@ bhoveyga : Great advice I must try some of that next time. However I approach this from a slightly different direction. I assume that they know I am there and not hide the fact that I am there. I just go there often and be non threatening so that after a while they get used to me being around.
so I do things like stop when they see me and turn away and at times not look directly at them. Start looking at the "other stuff" like bugs or flowers helps(gets some macros like that) since you are intent on some other thing and they sometimes approach to see what you are "grazing".

I find in general "animal" coloured clothing is enough. so pastel browns, greens and greys seem to help the most.

Yes we in Australia do pay close attention to where we step. We have some nasty snakes. and a good pair of sturdy boots is essential. (plus protective leggings)

Godless writes:

>> Snakes do not hear. They can sense ground vibrations, so stomp your feet when moving,

Duh, I knew that... my post was poorly worded, thanks for clarifying.

bhoveyga said:
>>
make some noise while moving from place to place... most snakes are shy creatures and will retreat if they hear you coming.

Snakes do not hear. They can sense ground vibrations, so stomp your feet when moving, but for example, yelling does not help at all with snakes. Yelling can keep bears at a safe distance.

>> Remembering simple things like approaching slowly, keeping your silhouette small and making no noise are great ways of getting closer.

Great advice. Remember too that wildlife often makes better use of their senses than we do. Approaching slowly and silently will do you little good if they can smell you coming, so wind direction is something else to pay attention to.

Shooting from a blind can help but remember that birds aren't stupid. Most of the time it's recommended to set up a blind a few days in advance to give the birds time to get used to it... this does work, but if the birds are there when you enter the blind, they know darned well you're inside even if you stay there all day. On the other hand, most birds don't count very well... so if you can't enter the blind while it's still dark, just have someone walk to the blind with you and then have them leave alone, most of the time birds will assume the blind is empty.

If you don't have a blind, or need to move from place to place, camouflaged clothing helps a great deal. I've found that a lightweight 3D leaf suit ($50-$100) is about the cheapest and most effective way to cover yourself. Most are comprised of mesh camo fabric with leaves sewn on... this breaks up your silhouette more effectively than plain camo, but is lighter and cooler than a ghilli suit. I also like to wear a turkey vest (rather than a photo vest) to hold my gear because most of them have drop down pads in the back to sit or kneel on. Top the outfit off with camo gloves and a facemask, and you can blend in very nicely:

http://bhovey.com/Photos/PhotoPages/08_11_OddsAndEnds/slides/DSC_9682a.jpg

Most wildlife is highly sensitive to movement so even if you are well-camouflaged, approach carefully. If you are stalking one individual, try to keep a tree or bush between you and the bird as you get closer. It sometimes helps to move when his head is turned but the angle of vision varies by bird so do some research. Keep your eyes moving... you have to not only watch your subject but also other wildlife that might get spooked and start a chain reaction of mass retreat. You also have to keep looking where you are stepping so as to avoid noise. Going out after a rain helps, leaves won't crunch as much. Wind can help mask your noise too, as well as creating leaf motion that can mask your movement, so choosing a breezy day or waiting for little gusts to disturb the leaves can help a great deal.

Pay attention to light... it seems obvious, but if you approach behind a tree or bush, favor the shadow side when you peek out to take your photo.

Depending on the area of the country or time of year, snakes might be a concern. Being quiet while stalking a subject is one thing, but most of the time you'll probably want to make some noise while moving from place to place... most snakes are shy creatures and will retreat if they hear you coming.

Finally, don't be too single-minded in your focus. Watch for other subjects like flowers and insects that might be right at your feet. Scan the skies too.

I always shoot moving animals and people in the S mode (shutter speed being at least 1.5-2x focal length used). Most often I use AF-C, single spot AF & ISO according to need.

My birds are all metal (Sometimes wood and fabric) but the principles are the same, at least for air displays.

I have tried monopod and gimbal head but I do prefer hand held. My gear is D300 + TC 1,4 + 70-200VR, used at center-weighted exp. and continuous AF. Shutter speed varies with the subject. It all depends on what you're looking for. In your case, it will be a choice of blurred wings or frozen ones, but generally you will need to have the background as blurred as you can, which means very slow speeds and panning. Get the eyes as sharp as you can, the rest is secondary.

Well, good luck ! :o)

Good photography can't make up for bad field craft, when it comes to birding and the such its a game of to half's, approaching your subject then taking the photograph.

I know for me the first part is harder than the second, whilst long lenses are great; getting close to your subject cannot be made up by the use of long lenses.

Remembering simple things like approaching slowly, keeping your silhouette small and making no noise are great ways of getting closer. Patients is something that a good wildlife photographer should always have!

Sweet tips guys, thanks.

As for AF settings, it comes down to what kind of bird you are shooting. Small birds almost never stop moving, even when they are resting on a branch or the ground, so AF-C is a must. I use the AF-ON button on my D300, rather than AF-S for subjects that are not moving much. In fact I never use AF-S for birds, since you never know when they are going to take off! Using AF-S you might miss that lovely lift off shot! I only manually focus when I am purposefully shooting through thick brush, or if AF is hunting a lot. To be honest I'd have to look at all my settings, since I have a shooting bank dedicated to shooting birds on my D300 and don't look at them up very often as a result.

On the D300, as long as I am using one of the cross type AF points I never have focus issues. I do like that I can use the other AF points, and unless the light is poor I don't have much trouble using all 51 points. I normally shoot in single point AF mode, but I use dynamic AF when I am shooting birds in flight. If I am using a lower and model (D3100, D90), I wouldn't use any point other than the center point as adamz recommended.

As for metering modes, I use center weighted average and spot metering most often. Center weighted metering is especially important for birds in flight, as matrix metering varies too much as you pan. You want to meter the bird, as that is your center subject, unless you have specific needs to do otherwise.

spraynpray said:
All good stuff. Would any of you good bird guys care to share what settings you use for AF and exposure metering?

once again, general rule for me and shooting animals: center point AF + AF-C or AF-S (that depends on what I'm shooting, if there's a lot of movement than AF-C, if I can predict the location than AF-S - I also use manual override very often)

studio460 said:
I noticed that shooting at 400mm on a DX body, the reciprocal rule doesn't necessarily always lead to razor-sharp images of birds in flight, even at fairly high shutter speeds (above the lens' reciprocal value). What shutter speeds do you guys usually use to freeze birds in-flight using lenses in the 400mm range (assuming I'm not shooting with a gimbal head)?

on dx You should use at least 1/600, but to fell comfy I wouldn't go below 1/1000

All good stuff. Would any of you good bird guys care to share what settings you use for AF and exposure metering?

Funduro said:
Adamz Thanks for the good tips. What's the primary reason for using a gimbal head? Do you wear camouflage jacket or use a blind?

I'm not a birder, but birding is quite similar to wildlife/animal photography. So most cases I don't wear any camouflage, but I try to keep cloths that match with the environment colors.
as for gimbal, the easiest way to show what gimbal is will be to link a picture:

picture taken from B&H, shows Jobu Design BWG-J3K (the cheapest qimbal I would recommend to anyone)
as You can see You put Your lens in the center, which is the center of gravity = You don't feel the weight and You can easily move even the most heavy lenses+body combinations

studio460 said:
About your photography, PB PM, you always manage to capture razor-sharp images, of a variety of species, fairly close-up. I'm sure you've mentioned this before, but what are you shooting with? Are you DX or FX? Are you doing the 300mm f/4 teleconverter trick, or do you have longer lenses as well? And what are you using for support?

My only telephoto lens is the AF-S 300mm F4D, and I attach a TC14E (older IF version) to that to get more reach. My primary camera body is a D300 + MB-D10 so that I can shoot at 8FPS. I am hoping to move to FX this year for better low light performance though, because the environments I shoot in often force me to shoot at high ISO (1600+) in the winter.

I'm in the strange position of being able to afford an FX body, but not high end telephoto glass, it's just too expensive, even an upgrade to the 300mm f2.8VRII would be a huge strain on my budget. I've thought about getting a Bigma for more reach, and flexibility, but I don't want to give up the sharpness of the 300mm F4 + 1.4X TC. I've shot with the same combo on film and it was okay, so FX is fine, I'd just have to crop a little more.

As for the tripod, Manfrotto 055XPROB and my ballhead is the Manfrotto 486RC2. I am thinking about getting a gimbal head though, because the quick release plate on the 486RC2 shifts around too much.

spraynpray said:
It depends on your ability to keep the relative movement between the bird and the camera to a minimum so you need to work on your panning technique.

Precisely.

I shot those only handheld or with a monopod. A gimbal- or fluid-head would greatly assist in more accurate tracking, resulting in less subject motion-blur.

Michael DeRose said:
anyone have an idea as to what shutter speed i should try to get a Peregrine Falcon, in its dive? I live near Indianapolis, and every spring, the "baby" falcons jump from the tallest building. They tend to hit close to 200mph;320km/h in these dives.

tips and or suggestions? I might be crazy to even want to try. I have seen other photos, and they almost never come out well. The big problem seems to be related to less light and the dark shadows of the tall city buildings.

It depends on your ability to keep the relative movement between the bird and the camera to a minimum so you need to work on your panning technique. I once shot a whole motorcycle race with a 200mm at 1/60 sec on film. 90% of them were usable back then, but I'm not so steady now.

With your VR set to 'active' maybe (if you have it), I would say your biggest problem is getting close enough for the shots to be interesting.

Have you tried any shots yet?

WaterEngineer said:
Studio:

Yes, the reciprocal rule commonly does not work for beating wings but will for a gliding bird. I commonly use <1/800 of a second to get the wings to stop.

Thanks!

PB PM said:
As for those on questions about shutter speeds for birds in flight, I like to shoot at around 1/1000s or higher if at all possible.

Thanks!

About your photography, PB PM, you always manage to capture razor-sharp images, of a variety of species, fairly close-up. I'm sure you've mentioned this before, but what are you shooting with? Are you DX or FX? Are you doing the 300mm f/4 teleconverter trick, or do you have longer lenses as well? And what are you using for support?

heartyfisher said:
oh PBPM s shots reminded me. a flash with a "better beamer" has been recommended by my birdy friends as well. but I dont do enough birding to get one of those. however the new SB900 has a tele function probably enough so you dont need the beamer any more. oh and why? see the catch lights in the eyes? also tames the normally harsh lights these feathery friends stand in(;-) unless you have a high DR camera of course).

It's kind of funny you mention flash, because that catch light in both those shots is natural sunlight. I hate using flash with birds, it scares them away more often than not! This is especially true with owls during the day, not only because it scares them, but it can mess up their sleeping pattern, which could end up killing them!

As for those on questions about shutter speeds for birds in flight, I like to shoot at around 1/1000s or higher if at all possible.

Studio:

Yes, the reciprocal rule commonly does not work for beating wings but will for a gliding bird. I commonly use <1/800 of a second to get the wings to stop.

anyone have an idea as to what shutter speed i should try to get a Peregrine Falcon, in its dive? I live near Indianapolis, and every spring, the "baby" falcons jump from the tallest building. They tend to hit close to 200mph;320km/h in these dives.

tips and or suggestions? I might be crazy to even want to try. I have seen other photos, and they almost never come out well. The big problem seems to be related to less light and the dark shadows of the tall city buildings.

I noticed that shooting at 400mm on a DX body, the reciprocal rule doesn't necessarily always lead to razor-sharp images of birds in flight, even at fairly high shutter speeds (above the lens' reciprocal value). What shutter speeds do you guys usually use to freeze birds in-flight using lenses in the 400mm range (assuming I'm not shooting with a gimbal head)?

Now why doesn't anyone ever commission me to shoot seagulls? I like that last one, Andrew.

anjz said:
A man saw my camera, walked up to me, and commissioned me to take sea gull shots for his new business. I had my D7000 and a 50 1.4G and that's all.

Very impressive shots, Anjz! Shots #1, #3, #4 are amazing. Incredible lighting, spot-on exposure, and great-looking skies. The motion-blur on #4 is perfect. The angles are simply the best!

AF Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Samples:

As Anjz has shown above, you don't necessarily need a zillion-millimeter lens to get great shots (well, at least of plentiful and easy-to-bait seagulls, anyway). Although, I'm by no means an experienced bird photographer, I thought I'd post a couple of thoughts anyway.

I went out by the ocean to shoot some gulls last year to try out my then, new, AF 80-400mm lens. Even with a 400mm lens on a DX body, those damn birds are still really far away. But since my chosen location was at a tide pool, I was able to wade out to them and shoot them pretty close-up. Though not necessarily specific to birds, here's all I could think of to suggest:

1. If shooting water foul, pay attention to what's reflected in the water. The prettier the sky and your surroundings, the prettier the water.
2. Try to shoot with clouds in the sky. Images of birds in-flight with a dramatic, cloud-filled sky often look a lot prettier than with a solid white-gray sky for a background.

Both images below were taken at the exact same location, at about the same time of day, but a couple weeks apart. I wanted to show these to illustrate the dramatic differences in results due to changing lighting and weather conditions. The first day I shot was a sunny day, but there were no clouds in the sky whatsoever. Nevertheless, at least the sky was blue, and both the warm, earth-colored cliffs nearby, and the blue sky above, made for a very colorful reflection:

Nikon D90
AF Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.6-5.6G VR
[Uncorrected image]

The second time I went out, it was overcast and gray (it was actually raining)--every shot lacked contrast and was virtually completely void of color. You'll notice that the dull, white-gray, featureless sky was faithfully reflected in the water, with similarly dull-looking results:

Nikon D90
AF Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.6-5.6G VR
[Uncorrected image]

Oh, I forgot to answer the most-asked question about the 80-400mm: "Is the 80-400mm's non-AFS focusing too slow for shooting birds in-flight?" Yes! But, if you pre-focus, and track accurately, it can certainly be done. However, framing accurately, way out at 400mm (600mm-equivalent on DX), without the benefit of a gimbal head, is actually probably the greater challenge. It's even more of a challenge when the VR "re-adjusts" your frame for you!

LOL yeah I did say paying them works! heh!.

Wow, anjz, nicely done. That's quite lucky of you.

I know nothing about birding, so I personally would use the fastest and longest lens possible.

And on Heartyfisher- Moose Peterson set up a bird feeder on his porch and he uses flashes for his birding. He sets up his 600 f/4 in his office and shoots from his chair.

Excellent way to sit down all day, I'd imagine. :D