Photographing Nature - Nesting Birds
Single of the greatest challenges in nature and particularly bird photography is collectinng images of hatchlings as they grow to adulthood. Documenting the incredible stories of baby birds in a with a nesting box camerw as the parents look them after until they can fly the nest can be exhilarating and bring a genuine tear to the eye.
However, as more and more people get interested in nature photography -mainly because of the surge in use of digital cameras - means its worth sipulating the danger this type of bird watching can pose to wildlife.
Nesting bids are notoriously nervous. Noto nly is it all to easy to scare a mother away from her eggs or chicks, some species may cannibalise their young once disturbed. So in attempting any type of this photography it is important to Make s3cure the nesting birds are never disturbed.
By far the best method is to use a camera-nesting box. These are Homogeneous to conventional nesting boxes but have a ’secret’ hidden camera compartment, normally tucked away in the roof of the bird box.
Whilst some people opt to make their own, there are several multi species camera nesting boxes on the market equipped with cameras that not Merely take crisp images of the nesting birds but also take the pictures without A single one sound or distraction in the nesting box.
If you do choose to make your own camera nesting box or buy a camera nesting box and use your own photography equipments its important to remember to ensure the camera is not only silent (a shutter can sound extremely loud close up to a nesting hatchling) but that obviously the flash is off.
If using conventional equipment it may be difficult to get an imaye in the dark confines of the nesting box if you have no night vision facilities on your camera. Making Be accustomed of natural light by carefully adding slits to the box (while its still empty) may help as can setting up a permanent light. This has to be installed to create a dim glow in the box only and the bulb out of the way of the birds. Any power facility such as battery Be obliged to be replaceable without sudden change of light in the box or any disturbance.
This is where many of the manufacgured camera nesting boxes have the advantage in that the equipment is designed specifically for this type of work where the camera compartment is completely separate and designed with the ability to set the optimum/sensotive to ensure crisp images.
Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in eco-friendly products and innovations. Please contact us if you are interested in recycling, eco gifts the camera nesting box or other grwat green ideas