Where to go in January?

I am planning to get out for 4 or 5 days in the first week of January on my own with the camera and hopefully get some birding in too. So the big question is where do I go? Being new to New England and the USA I haven't a clue but therefore very easy to please . Anywhere in the USA is fine but I would prefer closer to home because we are already planning SW Florida later in Jan and SE Texas in Feb.

Birds would be my first priority although I am rediscovering the fun of wider angles and filters (I still can't take a decent pic with them but they are easier to carry than a 500mm ).

Oh yeah, this image was from my trip to the White Mountains at Thanksgiving - I have hundreds of shots of waterfalls (which I discovered are really hard work without any foliage) but felt that a shot of my first ever covered bridge was appropriate as a New England newbie - critique welcome - my main nit is that the town planners didn't place a bend in the road just before the bridge on this side

Cheers

Mark.

Wow Mark, looks like a nice introduction to the area. I'm renting a good golf drive away from this spot this year...next time your in the area, lemme know, I'll show ya round!

What a neat take on the covered bridge theme. So many fantastic elements to it!
Might you be willing to post the techs???

Jim

Thanks Jim and great advice before to go see the falls in the area. We were staying in a friend's condo by the golf course and will be again in the future!

Sorry I forgot - techs below:

Canon 1D2N, Tamron 28-75/2.8 @ 28mm, 30sec, f16, 100 ISO. Processed twice from RAW to blend with a -1.7 EV (because of that light on the bridge). Cropped off blackness on the right and cloned out bright window lights in LHS.

Mark,

If you do not have a New Hampshire Delorme Atlas get one they are worth their weight in gold...
Here are a few seggestions:

Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge Jefferson, NH DeLorme Page 48 1-I
A good spot for birds in winter. If there is ever any snow again deer usually yard up somewhere around this pond ( not likely the 1st week of jan unless it snows for 2 weeks!)

Rt 16 between Berlin, NH and Errol NH and all the way up Rt 16 to Rangeley, ME
Possible Moose and lots of good snow scenes
DeLorme Page 49 +51 ( also the Maine Gazetteer )

Pittsburg, NH Possible Moose and good snow scenes
Delorme Map 52 There are many gravel roads that will get you off the beaten path and try some of the ones that are plowed.

You might also consider a couple of days in Arcadia National Park on the coast of Maine. This is a great place any time of yearbut the winter alsong the ocean and virtually no other people is really great! You will also find lots of water fowl hanging out there for the winter. I have been there in the winter a number of time and it has always been great!

Jim

A lot depends on your goals - New England offers mountains, lakes and ocean plus the typical New England villages. Birds are not abundant, but they're around. The mountains are beautiful in the winter, but the second it snows up north (in NH), the skiiers will head up there and there will be people and traffic. To get from one site to another involves quite a bit of driving, some mountain roads are closed for the winter, and many places require a hike - something I wouldn't do by myself in the winter - and also involves preparation for emergencies in the woods and lots of warm, dry clothing (people are lost every year without proper wintergear).

If it were me, I'd opt for a nice ocean drive along Route 1A (NH & Maine) - with a goal of Acadia (Maine) as Jim said. You will get ocean views - sunrises and sunsets over the water - typical New England scenes with boats and churches - possibly in the snow - and water birds. You can hit one town after another without the long mountain drives (which are nice in themselves, but not productive for a short photography jaunt), and best of all, the summer crowds will be gone and you can take pictures without people! I've heard a lot of great things about Plum Island in MA (the suggestion by Bob Malbon in this posting) for birding, but I've never been there (yet) - definitely a good starting point!

Of course, there's always the chance you could get caught in a snowstorm or ice storm and get stranded - not fun, but what a photo op!

Good Luck

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Depending on weather, I think I am going to head straight to Acadia, spend some time there and work my way back along the coast. This gives me the option of spending more time in Acadia if the weather conditions are productive.