Northern Lapwing
LONGER days, more warmth in the sun, the scent of blossom in the air and of course the welcome return of spring migrants mean that time spent in the field during April can be an absolute joy. In suitable habitat, Northern Lapwings will be gearing up for the nesting season by performing display flights, delivering their extraordinary electronic bleeping song or chasing away any potential predators.
They often have a favoured flight path while displaying, so waiting for a fly-by with the sun behind you could pay off. A fast shutter speed is needed to freeze the action, while tracking their erratic flight can be a challenge! Always pay attention to the bird’s behaviour; if it consistently flies low over your head, you’re too close to its territory. They might already have eggs or even chicks, particularly towards the month’s end.
On the ground, lapwings behave in a typical plover fashion, walking or running a few steps before adopting a pose for a few seconds. Assess which way they’re heading and wait for them to come to you. A low angle helps keep surrounding clutter to a minimum and means that you’re less conspicuous to the bird. A burst of shots of a bird on the move can capture some pleasing poses. With their unique crest, a silhouette works well.
With such different camera settings needed for stationary birds and those in flight, it can be useful to set up your camera buttons to switch quickly between the two; modest shutter speed, lower ISO and more depth of field (higher f number) for stationary birds, and faster shutter speed, higher (or auto) ISO and narrower depth of field (to get the shutter speed up) for action shots. As a contrasty bird with areas of bright white and dark green and black, keep an eye on your exposure to ensure the highlights aren’t lost and that the dark areas retain colour and detail. Kit Day