Another "blue tit on feeder" shot.

[WestLothian]

Can anyone share some tips on getting more interesting bird photos please?

I walked for three hours carrying camera and lenses through country lanes,
wild places far from the beaten track, visited a nature reserve and saw the
tree creepers, robins, great tits and chaffinches fleetingly in the distance
behind lots of twigs and other cover.

I got home to a garden full of confident, well-lit birds all happy to let me get
within my two metres close focus limit to shoot another "blue tit on feeder".



Patience and Luck or are there some good tips to share?

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by WestLothian

Can anyone share some tips on getting more interesting bird photos please?

I walked for three hours carrying camera and lenses through country lanes,
wild places far from the beaten track, visited a nature reserve and saw the
tree creepers, robins, great tits and chaffinches fleetingly in the distance
behind lots of twigs and other cover.

I got home to a garden full of confident, well-lit birds all happy to let me get
within my two metres close focus limit to shoot another "blue tit on feeder".



Patience and Luck or are there some good tips to share?

Rather than country lanes and nature reserves, although some nature reserves can be quite good for photographic opportunities, try some public places such as country parks where the birds are used to people on an every day basis.

it's surprising the variety of birds that you get in towns as well and again they are often less shy than there country cousins. My best photograph of a Rook was taken in a town centre supermarket car park

I have had some of my best photographic chances in country parks. Often people feed the birds and then it's relatively easy to get close to them, well the common species anyway. Otherwise the only think I can suggest is a portable hide and a lot of time and patience.

[momji1971]

I'll second that

After our trip to remote areas of scotland I was amazed at how spooked wildlife can be when not used to people!

I was up before light and in a hide every day for three days to get some decent bird shots and still am not really happy with the results!

As well as country parks you can get on wildlife trips or book a professional photographer/guide for a day. Got one planned myself for June photographing Peregrine, owls and fox cubs. Hoping to learn a few tricks too!

But it does come down to time, patience and ,luck! Learn the subjects behaviour and you can 'create' a situation where luck is on your side.

Change feeders! Create a natural looking feeding station. Smear peanut butter on the back of a branch. Your feeder shots will then look natural.

Bait sites, you'd be amazed at the wildlife when it learns there is an easy food source available.

happy shooting.
regards.
Stu.

[ron1863]

Great advice from Ollie and Momji1971. I remember when I got my digital camera I couldn't get near anything. One day I took my partner to a dentist in the middle of Glasgow and went for a stroll in Kings Park while she was getting treatment. I was amazed at how close the birds allowed people to get near them and Grey Squirrels were sitting on the benches with people feeding them nuts out of their hands.
Try your local park, armed with soem seed and nuts and I bet you get some good shots.

[cosmicma]

me and a couple of friends have been feeding a bush on a well used car park in one of our local beauty spots for the last couple of years or so and you would be suprised at the varied amount of different species of birds we get coming to feed including a greater spotted woodpecker on ocasions

i can park 15 feet or so away from the bush and just snap away to my hearts content

at home i don't have a garden i have a back yard and a cat and nothing comes here despite trying to invite them with food

[WestLothian]

I could select an interesting, natural, well-lit, scene with a comfortable nearby viewpoint and start to make it more attractive with food. I wouldn't want to litter the place; so a pinch of sunflower seed or some dried meal worms might encourage the right level of attention without being polluting.

I planted the back garden with trees and shrubs which make more photogenic perches but the feeders could be better disguised.

Canal bank and park walks sounds like a nice option apart from a natural reluctance to "wear" a long lens so publicly!

Thanks

[gez]

In ur garden try putting the food /seeds etc just behind say a stump (behind from ur view point )but near the top chances are the bird will land on the top for a few seconds & have a look around before it hops down to the food.!
gez