[robski]

Some people do manage to make bird photography look easy. As with any form of photograhy it takes practise and trial and error to improve. The main thing is to study your results and understand what could of made it better. Then include these new ideas into your standard approach to the subject.

The problem with too much theory is that you can give yourself too much to worry about and tense up. My better shots tend to come from sites I have photographed before. I am already aware of it's potential problems and compensate for them before I start shooting. The main thing is to get settled down and relaxed so that you can study the birds through the lens and pick your shots. Getting in sync with the birds timing is key to getting good poses. I like to find spots where birds come to you ( food involved here ) rather than chasing around after them.

My lens hood is part of the lens so no fear of forgetting it