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GET TO KNOW
GARDEN BIRDS
l 13 species to look for in winter l Get great photos of them
l Top tips on feeders and nestboxes l PLUS other wildlife

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Birdwatching Winter Supp 2018 Robin.indd 1 30/08/2018 17:00:09
FP_BIRDSPA4_Birdwatchiid3602971.pdf 08.30.2018 17:02

WELCOME
Our Wild Life Photography/Alamy*
Watching garden birds is probably where an awful
lot of us got the birdwatching bug in the first
place, and autumn and winter are a time to stay
close to home and make sure that those
inspirational but often-overlooked species get the help they
need to make it through the colder months.
But you can also make sure that you enjoy seeing these
species well, too – our feature on Robins (p4) talks about some
lesser-known aspects of this species' behaviour, but with a bit
of close observation you'll find yourself discovering new things
about all sorts of other garden birds – turn to page 11 for some
of the more likely suspects to turn up in your own backyard.
You might also want to think about recording what you see on
camera (both bird and bug life), so on page 21
we've got some tips on how to photograph your
wildlife. If you do, we'd love to see the results.
Happy birding!
Matt Merritt,
Editor
GET TO KNOW GARDEN BIRDS
is proudly sponsored by
Inside
P4 ROBINS IN WINTER
Think you know Britain’s National
Bird? Then think again...
P7 HOME COMFORTS
Now’s the time to start thinking about
making homes for birds
P11 WINTER GARDEN BIRDS
13 species to look for in your garden,
including one special winter visitor
P16 BUG LIFE
It isn’t only birds that need your help
during the colder months of the year
P21 PICTURE PERFECT
Expert tips on photographing your
favourite garden birds
FLPA/Alamy*
birdwatching.co.uk 3

ROBINS IN WINTER
Britain’s National Bird is also one tough customer, seeing out the harshest winters and still
appearing perky and friendly. Here are one or two things you may not know about Robins
Using exaggerated
poses, two Robins
square up to settle a
territorial dispute
David Tipling Photo Library / Alamy*
Think of the commonest birds
we regard as ‘garden birds’.
Your little mental list will
surely include such familiar
birds as Blackbird, House
Sparrow, Starling, Blue Tit, Goldfinch,
Collared Dove, Magpie, Dunnock and
Woodpigeon, plus of course, surely you
had a little room in your list for the
Robin. These birds all share certain
characteristics, such as they are all
tolerant of people, all suited to our
pseudo-woodland glade human habitats
and are all more or less resident birds,
found throughout the year and able to
tolerate and survive our winters.
In snowy winters, the
food and water our
gardens provide can
mean survival for Robins
But, each also has fascinating life
histories and stories all to itself; none
more so than the Robin.
Back in 2015, in the vote launched by
Urban Birder David Lindo, the Robin
topped the poll to be Britain’s National
Bird. With more than a third of the vote,
it trounced the likes of Barn Owl,
Blackbird, Wren, Blue Tit, Puffin, Red
Kite and Kingfisher. Not that it needed
the boost, as Robins have already
cornered the Christmas card market and
are deeply ingrained in the national
psyche as the winter bird.
But they are odd in many ways as
wintering birds. Most of our thin-billed,
insectivorous species head south when
the going gets cold, in search of easier
pickings. Think warblers, flycatchers and
most other chats, and you are probably
thinking of essentially summer visitors.
Robins, though, are here through the
winter. Or, rather, some of them are. Most
males and a decent chunk of the females
remain for the colder months, but
millions of female Robins also migrate to
the warmer southern parts of the
continent for the winter.
Those that remain like to let everyone
know that they are tough guys, however,
being one of the few birds which sing a
territorial song throughout the winter. In
fact, it is only during the vulnerable
phase of the late summer primary wing
feather moult that Robins keep quiet for a
bit. After the regrowth of these wing
feathers they come out singing a subtly
different autumn and winter song,
proclaiming dominion over their patch,
which is often in our gardens.
One highly unusual thing about Robins
is that both males and females will sing a
true song at this time of year to claim
their territory, which they keep as a
single bird (and some males will even
defend two territories for more than a
month). Many people, often non-birders,
claim that ‘their Robin’ has returned once
again to take up a garden territory. And,
for once, they are right! Most Robins
(especially males) do indeed stake out
the same wintering territory throughout
their lives (which are perhaps shorter
than people realise, at only a few years).
Robins are notorious for their
fastidious defence of their wintering
4 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

Did
You know?
With a UK breeding
population of about
6.7 million pairs, the Robin is
one of the commonest
nesting birds in the
country
territory, backed up with posturing and
vocalisation and the very real threat of
violence (though the vast majority of
confrontations are resolved without
physical attacks; actual fights take place
in one in eight cases). However, there are
certain exceptions to this natural
aggression. For instance, Robins may
tolerate their adjacent neighbours if they
are their usual paired summer partners
or are related (eg offspring and parents).
Agent Orange
Curiously, they will also often allow
intruders who are there to forage on their
patch as long as the ‘visitor’ doesn’t try
to sing or make a repeated ‘tic’ call or
make any movement toward the territory
holder, which may be interpreted as a
challenge. Tolerated trespassers have
been observed seemingly deliberately
feeding with their backs to the resident
bird, as if to conceal the orange breast.
Indeed, the orange breast plays a
crucial role in the life of a Robin. To our
eyes it is the most obvious plumage
feature of a Robin, but it is also the area
of feathering which is exaggerated in
display and posturing. Robins adopt a
range of odd shapes, puffing out and
showing off the ‘red breast’ to any
intruder which needs seeing off. Juvenile
Robins are speckled brown things, and
don’t start posturing to other Robins until
they start to develop the orange breast.
Similarly, juveniles are tolerated more
than orange-breasted birds. Indeed,
experiments with Robins have shown
them displaying to, and even attacking,
stuffed birds and other objects, as long
as they have orange ‘breasts’.
They are infamously intolerant of
Redstarts (not a concern in a UK winter
garden!) and in experiments, have been
seen pecking and attacking stuffed
Redstarts on perches. More usually
though, the species Robins have a go at
most is the Dunnock (which don’t have
orange breasts, of course!), probably
because they feed on the ground in a
similar way to Robins.
When battles do occur, they are serious
affairs, which can result in blindings and
other injuries and, in about 10% of cases
of male on male violence, even death.
But, as pointed out earlier, Robins are
not always violent, aggressive creatures,
and often birds will roost communally
outside the breeding season (September
to March). Roosts of up to about 10 birds
are relatively common, though in
exceptional cases 35 birds have been
counted in one roost. The roost is usually
in dense vegetation, such as among Ivy,
usually 1-3m off the ground, and the
birds usually gather there after dark.
There are many myths and truths
about our feisty Robins, the gardener’s
friend and cheery Christmas companion.
One point that is frequently made is
that British Robins are much more
confiding than their shy and retiring
continental cousins. And it turns out
that this is indeed the case. We can be
proud to be included in the short list of
‘things’ Robins will tolerate in their
winter territories. Surely even that little
slice of behaviour is enough to make
them earn their place as Britain’s
favourite bird?
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Toby Houlton / Alamy
birdwatching.co.uk 5

FP_BIRDSPA4_CJWP4173Biid3574036.pdf 08.06.2018 11:35
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Aleksandr Kichigin/Alamy
HOME COMFORTS
One of the best things you can do for birds in your garden is to provide nesting sites, in the
form of nestboxes. Here is some advice on maintaining and siting a box in your garden
The start of winter is the
perfect time to clean out any
nestboxes in your garden.
Legally, boxes shouldn’t be
disturbed until at least
September, and it’s also best not to take
them down during very cold weather in
midwinter, since birds may be using the
hollows they provide for roosting.
Follow the advice given here by the
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
to give the birds the most from your
garden nestboxes.
How to maintain a nes tbox
Cleaning out nests will remove any
parasites that over-winter in nest material
and mean that the nestbox is ready for
use the following spring. For your own
safety, it’s advisable to wear gloves and
a dust mask when cleaning out boxes,
since some fungi growing on damp nest
material may cause respiratory irritation.
Always clean nestboxes outside, to
avoid parasites such as fleas and ticks
getting into your home, and put old nests
into your compost bin if possible. Legally,
any dead unhatched eggs must be
destroyed promptly, and cannot be kept
or sold. This is a great time to check for
damage or deterioration of nestboxes, and
to build or put up new boxes if necessary.
As well as Blue and Great Tits, boxes can
provide nesting sites for House Sparrows,
Starlings, and Swifts, as well as opennesting
Robins and Pied Wagtails, and
even large birds such as Tawny Owls.
birdwatching.co.uk 7

What to look for
in a new nestbox
Petr Goskov/Alamy
If you are buying a new nestbox, look
for the following features:
● Thick, good-quality wood (not metal
or plastic, which will overheat)
● No additional features such as
perches or feeder trays
● Waterproof and weatherproof
● An opening to clean out the box at
the end of the season (and to
monitor the nest if you wish)
● An entrance hole that is high above
the base of the box, to avoid
predators such as cats reaching
into the nest.
Radim Beznoska/Alamy
Where to site a new box?
Your top priority should be a location
where the nest will be protected from bad
weather and predators. The entrance to the
box should be sheltered from the prevailing
wind, rain and strong sunlight. If the box is
out in the open, face the hole in a northerly
or easterly direction. If you fix the box to a
tree, try to angle the entrance hole slightly
downward. To keep the box out of reach of
predators, put it as high off the ground as
you can (though different birds have
different preferences). Placing a box near
prickly plants such as Holly or pyracantha
can deter predators like cats.
The BTO’s new book Nestboxes: Your
Complete Guide contains step-by-step
instructions for building your own
nestboxes, information about birds that
Humane way to keep rodents off your bird food
If you feed your garden birds, storing the food away from the
depredations of mice and other rodents can be a problem.
PESTController is a humane and discrete way to do so, using
bursts of Ultrasound to drive them away.
They're inaudible to humans and harmless to all species, and
can protect an area of up to 100 sq.m.
For further details, go to conceptresearch.co.uk
regularly use boxes as well as advice on
positioning boxes. See the BTO
membership offer to get a free copy.
Once your nestboxes are ready for
spring, all you have to do is wait! However,
if you want to keep busy until the nesting
season, there is, of course, plenty to do in
the garden. The BTO’s Garden BirdWatch
survey runs all-year round, and, by
sending in weekly lists of the birds, you
see you can help us monitor how birds are
using gardens throughout the year.
Head to bto.org/gbw for more information
on how to get involved.
This winter, the BTO is also running
a Tawny Owl Calling Survey, and is
asking people listen out in their gardens for
20 minutes every week to monitor patterns
of calling behaviour of this under-studied
owl. To find out more and take part, go to
bto.org/owl
When spring arrives, don’t forget to
monitor any birds nesting in your nest
boxes for the BTO’s Nest Box Challenge!
Visit bto.org/nbc to take part.
BW
BTO membership offer
Take advantage of the BTO’s special
joining offer of BTO membership
including Garden BirdWatch for just
£48 and get two free books:
Nestboxes: Your Complete Guide and
Garden Birds and Other Wildlife.
You will also receive quarterly
magazines throughout the year.
Go to bto.org/winterbw18 to join online
or alternatively contact its supporter
team on: 01842 750050.
8 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

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WINTER GARDEN BIRDS
Our gardens form a massive network of potential wildlife havens, famously loved by a
whole range of birds. Here are some of the birds which you may have in your backyard
during the autumn and winter months
As autumn transitions into
winter, the summer birds
depart, leaving us with
resident birds and winter
visitors. This is true in the
wider country as well as in our gardens,
where our familiar garden ‘residents’ are
joined by less familiar visitors. The word
‘residents’ is in inverted commas, as
many of our birds which are present all
year are supplemented in numbers by an
‘invisible’ influx of visitors from the
nearby continent.
Take Blackbirds, for instance; many of
the Blackbirds which abound in
autumnal gardens (notably the all-black
first-winter males) are not UK-bred birds,
but visitors from overseas.
Here are 13 birds which you may see in
your garden this autumn and winter,
which you may not see there in the rest
of the year. Of course, as always, where
you live will play a big part in what you
do or don’t see. Some species will arrive
from nearby woodlands, others from
local open country.
Mistle Thrush
The Mistle Thrush is our largest thrush and generally a bird of mature
woodlands, which will also feed in open fields. They are generally scarcer and
much less sociable than the two true winter thrushes (Redwing and Fieldfare),
and will defend a winter berry supply vigorously against all rivals of any
species! Big and pale brown, with white underwings and white in the outer tail
corners. Listen for the rattling call and the mournful song from high in a tree.
imageBROKER/Alamy Stock Photo*
Chaffinch
A bird which is present all year,
but often becomes more noticeable
in winter. Wintering males have
duller plumage than breeding
birds, with toned down pinks and
blues. But all ages and sexes share
the distinctive ‘complex’ white
wing-bars, white ‘shoulders’ and
white outer tail feathers. Females
are a bit like female House
Sparrows, apart from this wing and
tail pattern.
Chaffinches readily visit
birdfeeders, mainly for mixed seed;
they will feed on hanging feeders,
bird tables and also on the ground.
Nuthatch
The distinctive and handsome
Nuthatch can’t resist nutty treats and
will readily come to gardens providing
such attractions, if these gardens are
situated near the sort of mature
woodland where the Nuthatches are
already present. They are chunky,
robust birds with a front end shaped
a bit like a woodpecker's, with a
powerful long ‘chisel’ bill; but with a
short square tail, not used as a prop.
The plumage is distinctive, with
blue-grey upperparts, white and buff
underparts and a long black ‘mask’.
Nuthatches mainly come to gardens
with hanging nut feeders.
WILDLIFE GmbH/Alamy*
Our Wild Life Photography/Alamy*
birdwatching.co.uk 11

Wildscotphotos/Alamy*
Kevin Elsby/Alamy*
Reed Bunting
Ostensibly, a reedbed-loving bird, Reed
Buntings will also wander into gardens
during the winter, in search of a seed
feast. They are quite sparrow-like
buntings, being dull brown with plenty of
streaking and a pale supercilium. They
are slightly slimmer than House
Sparrows, with longer tails, which have
obvious white outer feathers and
‘corners’ and are frequently flicked.
Reed Buntings come to seed on bird
tables and on the ground.
Waxwing
An irregular winter visitor, usually
in small numbers and mainly in the
east, but in some years they are
much more widespread; the
Waxwing is one of the most
attractive passerines you could ever
hope to visit your garden. Starlingsized
and shaped, they have lovely
soft plumage and obvious punky
crests, a black bib and yellow on
the wing and tail tip. The call is a
delightful bell-like trill.
Waxwings in winter are essentially
fruit eaters and are usually found
feeding on berries of trees such as
Rowan or Guelder Rose, but will
also feed on apples, when the softer
fruits are in short supply. They are
often found in flocks, when present.
Fieldfare
Along with Redwings, Fieldfares are
archetypal winter thrushes, which
arrive by the hundreds of thousands
from the breeding grounds in
northern and eastern Europe, greatly
outnumbering resident thrushes such
as Mistle Thrushes.
Fieldfares are nearly as large as
Mistle Thrushes, and share the same
white underwing. But otherwise their
plumage is quite different, with a
distinctive combination of pale
blue-grey head and rump and warm
dark-brown back and wings,
combined with a yellow ochre breast
with black speckles, and a black tail.
They often come to gardens in
harsh weather, in search of fallen
fruit, such as apples, but they will
also feed on garden berries.
Lesser Redpoll
A tiny tit-like finch, almost as small as
a Siskin, but with longer tail. Lesser
Redpolls are essentially brown and
streaky and don’t have the yellow/
green tones of Siskins. The tiny bib is
black and the forehead (‘poll’) is red.
Adult males often have a lovely pink
flush to the breast; females and
younger birds are duller. All have a
buff-toned, pale, transverse wing-bar.
Lesser Redpolls are feeders on tiny
seeds, attracted to hanging seed
feeders. If you have Alders or
birches, you may see them feeding
on the catkins during the winter.
Lisa Geoghegan/Alamy*
12 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

Brambling
The northern and eastern cousin of
the Chaffinch, the Brambling is a very
attractive winter finch and a desirable
visitor to any garden. They are
Chaffinch sized and shaped, but have
orange breasts and shoulders, white
rumps and blackish tails (without the
white outer tails).
Like Chaffinches, Bramblings
are largely seedeaters, coming
to feeders and seeds on the
ground, usually in smaller
numbers than Chaffinches.
Krys Bailey/Alamy*
Yellowhammer
Along with Reed Buntings,
Yellowhammers are the only buntings
you are likely to see in a British
garden. And this is only if you live
near the sort of open countryside they
prefer (often agricultural fields with
hedge lines etc). Essentially sparrowlike,
but with yellowish tones and
a red-brown rump and white outer
tail feathers. Males are brighter
than females.
Yellowhammers come to bird tables
and will feed on the ground on seeds.
blickwinkel/Alamy* David Chapman/Alamy*
imageBROKER/Alamy*
Siskin
One of our tiniest finches, the little
Siskin is, like the Lesser Redpoll,
quite tit-like in behaviour, hanging
from tiny twigs on Alders and
birches to extract little seeds. Males
are yellow and green, with a
black-streaked white belly and
a black crown and bib. Females are
duller, but always have yellow/green
tones, and have similar yellow
wing-bars and yellow rump.
Siskins famously were attracted
to those red peanut bags which are
now considered a bit dangerous
for birds. But they will readily
come for nuts and seeds from
hanging feeders.
birdwatching.co.uk 13

Lisa Geoghegan/Alamy*
Goldcrest
The tiny Goldcrest (the UK’s
smallest bird) is even smaller than
the Wren. They are surprisingly
common little birds, but easily
overlooked, partly because of their
size, but also because they often
hang out in well vegetated conifers
or other bushes, where they are
easily concealed behind foliage.
Often, it is the very high-pitched
'see-see-see' call or song which
betrays their presence.
Goldcrests are not typical visitors
to birdfeeders.
Bullfinch
The lovely Bullfinch is one of our
most handsome smaller birds,
particularly the pink-breasted males
(females are duller, but share the
males’ black head and tail, and the
white rump). If you see one Bullfinch,
another will usually be present
nearby, as these birds, a bit like
Great Tits, usually hang about in pairs
or, in the finches’ case, in small
parties. Bullfinches feed on fruit
seeds and buds and usually come to
garden in search of these, rather than
to visit feeders.
WILDLIFE GmbH/Alamy*
Colin Varndell/Alamy*
Redwing
Our smallest true thrush, slightly smaller
than a Song Thrush, like the Fieldfare,
the Redwing is a winter visitor to the UK.
They are somewhat like Song Thrushes,
but have boldly patterned faces, with a
prominent pale supercilium (‘eyebrow’)
and a reddish patch on the flank and
similarly rusty underwing.
Redwings, like Fieldfares, visit
gardens mainly in search of fallen
fruit and berries; but like their larger
cousins will also sometimes look for
invertebrates on lawns in larger
gardens in mild conditions.
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14 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

FP_BIRDSPA4_GWDA4Adverid3606863.pdf 09.04.2018 09:12
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BUG LIFE IN AUTUMN
& WINTER GARDENS
Just because we are in the traditionally ‘colder’ seasons of the year, don’t give up on
seeing bugs in your garden. Here are a few of the insects which are still about at this time
BUTTERFLIES IN WINTER
People often make sweeping statements,
such as, mayflies only live 24 hours, or
dragonflies and butterflies only live a few
weeks then they die. But, this is not
really true, of course, it is just a function
of our obsession with ‘adult’ creatures.
Insects’ life cycles should not be
thought of in the same way as mammals
like us. Take a typical dragonfly for
instance: most of its life will be as a fully
aquatic nymph in, say, a pond, hunting
other aquatic creatures, sometimes for
years! What we perceive as a ‘dragonfly’
is the final reproductive stage of the life
of the insect, not its ‘whole’ life.
With some moths, this is taken to
extremes. For instance, the hefty and
spectacular Poplar Hawkmoth has not
got the capacity to feed as an adult. All
the energy for this final ‘fruiting’
reproductive stage comes from what it
eats as a caterpillar.
This is a roundabout way of talking
about butterflies in winter. It is often
stated that there are only a few species
of British butterfly which survive the
winter by hibernating, namely:
Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma,
Brimstone and (recently) Red Admiral.
This is true if you think about
butterflies as the adult, flying stage.
But, the rest do not appear in the
spring and summer as migrants (though
some do, notably the Painted Lady and
Clouded Yellow and probably most of our
Red Admirals).
The rest see the winter through as the
earlier stages in the life cycle: eggs,
caterpillars and chrysalids.
Hibernating adult butterflies can be
found in sheltered spots in sheds and
garages and even in houses and should in
general be left well alone and
undisturbed. Sometimes, on warm winter
days, they will fly and attempt to feed.
So, if they are inside, they should be
allowed to get out through an open door
or window.
16 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

Late season
dragonflies
Flying dragonflies peak in the late
summer in the UK, but a few species
linger on well into the late autumn and
may even be seen in November and
December. The species you are most
likely to encounter in the late autumn
are the darters, most notably Common
Darter, and Migrant Hawker.
Anthony Roberts/Alamy*
David Chapman/Alamy*
WINTER MOTHS
Unlike butterflies, several moths are active
as adults during the autumn winter
months. These include such distinctive
species as the sallows, Angle Shades, The
Herald, Feathered Thorn and the lovely
December Moth (pictured), as well as
drabber moths, such as the quakers.
There is even a moth called the Winter
Moth which is common in most of the
country, flying from late autumn to
January or February.
Most of these moths which fly now will
come to the light of moth traps, and some
can be seen coming to kitchen windows
and the like, or picked up by a torch in a
winter garden.
Arterra Picture Library/Alamy*
COMMON DARTER
Common Darter is a small reddish
dragonfly (females are more yellow),
which spends a lot of time perched on
exposed twigs or fence posts etc,
looking for smaller insects flying by,
after which it will ‘dart’ off its perch to
try to grab.
MIGRANT HAWKER
Migrant Hawkers are medium-sized
hawker dragonflies which are often
seen in gardens which don’t have
ponds, patrolling up and down
ceaselessly on the wing (though
occasionally resting).
Christopher Mills/Alamy*
IVY IS THE INSECT
GARDENER’S FRIEND
One of the best plants for
insects (as well as birds!) is
Ivy. In addition to providing
food and cover for birds, Ivy
flowers (which are out in
autumn) are irresistible for
many insects at this time of
year. Bees, hoverflies and
wasps love the little pollen and
nectar-rich yellow flowers.
Steve Young/Alamy*
SOUTHERN HAWKER
Southern Hawker is the next size up
from Migrant Hawker and is quite
similar in its behaviour. They are slightly
brighter in their patterning and have
bolder yellow stripes on the top of the
thorax than Migrant Hawkers.
Robin Chittenden/Alamy*
BW
18 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

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Picture perfect:
TOP TIPS FOR WINTER GARDEN
BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
David Tipling Photo Library / Alamy*
More and more birdwatchers are taking photographs of birds. In this modern digital age, photography in general
is so much easier, so much cheaper and frankly so much better than it used to be in the bad old days. And, in
some ways, the best place to start bird photography is at home. In your own garden, you can control the
environment, the background, even to an extent what birds appear, and it can all be within reach of a nice hot
cup of tea. Here are some tips on photographing garden birds in autumn and winter.
Vince Burton / Alamy Stock Photo
Coal Tit
1
Put out feeders
and perches
Garden birds are essentially woodland birds and
many can be tempted by food and water. By
putting out food and water, you can lure birds
within range. But photographs of birds on feeders
or at artificial drinking sites can look artificial. So, it
is a good idea to place nice looking perches
(mossy branches are a favourite) near the feeders,
but with the feeders out of shot. Similarly,
drinking pools can be ‘disguised’ with some logs
or leaves to look more attractive and realistic.
Experiment with different perches in different
positions so that the birds’ favoured routes to and
from the feeders are exploited.
birdwatching.co.uk 21

Nuthatch
Sparrowhawk
2
Artificially provided food can look ugly in shots of wildlife. So, it can be
a good idea to conceal food in crevices or hollows on your chosen perch
area. You could use a mossy log for example.
Blackbird
4
Think about light direction
In an ideal world you want the light behind you when photographing birds.
Sometimes, for an artistic effect, you may want to backlight a subject, but
mostly it is best to set up a hide or screen with the light behind you.
Pied Wagtail
Hide food
6 Use the right camera 7
For photographing birds, you will need either a camera (bridge, Micro
Four Thirds or DSLR) with either a decent zoom range or a long focal
length (say 300mm minimum). Digiscoping with a compact camera or
a phone is another way of getting the birds within reach.
Dan Mold Steve Bloom Images/Alamy Stock Photo
Buiten-Beeld/Alamy
3
Be patient
All bird photography requires a degree of patience. Garden bird
photography is no exception. So, prepare everything first, settle into position
and be prepared to wait for the best action.
Robin
5
Shoot movies
Movies can be great in their own right. But with some cameras, it is
possible to ‘capture the action’ by extracting individual frames of your
favourite poses from short snatches of movie action. This can be
particularly useful for catching birds in flight.
Get close
Ideally, you want to be close enough to the subject to get some detailed
photographs, with the bird large in the frame. The easiest way to do this is to
use a portable, tent-like hide, preferably one of those camouflaged ones with
a built in seat. Or, if you are lucky enough to have a shed with windows, you
could use this as a hide, and set up the feeders and perches, accordingly. BW
Tim Gainey/Alamy*
Mike Lane/Alamy Stock Photo
Jake Kindred/Bauer*
22 Get To Know Garden Birds 2018

FP_BIRDSPA4_FlutterButid3607752.pdf 09.04.2018 17:08
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