Tip #67: Birds in Flight? Check the Wind!

Nest-bound (Ardea herodias), St. Croix River
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8IS L

BIF (birds in flight) is a popular sub-genre of the avian specialist. Expert BIF photog’s capture striking images with detail and action that this nature generalist can only dream about. In my endless effort to “unsuck,” I discovered (stolen) two key secrets that can increase the number of BIF keepers. 

1. Birds face the wind and defecate prior to “take-off.”
2. Birds fly into the wind in order to land.

Flight Light (Ardea herodias), St. Croix River
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8IS L

So, if you want to “Chase the Flight,” hold a finger to the wind and you too can predict where your flyers are heading.

Landing Gear (Ardea herodias), St. Croix River
Canon 7D + Canon 300mm f2.8IS L

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