New Member (Short Intro)

[STEinGUZZ]

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I'd introduce myself and say hello to everyone, My name is Stephen (Ste), I am 28 years old, I serve in the Royal Navy and live in Plymouth.

I have only just purchased my first DSLR camera (Canon 40D), at the moment I have the 17-85 IS, Canon 300 F4.0 IS & 1.4x tele-converter. I have wanted to get into (Bird)photography for a long time, and I'm glad I've finally committed myself and plunged myself into this great but very expensive past time.

WAB is a great source of Information and I've thoroughly enjoyed the hours I've spent browsing the threads and Gallery.

I am new to forums of any kind, but now I'm a member I look forward participating as much as I can (time permitting).

I consider myself fairly knowledgable about the Great Outdoors, Wildlife (Birds especially) etc, but lack the knowledge/expertise in SLR Photography, so I apologise in advance because I can imagine my initial posts will be seeking advice and picking peoples brains.

Hello again all,

Yours Aye Ste

[snowhound]

Hi Ste, Welcome to the site. Just joined myself couple of days ago and everyone seems so friendly and knowledgeable. How can I attract a variety of birds to my garden? Just moved to a new house recently - have a lovely big tree in the back garden which attracts magpies and pigeons but that's all I've seen.

Would bird boxes and tables help (and if so, is it possible to have them so they are safe from predators as I have a number of cats.) Would love to see robins, tits, etc. but obviously wouldn't want to attract them to their deaths.

I live in Swindon, Wiltshire, by the way, so not sure if there are a good variety of birds down this way.

Thanks, Snowhound

[jdurbo]

Hi Ste
Hello and welcome to WAb and looking forward to seeing your photos!!

jen xxx

[glsammy]

Welcome to WAB Ste. I hope you enjoy your time here.

[goosey]

Hi Ste, I won't be able to help out with any of you photographic questions but there are so many people here who will be able to give you all the info' you need -don't worry about asking, they will only be too pleased to help! I look forward to seeing your images when you get it all sussed - until then welcome .

[big bill]

Hi Ste and welcome aboard enjoy the site we are a friendly bunch here someone some were will have the answer to your questions if not will be able to point you in the right direction and it will be plain sailing from there Look firward to your pics and posts,.

[Ollie]

Hi Ste and a warm welcome. Plenty of brains to pick on here about your photography. Just fire away on any questions you may have there will always be someone who can help
Roger

[John D]

Welcome to WAB! I hope you find it interesting and enjoyable.
John D

[coasty]

Hi there

[buzfuz8149]

Hi Ste,

a warm welcome to WAB, you will find this a very friendly and helpful forum, looking forward to your posts and photos.

Carol.

[clover green]

Hi Ste, pleased to meet & greet you, welcome to the wonderful world of WAB. Have fun & enjoy, see you on the boards!

[STEinGUZZ]

Hi eveyone and thanx for a pleasant welcome,

With regards to your question Snowhound, I'll give you my ideas/opinion.

I am unlucky because my garden is bare and in the open, all I have had visit is crows, magpies and the occasional meadow pipit, but with no real photographic opportunities.

In my opinion important factors are the surrounding area (local parks, wooded area's etc), if any of these features are nearby there will be birds to attract.

I think the key to success will be offering a constant supply of food (water too, for drinking and bathing). Offer a variety of differant food types from seeds, nuts, fruit and even bread. My father back home in Liverpool has been feeding for a few years now, even though positioned in the middle of a housing estate the garden is well established. He gets finches, tits, doves, robins, wrens, and the normal city birds, however he has had goldcrests and even a woodpecker. The local sparrow hawks have it on there hunting route too, and appear virtually every day and they have sometimes been lucky and plucked their prey in the garden.

A bird box might aswell be attaced to your tree, this may be used by tits (blue/great) most probably. When you are getting constant visitors, my approach would be to set up some prop perches with bits of nuts/seeds jammed in on the side out of view. This is what I've read recently and it seems to me to make perfect sense to me, I intend on trying this next time i'm at my folks.

With regards to the cats, i wouldn't worry about them too much, most of the time birds will be alert and escape safely. One thing to take note of is, if you do attract sparrow hawks, watch for the other birds getting spooked and then maybe, just maybe expect a great photographic chance.

Hope this helps, good luck and thank yu for the welcome,

yours aye Ste

[Deer Stalker]

Hi Ste.

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

welcome to the site.

neil

[snowhound]

Hi Ste,

Thanks so much for your very informative advice. Yes, my garden is pretty much in the open as well, which could be part of the problem. Apart from the lovely big tree, there isn't much else around in the way of parks or bushland. Downside of living in suburbia, I guess.

I've been living in Swindon for four years now, and come to think of it, the only birds I've ever seen anywhere in the town are crows, seagulls, pigeons, magpies, starlings, blackbirds and thrushes. Is it that the larger birds (like crows) frighten off the smaller birds or is it definitely the location, ie not enough parkland nearby. Sorry, my knowledge of wild birds is not very good. I am from New Zealand and we don't have the same birds as you have here, apart from the introduced sparrows, blackbirds, etc.

I will definitely take your advice and put up some feeders in the tree and see what happens. And will certainly let you know if I attract any new birdlife.

Regards, Snowhound

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by STEinGUZZ

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I'd introduce myself and say hello to everyone, My name is Stephen (Ste), I am 28 years old, I serve in the Royal Navy and live in Plymouth.

WElcome to WAB Ste.

Don't forget to check out yer "Crows Nests".

[ron1863]

Hello sailor and a warm welcome