Gerard Satherley Photography

Getting Close to Birds

The bird wellbeing comes before the shot.

One of the main challenges of bird photography is how you get close to your subject without disturbing it. In reality, getting the close shot will involve a combination of techniques that will vary depending on the circumstances. Whatever you do to achieve success, patience and preparation will play a part.

Location

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that an enthusiastic sighting report on one of the mailing lists equates to great photographic opportunity. Most of these reports are by birders who are unlikely to give any consideration as to whether the location is suitable for photography. One of the best sources of information is from specialised bird photography sites such as BirdingOz. At least then it is likely to be a report from a likeminded photographer.

Research possible locations that may offer good opportunities. This might involve joining a local birding group or simply searching on the web.

If you are planning a holiday you will find that some resorts, camping grounds etc. have setups catering for the birder/photographer. A search on the web or talking to an experienced photographer will assist in locating these spots. Don’t forget Sewage Treatment Works.

One excellent place to start is locations where the birds are used to the presence of people. These might be the local park or reserve. One of my favourite spots is on the coast where there is a lot of human traffic at weekends.  I prefer photographing here during the week and find that I can approach the shore birds closer than other locations. A lot more rewarding, however a lot more rare, are locations that have had very little human contact. These include many of Australia’s off shore and subantarctic islands. They are often still restricted in terms of access, however if you can visit such a place, you may find that the birdlife has no fear of man and will allow a very close approach.

If you can find a small water source like a puddle in the bush, there is a good chance that many species will take advantage and come in for a drink. Likewise, knowing when and where a food source is available, be it a fruiting tree or seeding grass, will assist in finding a suitable location.

Bird Behaviour

When a bird is busy with some sort of activity there is a good chance you will be able to approach it:

Feeding/drinking:  Knowing what your subject feeds on and when and where this food is available can help in determining a good site.

Mating: this is all about the right time and place. This is where experience and the ability to draw on the knowledge of others is useful in determining when and where to go.

Fighting: these can make spectacular shots and are usually associated with mating and defending territory.  Again, like mating, you need to know when and where.

Study your subject before you rush in. It may be that by observing a particular bird’s habits that you will be able to locate a favourite perch, food source etc.

Bringing the Bird to You

Optics

The easy but expensive way is to buy the big glass. The reality is that in some cases your only hope of quality image is to have a big lens. Sometimes there are physical barriers, or the bird is so nervous that you will not get close. Most experienced bird photographers will recommend that you buy the longest focal length lens that you can afford.  It is true that I have some good images taken with my 300mm lens from a hide, however I have a lot more shooting opportunities and keepers with my 500mm lens. There are other advantages to using bigger lenses such as the narrow  field of view that may enable you move slightly and eliminate a distracting background element or something  obscuring your subject.

Using Bird Calls

This is a subject on its own. The judicious use of bird calls will often bring your target species within range.  Some experience is required as some calls will have the reverse effect and scare birds off.  You will need to know what your target species are and where to position the speaker to get the best chance of the bird landing on a selected perch.

Baiting/Feeding

The most obvious version of this method involves the use of permanent feeding stations. The various wildlife authorities have recommendations in regards to this practice. Another less common method is to provide food such as meal worm, seed, fruit etc. at the location only while you are photographing. Again for this method to be effective you need to know what the appropriate food for your target species is.  

Do not use seed where it could germinate and become an environmental weed.

Decoys

Normally these work to either scare off unwanted birds or attract a species to be shot. I have no experience regarding how effective this method is for attracting birds, however I imagine in conjunction with bird calls, that this could be effective for some species. Like the use of bird calls, I would give due consideration to the bird’s well being.

Bird Hides/camouflage

Anything that disguises the human shape is likely to afford some success.

I personally think that the hide in its various forms in conjunction with other techniques is likely to provide the most rewarding way to get close images. If the thought of lugging a hide around does not appeal, then consider a bag hide. They may not be as comfortable when set up, or disguise all movement, but they have the advantage of portability and they are very adaptable to different terrain and situations.  

I would recommend using subdued clothing when you are stalking a bird. Some people go further and use camouflage. Either way I reckon there is no point shouting out your presence. How many brightly coloured predators are there in nature that rely on stalking to survive?

Approaching Birds

Approaching/Stalking

If you are going to take the trouble of getting closeto a bird, then at least take the time to consider what the background and direction of the light will look like in the final image.

 Have your camera setup and ready to go. The last thing you want is to be fiddling with camera settings when you finally get in position for the money shot.

Keeping low is probably the most important technique when approaching ground dwelling birds. Crawling commando fashion is best, but can be painful. In practice any method that works for you and keeps you low enough not to be interpreted by the bird as a human threat might work. You could invest in knee and elbow pads, but then run the risk of being arrested for looking like Leo the Wanker.

Do not approach directly, but rather take a slated or zig zag approach.  Pause if you detect any nervous reaction from the bird. Approach slowly, let the bird get used to your presence. Be patient. To get within range of some birds it could take in excess of 20 minutes. Avoid any sudden movements. How often does the bird suddenly take off the second you raise the lens?

Don’t try and push beyond the bird’s comfort zone. Learn to read the signs.  There comes a point when you simply cannot or should not get any closer. Knowing what the safe distance is for different species will make the exercise less frustrating. Last year I could get with 30 metres of what I am assuming were immature Osprey. This year the same birds will not let me get to within 50 metres.

It never ceases to amaze me when in my car how close I can get to some birds. The second you open the door to get out, the birds are off. This confirms the importance of disguising the human form.  Even though the use of the car hide is opportunistic, you can make some preparations to boost your chance of success. If you have a particular location in mind, then have the camera ready and the window wound down. Also give some serious thought to purchasing or making a bean bag that will provide a stable platform for your lens when it rests on the window sill.

Try approaching species such as Kingfishers in a boat. It could be that they do not expect a predator to approach from this direction so are more inclined to be at ease. Then again this might work in a similar fashion to the car hide and be an effective way of disguising the human shape, especially if used in conjunction with a bag hide.

Summary

Getting that close image should not come down to luck alone, but be a result of careful research, study, technique and patience.