Familiarity breeds success

The good thing about going to the same place many times is that you get to know and when animals and birds will be there, This holds true for me in the bay/Monterey area of California, I must have been 10 times or more at different times of the year but spring for me is the best, When you only have a week to get all your shots in you dont want to be spending time searching areas out, So although i did shoot some new areas i started off on known territory, I know where American Avocet and stilt nest close to the road, I know excellent places for wildfowl and where they fly into in the mornings and if i want to shoot mammals sea otter,seal,sea lion and ground squirrel are guaranteed and i guess that why this area of California holds such an appeal for me, the light is generally very good at this time of year and things are so abundant and every trip yields a surprise or 2, I have realised that i like to shoot gulls and Monterey is a great place for this, there are a couple of places that i visit where gulls come in and land on particular rocks, Gulls being gulls always want the rock that other gulls are on so there are always swabbles, I always make sure i spend a couple of evening shooting the gulls when  i am there, If nothing else its a good place to improve your flight technique as well as exposure,I have visited India many times at the same places for the same reasons, Its very difficult to compete with local photographers when you are only there for 1 or 2 weeks of the year but if you go back time after time and go at the very best times of the year you can give them a good run for their money, I treat my local area in the same manner, Working the same area for some time until i feel i have the best from it before moving on but keeping an eye on the area and returning when things are good,

Dave