SHUTTERBUGS

Tips on how to photograph shorebirds - Digiscoping
by Ang Teck Hin

• Digiscoping set-up: Field spotting scope, compact digital camera (3-4x zoom), universal camera adaptor, cable release, eyepiece (20-60x), sturdy light-weight tripod.



• Things to bring: Water, snacks, spare rechargeable batteries, spare memory disk, spare cable release, lens cleaning kit, plastic bag to cover your digiscoping setup (in case it rains), light-weight mini raincoat, light-weight foldable stool, pen, notebook, field guide, Swiss knife.

• Attire: Dull-coloured long-sleeved shirt and long pants, comfortable shoes and hat.

• Seasons: Different species arrive at different times of the year in various stages of plumage changes.
  Migratory shorebirds normally start arriving in early August and will stay on till late April before migrating back to their breeding grounds. However, some are passage migrants and do not stay for long periods.

  • August-October: Arrival of shorebirds in juvenile, first winter plumage and partial breeding plumage. Passage migrants stop over.
  
  
  • November-January: Shorebirds in non-breeding plumage.
  
  
  • February-April: Shorebirds moult into breeding plumage. Passage migrants stop over.
  
  




• Habitat: Mud flats, sandy beaches, paddy fields, marshland, open land, shallow lakes and ponds, rivers, streams.

• Sea tide: Shorebirds depend on sea-tides for their feeding and roosting.

• Kapar Power Station: A roosting site for shorebirds. Best time for digiscoping in this location: Be there two hours before high tide. The birds roost at the ash pond during high tide and will move out when the tide recedes at the nearby mudflats. Check the tide at http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/4624.html
  Note: Kapar Power Station is a restricted area and visitors are required to submit a formal application prior to their visit.

• Parit Jawa: Feeding site for shorebirds. Best time for digiscoping in this location: Be there one hour before and one hour after high tide. Check the tide at http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/3173.html

• Paddy fields: Suitable time for shorebird digiscoping is during the ploughing period. Waders like to wade and feed at these newly-wet ploughed fields.




• Best time to photograph shorebirds and how

  • Time: Suitable time for digiscoping is in the morning and evening. Be sure that your back is facing the sun.
  
  
  • Tripod height: The tripod should be lowered to ground level to get better shots as the birds are normally on the ground. At other times, the tripod can be set up to stand at eye level.
  
  
  • Distance: To approach shorebirds for a clear shot, walk and stop every five to ten steps or stop when the shorebirds are in alert position. Approach them again when they are relaxed. Some shorebirds will let you get fairly close.
  
  
  • Insurance shot: Always snap several 'insurance shots' for identification purposes later on.
  
  
  • Hides: You can either get into your own make shift hides or hide behind some bushes or trees when taking pictures. This will minimize your visual presence and disturbance to the birds.
  
  
  • Magnification: Your eyepiece magnification should be set to between 20-30x.
  
  
  • Movement: Minimize your bodily movements to avoid detection and scaring away the shorebirds.
  
  
  • Position/Angles: Photographs of the shorebirds should be taken from different angles to help in the identification of various species. Like the following:
  
  
  • Close-up views: Whenever possible, shorebirds should be photographed at close-up range, zoom in and try to capture features such as the bill structure, nostrils, eye ring, eye colour, wing coverts, legs, feather patterns and body markings. These details will help in identifying (ID) and aging the shorebirds.
  
  
  • Moulting/ breeding plumage: It is important to photograph the shorebirds in their breeding plumage as the different features will help ID some species, who look similar to each other in their non-breeding plumage.
  
  
  • Comparison: Photographs of different shorebird species taken next to each other will help identify the major and minor differences of each species especially the bill structure, size and length/colour of legs.
  
  
  • Rare migrant species: Always try to get some 'insurance shots' when a rare species is sighted. Take several shots of it at different angles to show the shape and markings of its feathers, tail, legs and bill. If possible, take a picture of the rare bird next to another bird for comparison - this will help in the ID.
  
  
  • Report your sightings: Contribute your sightings to the Malaysian and world data base to help in the research and conservation of all shorebirds by subscribing and inputing your sightings at Bird i-Witness Malaysia at http://www.worldbirds.org/v3/malaysia.php. For rare sightings and possible first-time sightings, report them to MNS Waterbird Group: digdeep1962@yahoo.com , also look out for flagged/tagged and ringed shorebirds and report your sightings to: http://www.shorebirdnetwork.org/leg-flags.html