Performing background checks

It might come as a surprise that I nearly always select the background of the photograph before I select the bird. I choose the colour and shape of the background, make sure it’s far enough away to be an interesting out of focus shape or colour and then wait for the bird to arrive there. I’ll often search for a concealed spot which allows me to take pleasing photographs of several perches.

Here’s a Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba, on a beautiful spring-yellow background:

And here’s one taken on the same day with a background of Dartmoor granite:

Which do you prefer?