Tara Tanaka lives -- and captures photographs and videos through a spotting scope -- in Tallahassee, Florida. She was chosen "Digiscoper of the Year 2011" by Swarovski Optics for her photo of a bathing Roseate Spoonbill, and again in 2012 for her photo of a Cattle Egret. In February 2016, Tara learned that she has ten photos on the short list for the Bird Photographer of the Year award. She later learned that her photo of a Western Screech-Owl had won the Digiscoping category of the contest.
A photo that Tara captured of Desert Cottontails touching noses in mid-air was one of 100 images chosen from over 500,000 entries to celebrate the 20 years of Nature’s Best Photography Awards. It was displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, in an exhibit that included her video of the cottontails (:20-:22), as well as Wood Ducklings taken in her back yard. Tara was recently interviewed by mirrorlessons.com for an article on digiscoping.
Congratulations, Tara! And thanks for sharing photos with BirdNote.