Photographing Corvids

[canis.rufus]

Hello,

If I may ask a question of you - my expertise is with night flying creatures, not your weird daytime ones...

Having some free time this summer, I though it would be interesting to try and photograph some of the local corvids (mainly crows and magpies). My last attempt didn't go too well, with the crow in question being very skittish even though I was watching from indoors and was trying to hide behind the net curtains.

What I though might work is to place some meat out to attract the corvids - in a field - and then to hid in a nearby hedge and wait quietly with camera. I figured dawn would be best to avoid harsh lighting (and people thinking I'm a nutter). I don't know how important smell is with birds, but I guess I will want the sun behind by to avoid silhouetting.

So I really my main questions are:

- Is it safe? I don't want to harm the birds.
- Do you think it will work?

Sorry for the long post - too much time writing up scientific investigations,

Cheers - Watermark.

[MagpieMick]

Hello Rufus,

Corvids are very intelligent birds, and wary with it if you move and they see this i fear your wait will be a long one ..........

This time of year theres a lot of family groups about with the adults still feeding the youngsters try and find these this will give you a better chance !!

Go out early in the morning and pick up a fresh road kill must be some where in your area that you regularly see them. Use this as your bait along with dog food spread around.

Use your car as a hide .......... Scrim net over the windows to hide your movements and keep them in slow motion as to not give the game away..

Or back yourself into a bush and scrim net over the front..

Good luck and post your results so we can see them ....

Mick..

[canis.rufus]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've seen deer and foxes around the area so hopefully I might see something even if the Corvids are too smart for me.

Cheers.