First, a bit of disturbing news: birds are not honorable. They snatch fish away from each other; they'll even pin each other down in order to take the fish. It's rough out there.

But this is good news for photographers, as it provides the opportunity for some terrific images.

Sam Hung knows all about this. He's somewhat of an expert on the behavior of birds. Growing up in the countryside of Taiwan, he had a natural interest in birds. He also had an uncle who was a noted bird photographer, and when both came to the United States, his uncle invited him to see how bird photography was done. Soon Sam began to take pictures of birds, and, as luck would have it, he was in one of the best places in the world to do it. Not far from his Southern California home is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve wetlands, a 300-acre coastal sanctuary for migratory birds. Also close by is Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach and El Dorado Park in Long Beach.

Sam's been photographing birds since 1997, first with an F5 and then, when he switched to digital, with a D70 and a D200. He uses only two lenses: occasionally an AF VR Zoom-NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED, but most of the time an AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4D IF-ED II. A key component of his setup is a heavy-duty tripod that he's fitted with a fluid pan head that allows him to smoothly follow birds in flight.

As important as equipment, though, is knowledge.

For instance: "The California fish and game people stock local lakes, like the one in El Dorado park," Sam says. Catfish are put into that lake in summer, trout in winter. The catfish swim deep, but the trout stay closer to the surface, and that's the key to Sam's photographs of pelicans, osprey and cormorants. Those birds don't know the catfish are there; they don't see them. But the trout—that's a different story.

Knowing the tides is important, too. High tide at Bolsa Chica means the water is too deep for shore birds to hunt for food; low tide means a lot of opportunities for both birds and photographers.

Next in importance is wind direction. Birds take off and land into the wind, so knowing which way the wind is blowing gives Sam the choice of positioning himself so the birds will be flying toward him, or setting up so he captures them coming across the frame. Also important is keeping the sun behind the camera; Sam wants well-illuminated birds, not silhouettes. If the wind and the sun aren't cooperating...well, Sam calls that "a day for watching the birds, but maybe not photographing them."

Sam is usually out early in the morning, but it's not only to take advantage of the best light of the day. "The birds are like us in the morning—they're looking for breakfast."

Finally, the size of the fish can make a difference in the kind of picture he gets. "When a bird catches a small fish, it's easy for him to swallow it very quickly, so you have less time to get the photo. But a bigger fish will take more time, so you can have a few more seconds to get the picture." Or a picture of one bird robbing another.

Often getting birds in flight means tracking them from the moment they take off. Sam's 600mm lens is a key to that. It's not only for taking pictures, it's for noting details, spotting perches and observing the habits of the birds. "You'll know when a duck is about to take off—he'll shake his head side to side and up and down, again and again, getting faster and faster. That's your signal."    

Raptors, like hawks, osprey and bald eagles, like to stay on high perches and watch and wait. You'll know when they're ready to take off because they often...how to put this delicately?...they often...well, let's just say they like to lighten their load before taking off.

In general, birds like to keep a safe distance from people, including photographers, so if you have to move, move slowly and never directly toward the bird. And don't make eye contact—birds perceive that as a threat. And while you may not have the natural resources Sam does, chances are you won't have to go too far to find your bird photography opportunities. A wildlife refuge or a wetlands area is ideal, but so is a park where birds, bird-watchers and photographers gather.

And don't forget to check the Internet to see when your local fish and game organization stocks local lakes and ponds. Check the tide charts for coastal areas, too.