Help - Your Tips For Spotting Wildlife

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Steve

Steve

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During the last live stream, someone asked a great question about how to find wildlife. I thought it might make a good "top 10" video but I also thought it might be beneficial to ask the members here for your advice as well.

So, what tips, tricks, and techniques do you use in the field when you're trying to spot an animal?

I'll start with what I have so far:

1. Watching for movement not caused by wind
2. Learning what an animal looks like in it's habitat (a catch 22 to be sure, at least at first)
3. Looking for a horizontal line in a mass of vertical lines (like the back of a deer in the grass)
4. Looking down branches and spotting "lumps" on those branches as you work your way down them visually (i.e. a perched bird or animal)
5. Trying to spot fur or feathers clumped up in a hole
6. Looking for falling leaves - often there's an animal above
7. Learning animal coloration and watching for those colors
8. Looking for silhouettes
9. Watch for small "parts" of an animal - like an antler or tail.

Those are a few off the top of my head, but I feel like I'm missing some obvious ones (a bit of cognitive flatulence I suppose) and I'd welcome some new ideas as well.
 
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I'm not good at finding subjects, but the number 1 response above is works best for me. I'm rather good at detecting movement but if there is a Great Horned Owl sitting motionless in a tree (or any other owls, for that matter) I might as well be blind, I never see it even when others do.
 
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Look for paths that are part of the normal routine for wildlife.

Go to the same location day after day. Wildlife tend to have similar daily patterns.

Choose locations with good light and framing. Even if you see a bear in a thicket, the photo is not very good. Position yourself where the subject is likely to emerge with good light even if it is more distant. Let the subject work its way to you.
 
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Steve said:
2. Learning what an animal looks like in it's habitat (a catch 22 to be sure, at least at first)
Click to expand...
That's a great one that seems strange at first glance but IMO it's really important.

When I first started seriously looking for Bald Eagles it seemed I could never find one when I had my camera with me. Then I spotted a few and then a few more over time. Once I got used to how they look when perched up in a tree I started seeing them a lot and not just around here or in the places I'd expect them. This really hit me when I was on a road trip out through Montana and Idaho and must have spotted a dozen or more while driving at freeway speeds. My wife kept asking how I could spot all those eagles up in trees at a distance and I realized my eyes and brain just knew what to look for and picked them out.

Same seems to apply to other wildlife subjects, once you see a few in their natural habitat you get used to what to look for or at least what to notice. I think of it as training your brain for pattern recognition whether that pattern is the distinctive hump of a Bison bedded down in tall grass or a Coyote making the grass move against the wind.

I'd add a related tip, before trying to zoom in visually and scan for wildlife I'm a big believer in standing still and spending a couple of minutes taking in the wider scene. Tom Brown jr talks about this in some of his tracking books (good reads BTW) and it really seems to work. IOW, it's often easier to pick up visual clues including movement when just taking in a wide view of the whole scene than it might be if we try to look closely and scan for wildlife. Once you pick up on something then focusing in close on that area can tell you more.

When out on foot, sounds like distinctive bird calls or mobbing behavior of smaller birds harassing an Owl or Hawk can be very good clues that bring you to good wildlife subjects.
 
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Great suggestions. I second the recommendation to occasionally stop and view the area. I learned long ago that when walking a woods trail it's a good idea to turn around to check the trail behind you. Many times since I've done so I've spotted deer standing in the trail watching me move away, some of them close enough to photograph. I've also seen birds fly up into sight this way, including the first owl that I photographed on a local trail.

Also, since moving to the Florida coast I've found it quite helpful to be able to differentiate flying raptors (eagles, osprey) from the many pelicans, turkey vultures and gulls that are ubiquitous here. Then I can focus on that bird to see if it's heading my way.
 
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I would emphasize sheer familiarity and frequency of visits to locations and species you're hoping to see. "Knowing how to look" is a practiced skill. Finally seeing and identifying what you've been looking for in a given environment is a watershed moment and immediately advances your ability to see it again the next time. Having said that, I have to improve my ability to find Pygmy Owls this winter...like trying to spot a tennis ball sitting on a branch of a tree.
 
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When looking for birds, I look for:
  • SHAPES amongst the branches that do not match the pattern of the branches or leaves in the immediate area,
  • MOVEMENT that is irregular, or that does not fit the direction, pattern, or speed of other objects in the immediate vicinity,
  • COLOR that does not match the patterns/textures of objects in the immediate area,
  • NOISE that is different in some way from the ambient noise in the area.
 
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This will be a great discussion. Following for sure.

These may be overly obvious or already mentioned:
1) Understand habits and habitat of the creature for which you're searching. Frequent places that meet the habitat needs.
2) Food, Water, Shelter - all creatures need these. Part of habitat but look where all 3 are present.
3) watch for movement in your peripheral vision. Many times I catch movement "out the corner of my eye".
4) stealth. You're usually not going to find wildlife while making a lot of noise, talking or trail running.
5) related to 4, stand still. Get to a place that wildlife frequents, has food, shelter and water nearby and remain still and silent. Usually after 15-20 minutes wild creatures will start moving about again. Rest assured, they know you are there, but if you're not acting like a predator or posing a threat they will go about their daily struggle for survival while tolerating your intrusion into their world.
6) Know the size of the creature for which you search. Extreme example, a deer is much smaller than a bear but larger than a dog. OK, obvious but sometimes if we're not familiar with the animal we may be looking for something much larger or much smaller than we think. Recently, I went to a sanctuary searching for Evening Grosbeaks. I was picturing something Cardinal size when in fact they are more like larger finches.
 
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For those who wear Siemens Signia or similar hearing aids that can be controlled through a smartphone app set the Spatial Configurator to 360 degrees, this allows the microphones to pick up very clearly sound behind you. I have captured a number of great images when walking through woods or scrub when animals or birds move after you have passed by. My avatar (Weasel) is an example. This is not dissimilar to the earlier post that recommends looking behind. However, not recommended on a windy day!
 
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Thanks everyone - I had completely forgotten about sound somehow. I think at least 50% of the animals I spot while on foot are heard before seen. It's going to be tough to pick a top ten list! (but feel free to keep adding :) )
 
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I use all of those that have been mentioned, then when i have found signs of animals i put my trail camera out for at least a week, you then get clarification of what time and what animal has been walking by!!
 
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DRwyoming said:
Tom Brown jr talks about this in some of his tracking books (good reads BTW) and it really seems to work. IOW, it's often easier to pick up visual clues including movement when just taking in a wide view of the whole scene than it might be if we try to look closely and scan for wildlife. Once you pick up on something then focusing in close on that area can tell you more.
Click to expand...

That's really cool that you mention Tom Brown jr. I purchased several of his books back when I was first learning about wildlife photography to help me get better at finding my subjects. I still use many of the techniques today. I still have my copy - it's probably about 35 years old (and yes, that's a 6.95 sticker price from B. Dalton).

tb-book.jpg
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Not much to add really but for me emphasis on sound for sure, before sight, but detecting movement at the periphery of vision is a critical skill to acquire. I find that listening for alarm calls (squirrels are awesome for that) tells me a lot about what's going on than my eyes (obviously if I am not the ding-dong they are freaking out about).

Somebody mentioned immobility - even when not in a hide, it's amazing how much more wildlife will come your way if you stay still for just a couple minutes. Works great with small birds that rely on their reflexes for safety.

The second is ecology and behavior - knowing where to look and what you are hoping to find is also critical but as importantly how to react once you found it (or something else). It's even more important for your own protection when on foot in areas where bears roam, or when hiking in Africa. Nothing's more thrilling than on-foot safari, until it isn't...

oh and maybe the most valuable advice of them all - pick the best guide and tip generously :)
 
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Couple of points that have helped me. Africa centric but has transferability.
- Get to know locations and territories where they are habitating. Speak to the locals, wildlife rangers, guides etc. Monitor media, many post images giving reasonable location /venue data that can identify such areas which will assist in planning a visit.
- Read up on the animals behaviour and get out at the most appropriate times when that particular species is likely to be active, e.g do they go out early morning or late afternoon foraging:/ hunting; do they sleep in the day and prefer being tucked away in thickets and bushes
- be mindful of the seasonal vegetation. Grass will be higher in rainy season and so make it harder to spot wildlife
- in hot climates, look in shaded areas
- look for tracks and prints
- kills are often signposted by scavengers, such as circling vultures etc that act as a location guide
- use water and food sources as likely areas of activity
- watch other animals alarm behaviour, they know where the threats are and will tend to face in the relevant direction
- remain patient, wait and watch. Often a visitor will see a species of interest, grab a shot then head off fir the next on the list to tick off and in doing so miss something of real interest
 
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Steve said:
That's really cool that you mention Tom Brown jr. I purchased several of his books back when I was first learning about wildlife photography to help me get better at finding my subjects. I still use many of the techniques today. I still have my copy - it's probably about 35 years old (and yes, that's a 6.95 sticker price from B. Dalton).
Click to expand...
Yup, great stuff and I've got a dog eared copy of that book on the shelves as well. I learned a lot from his writings and as a kid that grew up in NJ and spent some time poking around the Pine Barrens I've always liked his observations on the area.
 
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I do a lot of bird photography and find I look for:

Movement
Color
Bird calls and other sounds
Shape

Works fairly well for mammals too.

When on foot, walking slowly and pausing frequently can be very helpful. When near a lake, canoes and kayaks are good to allow approaching closer both to identify and to take photos.

Getting to know an area well is also very helpful. I spend the better part of the summer at a cabin on a good-sized lake in Northern Minnesota that I have gotten to know well. You get to know where to find certain birds — bald eagles, loons, osprey, mergansers, golden eyes, sandpipers, herons and the like — where they nest, where they fish or forage for food, the trees they like to sit in, etc. Similarly, I go to a federal wildlife refuge near my house for the spring and fall bird migration season and have a good idea when and where to look for certain species.

I find the more time I spend looking for birds and other wildlife, the better I get at it.
 
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Having spent 30+ years hunting and running a trapline, I can say that recognizing likely habitat for the animals that you pursue becomes second nature over time. Study the habits/habitat of whatever your prey. Get to know them.
Stopping for a minute or two to inspect your surroundings is good advice, but stopping for longer is even better. Find some likely habitat and sit still for an hour, or more. I used to spend hours sitting motionless in tree stands at dawn and dusk waiting for deer with my bow, and the show was often awesome whether a deer showed up or not. Owls landing on a nearby branch, squirrels crawling up my leg. :)
 
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DRwyoming said:
That's a great one that seems strange at first glance but IMO it's really important.

When I first started seriously looking for Bald Eagles it seemed I could never find one when I had my camera with me. Then I spotted a few and then a few more over time. Once I got used to how they look when perched up in a tree I started seeing them a lot and not just around here or in the places I'd expect them. This really hit me when I was on a road trip out through Montana and Idaho and must have spotted a dozen or more while driving at freeway speeds. My wife kept asking how I could spot all those eagles up in trees at a distance and I realized my eyes and brain just knew what to look for and picked them out.

Same seems to apply to other wildlife subjects, once you see a few in their natural habitat you get used to what to look for or at least what to notice. I think of it as training your brain for pattern recognition whether that pattern is the distinctive hump of a Bison bedded down in tall grass or a Coyote making the grass move against the wind.

I'd add a related tip, before trying to zoom in visually and scan for wildlife I'm a big believer in standing still and spending a couple of minutes taking in the wider scene. Tom Brown jr talks about this in some of his tracking books (good reads BTW) and it really seems to work. IOW, it's often easier to pick up visual clues including movement when just taking in a wide view of the whole scene than it might be if we try to look closely and scan for wildlife. Once you pick up on something then focusing in close on that area can tell you more.

When out on foot, sounds like distinctive bird calls or mobbing behavior of smaller birds harassing an Owl or Hawk can be very good clues that bring you to good wildlife subjects.
Click to expand...
I think it's called search image. What you say is so true.

When you're walking you don't catch motion because you're moving, standing still and surveying the landscape is something I do very frequently. Both great tips. :)
 
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One thing I will do frequently is pick a likely spot (I usually am photographing birds) where the habitat is good for the species I'm hoping for. I plop myself down in a comfortable
place and stay there, like for a couple of hours. When you're up and moving, you're pushing wildlife away from you as you approach. It takes an hour or so for them to move
back in.
 
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