Lesser Prairie Chicken
Photography Specialty Tour
Highlights
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Experience two private-property blind sessions focused on photographing lesser prairie-chickens during their remarkable spring courtship displays.
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Limited to only three participants and led by Tamron Ambassador Alyce Bender, this micro-group experience allows for personalized instruction and ample room to work inside the blinds.
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Continue south after Wild Nebraska for a 4-day, 3-night extension dedicated to one of the Great Plains’ most endangered and increasingly difficult-to-observe birds.
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Each participant will have private accommodations throughout the extension, providing a comfortable place to rest between early-morning field sessions.
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Photography Supporting Conservation: A portion of the proceeds will support Audubon of Kansas and its continued work with private landowners to protect lesser prairie-chickens and the grassland habitat they depend upon.
Continue south from Wild Nebraska into the working grasslands of north-central Kansas for an intimate 4-day, 3-night extension focused on one of the Great Plains’ most endangered birds: the lesser prairie-chicken. Limited to just three participants, this photo adventure includes two early-morning blind sessions on private land, offering the opportunity to witness and photograph the birds’ remarkable spring courtship displays while supporting the landowners and conservation partners helping protect the habitat they depend upon. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Audubon of Kansas and its continued lesser prairie-chicken conservation efforts.
Beyond the lek, our evening sessions will explore the region’s rolling prairie, open skies, and agricultural landscapes while seeking opportunities to photograph other grassland wildlife. This broader approach will allow participants to create a more complete portfolio—one that documents not only the lesser prairie-chicken, but also the wider ecosystem that makes its survival possible. Single-room lodging and transportation from the conclusion of Wild Nebraska are included, making this a seamless and meaningful continuation of the journey across the Great Plains.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Nebraska & Transfer to Kansas
Following the conclusion of Wild Nebraska, we will begin our drive south into the grasslands of north-central Kansas. This will be a long travel day, but we will remain open to a few photographic opportunities along the way as time, weather, and wildlife allow. Upon arrival, we will check into our lodging, settle in, and prepare our equipment for the following morning’s very early start.
Day 2 – Lesser Prairie-Chicken Lek and Evening Exploration
We will depart well before dawn to meet our local contact and travel to the private-property lek. To avoid disturbing the birds, we must arrive before they do, giving us time to set up the blinds, load in our equipment, and become completely settled before the prairie begins to wake.
Once everything is in place, we wait. As the first light reaches the grasslands, lesser prairie-chickens may begin arriving to display, call, posture, and compete for the attention of nearby females. We will generally remain inside the blinds until approximately 10:00 or 10:30 a.m., depending on the birds’ activity and departure.
After leaving the lek, we will enjoy a well-earned warm brunch followed by time to rest, download images, and recharge. Later in the afternoon, we will head back into the field for a sunset session focused on the broader Kansas grassland ecosystem. Depending on conditions and what we find, possibilities may include pronghorn, prairie dogs, other grassland species, or a sweeping prairie landscape beneath the setting sun
Day 3 - A Second Morning on the Lek
We will once again rise well before dawn and return to the lek for our second blind session. No two mornings in the field are exactly alike. Changes in light, weather, bird activity, and positioning can create entirely different photographic opportunities, allowing us to build a more varied portfolio of both behavior and environmental imagery.
Following another late breakfast or brunch and an afternoon break, we will venture out for a final evening session. Our focus will again be on the wildlife, landscapes, and seasonal character of the surrounding grasslands, rounding out the story of this increasingly vulnerable ecosystem.
Day 4 - Return to Omaha
After an early departure, we will begin the long drive back to our original starting point in Omaha, Nebraska. We anticipate arriving in time for late-night flights home, though participants may also choose to book an additional overnight stay in Omaha before departing the following day.
Post-Workshop Zoom Image Critique
We will have the group image critique session after the workshop ends date TBD mutually by group.
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Inclusions
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Ground Transportation for duration of tour
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In-field Photography Instruction w/Alyce Bender
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3 Nights Single Lodging
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Coffee, Tea, Water
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2 Blind Sessions
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Post-tour Zoom Image Critique Session
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All Entrance Fees & Permits
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Conservation Donation to AoK
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Exclusions
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Transportation to/from your home to Omaha, NE (or the start/end of this tour if not joining us on the Wild Nebraska Tour)
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Any Meals, Snacks, and Beverages not listed
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Any pre- or post-tour NE/KS lodging or transportation
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Personal Purchases
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Guide & Instructor Gratuities
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