Psilos Bird Photography

Sedge warblers

Seeking a life shot

There are so many good bird photographs out there but sometimes the viewer does not realise just what goes in to getting the shot. As believed wildlife photography is not glamorous or easy it is often full of hard work, anguish and frustration. Everyone wants that perfect shot but first and foremost the welfare of the birds have to be taken into account. The Sedge warbler is a bogey bird of mine. They can be very elusive and I have never taken a good photograph of one. Today my luck changed. Getting the shot wasnt easy but here is how I went about getting it.

Doffcocker lodge end of June 2009 found me walking along the path by the lake when suddenly an adult Sedge warbler appeared not twelve feet from where I was standing. It was perched on a blade of grass in the open, an ideal shot and for once did not fly away when I held up my camera. Got the bird in my sights and was frustrated to find the camera would not focus. My furthest distance limiter was on so wouldnt focus at close range. I swore and clicked it off. The second before I resighted the bird flew off and I had lost the perfect shot. I clearly saw both birds disappear into the undergrowth and the moment was gone. I walked away gutted as shots like that rarely occur.

 
 
Some time later I came back the same way and immediatly picked out the adults again. This time I counted three birds and realised there must be a family in the reeds. Here I had another opportunity for a shot that I had never gotten before. I could see at least two juveniles but they were well hidden and with so much long grass and reeds getting a clear shot was not going to be easy.
 
 
The adults must have alerted the juveniles to my presence as they went very still. Many birds do this when there is danger present. Conscious not to alarm the birds I had to move very slowly without any jerky movements. I crouched down low and tried to get a focus through the undergrowth. It was very frustrating as there was always some form of vegetation in the way. The clock was ticking, the birds would not stay still for ever. I knew that to get through the vegetation I had to get alittle nearer.
 
 
To get some perspective here it has to be said that I was not out in the remote marshlands. I was in a local reserve, ten feet off the path on the grass that bordered the reedbed. About fifty yards away there was a small group of dog walkers talking rowdily. The birds are fairly used to people despite being so elusive. Very slowly I moved forward about two feet pushing my lens through the reeds. The birds still did not move. Vegetation was now getting in the way in the foreground giving a soft blur to my whole image. This really was getting irritating and I was losing hope of getting the shot I wanted.
 
 
Luckily sometimes fortune favours those that persist. Still keeping so still I suddenly found the window I needed and click, I knew the shot was in the bag. Im sure at this point it was as if the adult realised I had the shot I wanted and decided enough was enough. Suddenly the alarm call of the adults sounded and the juveniles dived for cover. It had been such a wonderful experience as I have never seen much less photographed young Sedge warblers before. I felt satisfied and priveledged that I had seen the family together. Without hesitation I withdrew so as not to agitate them further. A great day and a life shot for me.