You will read about photographing birds and where to catch a glimpse of them in this interview with Jan Grünwald, ornithologist. You will also find out more about shyness of birds and what led Jan Grünwald to be interested in birds.
This short interview took place as a part of a report from a lecture Life of Nocturnal birds.
Jan Grünwald is an ornithologist. He has a bachelor’s degree from a biology at Charles University and a master’s degree in ecology from the same university. He has been studying a PhD at the department of environment at Charles University.
He has been interested in birds since childhood. He concerns himself with them and photographs them. You may check his photographs on his Instagram Czechbirder and Facebook Czechbirder.
He can recognise sounds/songs of all birds as a professional. When he walks in a forest and hear sounds of birds and doesn’t see them, he knows who the birds are anyway. He can picture them in his mind.
1) How long does one have to wait until taking a photograph of birds?
It differs. It is easy with some of species. You just come to place and take a photo and that’s it. However, there are species on which you have to wait by a body of water for tens of hours hidden in a small tent or a cover and you don’t manage to take a single photo. I’ve experienced it.
Nowadays, I just go out and take photos of birds which are available (easily spotted). It is often enough. Unfortunately, there are many species which are not possible to take a photo of this way. I miss these ones in my photo collection.
Did you go to take photos of specific species of birds in the past?
I used a photographic tent. It is a camouflaged tent which does have a bottom. You sit/hide in it. You set up a tripod, focus your camera on a branch which sticks out in front of you. Then you hope that a bird lands on it and you can take a photo of the bird.
2) How do I find out where to go to see and photograph birds? How should a photographer go about it?
It is about tens of days and hundreds of hours spent in nature, properly walked and mapped. You read basics in books. Afterwards you conclude: “This bird lives by water.”, “This bird lives next to a forest.” Then you go out there and check whether the birds are really there. It helps you to get the picture of where to expect to glimpse them and where to go to spot them. Or you already have such experience, and you know where to go. “This male bird which is really extravagant sings around here.” and you conclude that it will keep singing at that place for a longer period of time. You just come over that place the next day and photograph it.
So it is about your own exploration. You go to a place and have a look there instead of reading about it. And what about the influence of global rising temperature?
Birds change each year depending on how much getting warm occurs. That is true. However, it is not like that it would change from a day to a day.
I have forgotten to say, there are online databases where you can have a look where birds have been spotted. However, I think it is not good to do, at least at the beginning. I think it is better to do your own exploration and research. Then you can seek inspiration for specific species on the Internet. Otherwise, it can lead to 100 people arriving at the same place where Little Owl has been spotted.
3) What made you interested in birds?
Honestly, I frequently answer this question. I am not certain. However, my first memory is observing birds at my home in Dolni Mecholupy from a window. I spotted Eurasian Green Woodpecker. I was 6 years old. At that time, I found the animal (bird) interesting and wanted to know more. Later I found out there are so many species of birds I didn’t know about. I found out there isn’t only one type of birds which is everywhere but that there are tens of them. Some of them live here and some of them live elsewhere. That is how I got interested in birds when I was small.
4) Are some birds less shy and can land on your hand?
No, such birds don’t exist in the Czech Republic.
What about abroad?
Yeah, it is possible. Pinguins for example. They are cool and don’t care. You can come very close to them. Or birds which don’t have any experience with people. In general, it happens in areas where people appear scarcely. Birds don’t have any experience with us and thus don’t know what to expect.
Well, I don’t say it can’t happen in the Czech Republic. Nevertheless, it is extremely rare.
5) Which photographic equipment is required to take photos of birds?
A quick camera with the highest number of shots taken per second. Contemporary cameras can take between 20 and 40 images per second. Contemporary cameras are very good. The next thing you need is a telephoto lens. It is the most expensive item. Fortunately, they are available on the market nowadays. You need at least 500mm for a full frame. 800mm is better.
Thank you for the interview.
