Chipping Sparrow by Eliot Porter - Using Nests for Bird Photography

[Henry Domke]

To get close to song birds many photographers today use food, water or recorded song.
In the distant past artists like John James Audubon used a shotgun to get the bird in hand to see details.
A few decades ago artists like Eliot Porter (http://www.cartermuseum.org/collections/porter/about.php) would search for bird nests and then set up blinds to photograph them at close range with large format film.
This picture shows the cover of Eliot Porter's Birds of North America: A Personal Selection.
The book has outstanding color images showing what can be accomplished with this technique.

Does anyone use bird nests for song bird photography today?



By-the-way, Amazon has used hardbound copies of this book for less than a dollar.

[John Robinson]

Henry
Yes they do over here but oten not admitted. Perches near the nest for the birds to land on are the usual. I used to do it all the time in the old days.(1960's-70's) We had to as there weren't the lenses around then and film was so slow. It was often he only way to get waders- coming back to the nest. Having said that there were some wonderful monochrome images done in the old days by the pioners of bird photography. I collect all theold such books and have a stack of them. Like flash nowadays it is officially frowned upon. It is an offence to willfully disturb a bird at the nest in this country so that doesn't leave much room !!!
Cheers
John

[Daniel Cadieux]

I've never come across a photograph-able small songbird's (sparrow, warbler, vireo, etc...) nest such as the one pictured in the image on that book cover. Only inside thick brush or fully out of view. Most of my songbird nesting opportunities have been with backyard nesters or species that I have happened to come across their nestholes, such as Great-crested Flycatchers, or staked out man-made nestboxes such as bluebirds, swallows and wrens. If you do find a nest the opportunities are very good and you get all sorts of prey-in-bill opportunities and if lucky a view of the young with bills wide open. If you do come across an active nest just be aware that yes, it is mostly frowned upon (I personally have no issues with it) especially if you stay too close too long. Responsibly photographing an active nest can be very rewarding.

[John Guastella]

Does anyone use bird nests for song bird photography today?


I hope not. IMO, it is completely unethical -- and unnecessary -- to disturb birds at their nests purely for standard photography or videography. It should only be allowed for biologists who need to do so for well-stated, justifiable wildlife conservations reasons -- and even then, only after approval by the appropriate wildlife agency.

John

[John Chardine]

Hi Henry- Elliot Porter was a pioneer! I have the book and agree it is amazing.

The field-craft of pioneers like Porter was incredible. He spent a lot of time- days if not weeks- slowly approaching a nest so that no disturbance occurred and images could be had. However, I have no doubt that a lot of pruning around the nest went on back then. My gut feeling is that nest photography is not so popular now with modern technology and the ability to fill the frame with your free-ranging (i.e., not tied to the nest) subject.

It is also an offence in Canada and the US to disturb the nest of a migratory bird and fines/jail terms are stiff. Enforcement of these laws is another thing however.

[Sandy Witvoet]

My personal opinion is to avoid any nests. Those adults with just eggs are extremely sensitive to interference.... and may abandon the nest. Depending on the species, once there are hatchlings, birds tend to be a bit more protective, rather than leaving the nest/eggs. Blind (hide) or not, the birds know you are there and you may be interfering with the critical feeding routine, and/or putting the eggs/hatchlings in higher danger of predation. A good friend of mine bands Eagles for FWS as well as for other sanctioned research projects (and he is a great photographer) ... he will NEVER disclose a nest location nor even get near it when it is "egg season". Most of my personal experience is with Loon nests... sure, a pic would be great, but not at the risk of losing a potential baby. It is also a DNR poaching offense to interfere (intentional or not) with wildlife here in Michigan.

[Don Thompson]

I had an American Robin build a nest 10-15' from an upstairs bedroom window. I photographed from the time the nest was started until the young hatched. I photographed the adults coming to the nest, feeding the chicks, etc. I kept the draperies closed as much as possible with only the lens barrel sticking out. Neither the adults or the chicks ever seemed to be bothered by my presence.

I'm no biologist, just giving my one time personal experience. By the way, I ended up giving some of the photos to an elementary teacher to use as a teaching tool.