Birds Nesting Are Highly Prized Shots

^{Note: This tip comes from the printable cheat sheet ‘How to Photograph Birds Nesting’ inside Photzy’s - 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheets}

Gear it up:

• A mirrorless or DSLR camera works great. A hybrid camera can work fine if it has an extended zoom lens. Smartphone cameras are out of luck unless you are in a bird blind.

• Use an appropriate telephoto lens in the 100-600mm range. Zoom lenses work well here so that you have better composition options without changing the camera position.

Set it up:

• Shoot in the camera raw file format for maximum flexibility.

• Use the single-shot drive mode.

• The shooting mode is open to preference. But be aware of the depth of field and camera shake.

Pro Technique:

If you see birds gathering food and flying away, track them. They will eventually lead you near the nest.

It’s best to stay at least 15 meters away from a nest to avoid disturbing anything. If they carry nest-building material, you can become alert to the nest location and return to it later for some fledgling shots.

Want more? If you want to learn more about bird photography, and capture beautiful shots of your own, we recommend downloading and printing out Photzy’s 10 Bird Photography Cheat Sheets (Special bonus available now!)