Top tips for photographing garden birds

Put feeders out

Winter is the best time to feed your garden birds. Put some feeders out with a variety of foods, such as sunflower hearts, peanuts and niger seeds (goldfinches love these).

Position perches

Once you have birds regularly coming to your feeders, position some perches nearby so they will land there on their approach, or while waiting for the feeder to become free.

Backgrounds

When positioning perches, think about what background you want, and adjust accordingly. If you cannot get a clear background, you could consider using an artificial background such as a print out of muted green or other colours.

Use seasonal props

There are a huge range of perches you can use, from various branches, to more artificial items like watering cans and garden tools. Be creative.

Think about light

Try to position yourself so the earlymorning sun will be over your shoulder, showing off your subject perfectly.

Experiment with light

Try shooting into the sun too, for dramatic results that are a bit different.

Wideangle lens

A remote release and wideangle lens can give a different perspective, showing the birds in the context of their environment.

Tripod

Place your camera on a tripod and be ready in an instant when birds appear at your set- up.

Bird behaviour

Understanding bird behaviour will help improve your images. Make sure your perches fit with the subject’s natural behaviour, to keep your images looking natural.