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.
F11: Full screen !!!
“Bird categories“
In serious bird photography it is definitely wortwhile to know by heart where one can find certain birds and whether they are excetionaaly shy, just shy or not aat all shy. Only then you have good chances of ever observing interesting birds and – even more important- will avoid chasing birds. It helps to think in “bird categories“:
- shy or very shy
- 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
- dependant on specific requirements like reed, sand walls or tree holes for nesting or special food or other
- exotic.
The following categories are an indication of our, rather arbitrary, categories at present in Europe and North Africa. 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.
Shy or very shy
Rare species (in one or any country), often also shy:
In or near fresh water like river, lake, pond, ditch, canal, …
In or near ocean or sea:
“Local only” (only in one country or area)
Rocks:
Migrating winterguests (wintergasten), summerguests (zomergasten), resting & foraging only (doortrekkers) in our country (Holland):
Species having specific requirements for nest building or food
Exotic birds
Extremely rare or “local only” species, (stone) desert birds, seabirds, etcetera
