What Have You Learned About Birds?

Nice thread!

I myself have not used blinds, and have only had some limited exposure to feeders and such, although there are a couple on the outside deck here at the home where I'm currently residing...

But, I will say that birds do tend to hang out at those few feeders! At this point I don't have my gear with me! I am looking forward to getting my "stuff" in, so on nice spring days, I'm looking at setting up my tripod, and my camera(s) and my nice long 100-400 lens, and, given good light, getting some little bird shots!

As to what I may have "learned about birds over the years, well, I don't claim any expertise. But, something that has come up, both with these little bird feeders and then in my outings, has been that in some settings, some if not many birds are relatively "comfortable" being around people!

For instance, I have spent many hours and days in wildlife refuges and wetlands, places where some very interesting and photogenic birds are common!

As such, I am quite aware of the fact that even though a critter may be quite used to people being around, whether in a car or on foot, it would serve you well to be very careful when observing and/or shooting, because any quick movement will tend to be noticeable and the critters will be likely to skitter off!

the point being, keep your eyes open, be ready to take a shot but not active in a way that might scare the critters off, but if you are prepared, hey, you can occasionally make the "capture"!

Here are a few shots I grabbed at a nearby wildlife refuge, driving through in my car, and as I spotted a "subject, slowing down and stopping my car, and then perching my gear (solid body and long lens out my driver window, the window "sill" being the surface I had to perch my camera/lens on, a challenge, being careful not to disturb my subject!

First, I noticed a Great Blue Heron perched at a pond and getting ready to take off. I set out my camera, the 5D Classic, mounted with my 300mm f/2.8 IS lens, and as the bird began to take off, I had to carefully pan and "track" it, and it did eventually make it back down to land!

Not to monopolize the conversation, but seriously, you can't say enough about the importance of "creeping along" if you do spot a bird!

Here are some shots when I was quietly walking through some local forest area... then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a small bird perched at the side of a nearby tree!

I slowed down and got out my bit of gear, and here are some results:

The raptor rehabilitation people had told me once upon a time that all raptors have the fixed-eye-socket-must-swivel-head thing, I didn't think much about it until I arrived back home and enlarged this otherwise terrible shot

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Scbs​qm

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/SeDX​j7

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Stum​9K

I'll add to Tony's post that taking your time to move slowly and observe what is around you is important just to see the birds in the first place. We have some bird watching clubs around here that show up en-masse to Lagerman Reservoir, excitedly set up their spotting scopes, look at the nearest trees or poles and then disgustedly break everything down in a huff and drive in a hurry off to the next place.

Even here in the scrubby plains, there is plenty of wildlife all around if you slow down enough to see it. Just yesterday, after a couple of loops I had seen 2 hawks, 3 eagles, the resident coyote pair, and countless songbirds, rabbits and prairie dogs, and as I was heading back to my car a fellow in the parking lot with binoculars and Nikon with maybe a 24-120, and said in a huff "nothing is out today, I'm going over to Hygene." I pointed and said "I think those are two bald eagles at that farm behind you, maybe you can get a better view from the road as you are heading out to Hygene" and he suddenly got quiet and excited. About 30 sec later a juvenile eagle (I can't tell juvenile bald from golden eagles other than this one was bigger than the adult bald eagles I usually see) came up and landed right in the tree on the road, giving me a great view on my way out.

I will say that he needs more lens than what he had...my 300F4L is too short, but works too well for other subjects to exchange it.

One thing I have learned is that no matter which side of the tree I stand, the woodpecker is always going to be directly on the other side of the tree.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #18286394
One thing I have learned is that no matter which side of the tree I stand, the woodpecker is always going to be directly on the other side of the tree.

I know!!!
That was pretty funny!

That is so frustrating too.
Most probably know, and I am guessing here, but from what I can see their 'prey' is always on the opposite side of the (bright) sun, because on cloudy or overcast days you will see that they can be on either side. I may be completely wrong on that but if it is true one would think that insects would like warmer spots on cold days.
Still though, if that is the case it drives me crazy, as I'm sure it does others.

Randy

Scrumhalf wrote in post #18286394
One thing I have learned is that no matter which side of the tree I stand, the woodpecker is always going to be directly on the other side of the tree.

recrisp wrote in post #18286515
I know!!!
That was pretty funny!

That is so frustrating too.
Most probably know, and I am guessing here, but from what I can see their 'prey' is always on the opposite side of the (bright) sun, because on cloudy or overcast days you will see that they can be on either side. I may be completely wrong on that but if it is true one would think that insects would like warmer spots on cold days.
Still though, if that is the case it drives me crazy, as I'm sure it does others.

Randy

Yep... and the Red Bellies are NEVER close to the ground. Most challenging of the 'peckers to shoot. The Downy variety are the easiest, they seem most bold. Flickers are super shy too, any sudden movement and they fly to the next zip code, never to return. My best success photographing these guys is using a blind.

Other things I'm learning is that when you first enter an area, the birds will be active even while taking notice of your intrusion. After about 5 minutes though, things go completely silent. If you sit still for ~20-25 minutes, things will come back to life.

Raptors can spot you from a mile away. I can't get close at all unless one just happens to land right above me.

If you play bird songs and calls from your iPhone, it actually attracts birds. It's not a guarantee of close up shots, but it'll give you some chances. Some days it works better than others.

Owls are habitual. There's a Barred Owl that perches in the same spot every day. I try to visit him regularly, but my shots suck because it's an area dense with branches.

recrisp wrote in post #18286515
I know!!!
That was pretty funny!

That is so frustrating too.
Most probably know, and I am guessing here, but from what I can see their 'prey' is always on the opposite side of the (bright) sun, because on cloudy or overcast days you will see that they can be on either side. I may be completely wrong on that but if it is true one would think that insects would like warmer spots on cold days.
Still though, if that is the case it drives me crazy, as I'm sure it does others.

Randy

What you need to do is get set up when you hear woodpeckers nearby and then rap something on a tree trunk so they think another bird is encroaching on their dinner.
They will probably fly close enough to investigate and present you with a photo op.

Lycomech96 wrote in post #18287648
What you need to do is get set up when you hear woodpeckers nearby and then rap something on a tree trunk so they think another bird is encroaching on their dinner.
They will probably fly close enough to investigate and present you with a photo op.

That would probably work too, I know that I can make noises using my mouth (a high-pitched squeeky/shrill) and most 'anything' will take notice. I try not to interfere with their lives too much though, that worm might get away.

Randy

I've known for a long time that some water birds (mainly diving ducks) need to get a running start on water before they take to the sky. When I see a cormorant take off, it looks like they are running on water putting one foot in front of the other. Didn't realize until I saw the photographs that they are actually doing a two-foot hop, at least near the end of the take off.

I also learned that sometimes it inevitably hits the fan.

I witnessed something unusual today and of course no camera. I saw a bird that I believe to be an Eastern Phoebe in an old fence row that looked to be in serious trouble. My grandson was helping me to establish a black line around a pasture where we are trying to establish native warm season grass. I had lit a hundred yard line of fire, set the drip torch down and was back tracking to check on the separation of the fire line and be sure my Grandson was able to control the desired width of the burn when I noticed this bird fluttering through high flames. It was in very dense smoke as well so I grabbed a sprayer and began putting out the fire so I could get close to the bird. It allowed me to get within 5 feet only to fly away again right into the head fire. When I met up with my Grandson he said the bird had been doing this for several minutes before and was following behind me as I lit the fire line.
This guy stayed with us for over an hour in dense smoke and flames often flying through the fire and crashing to the ground where it was apparently catching bugs that were coming to the surface trying to escape the fire.
After that time it found a place on the top wire of the fence away from the fire and watched us work. It was always very close to us and would follow us as we worked .
I've had barn swallows follow me as I worked in the fields but this was the first time I've had a bird that seemed to enjoy being in the smoke and flames with me.

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Bugs and fire already? That's surprising! I would have thought that in NE Missouri things would still be buried under layers of snow and ice at this time of year. Did you not have a harsh winter?


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Geese in particular are VERY strong, high endurance flyers. In the Himalayas the geese fly for long periods over the mountains. I'd make the assumption that they're using the wind at sea to assist in their journey.

Here in Co the snow is all up in the mountains, and they are doing controlled ditch burns here in the plains too. Haven't seen bugs though, but I might when I go out to clean up last year's hops before this year's breaks ground this afternoon.

Back to birds, a black bird was caught inside the high school batting nets yesterday, flying around trying to get out. When I went over to lift up a side of the net, the bird tucked and dove straight through the net, so I needn't have worried. Makes me wonder how well netting fruit trees really works.