Foto at top: Lesbos Arctic Tern (Noordse Stern) size 35cm distance 35m sun D300 Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II equivalent 600mm standard camouflage. World champion long distance migration: flies from North Pole to South Pole vice versa, 40.000 Km each year.
Some arbitrary bird categories
In bird photography it is often quite meaningful to know in what category certain bird species belong. For example it is worthwhile to know in advance whether a certain species is shy so you can enjoy observing it in stead of chasing it.
- rare in whatever country (often also shy)
- specific environment like sea, ocean, rocks, forest , (stone) desert
- “local” (occurring only in one country or area)
- “migrating” (only in winter or summer or just temporarily resting and foraging
- specific requirements like sand walls for nesting and or special food
- exotic.
These categories are our, rather arbitrary, indication of the probability of observing certain bird species and photographing their “specific” behaviour somewhere in Europe or North Africa. We show you some examples below. Some species belong in more than one category for example the Blue Rock Thrush is both rare and shy and lives exclusively in rocky environments.
Rare species (in one or any country), often also shy
Specific environment like sea, ocean, rocks, (stone) desert
“Local only” (in one country or area)
Migrating winterguests (wintergasten), summerguests (zomergasten), resting & foraging only (doortrekkers)
Species having specific requirements for nest building or food
Exotic birds
Extremely rare or “local only” species, (stone) desert birds, seabirds, etcetera
