Ten Dumb BirdCam Mistakes

I suspect, or at least hope, that I am hardly unique in making dumb mistakes operating my BirdCam. I’ve kept notes on my experiences so I can share my biggest flubs with my devoted readers. Perhaps I can help newer BirdCammers avoid these same mistakes! Here’s my top ten list.

#10 - Locking the SD card. It’s easy to do—and just as easy not to check.

#9 - Not seating the SD card properly. While internal memory will record pictures this memory can quickly max out. As it did for me, once...or twice....

#8 - Using wrong settings in SETUP Mode. Like the time I set a long delay by accident…

#7 - Aiming poorly. I so love getting half-birds! Use the laser sight when in any doubt!

#6 – Not thinking about bad backgrounds (snowfields, busy backdrops, etc.) This can wreck literally hundreds of photos.

#5 – Not thinking about bad sightlines, like busy feeder corridors. This makes for ineffective photos.

#4 - Pushing weak batteries to the limit. You will get corrupted photo files!

#3 - Not checking distance and range. Sometimes I think I have these right. And I get blurry pictures. Use a tape measure!

#2 - Misjudging light. I have sometimes overlooked how the sun may cross the field of view, or where shadows can be heavy. You won’t like the results.

AND…#1 - Not turning the camera on. Believe it or not, I do this quite often, especially in the early morning hours.

Avoid my mistakes. Be mindful of the photographic fundamentals and don’t miss those good pictures!