Coastal Wader Photography... (1 Viewer)

Hokay Peeps,

here's a question from me. I'm sure this topic has been covered before but I have had a search and didn't really find anything that answered my questions too specifically so thought I'd try the direct approach.

As the title suggests I'd like to pick your brains about photographing waders on the beach. I've spent a bit of time on my local reservoir snapping passage waders from hides and have even had a few close encounters with obliging birds on the open shores that are dotted around but I'd really like to move to coastal locations and get a few of those awesome eye level shots that you see posted here. I've been to a few locations and have tried the stealth creep up which has spooked birds, I've sat on the beach and waited for the tide to come in but nothing seems to come within half a mile of me.

I know nobody can help with actually making the birds come close but I'm more after tips on concealing yourself (pop up hides, camouflage gear, sitting down, lying down etc) and to potential locations on the beach (streams, river mouths, estuaries, sand, pebbles, rocks etc). Or is it just a case of persevering more?

A slight problem I have is that I'm not too close to the coast so popping down on every high tide isn't an option as I have to plan things a bit more than that and with the light gone in the evenings, time is limited to weekends and that's also limited by when the high tides are.

If anyone has got any tips or experiences they'd like to share then I'd love to hear them, just to spur me on if nothing else. I'm in the UK but tips/experiances are welcome from around the world.

Specifically the UK - I'm also thinking of a trip or 2 to Dawlish Warren in Devon, so if any one has any tips on where to go or how to approach the birds there then info would be gratefully received.

I'm sure I already know the answers (patience dear boy being one) but I need a bit of a boost as after 5/6 trips to the coast so far, I haven't pressed the shutter button once.

Your sincerely

Desperate Wader photographer:C:C|:$|

Hi Chalky, I am by no means an expert but I guess some waders are easier than others. Redshank, Ringed Plover & Turnstone are good examples.

Could resist adding a few of my good ones!!
Turnstone I was on my knees and just picked one out that eventually stopped wandering around.
Ringed plover was taken while I was on my stomach after a bit of creeping up.
Spotted redshank was from a hide and it came relatively close.

Others have been right time right place for me and total pot luck.

Keep trying other locations to see if you can get better vantage points, and look at the Gallery to see if people give clues as to how they achieved a shot in thier statements.

Knowledge and patience are the the key. Learn how the birds are pushed by a tide at a particular spot and then next time, get yourself in the right place. Watch for feeding patterns, where they go if spooked etc. Here are some examples of my wader photography.

I have found that being in one good spot and waiting for the birds to get used to you and come closer yields far better results than chasing waders around a beach.

Also visit places where there are people normally and get there early (i.e. before the people). The birds are used to people and are faster to accept you. I have never used camouflage gear for waders and normally just lay down in a likely spot.

Thanks Guys,

a big boost indeed especially after viewing some of your photos, you've rekindled my va va voom to get out there and crack this one. 'Her indoors' usually just says what time are you back....

Thanks Mark, you've made me realise that I've wasted my trips so far by not actually spending too much time observing, I think I'll take a couple of trips without the camera in the near future and just observe.

If anyone else would like to chip in then I'd love to hear more.

Chalky

I think my 'best tip' with regards to photographing waders ( or just observing them ) at close range, is to get there before the waders do. They are very flighty when you approach, but I've found that if you are already there before the tide pushes them in, ( suitably disguised in either a camo ex army cape, a bit of 'pigeon shooting netting' or a bag-hide ) I've found that many (not all!), will hardly notice that you are there.
'Non Reserve' beaches that get used often by joggers, dogwalkers, etc are often good places as the shore birds seem used to people and a stroll along the tideline with camera and mono-pod, can often give a close encounter with a sanderling or two.

A good, and cheap, wader hide, for on the beach is one of those 'gerlert' festival/pop concert tents, in 'camo' grey. They don't cost much at all. Just take a few carrier bags to fill with pebbles and sand to use as anchors for the guy ropes and they are 100% stable in just about any weather. Not the most comfortable of hides as you have to kneel, quite cramped, and cut a slit in the tent door for your lens, but they are light and portable.

HI
I just use a chair hide (very light and portable) and I set it up on the side of the marsh ( I usually take a square piece of plywood and hide it in the marsh so its there when I decide to visit, it helps keep the legs of the chair from sinking in the mud) then I just get inside and wait. Some days I wait for up to two hours before anything comes and other days things appear right away. But like you say patiences-patiences. Here is the hide I'm using right now. Regards redtail7
http://www.ameristep.com/blinds/881_oneman.html

Nice pics Mr. Banana but they would have been even better had you not cropped them so close to the right hand side ? I suspect that you may have been forced to do this due to some unsightly thing in front of the bird.