Spotting Birds of Prey

When spoting birds of prey, get familiar with the area where you are trying to find them. I have noticed that many birds that I photograph have a regular routine in their habitats. They have their favorite hunting grounds, they have their favorite roosts, etc.. This is particularly true of predators, Hawks, Herons, etc...

If you see a Heron in a specific tidal pool, or a Hawk spending the day perched in a particular tree scouting for prey,...there is a very good chance that they will come back to that spot. They may not come back tomorrow, but they will eventually.

Here is a good tip for chasers of Accipiter.

You should listen to the Crows!

I know that not many bird photographers want to spend time trying to get a good shot of a Crow, but they should not be ignored. If you hear a murder of Crows raising a racket, look around them. This often happens due to the presence of a bird of prey. Crows love to harass Hawks. So next time you hear a murder going crazy, get out your long lens and see what caused it. This trick also works with other territorial birds such as Mockingbirds, which will scold any preditorial birds in their area.

Tip provided by Jake Hegnauer.

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