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Look for opportunities to build natural perches. If you have a row of bushes and one hasn't survived the winter, trim it down to make an open perch for birds to land on. Grab some of the fallen branches from the winter and fastened them low on tree trunks or use them to build up on a tree stump to create perches for birds.
If you don't have a lot of activity, place a few bird feeders in the area. Find a location that has some low hanging limbs and set up a feeder or two or three. Check wildlife resources for recommendations on the best bird feed for you location. The National Audubon Society as well as your State chapter of the Audubon Society are good resources to learn about the year-round and migratory bird populations of your area.
When you start shooting, don't focus on the feeder but instead the perches where the birds may hang out while they wait for their turn at the feeder. While it's not taboo to snap a shot of a bird at a feeder, a photo of a bird on a tree limb looks and feels much more natural.
You will soon find that if you lay out feeders, birds won't be the only visitors. Squirrels and chipmunks are likely to hang around too. While squirrels and chipmunks might not be that dramatic of a subject, they can be animated at times and become very photogenic.
You should also consider setting up some bird houses in addition to the feeders to keep your backyard wildlife refuge populated. You can build your own or buy the pre-built houses, but put a few out around your yard and hopefully you'll get some resident photo subjects.
The summer months bring the hummingbirds back to North America. Set up a few hummingbird feeders to give them a place to stay during the summer. If you're fortunate, dozens of hummingbirds will call your yard home and offer plenty of challenges for you and your camera. Hummingbirds will require a significant jump in shutter speed to capture their movements.
Hummingbird's flight speeds are proportionally faster than larger song birds reaching flight speeds of 25-30 mph and dive speeds as fast as 60mph. They are also the only bird that can fly forwards and backwards. Their wings beat faster than any other bird. Don't be surprised if they sound like a race car as they fly by. If you are chasing hummingbirds, look for a shutter speed of at least 1/1000th, or even faster if you want to freeze their wings in action. Try to catch them as they approach and leave the feeders. If available light prevents you from a faster shutter speed, remember to boost your ISO to maintain a higher shutter speed.
Apartment Dwellers, Don't Give Up Hope...
So what do you do if you don't have a backyard? What if your backyard is the apartment complex parking lot? Fear not. You may not be able to set up natural perches, large feeders or birdhouses but you can easily target the smaller creatures. Set up a windowbox flower bed to attract the butterflies, lizards and insects. You may be able to attract hummingbirds and small songbirds as well. There are several hummingbird and passerine feeders that are designed to hang from windows. Open a neighboring window and shoot them as they come and go from the feeder.
When All Is Said and Done...
After all the pruning, planting and planning, the most important thing to do is go out and shoot. If you need practice on a captive audience, visit your local zoo. Butterfly houses are becoming popular exhibits at zoos as well as lorikeet houses and other free-range aviaries (where you get to go inside and the birds fly freely). Consider a visit to these exhibits and practice. It's a good way to learn your equipment.
Birds are the most common form of backyard wildlife probably because their population is so grand. Most will focus their camera and efforts on shooting birds. As you explore your backyard wildlife refuge, you'll find yourself catching all sorts of visitors and passer-bys. As your local bird population gets established, migratory birds might visit your yard as the seasons change.
The wildlife possibilities that are available in your backyard are only limited by your imagination and species indigenous to your neck of the woods. While a trip to a national or state wildlife refuge is an experience in and of itself, the opportunity to shoot wildlife is as close as your backyard.
Resources
Here are a few wildlife and gardening-related websites to help get you started on your backyard wildlife safari. Also check to see what county, state and nearby national parks have an educational program or exhibit in your area. The teachers and instructors at these parks are usually very knowledgeable about the native fauna.
National Audubon Society: http://www.audubon.org/
National Wildlife Refuges: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/
Butterfly Gardens: http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef006.asp
Songbird Fact Sheet: http://www.fws.gov/birds/Songbird-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Hummingbirds: http://www.hummingbirds.net/
Bird Watchers Digest: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/index.aspx
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