24 BirdWatching • September/October 2019
insect-bearing parent’s arrival.
In fact, I was driving around the
farm seeking out hawks when small
birds on a twig caught my attention for
a f leeting moment. My instinctive
processing of the mental image said
“sparrows,” but I could not have been
more mistaken. When a larger bird
hovered over the smaller ones, I
stopped, reached for my binoculars, and
saw a wondrous sight that I almost
totally overlooked.
One of nature’s most endearing
events, a parent giving life-sustaining
nourishment to an offspring, was
unfolding right before me. Lesson
learned: Avoid being hyper-focused on
a pre-determined task while out in the
natural world. Always reserve some
mental energy for keeping all options
open. In other words, expect, and plan
for, the unexpected. It may sound
counter-intuitive to prepare for the
unknown, but that essential skill is as
easy as remaining alert to your sur-
roundings and being mentally prepared
to react instinctively to unexpected
photo opportunities. It’s what the
military calls “situational awareness.”
This skill came into play when the
adult swallows darted out of seeming
oblivion to the f ledglings’ perch, food at
the ready for transfer to hungry young
ones. Since the arrival and departure
can be f leeting, much like humming-
birds visiting a blossom, proper camerasettings boost the odds of a successful
image capture.
Though I usually shoot in manual, I
can confidently recommend, based on
experience in all modes, trying shutter
priority at a minimum 1/2000, with
matrix metering and ISO set to
automatic. These settings have proven
the test of time and will produce
photographs worthy of your efforts. In
fact, if your DSLR body can handle the
higher ISOs, consider upping your
shutter speed to 1/4000 to be sure to
freeze all the frantic motion.
These two seasonal examples of
avian photography adventures —
chasing down the Barn Swallow and the
Northern Harrier — will open the door
wide to the engaging and
spectacular outdoor world’s
endless opportunities awaiting
camera-toting birders.William Jobes is a journalist from
Langhorne, Pennsylvania, whose
experience includes news and
sports photojournalism, as well as
reporting and editing on staff at
several major daily newspapers. In
past issues, he has described tips
and techniques for photographing
hummingbirds and reviewed
cameras for birders.BIRD OF CONCERN: A juvenile harrier
glides over a New Jersey field. The
species is widespread across North
America but declining in some areas.