Wild Birds Photographs and Videos

I've been a bird watcher all my life; I feed the birds and enjoy watching birds in the garden, in the wild and at the feeders in winter. I love all types of birds and I enjoy taking nature photographs of birds in the wild. It's a thrill for me whenever I snap a great bird photograph.

I spend many hours patiently waiting with my camera ready hoping birds will land in nearby on my deck, in my garden or around my bird feeders. Sometimes I'm able to capture a great photo of a bird while just out for a walk or ride in the country. I often spot hawks, geese and turkeys on my bimonthly drives to Vermont from Pennsylvania.

This article features my own backyard bird photographs plus video of my feathered friends and links to my favorite birding pages and gear.

While sitting on the deck at my daughter's home in Vermont, it's not unusual to see several hummingbirds to visit the feeders just a few feet away. They love sipping nectar from the bee balm and phlox plants in my gardens as well. For the past two years the hummers have arrived on the very same day, May 15. I'll be ready for them again next year and hang the hummingbird feeders from my porch roof to welcome them back for the summer.

Learn about the birds in your area; teach children about how to observe nature and watch birds.

A squirrel-proof feeder helps keep sunflower seeds abundant for the birds who depend on the nutrition in this feeder during cold, wintry weather. We distract the squirrels with peanuts and dried corn to keep them from going berserk trying to break into this feeder.

All metal construction and an adjustable perch control will keep squirrels out of this feeder.

Have you ever participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count? It's fun to count and report the many species you discover in your own neighborhood while contributing to the migration and habitat research that uses the data you report. In Vermont we also count wild turkeys during the entire month of August so the state has a good idea of how well the flocks are doing before hunting season opens.

I photographed this blue heron wading and fishing for lunch along the Tulpehocken Creek at the Berks County (Pennsylvania) Heritage Festival. Although there were dozens of people along the creek bank and in the shallow water on the side where I was sitting, the heron seemed oblivious to their presence as he hunted for frogs and fish. Either that, or he knew he was safe from predators over on the other side of the waterway.

A few tricks to help you take good bird photos

I'm not an expert bird photographer, just an enthusiastic bird watcher who loves to take snapshots. My best tips for capturing good bird photos are simple enough for anyone to use.

• Always carry your camera. You never know when you'll have an opportunity to photograph a rare bird or situation.
• Choose a spot with good lighting and shoot with the brightest area behind you or to one side. Be careful not to cast a shadow on your photo area.
• Try shooting early in the day, or in the afternoon when the sun is low. Lighting is best at these times, and colors are deeper and richer.
• Use a fast film speed and don't use a flash. If your camera has automatic settings, try the "sports" setting.
• Use a zoom or telephoto lens to get close up bird photos.
• Take bird photos all year long. In Spring when birds are mating and raising families and Autumn, when birds are migrating, you'll see species that will move to other areas in summer or winter.
• Be patient. If you know birds you want to photograph are in your area, find a quiet spot in range of your photo area, then wait until birds arrive or land where you can snap your pictures.
• Use a remote trigger and tripod if you have a feeder or plant that attracts birds. If you can snap a photo without being at the camera you won't move and cause birds to fly away and you won't jiggle the camera.

I enjoy feeding wild birds in our garden from fall through early spring. At the end of March we stop filling our bird feeders to prevent problems with starlings and unwanted wildlife (for example, bears). We put out hummingbird feeders in late spring and we also provide fresh water in birdbaths and garden ponds.

I have this model squirrel proof feeder and can say that it definitely works very well. The squirrels are sometimes able to climb up the pole from which it's mounted and actually sit on top of the feeder but they can't get to the seeds no matter how cleverly they try. Their weight closes the seed door covers, and they slip off their perch. Our cats enjoy watching the birds eating and the squirrels trying to raid the feeders all winter long.

This hawk figured he'd simply wait for small birds and rodents to visit my garden and bird feeder, then he'd have a fast wings snack in our yard. As it turned out, the small birds spotted him sitting on the top of the rod so they kept away and out of sight, but an unlucky grey squirrel who failed to look up became this guy's dinner.

Although it's not fancy, this simple sock-type thistle feeder is a favorite with the red and gold finches in our yard. I hang thistle sock feeders from my bean trellis. Sometimes there are 6 finches on the sock with a half dozen more birds on the nylon mesh trellis waiting for a turn on the feeder.

Fill this simple thistle sock feeder with Nyger seed and watch the finches flock to it.

These red finches were delighted to find black oil sunflower seeds in a plastic dish nestled in the evergreens on the shelf at the top of my outdoor plant tower decorated for winter holidays. The cardinals really enjoy a flat feeder so when the red finches would move over, the cardinals got a snack as well.

Get incredible photos and videos of wild birds with this special bird cam setup. I've got this wild bird camera on my Santa wish list.

Here's the information about how you can join in the bird count for this year in your area. This info is from the GBBC (Great Backyard Bird Count) web site:

1. Plan to count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count. You can count for longer than that if you wish! Count birds in as many places and on as many days as you like-one day, two days, or all four days. Submit a separate checklist for each new day. You can also submit more than one checklist per day if you count in other locations on that day.

2. Count the greatest number of individuals of each species that you see together at any one time. You may find it helpful to print out your regional bird checklist to get an idea of the kinds of birds you're likely to see in your area in February. You could take note of the highest number of each species you see on this checklist.

3. When you're finished, enter your results through our web page. You'll see a button marked "Enter Your Checklists!" on the website home page beginning on the first day of the count. It will remain active until the deadline for data submission on March 1st.

This camera has the features you need to easily snap wildlife photos, bird photos and all sorts of pictures - without breaking the piggy bank. Features include impressive 10x zoom power that brings action incredibly close and a compact body designed to be taken along for the ride.

I get a kick out of watching wild birds in my yard all year 'round. I have bird feeders near the windows in my home and studio and I plant flowers that attract the birds to my garden. Leave a note about your experiences with bird watching or bird photography, or just say hello.