the blind before sunrise, so how can I find the blind? Google Maps is the solution. According to the description of Karsten Peter I found the blind on Google Maps and transferred the GPS-coordinates to Mapsme on my iPhone and this way I was able to navigate there in the darkness.
И още нещо: Аз никога не съм бил там, но трябваше да бъда в скривалището преди изгрев слънце, но как тогава да го намеря? Вълшебната думичка е картите на Гугъл. По описанието на Карстен Петър аз успях да намеря скривалището на картите на Гугъл. Взех от там ГПС координатите и ги прехвърлих на Мапсми в моя Айфон. По този начин можех да навигирам и в тъмницата до скривалището.

Ich habe meine Uhr fuer 5:00 Uhr gestellt, die Sonne sollte erst um 7:50 aufgehen, doch ich war um 4:30 for Aufregung wach.
I set my alarm clock at 5:00 am, the sun was supposed to rise at 7:50am, but I was awaken at 4:30 giddy with excitement.
Нагласих си будилника за 5 сутринта, слънцето трябваше да изгрее в 7:50, но аз се събудих в 4:30 от възбуда.

Die Bauer streuen Mais auf die Felder und so hoffen sie, dass die Kraniche ihre Felder nicht aufsuchen, was nur bedingt passiert. So war es auch an diesem Tag, ein Traktor kam und hat Meis gestreut . Kaum war der Traktor weg und es ist laut geworden. Tausenden Kraniche haben mit ihrem unverwechselbaren Ruf die Morgenruhe unterbrochen. und auf einmal wurde der Himmel Schwarz von Voegeln. Unbeschreiblicher Blick gepaart mit diesen Schreien...