Tips on shooting birds in the wild???

[mortar]

I've read through the stickies some but I'd like to here from some of you on how you get those killer shots.

I suspect the #1 is getting a lot of reach. Would 400mm be enough?

[tdodd]

You might find this thread helpful - http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=705691 - I know I did.

[Scottes]

What camera? 500mm on a 1.3 crop is "about the same" as 400mm on a 1.6 crop - or 650mm on a full frame.

The equipment is one of the last things to worry about. Learn the birding spots, the birds, and the lighting. THEN worry about the equipment.

1) Go where the birds are. If pretty ones aren't around, shoot sea gulls! Practice, practice, practice!

2) Go when the light is. Find out where the birds are, and when they're around, and try to tie that with the light you want. If you will be pointing the camera to the east, go near sunset so the sun is behind you.

3) Practice, practice, practice!

4) Learn the bird. Watch what it does - a lot - and learn to anticipate when it's going to do something.

5) Learn to stalk, how to move slowly and quietly.

[mortar]

Updated my profile.


So would say to just find a place that the birds frequent setup shop, lay low and wait for them to come to you?

[Scottes]

4) Learn the bird.
5) Learn to stalk.

Most birds won't come to you. Well, I have had plenty of small waders ignore me, and come within minimum focus distance. But that's part of learning the birds - knowing which ones will spook easily, and which ones will ignore you if you keep still.

Oh, that adds another:
6) Learn to sit motionless for long periods of time.
Note that I have no patience, and can't sit still for more than a couple minutes, so #6 is optional I guess. :D


Oh, and now that I know your camera, 400mm will be enough to start. I've done 99.5% of my birding on a 1.6 crop at 400mm, either a 100-400mm or the 400mm f/5.6 L. They are economical, and quite capable, each in their own ways. This thread might help you decide: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=43436. There's a LOT of info about both lenses on this site.

You can go after larger birds - egrets and great blue herons and such - with the 70-200mm. It's short, but very capable in it's range.

[canonloader]

My #1 secret for shooting wild birds in the wild is to stay in the car and shoot out the window. A car makes an excellent hide.

We have a unique thing going on here in our local NWR park. Someone, decades ago, started a bird feeding station. They put a L bracket mount on a tree with a trash can lid bolted to it to hold bird seed and suet. Since then, people have been stopping by to add food to it, especially during the winter. Now, after many generations of birds using this feeder, they have become so tame they will land in your hand to feed.

You can do the same thing where you live. Just start putting out food in a spot that is good for light and access. You don't need the feeder on the tree, just put the feed on a dead log, a stump or just on the ground, the birds will find it. Tell other people about it and try and keep the food there every day through a winter. The birds will make a habit of coming to it and eventually depend on it.

[mortar]

^^ Hahaha!!

That is exactly how I captured this picture. The Scissor Tails where all over the place but trying to get close enough to get a nice shot was very hard. So after about an hour of trying I just gave up. Jumped in the truck and was going back home and noticed this fellow sitting on the sign. I sat there for 10 minutes snapping away waiting for the pose.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3617311455_0c8948dfeb_b.jpg