NK: Do you have a favorite season?
Horan: Each season features unique
wildlife activity, and I like them all. I
could never choose just one but will
admit I am partial to spring, summer,
and fall. These seasons include multiple
shorebird migrations, shrimping,
dolphin strand feeding, sea and wading
bird rookeries, the tail end of bald eagle
nesting, and osprey nesting.
NK: Do you have a favorite species
of wildlife?
Horan: Because I am a wildlife
photographer on the coast I am
certainly a huge fan of the birds, but I
also get excited spying the mammals,
like the mink, otter, dolphin, deer, and
occasionally a bobcat.
NK: What has been your favorite
experience?
Horan: I often hear how good my
patience must be in order to capture my
wildlife images, and I have to set the
record straight—I am not a particularly
patient person. You should see me stuck
behind an untalented or indecisive
driver or shopper for that matter!
Honestly, if you love observing wildlife
behavior the way I do, you do not need
patience. What you need is to remind
yourself how lucky you are to be able to
spend the time doing it. So, to answer
the question I would have to say sitting
in a boat or on a beach during the
shorebird migrations with thousands
of birds flying around me in perfectly
syncopated flight (murmuration) is a
close-to-perfect experience.
NK: Have you had any not-so-favorite
experiences?
Horan: I certainly did not enjoy
being with a boatload of passengers in
a disabled boat and having to be towed
back to the dock! Thankfully that has
only happened twice in the last 10 years.
NK: What are your favorite spots for
photography?
Horan: I have some favorite spots
that I repeatedly revisit, like Deveaux
Bank, and Harbor, Hunting, and Otter
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Naturally Kiawah