By Lachlan Turner
“Discovering” a new bird that you have not seen before can be a very satisfying experience. To snap a photo of that bird adds to the enjoyment of the “discovery”. You could take a memorable photo that nobody else has taken and your friends have not seen. In any event it will be a memory of your bird watching adventures.
Walking along any unformed bush track can sometimes be a bit tricky. You will need to watch where you are walking, for not all bush tracks are nicely graded and smooth.
Wear bush coloured clothing – move slowly – talk very quietly to others with you and don’t make sudden movements. The best advice is to take your time, look at everything around and above you, looking upwards, – looking to your left – looking to your right – and even looking downwards. You may be surprised at what you may see. Have your camera or binoculars ready.
It is sometimes an advantage to stop for a while, stand still, look around and listen. When you stop and be still, you see things that move, and there is always the potential for a photo. A measure of vigilance and even patience is essential if you are to capture birds with your camera. Standing in a concealed position for quite a few minutes until the birds forget that you are there is helpful when observing bird activity nearby.
Sometimes a little searching is required to spot where a tiny bird is perched. A perched bird may not immediately strike the eye as being significant due to the surrounding foliage. Smaller birds are not very co-operative. They do not stay in the one place for very long. The birdwatching photographer needs to have quick reflexes in order to capture the bird’s sometimes ceaseless activity.
This year the Backyard Bird Count is being held during October 20th to October 26th. For more information enter this web address into your browser — https://aussiebirdcount.org.au
