[LazDivaz]

New at all of this, but I read a post in which someone complained that they would have taken a better shot of a boat-billed heron (illuminated by the guide by a flood light--now that's invasive enough, I should think!) had they used a flash. Is that allowed? I shouldn't think so. What is the rule? Where I live, if you are seen on the beach at night when the ridley turtles are arriving with a flashlight, you are shown the door. As it should be. I know that I would never, ever, flash a target, but do I have some authority to whop those who do?
--Underexposed in Costa Rica

[hollis_f]

Originally Posted by LazDivaz

New at all of this, but I read a post in which someone complained that they would have taken a better shot of a boat-billed heron (illuminated by the guide by a flood light--now that's invasive enough, I should think!) had they used a flash. Is that allowed? I shouldn't think so. What is the rule? Where I live, if you are seen on the beach at night when the ridley turtles are arriving with a flashlight, you are shown the door. As it should be. I know that I would never, ever, flash a target, but do I have some authority to whop those who do?
--Underexposed in Costa Rica

I would suggest that anybody has a serious think about how much the subject may be adversely affected by artificial lights. I've used fill-flash to shoot birds arriving at a feeder and they really don't seem to notice it most of the time. It definitely doesn't stop them coming back.

I would imagine that minimum use of flash at night would be about as disturbing to a bird as a natural thuderstorm would be - not a lot.

The turtles you mention are a totally different matter. They use light sources to navigate to and from the sea. In that situation an artificial light is extremely disruptive and potentially fatal.

[LazDivaz]

Originally Posted by hollis_f

I would suggest that anybody has a serious think about how much the subject may be adversely affected by artificial lights. I've used fill-flash to shoot birds arriving at a feeder and they really don't seem to notice it most of the time. It definitely doesn't stop them coming back.

I would imagine that minimum use of flash at night would be about as disturbing to a bird as a natural thuderstorm would be - not a lot.

The turtles you mention are a totally different matter. They use light sources to navigate to and from the sea. In that situation an artificial light is extremely disruptive and potentially fatal.

A natural thunderstorm, of which we have many in our rainy season, cannot be compared to a flash directly in the eyes of a bird. If your filled-in feeding birds don't seem to notice most of the time, does that mean that they DO notice some of the time? Does that matter?
The problem with the flashlights or flash photography on the turtle beach has nothing to do with not confusing them in finding their nesting site--they have already arrived. It has to do with disturbing them in a very private moment! The dangerous light sources that are prohibited in turtle nesting areas are continuous lights, such as streetlights and house lights, that could confuse.
I don't understand why, of 128 viewers of this post, only one has answered. And aren't there monitors on this site who could offer a response to the original post?

[colonelboris]

I have to admit, I've accidentally flashed birds a few times (no, no court cases as yet...) and they never seem to notice.

[humminbird]

I try to take as many birds as I can without a flash, however some people advocate strongly that you can not get a good photo of Trochlids or similar birds without a flash. They even recommend as many as 5 flashes (some say sequential, some simultaneous) from different angles to get the "best" possible freeze of the wings.
I fail to see how a flash is going to disrupt a bird more than 50 pairs of oversized eyes gauking at it!

[Farnboro John]

I've said this about mammals but I reckon it applies to birds as well: if they think about it at all they think its quiet lightning. HOWEVER a flash going off will often cause them to look your way, and they may detect you - and then they may well shoot off. Your fieldcraft may make the difference.

Another thought: get a picture quickly with flash rather than wait and disturb the bird by your presence waiting for it to be still enough for a long exposure photograph.... which is worse?

John

[Gordon]

I would tend to be of the opinion that if flash can be avoided then that may be best - I don't know if it has any major effect on the bird or its behaviour but the precautionary principle applies!!

However, last spring a Sparrowhawk visited my garden (approx 10 metres x5 metres) in the middle of large public sector housing development. It caught a House Sparrow and then fully expected it to fly off to somewhere with more cover. But no, it remained in the garden for half an hour until the sparrow was completely eaten.

During most of that time I was standing behind a slightly open door taking pictures - I was so engrossed that I never stopped to think about the camera settings as I was convinced that it would fly off at any time. As a result I took about 30 shots - all of which used flash. At no time did the Sparrowhawk show any signs of being in the least troubled.

As someone else said the issue of a turtle breeding beach is a completely differnt matter. One thing that is relevant in terms of bird photography in the UK at least is the legality of photography certain species in specific circumstances.

cheers
Gordon

[hollis_f]

Originally Posted by LazDivaz

If your filled-in feeding birds don't seem to notice most of the time, does that mean that they DO notice some of the time?

No it doesn't. It means that sometimes they'll fly off when the shot's taken. It could be that the flash spooked them, or the shutter sound (20D isn't the quitest beast in the world) or that they'd just decided it was time to leave. I don't know.

[Neil]

Some birds are startled by flash but many aren't but I don't think that is the only issue. The other main problem is that it alerts other bird/animals/people to your position. This has two implications 1. they'll come over to see what you are doing (this is more true in Asia than Australia ) - I've had people come and stand in front of me to see what I'm looking at through the lens. 2. It encourages people to do the same thing as you, but as they don't have a scope or long lens so they try to get closer with their 3x zoom digicam which disturbs the birds. I'm sure this doesn't happen in Europe or North America but at the new Wetlands Park and Mai Po Nature Reserve (Ramsar site) in Hong Kong visitors will actually lean out of the windows of the hides with their digicams and fire off with flash - off course all the birds that are withing 30 meters of the hide move away.
In terms of disturbance to individual birds the noise of the motor drive is also intrusive. I think the combination of the two is a problem which is one reason why I still like to digiscope. Neil.