Where To Find Wildlife – part 1

 

 

One of the most common statements made on social media is “I’d like to photograph wildlife, but, there is none where I live”. In the next couple of posts I’d like to unpack this and suggest ways of finding wildlife in your location.

 

 

 

 

Firstly we have to look at what people mean when they talk about wildlife. Wildlife is defined as undomesticated animals which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all animals that live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. So that is a pretty broad definition and gives lots of scope. Having said that when most people talk of wildlife they tend to think only of certain charismatic species. Charismatic species are those animals which are visually appealing and generate public empathy to the extent that conservation groups and the media leverage those animals to the detriment of other species. The common features are that they are easily anthropomorphised, look cute, are large with big eyes, and they evoke strong positive emotions, making people want to protect them. Examples are giant pandas, gorillas, orang-utan, and koalas. The terms wildlife or wild animals cover a much broader range and includes animals rarely thought about.

 

 

We also have to take into account your location. In my case walking around my local national park expecting to photograph polar bears is delusional. To start any photographic project or endeavour you will have more success if you have accessibility, time, and certain equipment. The equipment side is the easy part of the equation and you don’t need vast sums of money and I’ve written about how to go about wildlife photography on a budget previously.

 

 

 

 

At this stage it is time to think about what you want to photograph. Most people decide to photograph birds as that is what most comes to mind when talking about garden wildlife. I’ve known a couple of people who have decided to photograph in invertebrates they find in their garden. I’ve seen YouTube videos where people have hedgehogs or foxes come to their garden and they’ve gone out to take pictures of them as their main subject. We have resident frogs and bob tailed lizards in the garden and have had goannas and gwardars come visit. I think the neighbours chickens attract them.

 

 

 

My first forays into wildlife photography were in the garden and I think this is one of the best places to start because you have access and can observe what is happening through out the day and all through the seasons. Also if it is your garden to can modify or make alterations to attract more animals. I realise that not everyone has this luxury, but I do believe that with a bit of planning and a small amount of expenditure you can bring in animals. For those who don’t have the privilege then perhaps you have some access to some communal areas or have a friend or relative that would let you use theirs. So what do you need to do do? Well I can’t be very specific as my experience is in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia which is probably very different to where you live. But the basic principal is that all animals need three things. Food, water and shelter. So if can provide those you’ll get wildlife. For more detailed information the following links will help you:-

• The Nature Conservancy Australia
• United Kingdom Wildlife Trusts or RSPB
• United States National Parks Service

Inevitably the question of feeding wild birds comes up. Here in Western Australia it is illegal to feed native wildlife, including all native birds, without a license or lawful authority. Having said that around 30-50% of households do. The silly thing is you can walk into just about any supermarket and buy products for that explicit purpose. I suppose if you are going to do this do it so it benefits the animals in the long term. Give appropriate healthy food in small quantities so that they don’t become dependent on human handouts. In Western Australia with our long hot summers the best thing you can provide is water and plant native species that can provide food and shelter. Along with water we just put out seed which attracts Ring Necked Parrots, Galahs, Zebra Finches and laughing doves.

 

 

 

 

Don’t expect instant results. It can take a little time before the local wildlife population realises that you’ve put out food and water. Put the food and water out where there is cover not in the middle of a wide open space. Also think about what you’re trying to attract – it maybe necessary to provide sources at ground level if you want to see things like frogs and lizards.

 

 

 

Now that you’ve managed to attract animals to the garden how do you go about photographing them? Some people build a dedicated hide, other repurpose a shed or use a room in their house that faces onto the garden. Some use trail cameras. I don’t do any of those. I just wait quietly in the garden and photograph what turns up. A lot of the time I notice something interesting while doing something else and will just quietly slip into the house to retrieve my camera which is left permanently set up for birds. Lately I have been using my camera to photograph birds at the bird table and baths. I pre-set the focus and use a small aperture and trigger the camera via remote while I watch from a distance. All this is trial and error. You get a lot of duff photos, but occasionally you strike gold. As you find out what works and doesn’t you experiment with changing position and see how that effects things like the background. 

 

 

 

 

So why do I think the garden is a good place to start wildlife photography? Well it provides a readily available location where you can start to learn about animal behaviour. For example birds like to take off into the wind and many will defecate just before take off so if you see this happen you can time your shots to catch that moment.

 

 

 

 

It also gives you opportunity to fine hone your photographic skills. Learn how depth of field works with long and macro lenses. What shutter speeds you need to stop movement. How your cameras AF system works in different lighting conditions. At what level does the ISO have to get too before an image is unusable. This is important because it means that when you do go to a more “exotic” location you’ll have the skills to make the most of it. 

 

Another benefit is that when you need to be on location at dawn you can just fall out of bed and grab a coffee at just the right time rather than get up up a couple of hours before dawn and drive for ages while you’re still half asleep. Or you might be able to grab an hour or so after work.

I hope this helps to give you ideas and inspire you.