Gray CatbirdA gray catbird, with a beak full of insects, lands on a near by branch. (Photo David A. Murray)

The only sound is the shuffle of your feet as you walk along the trail. The birds begin their morning songs, and you stop to listen. Then, among the chorus, you hear the sound of the bird you're looking for. A bird that is so strikingly beautiful and unusual that you would give anything for a great picture.

You attach the telephoto lens to the camera, select the exposure setting, adjust the tripod legs, and now you're ready. Then, you bring the binoculars to your eyes to scan the area - nothing in sight. The bird's call seemed to come from over there, so you fold up your tripod legs and begin to walk off the trail. Tree branches tangle in the tripod legs and sweep the hat off your head. You thrash your way to a small clearing; swat away a couple of persistent bugs, and stop; still nothing in sight.

Just as you're about to go on, from the corner of your eye, you see some movement. As you turn your head, there it is, the opportunity you've been waiting for - to photograph this illusive bird. The bird is sitting on a branch eating a bug. Your heart is pounding like a hunter watching and waiting as the trophy game approaches. Your eye finds its way to the camera viewfinder and the bird appears in all its brilliant color and magnificence, you become mesmerized and need to prompt yourself to reach for the shutter button. Then, your finger slowly begins to depress the shutter button - as the bird flies away!

Creating top quality bird photographs can be extremely difficult and often frustrating. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try; and, with enough desire and perseverance you may become an accomplished bird photographer. Here's some information that will help you chase that dream.

Equipment: Naturally, birds come in all different sizes, and live in or visit all different types of habitats. Both the bird's size and habitat have a big effect on how close you can get to the bird. In addition, how close you can get to the bird affects how much of a frame-filling image you can expect. Warblers, for example, are small and generally high in the treetops, while a loon is a much larger bird, but is often out in the middle of a pond.

However, no matter how large or small of a bird or whatever the habitat, there is one essential piece of equipment in bird photography - a long telephoto lens. The absolute minimum, to get started in serious bird photography, is a 400mm lens with an aperture of f2.8 to f4. To be competitive professionally a 500mm or 600mm is the answer, and add to these lenses a compatible 1.4x and 2x teleconverter to give additional magnification.

Utilizing a big lens, a sturdy tripod and a window mount, both sized for the weight of the lens, are essential. A flying bird can be a challenge, so the head on your tripod should be the type with a ball-head, for continuous movement in all directions, or a floating-head such as manufactured by the Wimberly Company.

A good flash, with an extender for a telephoto lens, and a pair of high quality binoculars is also necessary.

Where to go: Birds are everywhere. However, some places are better than others for finding specific species and large populations. This translates into more opportunities. Do some research and start to gather information. One of the best bird books on the market is the ``Field Guide to the Birds of North America" published by National Geographic. This will help with identification and seasonal locations. In addition, there are numerous birding magazines available with lots of helpful information. Contact the local and national chapter of the Audubon Society; they provide a wealth of information on bird populations and migratory routes.

If you're serious and can travel, there's bird "hot spots" all across the country. This, of course, will vary depending on species and time of year. Certainly Florida, Texas, parts of Alaska, southern California, and New Mexico all have some excellent and well-known bird photography locations. However, never underestimate what's available in your own backyard and close to home.

Bird photography is highly specialized and difficult. A serious long-term commitment is essential to achieving professional success in this field.

As you can see by the suggested equipment, a substantial financial investment of $10,000 to $25,000 is necessary to get started. This accumulation of equipment can be gradual, but the financial result will be the same.

As with other types of wildlife photography, patience and persistence are particularly important, as is the understanding of behaviors and habitats.

This information is meant to educate not intimidate. As mentioned earlier, with enough desire and perseverance, you can become an accomplished bird photographer. If you're someone with the interest but need the skills, attend a workshop to learn basic wildlife and outdoor photography skills and tailor those skills to your specific area of interest or species.

In any art form, you need to be passionate about what you do, and with time, success will be the result.

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