A free public program titled Birds in Focus: An Evening with Two Santa Barbara County Bird Photographers will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Fleischmann Auditorium.

A house finch and Western kingbird butt wings (Sophie Cameron)
A house finch and Western kingbird butt wings (Sophie Cameron)

The event will feature illustrated presentations by two expert birders and photographers John Callender and Sophie Cameron, followed by audience questions.

The program is presented by the Santa Barbara Audubon Society and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

Callender will explore how birding led him to photography, driven by the desire to document sightings, study the finer points of identification, and get feedback from experts about challenging species.

He will discuss how digital photography has transformed his own birding, including examples of his own photos, the evolution of his gear and techniques, and lessons he’s learned along the way.

Callender has been birding casually since his childhood in the 1960s. Around 2018, some encounters with experienced birders got him excited about taking his birding to the next level.

The fun of low-key competition via eBird rankings motivated him to chase species he’d largely ignored until then, which led to a deeper engagement with other local birders, Callender said.

Callender is co-founder of Carpinteria Birdwatchers, which holds monthly meetings and outings in the Carpinteria area.

Cameron will show a selection of bird and wildlife photos she’s taken over the past seven years, and speak about her work as a bird ambassador and naturalist.

She will talk about unique birding destinations within Santa Barbara County, and the special habitats and species of birds that can be found there.

Cameron grew up in Santa Barbara exploring the outdoors and fostering a curiosity for all things nature. She attended UCSB to study biological sciences and now works as a naturalist.

She also researches bird migration and teaches a field course on birding through the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.  

For more, call the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, 805-964-1468.