Horizontal lines for me...and the best aid of all is my wife the spotter...she sees a lot of them before I do.
Help - Your Tips For Spotting Wildlife
- Thread starter Steve
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I walk very quietly when in the woods. No talking, whispers if you need to communicate. I wear camo or earth tones to able to blend in. You can't hear animals moving if you're making noise. Think about being a hunter on the stalk. Know the sounds that birds and mammals make. Lots of apps these days that allow you to review animal sounds. Know animal behaviors. I photographed Parasitic Jaegers harassing gulls off Daytona Beach yesterday. There were thousands of gulls, and I focused on photographing black looking gulls flying after other gulls very aggressively. I got five or six series of attacks off the beach. My D500 and 500 f5.6 were up to the task.
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Chad Huff
Well-known member
Learn where to look...
I grew up in the woods. Following critters around was a part of life in our small midwest town, from a young age... One thing that taught me is how animals use the terrain they live in. I have people ask me all the time, "how'd you see that?" and really I was just looking in the right place, combined with your 1-9 Steve.
Letolen
Active member
Very interesting read.
The aura you put out near animals I find important.
There sensors are more in tuned then ours.
This is not a suggestion yet if efficient works very well.
I grew up as a bare foot kid. Bare feet you are very silent, you also feel the ground.
The aura you put out near animals I find important.
There sensors are more in tuned then ours.
This is not a suggestion yet if efficient works very well.
I grew up as a bare foot kid. Bare feet you are very silent, you also feel the ground.
Sound as been mentioned but also if one is approaching an area and or setting up to wait for an animal it is best to have the wind in your face. Many animals will smell you very quickly if you are down wind and you’ll never see them as they will avoid the area.
I live in MN where we often get a nice blanket of snow. Many of the tips you site at the start of the thread are even more evident when the forest has shed its leaves.
During late Fall through Early spring, there are some winter "tricks" one can use to find subjects.
1. Be aware of tracks through the snow, the distance between the gate of your subject, the repetitive nature of the tracks, and the number of animals (or re-walks) you observe. This suggests that you've found a corridor. Once you know "the path" be persistent, find where it starts and where it ends. I will set up a blind or find a depression in the snow and wait.
2. We have ponds, lakes, and rivers throughout my state. I watch for holes in the ice. I look for tracks or detritus (dead fish) around those holes. These areas are often otter haul-outs and places where eagles and crows will congregate in order to clean up the scraps.
3. Speaking of scraps... winter roadkill can be very productive. If you find a roadkill deer along a country road, this is an opportunity to photograph everything from ermine, coyote, eagle, and even wolf (in the Northern parts of the state).
4. Footballs in the trees.... When leaves are absent look towards the middle of the tree crown. Scan those areas and see if you can find something that doesn't fit. Often I see what looks like a "football.". When this occurs, I'll approach slowly w/ the suspicion that I've got an owl or hawk... not always a win, but a good place to start.
5. Ravens and crows... Listen for congregations and frenzied calls. If is sounds like a "mob" they've probably found a raptor... this is the primary way I can track great horned owls and red tailed hawks.
6. Walk trails or snowshoe along rivers and lakes... You will come home empty handed more times than not, but every once in a while, you will strike gold.
During late Fall through Early spring, there are some winter "tricks" one can use to find subjects.
1. Be aware of tracks through the snow, the distance between the gate of your subject, the repetitive nature of the tracks, and the number of animals (or re-walks) you observe. This suggests that you've found a corridor. Once you know "the path" be persistent, find where it starts and where it ends. I will set up a blind or find a depression in the snow and wait.
2. We have ponds, lakes, and rivers throughout my state. I watch for holes in the ice. I look for tracks or detritus (dead fish) around those holes. These areas are often otter haul-outs and places where eagles and crows will congregate in order to clean up the scraps.
3. Speaking of scraps... winter roadkill can be very productive. If you find a roadkill deer along a country road, this is an opportunity to photograph everything from ermine, coyote, eagle, and even wolf (in the Northern parts of the state).
4. Footballs in the trees.... When leaves are absent look towards the middle of the tree crown. Scan those areas and see if you can find something that doesn't fit. Often I see what looks like a "football.". When this occurs, I'll approach slowly w/ the suspicion that I've got an owl or hawk... not always a win, but a good place to start.
5. Ravens and crows... Listen for congregations and frenzied calls. If is sounds like a "mob" they've probably found a raptor... this is the primary way I can track great horned owls and red tailed hawks.
6. Walk trails or snowshoe along rivers and lakes... You will come home empty handed more times than not, but every once in a while, you will strike gold.
Bluetail
Active member
This has been an invaluable topic and quite timely—I’ve been trying to improve my small bird spotting skills during lockdowns, and of course in winter it’s a little easier with leaves off the trees. My problem, though, is spotting birds nestled in conifers: i can hear them, a companion can see them, but i just don’t, even with binoculars. I’ve tried softening my focus, listening, watching for rustling branches and movement and—nothing. This is also a struggle in the summer, of course, so any tips you may have re: spotting small birds in trees would be most welcome!
Thanks again everyone. Lots of great advice that I'll be able to use in the video. 
I may have to hit up the board again - turns out thousands of heads are better than one
I may have to hit up the board again - turns out thousands of heads are better than one
WildBill
Member
No one said patience, yet. I see more wildlife if I just patiently wait for them to come to me at certain hotspots. Also using my jeep as a hide lets me get close to animals that are acclimated to the presence of vehicles. Kayaking as well. Just purchased Hobie's new 360 pedal drive kayak and I'm spotting more wildlife than ever.
FB101
Well-known member
I forgot one... look behind you (slowly). Animals react (and flee) if you look directly at them rapidly, one of the corollaries is that they are far more comfortable resuming movement behind you rather than in front.
Lots of good tips and I apologize for not reading them all so I may be repeating something.
Pay attention to the big picture as well as the details. Watch the behavior of all wildlife to give you an indication of what may be happening around them. They may give you the indication that something is lurking unseen and it may be worth waiting and watching.
Pay attention to the big picture as well as the details. Watch the behavior of all wildlife to give you an indication of what may be happening around them. They may give you the indication that something is lurking unseen and it may be worth waiting and watching.
R.Philip
Well-known member
I take an easy approach. I look for a group of photographers and then ask them what they are looking at.
Fantastic thread BTW...
Fantastic thread BTW...
Marco74
Well-known member
Sorry for the delay in my collaboration. I'm swamped during the week.
As for MartyD, I apologize for not reading them all carefully so I may be repeating something.
Sorry also from my bad English, it's not my native language.
As someone wrote, it is essential to don't make noise, for that my tips is to try to avoid walking on stones.
Stones are often placed in the parks' paths in the centre to limit mud formation, while in the edges there is grass or other.
Walking on the edges and not on the stones makes a lot of difference.
Moreover, in the event of a chance encounter, being already on the side, it is easier to blend in with the vegetation without making sudden movements.
A good pair of shoes or boots are equally important, from one side, good traction can help in the hills, from the other side, a good rubber sole makes less noise.
It is useful to look at hunters types of equipment, (the other side of the barricade), I bought a pair of hunter boots, quite cheap, but they make a lot less noise in confront to trekking shoes. Vibram sole, Megagrip type if possible, is the best.
Limiting strong odours is important for ungulates, my passion. Avoid any perfume type, no aftershave, no perfume, not even that of washing machine soap. When they go hunting deer, some hunters the night before they put their clothes in a garbage bag with grass, branches, leaves, etc., collected in the hunting place to confuse their smell. For now, I avoid this procedure so as not to make my wife escape.
When looking for animals, it is essential to move very slowly and look around. I often stop at least every 10/15 meters and scour the area with binoculars. Noticing the presence of an ungulate long before the opposite occurs, allows you to photograph moments of everyday life or, to blend in with the vegetation and with a little luck wait for it to get closer.
Now with the mirrorless not making noise, this situation often happens, so they get so close that they no longer fit into the frame.
Dear Steve, I would like to discuss a point with you before sharing it with the community. I have a tip that greatly improves my success rate, but even by talking to a biologist friend, we agree that they can disturb animals in the wrong "hands". From my perspective, the animal's safety has the first place, the photos, the last.
As for MartyD, I apologize for not reading them all carefully so I may be repeating something.
Sorry also from my bad English, it's not my native language.
As someone wrote, it is essential to don't make noise, for that my tips is to try to avoid walking on stones.
Stones are often placed in the parks' paths in the centre to limit mud formation, while in the edges there is grass or other.
Walking on the edges and not on the stones makes a lot of difference.
Moreover, in the event of a chance encounter, being already on the side, it is easier to blend in with the vegetation without making sudden movements.
A good pair of shoes or boots are equally important, from one side, good traction can help in the hills, from the other side, a good rubber sole makes less noise.
It is useful to look at hunters types of equipment, (the other side of the barricade), I bought a pair of hunter boots, quite cheap, but they make a lot less noise in confront to trekking shoes. Vibram sole, Megagrip type if possible, is the best.
Limiting strong odours is important for ungulates, my passion. Avoid any perfume type, no aftershave, no perfume, not even that of washing machine soap. When they go hunting deer, some hunters the night before they put their clothes in a garbage bag with grass, branches, leaves, etc., collected in the hunting place to confuse their smell. For now, I avoid this procedure so as not to make my wife escape.
When looking for animals, it is essential to move very slowly and look around. I often stop at least every 10/15 meters and scour the area with binoculars. Noticing the presence of an ungulate long before the opposite occurs, allows you to photograph moments of everyday life or, to blend in with the vegetation and with a little luck wait for it to get closer.
Now with the mirrorless not making noise, this situation often happens, so they get so close that they no longer fit into the frame.
Dear Steve, I would like to discuss a point with you before sharing it with the community. I have a tip that greatly improves my success rate, but even by talking to a biologist friend, we agree that they can disturb animals in the wrong "hands". From my perspective, the animal's safety has the first place, the photos, the last.
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Ado Wolf
Well-known member
All the points have been said (seeing i'm pretty late with my reply), but I do want to emphasise what works best for me:
- I almost always hear before I see (heavy woods)
- dress to match your surrounding
- avoid noisy clothes (jackets, shoes, etc)
- avoid perfumes, strong detergents and shampoos
- use peripheral vision to scan (detect contrasts, odd shapes, light movements)
- last but not least take pauses.. many times animals show themselves only after I pause and stay still for a while, which I would have otherwise missed have I kept walking by.
- I almost always hear before I see (heavy woods)
- dress to match your surrounding
- avoid noisy clothes (jackets, shoes, etc)
- avoid perfumes, strong detergents and shampoos
- use peripheral vision to scan (detect contrasts, odd shapes, light movements)
- last but not least take pauses.. many times animals show themselves only after I pause and stay still for a while, which I would have otherwise missed have I kept walking by.
Marco74
Well-known member
Also, breaking the human shape is essential.
a foliar poncho long enough to also cover the legs is the best solution. A mask that covers the face, some foliar gloves etc. they make a difference. In some cases, even a double-layered garment, camouflage on one side and orange on the other can be useful to avoid being shot by accident. It happened to me personally a couple of times.
a foliar poncho long enough to also cover the legs is the best solution. A mask that covers the face, some foliar gloves etc. they make a difference. In some cases, even a double-layered garment, camouflage on one side and orange on the other can be useful to avoid being shot by accident. It happened to me personally a couple of times.
Trbeattie
New member
Exactly! Specifically your last comment. Animals will let you know! Sometimes it’s the excess noise and sometimes the lack of it!
This may be way to general, but I will spare repeating all the good techniques stated above. An old "artsy" friend asked me one time if my photography changed the way I look at things. At first I thought, no it doesn't, but then I realized that I quit looking 'at' things and started looking 'for' things. Looking for things incorporates many of the suggestions already stated but it becomes a mindset of constantly doing it. Like DR said above in regard to spotting eagles while driving on an interstate, my wife always asks me how I continually spot things. Just wish that sometimes I could be as lucky in a field as driving down the interstate at 75 mph!
What about a bird feeder? I get a lot of different birds coming to feed in the winter.
Marco74
Well-known member
I’m not an expert regarding the bird feeder, so probably some one can answer you better, but I would like to highlight that, if you start to feed birds, during winter season, you need to continue until the end of the season.
The birds will customize to found in your place something to eat and will not search anymore outside. If will you stop can be dangerous for them.
In pet stores it is easy to find ready-made solutions such as grease balls with seeds or worms. Fat increases the calorific value of the food very useful in cold weather.
The birds will customize to found in your place something to eat and will not search anymore outside. If will you stop can be dangerous for them.
In pet stores it is easy to find ready-made solutions such as grease balls with seeds or worms. Fat increases the calorific value of the food very useful in cold weather.
Has anyone mentioned time of day as an important factor? Some animals are only active early morning or late evening. Some are nocturnal. Some activities continue almost all day long, such as nest building during mating season.
LOL - yup, the #1 way!!I take an easy approach. I look for a group of photographers and then ask them what they are looking at.
Fantastic thread BTW...
Shoot me a PM with the info.
Don McCracken
New member
Here are a couple of additional suggestions. Use sun angle and wind direction to your advantage. Arrive at a location with good visibility and few obstructions and wait for subjects to approach. Watch and listen to the species around you. Their behaviours often suggest the arrival of an interesting subject. A group of gulls lifting simultaneously may indicate that an eagle is in the area. Warning calls from blue jays may suggest the arrival of a hawk. An osprey carrying a heavy fish is likely to be approached by a fast moving eagle, peregrine falcon or another osprey. Crows that are agitated may be trying to drive an owl out of the area.
I meant I do use a bird feeder all winter and that way I get a lot of good images I would otherwise not get. Also in the bushes and trees nearby. I just missed it in the thread, that is why I posted as a question.
WildBill
Member
Spotting the wildlife is key, but also understanding their behavior and body language. Lot's of animals, especially predators, get tunnel vision when they're hunting. Puppies are a good example when you're trying leash train them... they're so distracted by the various scents that they simply block you out of the equation completely. You can use this tunnel vision to position yourself closer and in more appropriate lighting. I've been able to get very close to bald eagles and other predators in Florida this way.