What flash setup do I need?

I've never really got into flash photography more than for portraits. I've done a few weddings for friends down the years and use an on camera Nikon SB800dx on my slr's. Using multiflash has evaded me.

I've recently got into photographing birds and I would like a reasonable setup of maybe a couple of small low power flashguns which I can run as slaves.

I have a hotshoe mounted slave unit which may work if it is compatible.

Does anybody know an inexpensive way to go about this. I don't mind being creative, or having to improvise.

What camera body do you have? Can the pop-up flash operate a remote speedlight via Nikon CLS? The bodies that support this are D7000, D70, D80, D90, D200, D300(s), D700, D3(x&s).

You can then trigger the SB800 off camera & have a couple of cheaper manual flashes like the YN560's (£40-50 each). YN560's have about the same spec power & zoom head wise as the SB800, but they are full manual output (no TTL flash). They have an optical slave though. Put the SB800 in manual mode (not TTL) and it will trigger the YN units.

Alternatively, if your camera doesn't support CLS, then get a set of radio triggers (RF602's are about £20). These will fire any flash - again, get one or two YN560's to run alongside your existing SB800.

I just answer what you are asking. Flash unit for bird shooting.

Two types of set ups:

a) an ambush set up where you have bait such as seeds for birds and a place for the birds to perch on and you set up flash units around the ambush area while you shoot from a distance

b) The other set up is a mobile set up. That mean you need a flash extender (http://www.naturescapes.net/store/better-beamer-flash-extenders/)