Garden birds can be fun.
blue tit taken from the hide during a downpour.
Photographing garden birds can be just as much fun as bigger birds and animals, mainly because of the way they dart about so quickly, a group of them can be in competition with each other over a single peanut or suet pellet which can provide great amusement for the watcher as they try to get it, but one thing I never really noticed until I sat in the hide and watched them was the way in which they come to the hanging feeders, they seem to take it in shifts, a group, say sparrows, will arrive in a big bunch and get busy feeding, meanwhile the blue & great tits are sitting quietly in the hedge for the crowd to clear, once there off, the tits move in to feed, then they make way for some dunnocks who then make way for the starlings, this goes on for a few hours, then for a while they all turn up and are fighting amongst each other for space, its very strange but good to see.
my favourite garden bird has got to be the blue tit, this tiny ball of fluff and feathers only weighs 10 grams but packs a mighty punch at the feeders, they usually arrive in pairs and are just like a married couple as they squabble with each other, if they are facing away from the breeze there hackles stand up making them look almost like a crested tit.
always have peanuts on offer through the winter, they provide fats and oils for the birds.
Photographing garden birds doesn’t have to be costly either, a basic dslr with a lens of up to 300mm would be fine as you can usually get close enough to some birds, but for those close up shots you can’t beat a pop up hide, relatively cheap you can waterproof it and make it fit your needs, my first hide was great until it rained, i bought some waterproofing spray and gave the roof a liberal application and now its storm proof, well rain wise anyway, and you don’t need to leave it out for a few days before using it as the birds are used to changes in our gardens as its part of our everyday life and the birds have gotten used to it, a comfy camping style chair, some food and a flask of coffee and your ready to watch the birds from the hide for a few hours, i’ve added some “props” if you will to the garden around the feeding station, branches of different heights and shapes to give them something to perch on when not at the feeders, and I have holes drilled in them so I can press in peanuts or bits of fat balls to give them more feeding options
a great tit about to receive a rain drop, one of my favourite garden bird photos..
Your choice of bird feed can vary but I prefer to buy a 20kg bag of the cheapest feed and then add suet pellets and peanuts to it, they absolutely love this mix as it has everything they need in it.